STAR WARS: THE LAST JEDI

Star Wars: Episode VIII: The Last Jedi (TLJ) is the latest feature length installment in the epic Star Wars cinematic series. The previous installment being directed by the highly lauded J.J. Abrams, this feature sees high-budget directorial newcomer Rian Johnson take the helm precisely where the previous entry left off, to a promising continuance of the series. Indeed, don't let his resume fool you. Although, TLJ is the first film he has been called to direct with such an astounding high budget, he proves himself no Padawan to the task, leaving audiences with a thrilling and moving experience, which not only defied expectations but even challenges the audience for having them in the first place. Some slight spoilers abound in what follows. You have been warned.Getting the technical aspects out of the way, as usual, Star Wars continues to impress with it's usual abundance of well crafted eye candy. The experience of witnessing a cosmic battle among the stars in the Star Wars series has never shown dearth in its immersive ability, and that is still the case here. From an adrenaline pumping battle with Snoke's Praetorian Guard, to seeing the beautiful vulptices and the striking scattering of red salt on the world of Crait, viewers will no doubt walk away satisfied for their visual fill. The most notable highlight comes wherein a certain scene a certain character hits light-speed in their ship in order defend the Resistance from being wiped out by the First Order in a moment which has it's visual brilliance only underscored by the emotional toll that follows. I won't spoil more than that. And if you were indecisive as to whether to buy this film on Blu-ray or DVD -- and I'm not sure why you would be -- buy it on Blu-ray.What I will go on to spoil, as if the previous film didn't already make this obvious, is the heartfelt (or is it cynical?) return of Mark Hamil, reprising his role as Luke Skywalker. Fanboys of the serious are no doubt split on how Luke has been reintroduced to the series: more on that in a bit. However, as for the actor himself, Hamil does a spectacular job regarding what he's given to work with. Indeed, this is true for all the cast. Of note in particular is Adam Driver who steals the show as Kylo Ren, doing a fantastic job with mere contenance alone conveying the inner angst and turmoil of the disillusioned fallen Padawan of Luke Skywalker. Despite being the central antagonist of the film, Driver will genuinely leave the viewer uncertain as to which direction he will take before all is said and done. And although that may lead readers to think I gave away the ending arc of this character, watch the movie, and you may be surprised. This is true too of Daisy Ridley, reprising her role as the aspiring Padawan of the Resistance member Rey (of nowhere), her character too having her own existential crisis. There comes a twist in the film where it is unknown in what direction these characters will go amidst the consequences, and, well, that brings us to the story.And what a story it is! But I'd like to get a minor nitpick out of the way before praising all the good. As mentioned before, the movie takes place PRECISELY where the last movie left off, as in there is no time gap from the end of the last movie to the beginning of TLJ. This is unprecendented in the Star Wars movie series. With every sequel in the man story, there is a gap of time from where the previous movie left off ranging from months to years, usually done to allow Expanded Universe (EU) material to fill in the blanks for hardcore fans to enjoy while waiting for another movie to come out. But I believe this was also done originally by George Lucas in order to simulate the feeling of his childhood in watching old film serials that use to play before the feature presentation of a movie. By not allowing a gap of time to exist, I believe something was lost here which, although seemingly minor, is a big aspect of the main Star Wars movies.Nonetheless, with what was envisioned, I can see why the change was made, and the story doesn't suffer for a flaw in expetation, quite the opposite in the bulk of what is given. The theme of this film centers on expectations (or at least the subversion of them: deconstruction, if you will), legacy, legend, failure, faith/hope, responsibility, and life. And as for expectations, it is the audience's which is thrown right out the window upon meeting the new (and more cynical and defeatist) Luke Skywalker. Now introduced to us as a self-loathing hermit who has essentially given up on not only himself, but the Jedi, all hope, and even the Force, we meet Luke where we left off in the previous installment: his hidden location discovered by Rey on some remote planet. Only what's more, we find he has no interest in saving anybody, not even himself. A horrible mischaracterization, no? Well, no, not for me. Fans are split on this topic, especially the hardcore fans who have a particular vision of what Luke must always be and symbolize upon him becoming a Jedi at the end of Return of the Jedi. However, and while I can understand fan puritism in some cases, just because a story or character goes in a direction you did not want, doesn't make it bad story in what it sets out to be. For instance, certain characters like Superman, Rorscach (Watchmen), and The Doctor (Doctor Who) are meant to symbolize something bigger than themselves, something never changing, and thus, there are simply things that these characters are not meant to intentionally do under any circumstance else betray the very point of their existence. In fact, there are situations these characters should not be presented in because of what they are meant to represent. Luke never came off to me as being the same type of character, representing an ideal before being his own person. I suspect the same is true for anyone who had no problem with Luke's characterization in TLJ, but if you hold Luke up to be more of a symbolic character than his own person (flaws and all), this movie probably isn't for you.It will be difficult to dance around heavy spoilers from here on out, but let me start by saying, if the character of Luke was going to go in the direction Johnson was going to take him in, the reason given in the movie was the perfect reason why. The audience learns of an incident within Luke's past which tempted him to make a gut-wrenching choice. A choice for which he's never forgiven himself. Many fans of Luke argue that Luke woud never consider doing this, but I argue, given what genocide we've seen brought at the hands of Luke's father (and thus what potential genocide could come from this new threat he is faced with) and that all attempts at a peaceful resolution continuously failed him despite his best efforts over a prolonged period of time, I can see why Luke, at his wit's end, considered it. What's more, if the choice didn't leave Luke feeling especially humilated, denouncing himself as a failure, what reason could Luke have for isolating himself in the middle of nowhere while his friends and family struggle at death's door, the mighty First Order wiping out many of their number as the days cycle on? Like Yoda and Obi-Wan before him, his failure is related to not being able to prevent what was right under his nose, and represents not just defeat at the power of the dark side but a means of punishing himself. An interesting parallel: "it's like poetry, sort of; they rhyme." However, Luke's defeatism claims not only himself, but it appears to claim his belief in the Jedi as well. Fans of the Star Wars prequel trilogy will be thrilled by the implicit acknowledgement to the prequels, whereas the last movie seemed to be mostly silent as to their existence. Luke tells all about the Jedi's failure and their arrogance that left them ripe for a downfall in Episode I - III. Luke rightly points out and chastises the arrogant absolutist philosophy practiced by his predecessors at the height of their power, leading them to their own destruction. But failure isn't the end, nor is it wholly a bad thing: the upshot of Luke's arc, and what he learns through an old friend (wink wink), was truly moving and inspiring. To anyone who feels helpless in a sea of chaos, to anyone who believes their previous short-comings signify the end, TLJ reminds us that despair was yesterday, hope is tomorrow. And when we thought Luke was the only hope, we were reminded, "No, there is another."The passing of Carrie Fisher was a blow to many a Star Wars fan, but although this was her final movie, it most certainly wasn't the least of them. Leaving on a high note, the character of Leia reurns to us one last time, war-weary but holding on to an inner light in more ways than one. Her character arc mosty revolves around that of Poe Dameron, played by Oscar Isaac. Isaac does a wonderful job in the role of Poe, a brash and impulsive starfighter with the The Resistance, whose actions are quite what one would expect of a sort of Han-Solo-ish figure for this current series of movies. But although he fills something of that role, viewers will leave the movie not with what they expect of it. Instead it is a high contrast with him, Leia, and Vice Admiral Holdo, played by Laura Dern, which will leave one not exactly wanting to be flippant with the odds when concerned with the stake of his colleages lives. It's an unexpected subversion to see in an action movie, but this time faith/hope, level-headedness, and caution win out over the usual power fantasy of risking it all and winning. Again, a common theme of one's failure not being the end pops up within this arc as well.Related to this, and still carrying those themes on throughout, is the arc of Finn, played by John Boyega. The character defined as a man running away from what he should confront continues on that same note in TLJ. It is through him we meet the ever compassionate and charming character of Rose, played by Kelly Marie Tran, recovering from the death of her sister in the movie's opening battle, and later on, the nihilistic DJ, played by the phenomenal Benicio del Toro, a master slicer (hacker) needed to penetrate the First Order's defense systems. It is through these characters wherein Finn's identity as a hero is tested, Rose inspiring into Finn a hopeful optimism and appreciation for life to bring out the hero within him, while DJ encourages an amoral cynicism to keep him down his cowardly path. There's also a bit of an anti-capitalism and anti-war message presented through the characters in their own respective way that may put off any poltically right-leaning individual, and indeed, many of that persuasion do appear to have been completely set off by this. From what I've experienced, however, Star Wars has always had a bit of a left-leaning message, whether it be anti-Bush in the prequels or against the Vietnam War in Return of the Jedi. It seems odd that some choose now to complain, but let it be known, there is a left-leaning message in the movie for anyone too sensitive a taste for it.Continuing on, the character of Rose furthers another theme found throughout the movie, that of legends and heroes, or should I say the demystification of such things. In her first encounter with someone she believes to be a laudable hero, Finn, she finds he is much less than what she thought him of the praise, absconding from the Resistence in order to keep his friend Rey out of the battle with the First Order. And indeed, it is interesting to see Johnson deconstruct much of the unequivical praise that is attributed to the typical heroes featured in a fantasy story, showing a different, much more human side of such characters. However, this doesn't ultimately make them any less the hero for consequence of their flaws, not deep down. No, and again, the movie reminds us through the sub-plot with Finn, Rose, and DJ that it isn't failure that marks the end of things. Life is precious, and being a cliche hero who is so willing to die just for victory can be less heroic than cautiously living on for the chance of hope in a better solution. And if you commit to this, sometimes that patience, that faith, that hope is rewarded far better than any high risk or suicidal plan.Much of this too is true for Rey and Kylo Ren. Finding her "legendary hero", he too is much different than what was expected, much more human and flawed. But she isn't alone. Kylo Ren too is suffering from disillusionment as to what he aspired to be, a helmet smashing scene underscoring this point early in the movie. Were the Jedi worthy of being aspired to? But additionally, from the point of view of the dark side, what is so worthy in the philosophy of the Sith? Does legacy, blood given or religion told, determine the whole of our identity? Perhaps the past should burn to a cinder, and something new should be born from the ashes of the old? This is a queston Johnson keeps at the forefront of the primary character's arcs. I won't spoil too much more, excect to say there is a nice nod to Zen Buddhism in a line (which actually has a clever double-meaning) a certain old fan favorite character has to say about Rey and the future of the Jedi philosophy. And yes, I know, arguably all of the Jedi philosophy is heavily inspired by eastern philosophy, Buddhism in particular. It was still a nice nod, to me, though.This accompanied with a scene at the end of a certain child sweeping away a dirty stable before gazing at the stars in wonder, left me with a sense of optimism for the future. This movie has created a severe split in the Star Wars fanbase for many reasons, including some explained here. But what many of the critics miss is truly a tale of optimism despite any disgrace of defeat, an urge to go on when all feels lost (when you have failed and you are lost), and that our destinies are in our control (in our hands), if we can only believe in ourselves and each other. A set back is not the end. "Hope is like the sun. If you only believe in it when you can see it, you'll never make it through the night."

JUST saw this movie. I rarely watch movies in theaters anymore because most movies these days are nowhere near the cost of entry. I almost always wait until a movie comes out on Redbox to watch it because a $2.00 Bluray is, on average, the best value in my opinion. So like with most movies, I was waiting for the latest Star Wars to come out Redbox or to achieve a reasonable rental price on Amazon. The only reason I caved in and rented this movie before it dropped even further is because my good friend has been wanting to talk about the movie for months because he saw it when it came out in theaters. So I bit the bullet and spent the $6.00 to rent this movie in HD (you can't watch a Star Wars movie in SD, that's a sin). I assumed it would be overpriced, like many movies I watch at that price. Boy, was I wrong. I NEVER, EVER thought I would say this about any Star Wars movie that wasn't one of the original three, but this is the best Star Wars movie I've ever seen. Which also means it's one of the best movies I've ever seen period. I was absolutely blown away. I don't think I'll ever forget the feeling I had when this movie ended. I seriously FELT the force inside me. Are there some shortcomings/flaws in this movie? Of course. EVERY movie has flaws, even the classics. If you're critical enough, you can find something flawed in every scene of every movie ever made. I almost never say things like this, but if you didn't like this movie, you must be awfully jaded/cynical. And I say that as someone who is pretty cynical. Now, it's one thing if you're the kind of person who just doesn't like Star Wars at all. I will never understand that, but I can respect the consistency of that position. However, if you're the kind of person who claims to be a "true" Star Wars fan, then you really should love this movie. I'm not going to provide a detailed and logical argument WHY you should love it, because that would miss the point. Much like the force, the most important part of a movie is not in the various details, but in the ineffable whole. So I will just say this is a movie with genuine spirit and soul. It is exciting, gorgeous, funny, clever, and deeply emotional. And Rian Johnson's directing was masterful. He seemed to capture the old spirit of Star Wars movies, but with very tasteful and subtle updating. Extremely impressive work. Totally did the franchise justice with this movie. I would argue he even managed to ELEVATE it somehow, just like a Jedi inexplicably elevates rocks. My initial impression of Rian Johnson as both a writer and a director: The force is strong with this one.Normally, I would leave my review at that (I've already said a lot!), but I also feel compelled to address the very SPECIFIC and overwhelmingly negative subset of Last Jedi haters who claim that this movie was ruined by excessive political correctness and the like.Before I respond to that argument, please know that I HATE political correctness. I completely reject the idea of trying to fill some imaginary racial or gender quota while making a movie. I find the increasing emphasis on "safe spaces" and "microaggressions" and "triggers" to be oppressive and irrational. I agree that Hollywood is becoming increasingly and annoyingly preachy and self-important. I am NOT some "cuck" or "social justice warrior". In fact, as a Marine vet, I am pretty much the OPPOSITE of a "snowflake". So when I say the massively negative reviews about political correctness are unfair, it is NOT because I'm trying to be a "white knight". It's because those accusations are NONSENSE. And because I read so many of those kinds of reviews (I was curious as to why the critical reviews and the audience reviews were diverging so much), I went in EXPECTING the movie to be terrible and overly politically correct. SO WRONG. And if God came down out of the sky and told me this movie meets the divine definition of "politically correct", then I'd have to seriously rethink my views towards "political correctness". If this movie truly is "politically correct", then "political correctness" is amazing.So if you're someone who is hesitating to see this movie because you're worried that Rian Johnson ruined Star Wars forever with cringe-inducing political correctness, DON'T. The fact that this Star Wars movie has more space for women and ethnic minorities DOES NOT detract from the ART of the movie. I see no evidence that Rian Johnson sacrificed one bit of artistic integrity in order to satisfy some kind of racial or gender quota. Maybe you will not love the movie like I did, but neither will you despise it the way the haters do.