Star Wars: The Last Jedi takes the foundation from The Force Awakens and finds a voice of its own. Since the reawakening of the Star Wars saga in 2015, the highly profitable film franchise has faced a bit a criticism for rehashing plot points from the original trilogy.
While The Force Awakens fared well at the cinema, the biggest issue people had was its similarities to A New Hope.
I am glad to say that The Last Jedi is a totally new story with galactic implications for the Star Wars universe.
This is truly one spectacular movie and I’m strongly considering watching it in Imax to get the full experience. Director Rian Johnson really has created something special and gives you some much-needed answers, while simultaneously asking new questions.
Seeing Princess Leia (Carrie Fisher) was very bittersweet throughout the film and Fisher really gave her best performance in the franchise so far. However, the stars of The Last Jedi are Luke (Mark Hamill), Rey (Daisy Ridley) and Poe (Oscar Isaac).
Rey (Daisy Ridley). Picture: Supplied
They steal every scene that they are in and it is really refreshing to see Luke again and his growth as a force wielder. Adam Driver is still a good villain as Kylo Ren, but he still (at times) comes across as a man-child.
The visual effects of The Last Jedi yet again show why Star Wars is in a league of its own. Everything from the new aliens, to the upgraded X-Wings and Y-Wings, breathes new life in the universe.
This is really a dream to watch and Johnson separates himself from the JJ Abrams and George Lucas-directed films, while still making it feel part of the same cinematic universe.
This is also the funniest film and, as a writer, Johnson also employs humour at the right moments and shows how far we’ve come since the dark prequel days with Jar Jar Binks.
There are also a couple of surprises in the film that will warm your heart and also help you to understand why Disney entrusted Johnson to helm this chapter of the Star Wars saga.
The negative I can point to in The Last Jedi is the part with Finn and his new love interest. It really feels forced and all we actually want is Finn and Poe to be a real couple already and for Star Wars to stop teasing us.
Star Wars: The Last Jedi really is a spectacular film that is worth multiple viewings. Everything, from the acting, screenplay, directing and overall story shows why this is such a juggernaut and sets up a bright future for the franchise. The Force is truly strong with Disney.