Director: Rian Johnson
By Alex Watson
Life in the galaxy rolls on and in the hands of Rian Johnson it still feels thrilling. Keeping the twists and turns coming thick and fast, there is also a heavy emotional core to Star Wars: The Last Jedi. Characters are forced to look inside and make some tough internal choices. Some Star Wars fans might gripe over its feel along with its more humorous and heavy-hearted approach. But you can't deny there is potential here and finally, this new batch of characters are beginning to come into their own.
The Resistance led by General Leia Organa (Carrie Fisher) is being forced to fall back against the might of the First Order. Low on numbers and morale, the only hope they hold is for Rey (Daisy Ridley) to convince reclusive Jedi Luke Skywalker (Mark Hammill) to return. Meanwhile, Kylo Ren (Adam Driver) is also fighting his own personal battle against his own conscience.
Johnson wastes no time thrusting Star Wars: The Last Jedi into light speed. Starting with a thrilling dogfight which sees hotheaded but heroic Poe Dameron (Oscar Isaac) take on the First Order fleet and permanent sneer of General Hux (Domnhall Gleeson). This side of the story provides the unpredictable thrills of the story. Dameron along with former First Order trooper Finn (John Boyega) and newcomer Rose (Kelly Marie Tran) are on a mission to disable an enemy tracking device. Dameron in this story emerges as the new Han Solo in the making- charismatic yet immature and brave yet ballsy. Always drawing the wrath of new commander Vice Admiral Holdo (Laura Dern), Dameron is both indispensable and a wild card all in one. The Kylo Ren/Ben Solo side story also holds its own as the conflicted Jedi is pushed and pulled by Supreme Leader Snook (Andy Serkis once again rocking motion capture) to embrace his evil side. Rey can still feel the human side of him but is he past the point of redemption?
The real heart of this picture comes from the unlikely alliance of Rey and Luke Skywalker. At first glance, this would seem like the movies Achilles heal. Not only does it succeed but it is by far the movies most glorious aspect. After the lightsaber hand over at the end of Force Awakens- Johnson makes this scene an unlikely moment of hilarity. Skywalker wears the ghost's of the past in this flick- scarred by his failure of his nephew Ben he at first stubbornly refuses to help Rey. However, the new protege never backs down and a caring and strong bond forms. As talented as she is with a lightsabre, Luke also greatly fears the influence of the dark side. Also during this time, a mysterious connection arises between Rey and Ren which could potentially alter the course of either life. Johnson during this sequence brings a tender touch which could bring big things in later movies. Of course, who won't enjoy the nostalgia of watching Luke board the Falcon after so many years?
While the Star Wars: The Last Jedi has plenty of ideas that hit, there also some that just fall flat. During an overly long sequence to rich planet Canto Bight, Johnson's movie comes a little unstuck. This whole plot device just feels added to draw out the mileage and becomes little more than a wild goose chase. Was the introduction of Benicio Del Toro's codebreaker DJ really necessary? This trickster comes and goes while making little impact or weight to the story. This is easily the strongest Star Wars effort since Empire Strikes Back, but Johnson is all about the changing of the guard. Seeing Carrie Fisher on screen for the last time will bring a tear to some eyes. Luke Skywalker along with many others are present but by no means are the focal point of the story. Some fans may not like the more jokey side or the almost video game like approach during the battle scenes. But you cannot deny that this franchise is at once with the force again.
Firstly it feels amazing to see Mark Hammill once again holding a lightsabre as Luke Skywalker. Turning in a career-high performance, Hammill reminds us why this character is so special. Playing a more jaded and afraid version of Skywalker, he shows a man unable to let go of the past. Oscar Isaac emerges as the new king of cool for this franchise. Poe Dameron is a man who plays by his own rules but is also the leader the Resistance desperately needs. John Boyega once again is superb as Finn and matches Isaac for strength of character. Daisy Ridley, however, is the real ace in the deck in Johnson's movie. Effortlessly looking cool with a lightsabre, Ridley is the picture's backbone. Able to handle the difficult of upstaging Skywalker, Rey is very much the franchises future Jedi master.
Star Wars: The Last Jedi brings new hope to the galaxy- just a shame Johnson won't be returning for episode 9.
