STAR WARS: THE LAST JEDI

[Bob Gray]

I know a lot of people are talking shit about Leia floating through space but that's actually very plausible especially with the power of the force. You can survive in space about 15 seconds without a space suit. Now they stretched it to about 30 secs but still I really had no issue with that scene.

Its not really about the plausibility, since theyve established that The Force can do practically anything they want it do. Thats not a criticism, its just saying that the force and magic are essentially interchangeable.

The problem is that it looked stupid and corny.

 

[method115]

Its not really about the plausibility, since theyve established that The Force can do practically anything they want it do. Thats not a criticism, its just saying that the force and magic are essentially interchangeable.

The problem is that it looked stupid and corny.

I'll admit if it was there I'd tell them not to do that. I just did't have any issue with it as far as how plausible it was.

 

[Bob Gray]

I personally don't have an issue with the ethnicity or gender they have chosen for their characters. The biggest problem they have is that these characters really have no purpose.

The more I think about it, the more it seems that this arc was created with characters first and story second. Then you throw in the different directors and you can just see how disjointed they are and how there is no real grand vision for what is supposed to be happening.

You could tell so clearly that there was no idea what to do with Finn. He was just there. And I can't logically see any reason to have the Rose character other than diversity. Unfortunately, her sister who was only on screen for about 2 minutes was more memorable IMO.

This trilogy is really suffering from a lack of a grand, cohesive narrative. I can't recall a trilogy this successful being so empty heading into it's final act. It's really kind of mind boggling how little they've built with this trilogy.

Thats unfortunately what I came away with as well. THey have the grand finale coming up and what is it? Less villains now? Kylo never completes his training? So hes essentially lower leveled version of Snoke? But he wants to destroy everything.

The thing is, Im ok with that mind set from him. He wants to watch the world burn. Ok, cool. Why are we going to be afraid of him, though? I was saying since FA ended that they had this great set up now for Kylo to become a huge big bad, and they totally dropped the ball. They did it halfway since Ive been predicting since FA ended that he was going to kill Snoke, but they didnt take the next step to make him stand on top of Snokes dead body and take his place. hes now been bested by the good guys twice and this time he doesnt get to use the "Hole in my gut" excuse.

 

[Bob Gray]

I'll admit if it was there I'd tell them not to do that. I just did't have any issue with it as far as how plausible it was.

Yeah, like I mentioned before its how they did things that bothered me. Not what they did. You could have an awesome moment with Leia in that part of the movie. Give herself some sort of force bubble or something while the flames are engulfing her. Even her getting sucked out but she manages to flip a switch with her mind or something. Shit, anything would be better than that. They wanted it to be some sort of "OHHHHH, SNAAAAP!" crowd cheering moment and it failed on every level.

 

[Fedorgasm]

I'm so glad JJ Abrams didn't direct this movie.

It's true that having 2 different directors means 2 different visions, but the alternative was to have JJ Abrams just rip off 3 movies from the original trilogy instead of 1.

At least Rian Johnson told an original story. Love it or hate it, it's better than what JJ would have done, which would've been some carbon copy of Empire.

It's funny to see how different their visions were.

JJ obviously thought snoke was interesting. And Rey's parents too. And then Rian comes and says "nope" and just eliminates both.

 

[Hank The Tank]

I haven't had a chance to write in here since I've seen the movie. I've been reading through some.

Overall, I was entertained and disappointed. They killed the myth aspect of it, the supposed 9 film arc the 'skywalker story' seems pointless and/or underwhelming now. Why do that now? Is this something they set out to do starting with TFA? Or are these large story arcs direction just at the whim of whoever happens to be writing that specific episode? Is there no cohesion or long game in play with this?

What is with this whole 'let the past die' gimmick Johnson kept inserting, it feels like a slap in the face to long time fans, a cop out for a strong story. Every time I see casual fan families post pictures of them and their kids at the theater watching it saying 'omg it was so great, we loved it' I think back to this. Casual fans, young kids, don't care about the grand story, they just want star wars transformers.

What happens now, does JJ insert a mythos back? Do they actually delve into Rey's parents, does the Skywalker arc show up? Is there more to Snope? Even if he does all of this and it is rich, will it feel like it was cop out to add it back, or will they say its 'organic' and was always meant to be that way?

At this point I'd feel a lot better if I knew what Lucas had intended for the last 3 movies, then I could just not care and watch whatever Disney comes up with, without as much expectation for a deep story that meshes.

 

[weich]

I'm so glad JJ Abrams didn't direct this movie.

It's true that having 2 different directors means 2 different visions, but the alternative was to have JJ Abrams just rip off 3 movies from the original trilogy instead of 1.

At least Rian Johnson told an original story. Love it or hate it, it's better than what JJ would have done, which would've been some carbon copy of Empire.

It's funny to see how different their visions were.

JJ obviously thought snoke was interesting. And Rey's parents too. And then Rian comes and says "nope" and just eliminates both.

I don't think it's that simple. I think it's possible, even likely, that Kylo was lying to her. Either that or her real parents have used the force to shield themselves from identity.

 

[minute bull]

I kept waiting for some sort of twist with Benicio's character.
Why was he in jail in the first place when he had the means to break himself out the whole time?

This movie was a giant cocktease.

This was the problem I have with THE FORCE AWAKENS and Rey. Rey's motivation, as stated, is remaining on Jakku for her parents; but none of her choices take her in this direction. The whole plot to THE FORCE AWAKENS is one big misdirect, and one I contend that handicapped THE LAST JEDI from its outset.

Just thought of a big plot hole: how did Benicio Del Toro betray the Resistance’s plans to the First Order when he shouldn’t have even known about the plan? Finn and Rose didn’t know about the plan to evacuate so...

I get the idea DJ was in that cell because he wanted to be there -- not in the sense he means anything to their plan, but rather because he's opportunistic and jail may have been preferable to his other options at the time. Speaking towards his opportunism, he betrayed Finn and Rose, and not their plan, to the First Order.

As for what I am looking forward to in the next one: more laser swords and people holding out their hands in threatening manner. I've been entrenched in the mythos enough where I just want a good story and told well. I'm much more about the How than the What.

 

[Law Talkin’ Guy]

This was the problem I have with THE FORCE AWAKENS and Rey. Rey's motivation, as stated, is remaining on Jakku for her parents; but none of her choices take her in this direction. The whole plot to THE FORCE AWAKENS is one big misdirect, and one I contend that handicapped THE LAST JEDI from its outset.


I get the idea DJ was in that cell because he wanted to be there -- not in the sense he means anything to their plan, but rather because he's opportunistic and jail may have been preferable to his other options at the time. Speaking towards his opportunism, he betrayed Finn and Rose, and not their plan, to the First Order.

No, they showed Hux and Phasma pull up that hologram image of the evacuation ships fleeing the cruiser for that salt planet and Hux said “huh, so he was telling the truth!” Or whatever implying that he told them that was the Resistance’s plan.

 

[RJ43]

I'm so glad JJ Abrams didn't direct this movie.

It's true that having 2 different directors means 2 different visions, but the alternative was to have JJ Abrams just rip off 3 movies from the original trilogy instead of 1.

At least Rian Johnson told an original story. Love it or hate it, it's better than what JJ would have done, which would've been some carbon copy of Empire.

It's funny to see how different their visions were.

JJ obviously thought snoke was interesting. And Rey's parents too. And then Rian comes and says "nope" and just eliminates both.

Well, I'd argue that RJ didn't tell a story. He came in, gutted what came before him and put a movie together. I think the fact that Johnson has left us with, quite literally, nothing to look forward to tells you how poor of a storyteller he was in this film. He's a story killer.

IMO if you're going to take the reigns and kill what came before you, fine, but at least give us something in return to take into the finale. He failed miserably there.

 

[minute bull]

No, they showed Hux and Phasma pull up that hologram image of the evacuation ships fleeing the cruiser for that salt planet and Hux said “huh, so he was telling the truth!” Or whatever implying that he told them that was the Resistance’s plan.

Uhh, "truth" can imply many things?

 

[Dragonlordxxxxx]

Great review and couldn't agree more on most things. That whole Fin/codebreaker thing was a galactic waste of time. The first order chase scene at the beginning was severely underwhelming too. With Luke/Rey interaction being anticlimactic as well, it set the tone for a very bland, hollow and overall boring experience. How the hell is this doing well critically?

To add, I also feel that Rose is just tacked on to add another female empowerment role and to increase their diversity points.

My only grip with your review. How is Rey a compelling character? She has no arc and is horribly acted in the first film. I will say she showed better acting chops in this one, but that's not saying much and something more to do with the script. Her also being written as a quintessential Mary Sue hurt any chance she had at being memorable from the get go. It's like playing a RPG with cheat codes for everything.

Thanks. As for finding Rey a compelling a character, it's subjective of course. I find Rey compelling because whenever she is on screen I am drawn to her, I am vested in what she's doing and where her journey will take her. What will she learn in Ahch-To? Is she going to succumb to the dark side? Who are her parents (before the reveal)? How powerful is she going to be? It helps that Daisy Ridley is easy on the eyes and is very charming. Compared to the other characters like Finn, Poe, Phasma, Hux and Rose whom I don't find interesting nor care to see what they do next. Poe had potential as shown in TFA and the early part of TLJ but they ruined him with that pointless mutiny subplot and he had nothing to do in Crait.

 

[moreorless87]

I'm so glad JJ Abrams didn't direct this movie.

It's true that having 2 different directors means 2 different visions, but the alternative was to have JJ Abrams just rip off 3 movies from the original trilogy instead of 1.

At least Rian Johnson told an original story. Love it or hate it, it's better than what JJ would have done, which would've been some carbon copy of Empire.

It's funny to see how different their visions were.

JJ obviously thought snoke was interesting. And Rey's parents too. And then Rian comes and says "nope" and just eliminates both.

The problem is that Abrams tends to use "mystery" in a rather cheap fashion in a lot of his work depending on speculation of the unknown to make a lack of substance. That he very rarely actually seems to have any planned answers for said mystery's obviously puts anyone following him creatively in a difficult position.

I think the key twist in the Luke/Kylo story itself is acceptable, the problem for me is that not nearly enough work is done to set it up or indeed to paint Luke as the person of wisdom we know from the original films. Like Han in Abrams film the character seems to be arbitrary reset removing a lot of the wisdom we saw him gain across the originals.

Luke having developed a new kind of force philosophy, teaching Rey in an enlightened fashion but still holding the guilt of his failiure with Kylo that would be shown in much more detail could I think have been a very effective story.

I do have to mention as well that a lot of the comedy around Luke was supremely ill judged for me, I mean if you really have to include that kind of stuff do so at the right moments but what purpose did undermining the seriousness of the character really service here? Honestly what this kind of stuff represents to me is the filmmaker basically winking to the audience and telling them "its ok to watch this I'm not taking it seriously! your not a childish nerd!" which in itself is I think a fundamentally childish position.

 

[bosox32]

That fat asian chick pissed me off. She was so pointless and clearly a diversity inclusion.

Also saving Finn from destroying the rocket blaster was dumb.

 

[Hitman81]

Rey got fat.
Luke/Rey was garbage.
Hamill's performance as Cock-Knocker in Jay and Silent Bob Strike Back was better than this.
2 hours of a First Order ship slowly chasing a rebel ship that's run out of gas?
Finn/Asian chick/Code breaker story line was garbage.
Snoke the joke
Cringe worthy "humor"
Poe/Laura Dern's power struggle was garbage.
The only redeeming quality of this movie was Kylo, and even the actor playing him seemed to know how silly this movie was.

 

[RollSonnenRoll]

When Poe starting fucking with Hux over the intercom and making a joke of him and the entire First Order was the second fastest I've ever been like "ohhhh no" in a theatre. First was Bruce's floating dream sequence in the damn opening credits of BvS

 

[RJ43]

When Poe starting fucking with Hux over the intercom and making a joke of him and the entire First Order was the second fastest I've ever been like "ohhhh no" in a theatre. First was Bruce's floating dream sequence in the damn opening credits of BvS

Yeah I went into that movie hoping the viewer scores were wrong, but as soon as that happened I was like "Oh shit...they're right aren't they?"

 

[method115]

Thats unfortunately what I came away with as well. THey have the grand finale coming up and what is it? Less villains now? Kylo never completes his training? So hes essentially lower leveled version of Snoke? But he wants to destroy everything.

This is actually what kind of intrigues me about the next movie. I'm wondering what they are going to do because Kylo Ren being in charge of the whole thing seems not really plausible. Someone mentioned that they might skip ahead 8 years or so which would be better as it would give Kylo time to grow into a true Sith Lord. He might end up being something different altogether. He did say he wanted to end the dark side, jedi, empire all of it.

When Poe starting fucking with Hux over the intercom and making a joke of him and the entire First Order was the second fastest I've ever been like "ohhhh no" in a theatre. First was Bruce's floating dream sequence in the damn opening credits of BvS

Agreed I saw that and was like please don't.

 

[minute bull]

Compared to the other characters like Finn, Poe, Phasma, Hux and Rose whom I don't find interesting nor care to see what they do next.

AKA "I do not wish to have sex with them."

Honestly what this kind of stuff respects to me is the filmmaker basically winking to the audience and telling them "its ok to watch this I'm not taking it seriously! your not a childish nerd!" which in itself is I think a fundamentally childish position.

There's definitely -- defiantly? -- a self-awareness in both this and THE FORCE AWAKENS, which is why I feel ROGUE ONE has been the best effort outside THE CLONE WARS and, I'd have to include, the super cool cinematics from the various video games. But neither television nor video games should count, and it's rather a shame that the core canonical films would suffer because their stories acknowledge, and perhaps exploit, the familiarity we all have with this universe.

 

[Rivait_15]

Seen it last night .. would say I'm pretty close to just a casual in comparison to majority in here.

Audience : I seen TFA over a week into its run and it was still jammed to capacity vs last night maybe only 60% full granted a shit ton of different screening times.

Crowd was super enthusiastic at the end of TFA vs zero clapping or reaction last night amtmosphere felt like everyone was underwhelmed.

TFA left me pumped and wanting more, can't say the same after this one, obviously have to see how it all concludes but fuck ... just seemed like missed opportunities one after another.

Dragonlord basically summed up my feelings pretty damn accurately.

6.5/10 it feels better then that at times but overall in the end it left me underwhelmed.

Aside from he obvious things that has been the most covered.

1. Snoke says Kylo got wrecked by Rey because he was unbalanced after killing Han... ok legit reason ...(I want that bastard to actually be deadly and intimidating like when he's introduced in TFA and freezes that blaster shot in mid air like a boss or first meets Rey walks thru her blaster fire and freezes her hand with the force). So what happens next he kills Snoke but needs to be saved by Rey against no name redshirt jobbers sure they are elite guards but still no name cans that I expected him to dismantle.

Rey again gets the win as he's ko'd on the ground while she leaves. Stop making this guy a pussy!

2. Benicio Del Torro completely wasted I'm sure thy could of given him a solid role as another bad mfer in the First Order.

3. Phasma worked over by janitor Finn only a day removed from that recovery chamber.. ridiculous.

4. Aside from 1 light sabre fight there was the bullshit Finn vs Phasma and Rey v Luke stick fight. Weak as hell if you ask me as far as combat scenes. The battle in TFA when they are at Maz's place and Poe and crew come to the rescue is more exciting then anything in this same with the Forest fight at the end when Rey bests Kylo after he murked Finn.

I get the hate TFA gets for basically remaking ANH but I can just pick scene after scene that I found more exciting/higher stakes than this one.

5. Separating all the main characters. Finn with that chick was dreadful but if he was with Rey or Poe with something to do that wasn't pure filler he might be more well liked.

6. The most underwhelming thing for me was the end with Luke. What a fucking weak way to bow out for such a bad ass. Disney bullshit right there! I'm definetly a casual but like this shit enough to have gotten chills when he shows up when all hope is lost. Fully expected an epic last stand serving the same purpose giving them time to escape.

Go the whole TFA to find the guy and he's bacislly just a retired bum then in the hour of greatest need refuses the call ... weak Lyanna Mormont would call him a pussy!

Would be like a GOT sequel down the road where a surviving bad ass comes back and does absolutely nothing.



**
Was suprised the one spoiler I had seen online a lot from set claimed eye witness accounts with detailed description was Luke besmirching the knights of Ren on his island sure seemed like a slam dunk spoiler to get excited about turned out to be bullshit.