 |
| Credit: Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures |
By Jack Sheppard
People hold Star Wars in such high regard that it’s virtually impossible to talk about The Last Jedi without saying something that someone will consider a spoiler, even mentioning that Luke Skywalker is in this film will be too much information for some. This will, therefore, be a very short review, as there is little I can say without ruining something for someone. Having said that though, if you haven’t seen The Last Jedi yet, I suggest you close this page and don’t re-open it until you have- this film is so much more enjoyable when you’re going in blind!
The Force Awakens was met with acclaim from audiences and critics alike, but it also had its fair share of criticisms, the most obvious of which is its overwhelming similarities to previous entries of the franchise. The Last Jedi does not suffer from this flaw, but rather builds on the characters and storylines that were established in the previous film and takes them to new and exciting places. There are the traditional callbacks and fan service, and yes, this film does take some inspiration from The Empire Strikes Back, but it is probably to Return of the Jedi that it owes its biggest debt.
Mark Hamill’s return to the franchise is amazing, and he gives a performance that’ll leave Hollywood producers asking “why don’t we hire this guy more?” Yet Hamill’s is just the best in a long line of stellar performances. Daisy Ridley carries the weight of the franchise with ease, as Rey faces growing conflict that she must confront if she is going to become a true Jedi. Carrie Fisher is also allowed a greater opportunity to shine in her final film role. A much-unexpected subplot involving her and Poe Dameron is extremely touching and reminds us all why we will miss our beloved princess when she’s gone.
The host of new characters are all fresh additions to the franchise, steering the film in a different direction without it feeling forced. Benicio Del Toro plays DJ, a drunk smuggler who becomes a useful asset to two of the characters. DJ is a strange character in the vein of Captain Jack Sparrow, but unlike Sparrow, he doesn’t have the drawback of being played by Johnny Depp. A pink-rinsed Laura Dern plays Vice Admiral Holdo, a no-nonsense resistance leader who is hard to like at first, but by the end of the film, she may just be your favourite character.
Things happen in The Last Jedi that you would never expect for the second instalment of a trilogy. Johnson continuously weaves the narrative in unexpected ways, zigging where you would expect it to zag. Many of the burning questions we had following The Force Awakens are answered, yet despite the amount of speculation that has existed over the last two years, these answers will probably surprise even the most die-hard Star Wars fanatics. It seems very clear that while Johnson wants to pay tribute to what has come before, he’s not married to the past, and so although not every question is answered, the new mysteries that arise ensure that you are always looking forward and not back. As Kylo Ren says in the trailer: “Let the past die, kill it if you have to.”
See Tuesday’s podcast for my full opinion.
No comments:
Post a Comment