Plot: This is a complex, multifaceted story. Rey (Daisy Ridley) talks with Luke Skywalker (Mark Hamill) but leaves unsatisfied. Rey and Kylo Ren (Adam Driver) begin telepathically communicating and eventually meet. Leader Snoke (Andy Serkis) meets Rey and Kylo. Poe blows up stuff from his fighter and causes trouble when with the rebel leadership. New character Rose (Kelly Marie Tran) and Fin sneak on to the enemy ship. Through-out the rebels are in retreat, similar to The Empire Strikes Back. [imdb] [photos]
Review: In the second installment, the good guys are getting their asses kicked. In one case a victory over an enemy ship turns out to be a defeat because the rebel fleet loses the resources to retreat properly, and Poe learns this, so that later in the film he is wiser. Last Jedi is darker, more mystical, and melancholy, leaving the rebellion in crisis going in to the third film.
Because the plot is about retreat, there are few crowd pleasing victories. Victories are tempered by defeat and loss of familiar characters.
On the bright side, the pluckiness of Rey was still there. Mark Hamill's Luke Skywalker returns but not the savior we expected. As a crusty old man, he is troubled by his internal demons and the past. There was an interesting scene we see in three ways where Luke Skywalker and Kylo Ren part ways.
While Rey and Luke are together we get a view into the dark side and an interesting visual effect of Daisy in a metaphysical mirror hall.
Adam Driver's Kylo Ren is powerful and interesting. I enjoyed his scenes with Domhnall Gleeson's General Hux. The facial acting between Ridley and Driver is tops.
Oscar Isaac and Kelly Marie Tran were also excellent. I liked Benicio Del Toro's codebreaker. He established a character in just a few lines.
When Carrie Fischer's Leah is on the screen, she always looks tired and weak, perhaps sincere, inspiring and determined too. This is a strength and a weakness. We want a last hurrah from our familiar characters, but the dramatic structure of the film needs to force the old generation to the exits so the young characters can save the galaxy in the next film. The final scene with Leah and Rey is the emotional closure to the film, and can be seen as a torch passing; especially since actress Carrie Fisher is physically dead.
Overall, it is a good middle installment. Not a crowd-pleaser, nor a cliff-hanger but entertaining in places, and hopefully setting up a dynamite final chapter.
Cast: Mark Hamill, Daisy Ridley, Adam Driver, John Boyega, Oscar Isaac, Kelly Marie Tran, Laura Dern, Benicio Del Toro
Directed by: Rian Johnson
Written by: Rian Johnson, George Lucas; Interesting to see that there are only two writers. I tend to think the storyline is all Lucas, and this was written years ago.
The Music: Good orchestral music
The Visuals: A highlight was the multiple Rey's in the case. Leader Snoke was cool. I loved the crystal foxes, which I find are called vulptex. These were both puppet and CGI.
See this video.
Rating: 2.5 stars. It is not that satisfying, but after viewing I can see it needed to be "darkest before the dawn."
and 1/2
More: I am disappointed Disney is not having any crystal fox/"vulptex", stuffed animals made. More on them
here.
Even More: Mark Hamill also credited as Dobbu Scay. Speculation is that he was the voice of space leprechaun in the casino.
Yet More (minor spoiler): Online fans are whining about disrupting the Star Wars canon. I don't care about that at all. I like the idea of blowing up the Jedi temple. The prophecy said Luke's function was to unify the dark side and the light. Hard to see how he did that, except by destroying the old structures and burning the old books.
It Keeps Coming (minor spoiler): .
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