The Force reawakened
The latest instalment in the Star Wars saga abandons the nostalgia-fuelled greatest hits approach of JJ Abrams in favour of a forward-looking perspective that brings something new to the table
Star Wars: The Last Jedi Dir Rian Johnson, US 2017 On UK release
The lore of the saga is expanded upon in a deeply satisfying manner
When The Force Awakens was released in 2015, it was met with overwhelmingly favourable reviews [not here, it wasn’t – Ed], and fans for the most part seemed thoroughly pleased with the continuation of the beloved saga. The cause for the success was largely attributed to JJ Abrams having managed to bring the franchise back to its roots in terms of tone and atmosphere and a cast full of compelling new additions. However, with a change of director and the untimely death of the inimitable Carrie Fisher, people wondered where director Rian Johnson would take the saga, as the ominous title
The Last Jedi and the secretive marketing campaign seemed to suggest that this latest instalment would be a far darker outing than its predecessor. Picking up where The Force
Awakens left off, The Last Jedi builds on the playfulness of the highly retrospective seventh instalment in the episodic film saga. That being said, Johnson quickly establishes his own distinct tone and style for the film, which in part means that the nostalgic call-backs to the original trilogy have been dialled down significantly. Offering a fresh perspective and storyline, Johnson instead presents the audience with a Star Wars film that looks to the future of the franchise rather than dwelling on the past, both in terms of the story itself as well as the narrative structure.
The visuals are stunning, often presenting the viewer with breathtaking cinematography that makes a seemingly endless number of frames stand out like paintings on a gallery wall. The composition of the action sequences is also exquisite, drawing many parallels with the Japanese samurai films that inspired the original Star Wars trilogy. As for the execution of the fight choreography, Daisy Ridley and Adam Driver bring a fierce energy to these sequences, which makes the scenes they are involved in thoroughly exhilarating action set pieces.
However, what truly shines in The Last Jedi is the character development. The arcs of Driver’s Kylo Ren and Ridley’s Rey develop and intensify brilliantly, enhancing the main storyline of the film, which is brimming with mystery and intrigue. The very complexity of this storyline may alienate the casual viewer, but the long-suffering fans of the film franchise will likely find that the lore of the saga is being expanded upon in a deeply satisfying manner.
In terms of the supporting characters, on the First Order side of things, Domhnall Gleeson’s General Hux is given more screentime this time around, giving the versatile actor the opportunity to further flesh out his character and join the menacing ranks of the dastardly officers that served the masters of the dark side in the original trilogy. Supreme Leader Snoke also becomes a more sinister presence, with Andy Serkis once again doing a great job with a fully animated character.
For the Resistance, Kelly Marie Tran’s Rose makes for a compelling new addition who spars well with John Boyega’s Finn as the two characters find common ground. Oscar Isaac gets to command the screen, and more superb space battles, and his role here is more substantial than it was in The Force Awakens, properly showcasing Isaac’s intensity as he channels the rebellious nature of Poe Dameron.
Mark Hamill delivers a remarkable performance, making the exiled and aging Luke Skywalker not only his most captivating turn as the powerful Jedi since the character was introduced, but also one of the best outings of his career. Lastly, Carrie Fisher’s sombre performance serves as a bittersweet swansong for the actress, as she portrays the iconic princess-turned-general with a renewed depth that does both the actress and the character justice.
As excellent as The Last Jedi largely is, it is not flawless. During the first act in particular, the drama and tension is continuously undercut by the use of bathos, where there is a sudden shift from the serious to the trivial for comedic effect. This does detract from the film overall, in much the same way that the Marvel Cinematic Universe is also increasingly let down by its over-reliance on humour.
The biggest issue, however, is a side mission during the second act; not only running overly long and thereby slowing down the pacing of the film significantly, this pointless distraction also serves as an unwelcome reminder of the prequel trilogy in terms of narrative, tone and style. Thankfully, the last part of the second act and the entire third act is perfectly balanced and nail-bitingly intense.All in all, the Force is truly strong with this one. Leyla Mikkelsen