Star Wars: The Last Jedi is dark and risky, and it pays off
Rian Johnson has delivered a gorgeous, gripping game-changer for the Star Wars universe…
Waiting for over a week to see a film doesn’t seem like that long. But, when it’s one of the most talked-about movies of the year, it certainly makes it difficult to avoid spoilers! Somehow I managed it (mute filters on Twitter are a godsend), and I’m really thankful that none of the surprising twists and turns were revealed to me beforehand. The latest instalment in the Star Wars saga is well and truly worth the wait.
Star Wars: The Last Jedi continues the story begun in 2015’s The Force Awakens, following Rey (Daisy Ridley) as she meets Luke Skywalker (Mark Hamill) while also developing the story of Adam Driver’s conflicted Kylo Ren as he hunts down his mother General Leia Organa (Carrie Fisher), Finn (John Boyega), Poe Dameron (Oscar Isaac) and the other members of the resistance against the evil First Order.
Rey develops her newly discovered abilities with the guidance of Luke Skywalker, who is unsettled by the strength of her powers. Meanwhile, the Resistance prepares for battle with the First Order. (IMDb)
There’s a lot of talk right now online about some of the bold choices director and writer Rian Johnson makes for the future of the Star Wars franchise. For me, these decisions only make things more exciting and unpredictable, enriching the potential within this universe. The Last Jedi is the longest Star Wars film ever, and it’s also one of the best. It looks gorgeous, boasts superb performances, is incredibly gripping, and really challenges what we know about these films.
Hope is in short supply
The Last Jedi makes it evident that the situation is dire for the Resistance and for the Jedi order. Jedi Master Luke Skywalker has gone into a self-imposed exile and has decided that it’s time for the Jedi to die out, while the First Order’s power only increases as it pushes the remaining rebel fighters into increasingly desperate situations. The conflict in this story becomes all about just how long our plucky heroes can hold on and survive to fight another day.
For Rey, that means learning what she can from Luke while also trying to convince him to have a role in this fight. And for Poe it means taking a risky gamble in an attempt to save the remaining members of the Resistance. Finn ends up on a mission to save what’s left of the fleet with new character Rose Tico (Kelly Marie Tran), all while the First Order, under the command of Supreme Leader Snoke (Andy Serkis), redoubles its efforts to crush the insurgency.
“The greatest teacher, failure is.“
Learn from your mistakes
If there’s one key theme in this film that’s present in every storyline and subplot, it’s about learning from failure and finding the important lessons in your biggest mistakes. Luke feels doubt and shame about his missteps with the training of young Ben Solo and how his promising student has gone on to become the villainous Kylo Ren. Poe, meanwhile, doesn’t recognise that his brash actions as a pilot have grave consequences. He thinks that the end result of destroying an enemy ship is worth it, but Leia sees the number of rebel fighters they’ve lost in the process.
Often, The Last Jedi gives us a very different message than the majority of action blockbusters. In a lot of big movies, the cocksure hero does end up making the right choice in the heat of the moment and saving the day, but this film tells us that those actions are a great risk and that heroes sometimes need to learn patience. It’s also about the idea of idolising people so much that you can no longer recognise their humanity and their flaws, and this is a large part of the challenge that Luke struggles with in this film.
“This is not going to go the way you think”
Perhaps the thing I love the most about The Last Jedi is that I simply didn’t know where it was going next. It throws out the Star Wars rulebook and doesn’t follow a template from any previous film. A common criticism of The Force Awakens was that it followed certain beats from A New Hope too closely. I’m still not sure I fully agree with that argument, but you certainly can’t bring up the same point about the latest film!
The Force Awakens asked a lot of questions, but it never feels like this film is saddled with the need to answer them. It’s a continuation of the story first and foremost, emphasising character arcs and human elements over huge fight scenes or things we’ve seen before. It’s great to see this film have far more for Carrie Fisher and Mark Hamill to do, and they give excellent performances. The acting is strong from the whole cast, though, and it’s clear that all of these actors are terrifically well suited to their roles.
It’s divisive, but the risk is worth it
One thing that has become clear is that there is a vocal subset of fans who are displeased with the direction The Last Jedi takes. Some of this critique has merit, but much of it feels like an unwillingness to let the franchise push forward and take risks. I personally love seeing something new in the world of Star Wars and can see the power in undermining and exploring the humanity and fallibility of the heroes we venerate. Rey is a challenging protagonist. Kylo Ren is a conflicted and fascinating villain. And, yes, the heroes of old are similarly nuanced. Luke is worth respecting but not free from flaws, and I’d say this doesn’t ruin his character but deepens and complicates it.
There’s a lot to like about The Last Jedi. Some of the visual elements are so bold that nothing like them has been seen before, and many of the action scenes are impressive not only in scale but for how character-driven they are. This film confidently hands over to the new generation of characters and makes sure that you’re invested in how their journeys will conclude in the final film of the trilogy, which will now be directed by JJ Abrams.
Some of the best movies don’t please everyone, and I’d argue that the divisiveness of this film is just evidence of it taking a clear stance and direction for the series. It’s important for blockbusters to take risks to keep things from going stale, and there’s something surprising about how some fans would both criticise The Force Awakens for being “more of the same” and this movie for being “too different”. You really can’t please everyone.
By my reckoning, Rian Johnson’s film is one that ranks among the very best of what Star Wars has to offer, giving us compelling adventures and thrills that challenge expectations, surprise us, and make it very difficult to predict what will be coming next. The wait for the concluding chapter in 2019 will be a long one!
“May the force be with you, always.”
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