SPOILERS! SPOILERS! SPOILERS!
If
you haven't guessed, there will be spoilers in this post about The Last Jedi.
You have been warmed.
I’ve kept quiet since December about my thoughts on The Last Jedi, mostly because I was getting fed up with the negativity surrounding it and how the ‘fan boys’ out think they run the show. When a petition was started to claim that the film would not be part of the Star Wars cannon was when it became ridiculous. How pathetic do you have to be to start that? When all this died down, I started watching all the fantastic video essays about the mythology behind the Star Wars stories and how the characters are moulded. There is a pattern to everything BUT I must stress this isn’t Battlestar Galactica, everything has not happened before and will not happen again, as proved by The Last Jedi, the film that was needed but not everyone wanted. I had left this post off for so long it would have been irrelevant but with the release of the film on DVD/Blu-ray I can lay it all out.
From beginning to end, I loved the film. I understand there are flaws and parts that look like they had planned more to happen there, the casino planet for one, but for reason or another, things changed. The rebels’ scenes were troublesome because at one point, I thought this was all Poe’s fault but on second thought it wasn’t, just some of it was.
The opening
scene was epic and actually quite devastating and Poe should have listened to
Leia, obviously. As Poe wasn’t given much time to shine in TFA, this was his
chance to, well, do more but unfortunately he came across as an arrogant
pilot who wanted to be a hero. The only thing I’d say he did right was ask for
Admiral Holdo to keep everyone in the loop otherwise he, Rose and Finn wouldn’t
have gone ahead with their, er, plan. But you could say, without these mistakes
there would be no film, WRONG. There would still have been a battle between the
First Order and the rebels, but I’m hoping there is a big reason why things
went they were meant to such as Rose and Finn meeting those kids, one of which
has Jedi abilities and them meeting DJ and he isn’t just some arsehole who
ratted them out and he has a bigger role to play. My current theory is that he
is connected Rey....its just a theory.
Rose was a nice addition to the mix, but she could have been a great addition. It felt that Rose was an add on and there to point out that there are others suffering in the galaxy and to talk about those horse/lama like creatures. She was also there to give hope to Finn and possibly to add more confusion into the mix. Her little adventure with Finn was fun to watch and new characters are usually great ideas. Just hope she has more purpose in the next film. Finn was on top form as usual, with a great wake up moment walking around in a leaking bag. His friendship (or more) with Poe seemed solid and he still is important in terms of hope for the rebellion and all. His weird clingy-ness towards Rey needs to be toned down though as Rey clearly is not into him like that. She has bigger things to worry about.
The image of Princess Leia using the force to float back to the ship will forever be burned into my retinas. The moment she was blown out the ship, along with other named characters we all thought that was it. This is how things were changed. WRONG. Even though Carrie Fisher is gone, doesn’t mean Leia has to go too. Bringing her back, keeping her alive is now JJ Abrams problem. But it was nice to keep one original (apart from Chewie) for the final film in the new trilogy. Her handing over the mantle to Laura Dern (Laura frickin Dern people!!) was meant to be a passing of the torch but alas we didn’t get to keep the purple haired Admiral, but at least she got one of THE best death scenes in the Star Wars universe. Going out at light speed and taking out a huge enemy ship at the same time. It’s what dreams are made of. If your dream is to that that is.
I know Luke is
where most fans had a problem but I’m confused as to why. Did everyone really
think that Luke after years away from everyone he was just going to be the same
wide-eyed kid from Tatooine? Of course he wasn’t. Things aren’t the same in the
galaxy as they used to be. People also change and it is realistic that Luke
wanted nothing to do with being a Jedi after he failed and tried to kill his
own nephew. There will always be the question though, did Ben turn to dark
because of this betrayal or was he already turned? I think Ben never really
turned, he was and still is torn between dark and light and that’s his real
struggle. Luke refusing to help Rey, wasn’t cool. He could have helped a bit
more than yell at her saying she went straight to the dark. Trying to redeem
him at the end with one last Jedi trick was humorous and made a bigger
statement about the Star Wars universe, this is not going to go the way we all
planned. It’s a new trilogy for a reason, not everything begins and ends with
the Skywalkers. Besides Ben is a Solo.
Getting to my favourite part of this post and thankfully the characters that everyone seemed to like, the literal balance in the force, Rey and Kylo Ren aka Ben Solo. It’s good that his real named is being used far more now. Everything about these characters and their scenes were sheer perfection. Just wish they had had more time together. I watched several, not even kidding, several video essays (superb by the way) about the relationship between these two characters. Ben isn’t entirely Dark and Rey is not fully Light which what makes them an dynamic duo. I liked that when they are apart they are still together through their force bond which Snoke, worst villain’s name in history, took credit for but didn’t really do much as the connection was already there. As well at them slowly getting to know each other, leading up to the touching of hands, Rey still needed and had time to discover herself. What Rey saw and what Ben saw, is most likely the same but as they both still think there is only Dark or Light they won’t see this. But the fact that Rey’s parents were no one... I still don’t believe that (still sticking to me DJ theory here) but Ben isn’t lying either, he just doesn’t know who they are. The scene where they finally meet in person, and have that talk in the lift is prelude of things to come and don’t mean in the next scene. The fact that Ben kills his mental abuser only when Rey is being tortured shows he will pretty much do almost anything for Rey. They’re fight scene is one of the best scenes in the film and hold the most hope for what will happen in the next film. From the looks they share, to the thigh grab from Rey to the look of pain on Ben’s face when he asks Rey to join him. They both want to do what’s right and both have a point. Ben is right, leave the past behind, but Rey is also right, The First Order is not the way to go forward. Later on when he sees Rey through the bond, there is pain in both their eyes, not just Ben. They are the literal balance in the force that is their destiny.
I’ll close this post with hope, that’s what Star Wars is all about, that the next film doesn’t just comb over the actions of The Last Jedi but actually follows on from it with care. There might not be Porgs but I am waiting, patiently for a short spin off of the Caretakers from Ach-To where they take revenge on Rey for continuously trashing their huts and island.
I’ve kept quiet since December about my thoughts on The Last Jedi, mostly because I was getting fed up with the negativity surrounding it and how the ‘fan boys’ out think they run the show. When a petition was started to claim that the film would not be part of the Star Wars cannon was when it became ridiculous. How pathetic do you have to be to start that? When all this died down, I started watching all the fantastic video essays about the mythology behind the Star Wars stories and how the characters are moulded. There is a pattern to everything BUT I must stress this isn’t Battlestar Galactica, everything has not happened before and will not happen again, as proved by The Last Jedi, the film that was needed but not everyone wanted. I had left this post off for so long it would have been irrelevant but with the release of the film on DVD/Blu-ray I can lay it all out.
From beginning to end, I loved the film. I understand there are flaws and parts that look like they had planned more to happen there, the casino planet for one, but for reason or another, things changed. The rebels’ scenes were troublesome because at one point, I thought this was all Poe’s fault but on second thought it wasn’t, just some of it was.
Rebels
Rose was a nice addition to the mix, but she could have been a great addition. It felt that Rose was an add on and there to point out that there are others suffering in the galaxy and to talk about those horse/lama like creatures. She was also there to give hope to Finn and possibly to add more confusion into the mix. Her little adventure with Finn was fun to watch and new characters are usually great ideas. Just hope she has more purpose in the next film. Finn was on top form as usual, with a great wake up moment walking around in a leaking bag. His friendship (or more) with Poe seemed solid and he still is important in terms of hope for the rebellion and all. His weird clingy-ness towards Rey needs to be toned down though as Rey clearly is not into him like that. She has bigger things to worry about.
The image of Princess Leia using the force to float back to the ship will forever be burned into my retinas. The moment she was blown out the ship, along with other named characters we all thought that was it. This is how things were changed. WRONG. Even though Carrie Fisher is gone, doesn’t mean Leia has to go too. Bringing her back, keeping her alive is now JJ Abrams problem. But it was nice to keep one original (apart from Chewie) for the final film in the new trilogy. Her handing over the mantle to Laura Dern (Laura frickin Dern people!!) was meant to be a passing of the torch but alas we didn’t get to keep the purple haired Admiral, but at least she got one of THE best death scenes in the Star Wars universe. Going out at light speed and taking out a huge enemy ship at the same time. It’s what dreams are made of. If your dream is to that that is.
Luke, Rey and Ben
Getting to my favourite part of this post and thankfully the characters that everyone seemed to like, the literal balance in the force, Rey and Kylo Ren aka Ben Solo. It’s good that his real named is being used far more now. Everything about these characters and their scenes were sheer perfection. Just wish they had had more time together. I watched several, not even kidding, several video essays (superb by the way) about the relationship between these two characters. Ben isn’t entirely Dark and Rey is not fully Light which what makes them an dynamic duo. I liked that when they are apart they are still together through their force bond which Snoke, worst villain’s name in history, took credit for but didn’t really do much as the connection was already there. As well at them slowly getting to know each other, leading up to the touching of hands, Rey still needed and had time to discover herself. What Rey saw and what Ben saw, is most likely the same but as they both still think there is only Dark or Light they won’t see this. But the fact that Rey’s parents were no one... I still don’t believe that (still sticking to me DJ theory here) but Ben isn’t lying either, he just doesn’t know who they are. The scene where they finally meet in person, and have that talk in the lift is prelude of things to come and don’t mean in the next scene. The fact that Ben kills his mental abuser only when Rey is being tortured shows he will pretty much do almost anything for Rey. They’re fight scene is one of the best scenes in the film and hold the most hope for what will happen in the next film. From the looks they share, to the thigh grab from Rey to the look of pain on Ben’s face when he asks Rey to join him. They both want to do what’s right and both have a point. Ben is right, leave the past behind, but Rey is also right, The First Order is not the way to go forward. Later on when he sees Rey through the bond, there is pain in both their eyes, not just Ben. They are the literal balance in the force that is their destiny.
I’ll close this post with hope, that’s what Star Wars is all about, that the next film doesn’t just comb over the actions of The Last Jedi but actually follows on from it with care. There might not be Porgs but I am waiting, patiently for a short spin off of the Caretakers from Ach-To where they take revenge on Rey for continuously trashing their huts and island.