It’s hard to give a non-spoilery review of The Last Jedi, because I have so many thoughts and feelings about it that I almost have too much to say! It’s complex and multi-layered and tragic – and there’s so much going on beyond the surface level action. Watching it a second time was really useful in helping to untangle some of my thoughts and identify some key thematic beats that I’d missed the first time. I recommend a second viewing! The more I ponder the themes and characterisation in this movie the more I love it.
This is certainly a sad movie in many ways, but I found the darker, tragic themes compelling and moving. Kylo Ren is the most complex, interesting movie villain in a long time. All the characters experience significant challenges and heartbreak. When a favourite character explains that “failure is the greatest teacher” (paraphrasing) it’s clear that this is key to the whole story. How will we respond to failure? And how will we deal with the past? This story is about expectation, betrayal and loss – but also hope. The theme of hope occurs repeatedly throughout, in the mouths of different characters. Where is hope to be found? With a nod back to IV, who is “our only hope”? And will our hopes prove true? Or is hope lost? Some of the bigger questions are left to be answered in the next episode but, like these characters, the audience needs to have faith. “Hope is like the sun. If you only believe it when you see it you’ll never make it through the night.”
I love that Rian Johnson took such a fresh look at our favourite SW tropes – from heroism to mythology to battles to romance: “It’s not going to go the way you think!” He clearly loves these characters and loves this universe, but he’s not afraid to subvert our expectations and make us look at things in a new way. He throws things away and burns them up – but nothing is truly lost. It’s all still there – ready to be rediscovered by a new generation. All our young characters have lot of growing up to do in this movie – heroics, temper tantrums, running away, naïve expectations, slavish obedience, useless rebellion… Each one has something important to learn, some heartbreak to respond to. Like his characters, Rian forces us to question what it really means to be a hero. What – or who – should we fight for? And I love that there’s so much wisdom and strength in his female characters.
I loved all the characters in this – and some grew on me in the second watching. And the acting is superb. Adam Driver, Mark Hamill and Daisy Ridley in particular are all fantastic. And of course the visuals and effects are stunning. Not only the classic SW ship interiors and battles, but Ahch-To and Crait are stunning and memorable.
So, anyway, a few of my favourite or most memorable things (in no particular order):
- The chemistry between x and y
- The humour (Hux, tickling, Chewie and the porgs…)
- The tragic backstory
- The cave
- Hands hands hands
- The anti-war theme
- An old friend’s laughter and wise words
- Forcetiming
- Near-perfect examples of mansplaining from a certain hotshot pilot
- THE FIGHT (woohoo!)
- Rey’s compassion and courage
- Rose’s joy while on the run
- “You’re not alone.”
- “Please.”
- “…that piece of junk…” (about you know what!)
- R2D2’s emotional manipulation
- “Yes, say that.”
- Twin suns
- The angst and heartbreak
- RED
- “Save what you love…”
- When one character shows us what it really means to let go of the past
- The Millennium Falcon being awesome
- Rey’s emotional parentage reveal
- More than one amazing lightsaber moment
- DJ’s parting line
- “No one’s from nowhere
- ”The spark(s)
- “We have everything we need”
Perhaps my favourite critical review: Slashfilm: ‘The Last Jedi’ Doesn’t Care What You Think About ‘Star Wars’ – And That’s Why It’s Great
Mustard Seed Kingdom 