Star Wars: The Last Jedi (2017)

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Star Wars: The Last Jedi (2017) – R. Johnson

At this point in the saga’s development, Star Wars fans have learned to extract the good bits from each film and to overlook missteps and excesses.  That is, I’m not sure anyone is wholeheartedly accepting all of the directorial or production choices in each film anymore.  (But I say that still not having seen Revenge of the Sith, 2005).  Rian Johnson (who made a promising directorial debut with teen noir, Brick, 2005) guides the franchise’s renewal here, focusing attention on Luke Skywalker (Mark Hamill) after the previous film zoomed in on Han Solo.  Princess Leia, er General Organa, also stars – in a part shot just before Carrie Fisher’s death.  We pick up where we left off with new heroine Rey (Daisy Ridley) on planet Ahch-To (Ireland’s beautiful Skellig Michael Island) as she approaches Luke to return to the Resistance, to rejuvenate the Jedi religion, and to take on the First Order, led by supreme leader Snoke and Han Solo & Leia’s son Ben (Adam Driver), now turned to the dark side of the Force and called Kylo Ren.  Meanwhile, the rebel fleet is being attacked by the First Order’s battleships and might soon be completely wiped out, if a crazy plan involving a casino at Canto Bight doesn’t come off (John Boyega and Kelly Marie Tran star in this sequence with Benicio del Toro as a shifty ally).  As promised, there is a lot of action (with Oscar Isaac returning as fighter pilot Poe Dameron and Laura Dern joining as a Vice Admiral) and things do blow up and light sabres do get to thrusting and slicing.  Johnson’s production design is splendid, whether CGI or not, with color-matched costumes and widescreen interstellar backgrounds.  The Jedi “tree” is a nice touch (and the scene in which it features contains another treat for the older generation).  But the film does seem to drag on and there are times when it gets exposition-heavy (explaining the relationship between Luke and Kylo Ren) and some plot developments feel “unearned”.  But as I said, Star Wars fans have learned to overlook some things (and fortunately the porg aren’t as intrusively cute as the ewoks before them).  All told, an enjoyable return to this universe – but it is hard to say where Episode IX could go.