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Revisiting Star Wars: "The Last Jedi"
This week, in preparation for the premiere of The Rise of Skywalker, I'm rewatching all of the live-action Star Wars films. Some for the first time in years. As I go along I'm collecting some of my thoughts on how each film has changed in my own estimation, and how well I think they hold up overall in the story as it stands.
Star Wars: Episode VIII - The Last Jedi is my favorite Star Wars movie. I'd maintained over the last couple of years that it was a solid second after The Empire Strikes Back but nope, it is hands down my favorite in the franchise. Which is why JJ Abrams may soon be my sworn enemy, but I digress. Honestly, going into this, I was struck by how much it gave off the vibe of "the last film made a ton of money so this one has an actual budget" - even though I know The Force Awakens had a similar budget. Really, I think it boils down to your skills as a producer and a filmmaker. And, judging from this and Knives Out, Rian Johnson is one hell of a filmmaker.
My time away from this movie isn't as great as with the other films in the franchise. Because it's been on Netflix the last couple of years I've been able to easily revisit it, even just chunks of it, at my own leisure. But its been a very long time since I've watched it with the fresh context of the other films, and it really stands out as being very sleek and well constructed. The most common criticism I think I see is the Canto Bight sequence, but honestly that was actually plot relevant and was definitely more fun to watch than the tangential sequences in the other films. And virtually all of the other movies have one, the Rathtar sequence in The Force Awakens being one I've harped on before. The fact that this is, up until now, the longest film in the series speaks to how well they've used the real estate they've been given. A lot of the bloated runtime can be attributed to the fact that they gave Poe his own story and major character arc - giving the film three narrative threads instead of the usual one or two.
The film itself looks gorgeous. I had a similar feeling watching other films in the series (Revenge of the Sith, The Empire Strikes Back, Return of the Jedi, and Solo in particular) that they went all out with a very stylized look and striking visuals and color palettes that really leaves a distinct impression - moreso than slick choreography can provide on it's own. The use of red in particular was inspired, since in the series it is used to symbolize the villainous character through the color of their lightsaber, and it is splashed everywhere in this movie. The scene in particular that took my breath away this rewatch was Luke stepping out onto the battlefield on Crait. It was like he was emerging from an open, violently bleeding wound on the planet's surface (and by extension, a wound on the resistance itself). It's the visual language like this that's part of what makes the film so special to me.
This film is also funny, but it's funny in a way that feels smart. The Phantom Menace and The Force Awakens tended to lean towards a lower-brow, slapstick brand of humor that was clearly designed as an effort to keep the kids entertained. This film trusts that the audience, even the kids, will get enough from the characters showing off their own colorful personalities in a way that doesn't feel over the top. A quip here and there, and occasionally leaning into those awkward, funny exchanges that we ourselves have in our everyday lives. The use of Hux in particular, who was not a character I particularly cared about in the previous film, was so on point it gave me a new appreciation for the character and his role in the story. The fact that these characters can be weird and fallible makes them more endearing than if they're just cookie cutter action heroes you can put on a cereal box.
The performances in this movie were also on point. On my own time I've expressed the charms of the likes of Laura Dern, Kelly Marie Tran, John Boyega, and Domhnall Gleeson. But honestly Oscar Isaac, Benicio Del Toro, Andy Serkis, Gwendoline Christie, and Carrie Fisher don't get enough accolades for how sublime they are in this. The real standouts though are Daisy Ridley, Adam Driver, and especially Mark Hamill. The latter is especially notable because Hamill's made no secret that he wasn't a fan of the direction they took his character, but gave a performance that was still worthy of major award consideration (and it's honestly a crime he wasn't nominated for more). Luke's speech to Kylo Ren about how he will not be "The Last Jedi" in the final act of the film is easily one of the best scenes in this entire franchise, and feels poignant and powerful at the same time. It's the ultimate testament to Luke's character, and it bums me out that a certain segment of the fanbase refuses to consider it for what it is. I could talk endlessly, and in much more specific detail, about this movie, but now that I'm at the end of my rewatch I'm starting to reach peak Star Wars.
I also watched the movie's deleted scenes, most for the first time, courtesy of the 'Movies Everywhere' from buying the 4K Bluray (which I can not watch because I lost the player's remote somewhere in my apartment). A lot of these cuts were clearly an issue of time rather than quality, though I get from a pacing standpoint while the (very good!) original opening sequence wasn't used. I also get from a pacing perspective why the third trail was cut, but I really wish it wasn't because it was absolutely delightful and I needed more of the fish nuns in this movie. I also wish some of the cut scenes with Finn and Rose infiltrating the star destroyer were kept because I think they ads more tension to that story thread and gave each of those characters more material to play with in a dynamic way. I know it probably won't happen, but it would be nice if they released an extended cut of this film someday just so we'd have it.
I also have to take the time to say, I'm completely disgusted by the nature of the backlash this film generated. Sure there are some people who just didn't care for it on, like, a normal level. But a lot of the people that hated it actively harassed cast and crew, and organized their whole internet presence around attacking other fans and monetizing their hatred of the story down to the tiniest detail. This isn't just limited to the misogynistic fanboys like with Ghostbusters or Captain Marvel. The 'woke' part of fandom took part in this abuse as well, and it might be why certain members of the production lent them an ear. The idea that fans who have overstepped in such a way should have any say in the future of the franchise is, frankly, disgusting and an act of ultimate creative cowardice. I haven't see The Rise of Skywalker yet, so I don't know the exact nature of this copulating, only that it's happened. And, like the stain of red dirt on a battlefield in a long time ago, in a galaxy far far away, it is one that's going to leave a mark.
Star Wars: Episode VIII - The Last Jedi is my favorite Star Wars movie. I'd maintained over the last couple of years that it was a solid second after The Empire Strikes Back but nope, it is hands down my favorite in the franchise. Which is why JJ Abrams may soon be my sworn enemy, but I digress. Honestly, going into this, I was struck by how much it gave off the vibe of "the last film made a ton of money so this one has an actual budget" - even though I know The Force Awakens had a similar budget. Really, I think it boils down to your skills as a producer and a filmmaker. And, judging from this and Knives Out, Rian Johnson is one hell of a filmmaker.
My time away from this movie isn't as great as with the other films in the franchise. Because it's been on Netflix the last couple of years I've been able to easily revisit it, even just chunks of it, at my own leisure. But its been a very long time since I've watched it with the fresh context of the other films, and it really stands out as being very sleek and well constructed. The most common criticism I think I see is the Canto Bight sequence, but honestly that was actually plot relevant and was definitely more fun to watch than the tangential sequences in the other films. And virtually all of the other movies have one, the Rathtar sequence in The Force Awakens being one I've harped on before. The fact that this is, up until now, the longest film in the series speaks to how well they've used the real estate they've been given. A lot of the bloated runtime can be attributed to the fact that they gave Poe his own story and major character arc - giving the film three narrative threads instead of the usual one or two.
The film itself looks gorgeous. I had a similar feeling watching other films in the series (Revenge of the Sith, The Empire Strikes Back, Return of the Jedi, and Solo in particular) that they went all out with a very stylized look and striking visuals and color palettes that really leaves a distinct impression - moreso than slick choreography can provide on it's own. The use of red in particular was inspired, since in the series it is used to symbolize the villainous character through the color of their lightsaber, and it is splashed everywhere in this movie. The scene in particular that took my breath away this rewatch was Luke stepping out onto the battlefield on Crait. It was like he was emerging from an open, violently bleeding wound on the planet's surface (and by extension, a wound on the resistance itself). It's the visual language like this that's part of what makes the film so special to me.
This film is also funny, but it's funny in a way that feels smart. The Phantom Menace and The Force Awakens tended to lean towards a lower-brow, slapstick brand of humor that was clearly designed as an effort to keep the kids entertained. This film trusts that the audience, even the kids, will get enough from the characters showing off their own colorful personalities in a way that doesn't feel over the top. A quip here and there, and occasionally leaning into those awkward, funny exchanges that we ourselves have in our everyday lives. The use of Hux in particular, who was not a character I particularly cared about in the previous film, was so on point it gave me a new appreciation for the character and his role in the story. The fact that these characters can be weird and fallible makes them more endearing than if they're just cookie cutter action heroes you can put on a cereal box.
The performances in this movie were also on point. On my own time I've expressed the charms of the likes of Laura Dern, Kelly Marie Tran, John Boyega, and Domhnall Gleeson. But honestly Oscar Isaac, Benicio Del Toro, Andy Serkis, Gwendoline Christie, and Carrie Fisher don't get enough accolades for how sublime they are in this. The real standouts though are Daisy Ridley, Adam Driver, and especially Mark Hamill. The latter is especially notable because Hamill's made no secret that he wasn't a fan of the direction they took his character, but gave a performance that was still worthy of major award consideration (and it's honestly a crime he wasn't nominated for more). Luke's speech to Kylo Ren about how he will not be "The Last Jedi" in the final act of the film is easily one of the best scenes in this entire franchise, and feels poignant and powerful at the same time. It's the ultimate testament to Luke's character, and it bums me out that a certain segment of the fanbase refuses to consider it for what it is. I could talk endlessly, and in much more specific detail, about this movie, but now that I'm at the end of my rewatch I'm starting to reach peak Star Wars.
I also watched the movie's deleted scenes, most for the first time, courtesy of the 'Movies Everywhere' from buying the 4K Bluray (which I can not watch because I lost the player's remote somewhere in my apartment). A lot of these cuts were clearly an issue of time rather than quality, though I get from a pacing standpoint while the (very good!) original opening sequence wasn't used. I also get from a pacing perspective why the third trail was cut, but I really wish it wasn't because it was absolutely delightful and I needed more of the fish nuns in this movie. I also wish some of the cut scenes with Finn and Rose infiltrating the star destroyer were kept because I think they ads more tension to that story thread and gave each of those characters more material to play with in a dynamic way. I know it probably won't happen, but it would be nice if they released an extended cut of this film someday just so we'd have it.
I also have to take the time to say, I'm completely disgusted by the nature of the backlash this film generated. Sure there are some people who just didn't care for it on, like, a normal level. But a lot of the people that hated it actively harassed cast and crew, and organized their whole internet presence around attacking other fans and monetizing their hatred of the story down to the tiniest detail. This isn't just limited to the misogynistic fanboys like with Ghostbusters or Captain Marvel. The 'woke' part of fandom took part in this abuse as well, and it might be why certain members of the production lent them an ear. The idea that fans who have overstepped in such a way should have any say in the future of the franchise is, frankly, disgusting and an act of ultimate creative cowardice. I haven't see The Rise of Skywalker yet, so I don't know the exact nature of this copulating, only that it's happened. And, like the stain of red dirt on a battlefield in a long time ago, in a galaxy far far away, it is one that's going to leave a mark.