Star Wars VIII: The Last Jedi - SPOILER REVIEW

Update Feb. 2018: I have discussed some of the film further with some friends who strongly disliked it, and while I still think it is a great film, I think my initial reaction to people disliking it so much was quite over simplified. I'll leave it below, but know that I do see some ways the film might have been better, or a better Star Wars film, and that if you hold those opinions, more power to you! Having said all that, I still take issue with people saying it's objectively bad, or an objectively bad Star Wars film, and it's still among my favorites.

SPOILERS AHEAD!!! STOP NOW IF YOU DON'T WISH TO BE SPOILED!!!

I just got back from seeing Star Wars Episode VIII: The Last Jedi and .... WOW!!! I absolutely love this movie. It's right up there in the franchise, definitely top 3. It was a polarizing movie, and after spending time reading people's reasons for disliking it online, I think I can understand where they're coming from.

I respectfully disagree with their opinion... Strongly disagree. In fact, there were really only two things that bothered me about this movie, so I'll cover those first:

Why have Jedi Master Luke milk this weird... Thing? Honestly it was a little gross, and totally unnecessary to the story.
The humor at times seemed a bit forced (haha, puns), and marvel-ish. Most of the humor was very good, but I think they could have pulled back during some of the more serious moments.

Now, as to why I think this movie was so polarizing? I really think it comes down to why you like Star Wars.

The Original Trilogy was heavily based around the archetypal hero's journey. All the characters are there, you have Luke, the nobody from nowhere who discovers he's a somebody with a very important ancestry and destined to save the Galaxy. You have Obi-Wan, who's the old hermit wizard who trains the boy, and (literally) disappears when it's time for the boy to stand on his own. You have the selfish jerk who eventually learns to care for other people and becomes a hero in his own right. And you have the funny characters that still move the plot along. All the parts are there.

The Prequel Trilogy was a bit... Different. While it has many faults in regards to poor dialogue, very annoying characters, and many other poor choices from a critic-of-film standpoint, as a story it was good. It had a lot going for it, and it really added to the Star Wars cannon. But, it was different. Really different. People didn't want different, not like this. You have Anakin, who's this hero, but falls. His mentor is unable to guide him well enough. The Jedi order, instead of being this holy, incorruptible order of wisdom, turns to war and lets their greatest enemy gain power right under their nose. Much of what we know about Star Wars is challenged.

And now, you have the Sequel Trilogy. It is also quite a bit different. Instead of having archetypes, or anti-archetypes, we have un-archetypes. Rey turns out to have no important parentage (unless you are of the mindset that Kylo/Ben lied, which is a very high possibility). Luke turns out to have failed, but in a final show of immense force-power seeks to teach Ben Solo one final lesson. Kylo turns on his master, but instead of being a big side-change it's a power grab.

Everything about this movie completely changes your expectations. If you're in it for the nostalgia (which means you likely love the Original Trilogy and hate the prequels), there's a good chance you might not have liked this movie. That's okay. If you thought episode VII seemed too much like a remake, but still wanted more of the archetypes, you might not like this movie either.

As for me? I love the fresh perspective it brings on not just the Star Wars universe, but on my view of humanity as a whole. Rey is an example of how where you come from doesn't have to define your destiny. In a world where people are turning back to their race, political party, and sex as the source of their identity, in this movie her character chooses to let go of all that and pursue a path forward, letting go of the past. Or is it? Episode IX might have other ideas, and that's okay. I look forward to seeing what those are!

Published on Tuesday December 12, 2017