Best Star Wars Movie Yet? My Last Jedi Review

This blog will contain lots of spoilers...so you've been warned!

Let me start by saying that I am going to see this movie for a 2nd time this weekend however, I wanted to go ahead and get this blog up as sort of an initial review and first impression. I'm sure there are some easter eggs that I missed and I really want to take in all the nuances of the film.

I went into this movie not knowing much. I watched 1 trailer and I stayed away from any articles regarding the movies. I've been a fan of the franchise since I was very young, because my parents (and grandparents) raised me right! Clayton on the other hand, had only seen Rouge One up to this point. I made him watch The Force Awakens about 2 hours before seeing the Last Jedi, just so he would be up to date on the characters. As you can imagine, he is still a little confused as to how all these movies fit together.

Anyway, I will do my best to stay in chronological order when reviewing the movie. Also, as always, I would love to hear your thoughts! Be sure to comment below so we can chat. If you like these sort of reviews, please be sure to check out my other review blogs. Also head on over to my Instagram to discuss it with me this weekend!

Opening Scene

Ahh the classic Star Wars opening scroll. There is almost nothing more nostalgic than that. It instantly gets my hyped for the movie ahead. The initial space battle was great! I'm going to be honest, I LOVE when the good guys, The Resistance, get their ass kicked a little bit. It breaks that stereotype that the hero will always come out on top. Of course I am team Resistance, but it's refreshing to see that our favorite characters are going to go through some hardships during their journey. The reward of winning at the end is always that much more satisfying that way. When the bombers started getting taken down one by one my heart started to race, and thats the exact reaction I hoped for with this movie. When that last bomber fell to the bottom of the ship and almost missed the release switch, I thought our hero's were going to have to abort the mission. I let out a hefty sigh of relief when she caught the switch and ultimately sacrificed herself for The Resistance.

Leia and the Force

Star Wars fans have been waiting for a long time to see Princess Leia utilize her force powers. If Luke possess such great power, it would only make sense for Leia to have at least a similar ability. The moment right before Leia uses the force she gets sucked out of the Tantive (her ship). That moment made me literally gasp out loud. It was not expected and such an incredible moment. She was floating out in space for a bit and then she uses the force to get back inside the damaged ship. And I'll just say it...I didn't like it. It felt like she used the force for way to long. It seemed kind of cheesy and just not the best way to demonstrate Leia's power. Also, big thing I wanted out of this movie was a proper death for Leia. We lost Han in Episode 7, and I figured we would lose Leia in Episode 8, and Luke in Episode 9 but instead we lost Luke and now have the uncertainty of how J.J. Abrams will handle the absence of Carrie Fischer. I just know that it won't feel satisfying to learn of Leia's death in the opening scroll...and for that matter, it will not do Carrie or her character any justice. We shall see.

Kylo and Rey...and Their Chemistry

This is the thing I am MOST excited to talk about. Of course the 2 main characters have the biggest impact on the story and the development of the franchise. Let's start with their force connection. Of course we find out that this is due to Snoke but regardless, it was one of the most intriguing pieces of the story to me. Their connection made me wonder who would crack first; will Rey fall to the darkside or would Ben Solo realize it's not too late? Adam Driver plays the best villain. When an actor can convey uncertainty and the inner mental struggle a character is going through without using any words, it instantly connects you to them and shows that a villain is still human too. When Rey and Kylo face each other for what is suppose to be Rey's execution, I could feel the emotion that Kylo was going through...and this lead to the BEST FIGHT SCENE IS STAR WARS HISTORY!! I mean that with so much passion. It was perfectly choreographed and it made me feel all the things. Kylo and Rey working together made me so utterly happy. I did not expect Kylo to make such a switch like that. And I'll be honest, I thought for a moment that they were going to kiss...That might be a stretch but I just thought they would be the ultimate power couple! When Kylo asked Rey to join him I also got instant flashbacks to Vadar and Luke. It really helps wrap these stories together and pay an homage to the original trilogy.

Rey's Parents

This is my biggest gripe with the movie. It is 100% a personal preference and something that I was really focused on. We waited and waited to find out who Rey's parents were. I also felt like the hyped up this factor so much! Rey is looking into that mirror in the cave annnnnddddd....nothing. Okay. They are going to drop the bomb on us later right? Wrong!! We are told that Rey's parents are literal nobody that abandoned her. I don't buy this for a second! Rey is so strong with the force and I just can't imagine that she doesn't come from some sort of Jedi bloodline. I've read a theory that the writers went this direction because they wanted to establish a connection with Rey and Kylo. They both feel lost and lonley in this world. And it also shows that you don't have to be from a powerful family to utilize the force. But again, I just think that it's a bunch of BS. My theory is that Kylo tells Rey that her parents are insignificant and they were nobody. I think that Kylo believes this firmly because he saw it when they touched. However, i feel like that's a projection and something he used in an attempt to weaken Rey. I think that Kylo is weak and naive and he doesn't fully know what Rey's origins are. I'm hoping, and have a hunch, that Rey has a much more interesting beginning than we are aware of.

Rose and Finn

At first I really hated the Rose character when she was first introduced. I came to like her when we learned more about her backstory at Canto Bight. I was interested and intrigued, but I do not buy into the Fin and Rose love story. If they plan on continuing the narrative of their romance, I think they did an incredibly poor job at developing that plot line. I honestly think Finn is paying attention to Rey more than anything at the moment. That's all I really have to say about those 2.

Everyone Needs To Chill About Canto Bright

Alright...here's where we might get into some controversy. For me, Canto Bright was fine. I've read a lot of reviews where people absolutely despised the new world. A lot of people were saying that it seemed to similar to earth and didn't feel like this exotic space land...And to that I say...who cares? I mean, the galaxy is enormous, so it would be totally plausible to me that there would be other planets that resemble earth. Also, we can't keep going back to Tatooine and Jakku. These desolate planets get boring and uninteresting after a bit. I just don't think it was that big of a deal and I'm not sure why people are so passionately opposing it. I thought this world really helped set up the fact that the rich are selling to both sides of the war and it certainly helped set up the foundation of the next class of Jedi.

Final Thoughts?

I've been seeing a lot of arguments regarding the movie and I'll leave you with this comment from a conversation between a friend and myself that pretty much sums things up:

"I am planning on seeing it again, but my initial reaction was that this was an excellent addition to the franchise. As a Star Wars fan, I went into this just wanting to be immersed in that world. Did I get all the answers I wanted? No. Did I LOVE every moment? No. But I'm okay with all of that. We are getting another movie in 2019 and I'm sure they will answer some questions. I think Adam Driver and Daisy Ridley pulled me in and really made me feel things for their characters and their connection. I thought their duel together was beautifully executed and I am absolutely in love with the way Luke faced Kylo at the end. It meant so much and brought things really full circle. Can't wait to see it again."

So,I want to know what you think? I know a lot of people probably disagree with me on things and I would love to chat!