
Photo Credit: Imdb.com
By Vincent Abbatecola
*Spoiler-free review*
While any installment in a trilogy carries its own degree of importance, itโs the second film that acts as a turning point. It expands upon what we saw in the first film and offers a few surprises, all of which propels events for the final installment. I think we can all agree that the โStar Warsโ franchise did this without flaw in their original trilogy for โThe Empire Strikes Back,โ as it followed โA New Hopeโ with a darker narrative, an enthralling expansion of its mythology, and one of the greatest plot twists in movie history.
Then, two years ago, โStar Wars: Episode VII โ The Force Awakensโ kicked off the sequel trilogy, and ever since, anticipation has been high as to where the story would go from there. Now, director Rian Johnson brings us back to cinemaโs cherished, far-far-away galaxy with โStar Wars: Episode VIII โ The Last Jedi,โ which, despite a few flaws, is the best film in the franchise since โEmpire.โ
I donโt want to divulge too many details about the plot. So, all Iโll say is that the story follows the Resistance as they continue their fight against the First Order, while Rey (Daisy Ridley) begins her Jedi training with Luke Skywalker (Mark Hamill), who has been living in isolation.
Seeing Mark Hamill return as Luke Skywalker is one of the great joys youโll have at the movies this year. To imagine that he was once a hopeful farm-boy and is now a cloistered Jedi shows how much his character has been through since we were first introduced to him. Itโs a performance that shows the wisdom that Luke holds and the pain heโs experienced, and Hamill uses the depths of this role to make Luke much more than a curmudgeonly Jedi master.
Carrie Fisher, in her final screen appearance before her passing in December 2016, delivers her best performance of the series in her iconic role of General Leia Organa. Sheโs a headstrong authority figure who knows what must be done to keep the Resistance alive, while also holding out hope that her brother will come to their aid, displaying the sibling connection that serves as one of the strong dramatic aspects of the sequel trilogy.
Daisy Ridley made a powerful first impression for her breakout role in โThe Force Awakens,โ and she now continues to show the acting strength that her character of a Jedi-in-training requires. As Rey grapples with trying to find her place in the universe, Ridley provides a terrific output of emotion as she moves forward with her live-changing journey.
Adam Driver, who plays the villainous Kylo Ren, expands upon the conflicted emotions that he displayed in โThe Force Awakens.โ Itโs a little difficult to talk about his character without including spoilers, but Iโll say that it looks like his internal struggle will reach a fascinating apex in the next chapter.
John Boyega and Oscar Isaac continue to prove that theyโre fun additions to the โStar Warsโ universe as Finn and Poe Dameron, respectively, but the story doesnโt give their characters much of an opportunity to add emotional depth to their roles. However, given that the film is primarily meant to advance the arcs of Rey and Kylo Ren, itโs understandable why it would unfold in this way.
In terms of some of the supporting characters that return from โThe Force Awakens,โ Andy Serkis returns as Supreme Leader Snoke and delivers another accomplished motion-capture performance. And, while Domhnall Gleeson gave an adequate performance in โThe Force Awakensโ as General Hux, he tends to overact from time to time in this installment.
While โThe Force Awakensโ was derivative of โA New Hope,โ Johnsonโs screenplay avoids being a nostalgic retread of โThe Empire Strikes Back.โ Yes, โThe Last Jediโ has some similarities to โEmpire,โ but it does enough to avoid repetition and makes this an unpredictable middle chapter.
After an exciting opening sequence, the story builds itself around character moments, instead of just feeling like it has to give us one space battle after another. Actually, most of the bigger action scenes come in the third act, which allows for the narrative to focus more on Rey and her arduous transition into becoming a Jedi.
One of the narrativeโs blemishes is a sequence that lasts for about 15 minutes where Finn and one of the filmโs new characters, Resistance member Rose Tico (Kelly Marie Tran), must travel to a distant planet to find special help for their cause. Itโs an unnecessary section of the film that could have been left out.
Johnson hasnโt directed a movie since his low-budget sci-fi film, โLooper,โ but he displays an ability to change gears from the small-scale thrills of that movie to the galactic operatics of โStar Wars,โ all while keeping us invested in Reyโs epic quest of self-discovery. Johnson recognizes that what makes โEmpireโ a top-tier sequel is how its main focus is building the relationships between the characters to drive the story and add more dramatic weight to the mission of the rebellion, and this is what he achieves for the latest outing in the series.
Colin Trevorrow (โJurassic Worldโ), who was chosen to direct episode nine, left the project in September, leaving J.J. Abrams, who helmed โThe Force Awakens,โ to step in and direct. Although โThe Force Awakensโ borrowed heavily from โA New Hope,โ you canโt deny that Abrams brought new energy to the franchise after much of it was diminished in the prequel trilogy, and Iโm sure that he will deliver a thrilling conclusion to this sequel trilogy, now that Johnson has put more of the pieces in place.
You may not be able to contain your excitement for the concluding chapter after watching โThe Last Jedi,โ but as Luke says to Rey in the film, โBreathe. Just breathe.โ
Final grade: B+
You must be logged in to post a comment Login