I never realized that Star Wars movies were mystery movies.
They’ve become largely about “The Reveal.”
- Who dies?
- Who has The Force?
- Who – actually -is your daddy?
That “I’m your father” scene really had an impact on these new films. It’s a good thing and makes for a fun night at the flicks AS LONG AS YOU STAY AWAY FROM ALL MEDIA PRIOR TO YOUR VIEWING!!!
I’m here to help. Here is a SPOILER-FREE review of Star Wars: The Last Jedi.
No synopsis- the twist and turns are most of the fun. The most important thing to say is The Last Jedi is not a carbon copy of The Empire Strikes Back. This is most welcome news and the best thing writer/director Rian Johnson could have achieved. There are similarities, sure. Our hero is off training with a reclusive master. There’s a massive battle on a snow-white landscape BUT it was a snow-covered battlefield on Hoth in Empire and here it’s a planet covered in salt. Big difference. (Also, our new and improved salt-veiled battlefield has crimson-red soil hidden beneath, making for some of the most striking visuals in any Star Wars film ever).
Luke is in it. So is Leia whose presence brings an unintended tension. As you know, the great Carrie Fisher passed away right after filming, shocking everyone. Her role is much more important and predominant here than it was in The Force Awakens and Leia is constantly in peril. I couldn’t help but constantly wonder when they would bring an end to Leia. A sad exercise.
There are laughs throughout but the heavy foreboding needed for a proper middle-chapter is everywhere you look. Things are dire, and the stakes are high. It’s incredibly well handled and masterfully told.
The one thing I can’t wait to talk to people about is how Johnson has deviated from The Empire Strikes Back template. That plot-point is the most exciting thing to experience here. The Last Jedi becomes its own movie and sets the series in an exciting new direction. No small feat. Now we have Our Own Star Wars!!! I can’t wait to see what happens next!!!!!
