Pursued through space by the nefarious First Order, the Resistance faces dwindling fuel and a leadership crisis. Former stormtrooper Finn (John Boyega), mechanic Rose Tico (Kelly Marie Tran), and droid BB8 travel to resort planet Canto Bright to recruit a master codebreaker who will allow the Resistance to disable the First Order’s tracking device. They are aided by ace pilot Poe Dameron (Oscar Isaac), whom General Leia Organa (Carrie Fisher) recently reprimanded for his recklessness. Meanwhile, former scavenger Rey (Daisy Ridley) has journeyed to remote Ahch-To to recruit Jedi master Luke Skywalker (Mark Hamill) to the Resistance’s cause and learn more about her burgeoning Jedi abilities. Luke, however, wants nothing more than to be left alone as he is still stung by the defection of his nephew Ben Solo (Adam Driver) to the dark side. Now, as the First Order operative Kylo Ren, Ben uses his psychic link to Rey to try to win her allegiance while she does the same to secure his.
For all of George Lucas’s half-baked ideas and for all of the valuable contributions made by others (his ex-wife/editor Marcia, screenwriter Lawrence Kasdan, and producer Gary Kurtz especially), Star Wars films have, for the most part, been a continuation of a story Lucas began telling forty years ago. Even 2015’s The Force Awakens, a Lucas-free affair helmed by J.J. Abrams – owed an obvious debt to 1977’s A New Hope. The eighth episode in the series sees not only a new writer/director (Rian Johnson, best known for Brick and Looper) but one who would dare take the franchise in a different direction. This, of course, raised the ire of longtime fans, for whom such deviations are heresy. Factor out such allegiances, however, and The Last Jedi is still a divisive film: beautifully shot and convincingly acted but poorly plotted and clumsy in its messaging.
At two-and-a-half hours, The Last Jedi is the longest Star Wars film to date, but it does not have the feel of a long movie. It’s a fluid film that maintains tension and excitement throughout. Spacecraft combat, chase sequences, and hand-to-hand fights make for lively viewing. From the creepy caves of Ahch-To to the blood red mineral deposits of the planet Crait, there are some striking visuals. Johnson complements this rich palette with a preference for practical effects and puppetry rather than conspicuous CGI. Were it not for a ridiculous shot of Leia using Force powers to twirl through space, this would easily be best-looking Star Wars film to date. John Williams’ music remains as fitting as ever.
While Johnson thrives as a director, his writing very nearly sinks this film. Not since Dawn of Justice has an otherwise credible big-budget affair been this badly plotted, and a large chunk of the problem boils down to misplaced priorities. The Finn/Rose sidequest to Canto Bright comes across as a waste of time when the codebreaker they retrieve (Benicio Del Toro in an underwritten role) proves not all that he cracked (pun intended) up to be. Instead, it not only pads the film but also plays as a flimsy pretext for tossing in broadsides against economic exploitation and animal cruelty. This is still more that can be said for the needless conflict between Poe and awkwardly introduced Resistance Vice Admiral Holdo (a purple-haired Laura Dern, who is given more to work with), a point of contention that could have easily been avoided had Holdo filled Poe in on her plan when he asked. Frustratingly, Johnson chose these threads as worthy of emphasis while deeming an explanation for the First Order’s sinister Supreme Leader Snoke (voiced by Andy Serkis) surplus to requirements.
Johnson also likely won few admirers by transforming Luke from a triumphant symbol of hope into a bitter and scared old man. However, this decision actually pays off: it adds an edge to Luke’s do-gooder character that was previously missing, and it gives Hamill a chance to do more actual acting. Though best known for his voicework these days, he proves up to the task. He’s in good company: with the exception of Del Toro (who, again, had very little to work with), most of the cast puts on a good showing. The late, much-missed Fisher gives one hell of a final performance as Leia, imbuing the ex-princess with both steely resolve and well-timed sarcasm. Isaac and Boyega continue to grow their characters as Poe learns some measure of restraint while Finn gains the willingness to lay his life on the line for a cause. The Rey-Kylo dynamic continues to fascinate, and both Ridley and Driver do a great job of projecting inner anguish.
Like its predecessors, The Last Jedi offers annoying kid-friendly critters. This time, they take the form of porgs, a type of big-eyed bird. The best that can be said is that the audience isn’t the only one suffering in their presence: they are a thorn in Chewie’s side throughout the film, something that is played for laughs. Speaking of humor, The Last Jedi consciously plays it up at times. It’s a great deal more conspicuous than the improvised Han Solo quips of yore. Sometimes, it works (Luke acknowledges that Rey’s home planet is pretty much nowhere); in other places, it feels forced.
At one point in The Last Jedi, Kylo comes to the conclusion that the only way for him and Rey to find a way forward is to destroy what remains of the past. At first glance, Johnson seems all too comfortable with that notion, but by the end, The Last Jedi has sewn hope for the future, both in story and out. It is unfortunate that getting there was such a contrived, if exhilarating, mess.
7.75/10
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