Monday Movie Mania - The Last Jedi

The best thing Disney did was have someone else besides J.J. Abrams take over Episode VIII. Rian Johnson wrote and directed a movie that had an actual beginning, middle and end. He followed the same formula used in The Empire Strikes Back, i.e. our heroes meet a dark and terrible moment, and they question their true purpose and its cost.

Unfortunately, Rian also made some very basic storytelling mistakes. Even more unfortunate is Lucasfilm released Colin Trevorrow (Jurassic World) and brought back J.J. to write and direct Episode IX. J.J. can come up with some incredible concepts, but the man can't write a coherent ending to save his life.

But going back to The Last Jedi, it was a MUCH better film than The Force Awakens. That in and of itself made my day. I only went to the theater for it because this was Carrie Fisher's very last role. Despite her personal demons, I've always loved her acting and writing abilities.


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!!SPOILERS!!


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PROS
1) The completion of Luke's story arc. He returns to the isolated screw-up, severely lacking in self-confidence person we met in the original Star Wars until he finds one last act of courage to save his sister and their friends.

2) Luke's promise that he'd see Kylo Ren/Ben Organa-Solo. A hint that he'll be a Force ghost haunting the kid?

3) The secret return of a certain Jedi Master who has one last lesson to impart on his last student.

4) Kylo/Ben's arc in becoming the Sith master. Adam Driver fucking rocks in this role. Frankly, he would have made a better Anakin than Hadyn Christensen.

5) The total silence when Vice-Admiral Holdo took out the First Order ships.

5) The hints that other Force users are coming into existence to counter the rise of Kylo Ren to Sith Master.

6) The lovely callbacks to the original trilogy.

7) PORGS!


CONS
1) Finn and Rose's sidetrip meant absolutely nothing to the overall story. There's a storytelling principle called Chekov's gun that states every element of the story must be necessary. And this subplot was so totally unnecessary, but apparently they couldn't come up with a better idea for a confrontation between Phasma and Finn.

2) Speaking of Finn and Rose's sidetrip, the stupid flower pin was the worst Macguffin ever in a Lucas-related movie.

3) The incredible total fucking waste of the fabulous Benicio Del Toro!

4) The incredible total fucking waste of the marvelous Lupita Nyong'o!

5) The incredible total fucking waste of Admiral Ackbar's death!

6) The fact that Vice-Admiral Holdo didn't come up with her fabulous idea using one of the evacuated support cruisers.

7) Speaking of Holdo and Ackbar, why wouldn't he have been the one to sacrifice himself to save the Resistance?

8) Using Rose to try to kill fan 'shipping of Finn and Poe, or trying to create a love triangle between Rose-Finn-Rey. Either way, it kind of pissed me off.


The Last Jedi was a more complete story than The Force Awakens, but it could have a hell of a lot better. Overall, I give it 7.5 stars out of 10.