Star Wars: The Last Jedi (A- or 3.5/4 stars)
'Star Wars VIII: The Last Jedi' (director Rian Johnson takes the reigns from J.J. Abrams) is an enthralling, rollicking entry in this franchise that erupts with creative set pieces, amazing character moments & thrilling action sequences, but also suffers from a padded narrative and slow-burn midsection -- but I don't want to get too nitpicky, I loved this movie. After the usual scrolling-text "crawl" catches us up on matters, the plot kicks-in right after events of The Force Awakens (2015), with General Leia (Carrie Fisher, RIP), her steely Vice-Admiral Holdo (Laura Dern), hotshot pilot Poe Dameron (Oscar Isaac) & the rest of the Resistance fighters facing a powerful First Order battleship, while our scavenger-turned-Jedi Rey (Daisy Ridley) tracks down reclusive Luke Skywalker (Mark Hamill) on an isolated craggy isle in hopes of convincing him to train her and join the Republic's survival mission.
As General Hux (Domhnall Gleeson) hunts down the remains of the Resistance's depleted fleet, stormtrooper-turned-resistance fighter Finn (John Boyega) teams up with grieving mechanic Rose Tico (Kelly Marie Tran) & embarks to the hedonistic casino city of Canto Bight to find shady 'codebreaker' DJ (Benicio Del Toro) for a risky scheme to shut down the First Order's tracking system; so they can flee in hyperspace travel. All the while, world-weary Luke senses how powerful Rey's connection is with the Force; reminding him of his failure to keep his nephew Ben Solo/Kylo Ren (Adam Driver) away from the Dark Side. Rey & Kylo can mind-meld and, Luke feels that manipulative Kylo Ren could sway Rey to the Dark Side ... even if he, himself, might feel the Light. And after Supreme Leader Snoke (Andy Serkis) admonishes a conflicted Kylo into taking his place as the heir apparent to Darth Vader, the snit really hits the fan.
Barring some niggling issues that I have with 'The Last Jedi' {at 152 min. in length, the film is a bit flabby & crowded with plot incident), I thought it was extraordinary. Director Rian Johnson, known for indies like The Brothers Bloom & Looper, forays into epic filmmaking with gusto; making sure that this movie is chock full of surprises, breathtaking adventure & shocking revelations. Though some super fans might quibble at various additions & extractions to the lore, I was wowed once again by the lightsaber duels {one particular fight in Snoke's red lair provided me an adrenaline rush the likes I haven't experienced in a theater in a LONG time}, aerial dogfights, exotic creatures {LOVE those crystal ice fox critters on the salt flats!}, visual effects, double-crosses & character pathos. Some heroes & villains live; some heroes & villains die. And major characters walk that tightrope notion of: "Are they good? Are they evil? Which way will they fall?"
Each character has their moment & each rivets. The females this time around - Rey, Leia, Holdo & Rose - are fierce & courageous. Laura Dern shines, creating an initially enigmatic admiral who becomes a war hero for all-time. Oscar Isaac comes into his own as charismatic, foolhardy Poe. Domhnall Gleeson's Gen. Hux is amusing in his cowardice. Old friends like Chewbacca, R2-D2, C-P30 & especially Yoda are effective. Newer friends like the droid BB-8 & the Porgs will make you go aww. But most effective are Daisey Ridley, Adam Driver, Mark Hamill & Carrie Fisher. Adam Driver makes Kylo Ren as complex & intriguing as any character I've seen in the SW franchise. He's scary, vexing, heartbreaking & confounding. Though he's terrifying, Driver also conveys a crippling inner-turmoil that eats away at his soul. And some of the best scenes include the intense push-&-pull of darkness & light btwn. Kylo & Daisy Ridley's Rey; two characters who are drawn together by a Force that neither completely understands or can control.
Mark Hamill is simply wonderful as Luke, the deeply conflicted, wise Jedi master who's seen more death, destruction & disappointment than most. Hamill has been the iconic Luke for 40(!) yrs. and the emotion he lends this time is astonishing {look out for his final scene}. 'The Last Jedi' marks a fitting, if sad farewell to the irreplaceable Carrie Fisher – and what COMMAND she showed. Every sly line delivery, every gesture of heartache {thanks to her traitorous son, Ben/Kylo}, every reassuring comment on the state of the Resistance ... Fisher owns it. And so, despite the occasional narrative misstep, or oddly executed comic beat, or bloated subplot, there is much to praise, here. Craft-wise, the film is a wonder to behold. John Williams' music still stirs & soars. I laughed; I teared-up; and I'm grateful to Rian Johnson for providing a film brimming with heart-racing, lasting cinematic moments.
As General Hux (Domhnall Gleeson) hunts down the remains of the Resistance's depleted fleet, stormtrooper-turned-resistance fighter Finn (John Boyega) teams up with grieving mechanic Rose Tico (Kelly Marie Tran) & embarks to the hedonistic casino city of Canto Bight to find shady 'codebreaker' DJ (Benicio Del Toro) for a risky scheme to shut down the First Order's tracking system; so they can flee in hyperspace travel. All the while, world-weary Luke senses how powerful Rey's connection is with the Force; reminding him of his failure to keep his nephew Ben Solo/Kylo Ren (Adam Driver) away from the Dark Side. Rey & Kylo can mind-meld and, Luke feels that manipulative Kylo Ren could sway Rey to the Dark Side ... even if he, himself, might feel the Light. And after Supreme Leader Snoke (Andy Serkis) admonishes a conflicted Kylo into taking his place as the heir apparent to Darth Vader, the snit really hits the fan.
Barring some niggling issues that I have with 'The Last Jedi' {at 152 min. in length, the film is a bit flabby & crowded with plot incident), I thought it was extraordinary. Director Rian Johnson, known for indies like The Brothers Bloom & Looper, forays into epic filmmaking with gusto; making sure that this movie is chock full of surprises, breathtaking adventure & shocking revelations. Though some super fans might quibble at various additions & extractions to the lore, I was wowed once again by the lightsaber duels {one particular fight in Snoke's red lair provided me an adrenaline rush the likes I haven't experienced in a theater in a LONG time}, aerial dogfights, exotic creatures {LOVE those crystal ice fox critters on the salt flats!}, visual effects, double-crosses & character pathos. Some heroes & villains live; some heroes & villains die. And major characters walk that tightrope notion of: "Are they good? Are they evil? Which way will they fall?"
Each character has their moment & each rivets. The females this time around - Rey, Leia, Holdo & Rose - are fierce & courageous. Laura Dern shines, creating an initially enigmatic admiral who becomes a war hero for all-time. Oscar Isaac comes into his own as charismatic, foolhardy Poe. Domhnall Gleeson's Gen. Hux is amusing in his cowardice. Old friends like Chewbacca, R2-D2, C-P30 & especially Yoda are effective. Newer friends like the droid BB-8 & the Porgs will make you go aww. But most effective are Daisey Ridley, Adam Driver, Mark Hamill & Carrie Fisher. Adam Driver makes Kylo Ren as complex & intriguing as any character I've seen in the SW franchise. He's scary, vexing, heartbreaking & confounding. Though he's terrifying, Driver also conveys a crippling inner-turmoil that eats away at his soul. And some of the best scenes include the intense push-&-pull of darkness & light btwn. Kylo & Daisy Ridley's Rey; two characters who are drawn together by a Force that neither completely understands or can control.
Mark Hamill is simply wonderful as Luke, the deeply conflicted, wise Jedi master who's seen more death, destruction & disappointment than most. Hamill has been the iconic Luke for 40(!) yrs. and the emotion he lends this time is astonishing {look out for his final scene}. 'The Last Jedi' marks a fitting, if sad farewell to the irreplaceable Carrie Fisher – and what COMMAND she showed. Every sly line delivery, every gesture of heartache {thanks to her traitorous son, Ben/Kylo}, every reassuring comment on the state of the Resistance ... Fisher owns it. And so, despite the occasional narrative misstep, or oddly executed comic beat, or bloated subplot, there is much to praise, here. Craft-wise, the film is a wonder to behold. John Williams' music still stirs & soars. I laughed; I teared-up; and I'm grateful to Rian Johnson for providing a film brimming with heart-racing, lasting cinematic moments.