The Last Jedi

Friday night, Dec 15th, we saw The Last Jedi.  Opening Night and at the 5:30 pm showing it was only 10% full.  Shocking!  The movie theater did have about 6 theaters showing the film, so I think they were expecting a large quantity of viewers at least this weekend.

The Last Jedi was in typical Star Wars format and introduced only a few new characters.  The breakdown of the plot is here.  The official trailer was a bit underwhelming and I thought the movie was just so-so.  It didn't leave me feeling that the good prevailed...it was more of just entertainment and the saga continuing.  It was almost down right depressing...there are only a few left on either side for anything - nearly a one vs. one type of Star Wars.  Usually, you get that Star Wars Whoo-Hoo at the end and you want to make the world a better place, but I just walked out of this movie with no feelings at all.  As I said, it was just entertainment and nothing more with some drama kicked in.  It was a more "emotional" movie than an "action" one.

Returning characters Rey, Finn, Poe and Kylo Ren (Leia and Hans' son) are back continuing the last movie, The Force Awakens.  Rey goes to Ahch-To and finds Luke Skywalker to convince him to give her Jedi training but he is resistant to any more Jedi's in the galaxy.  His last student, Kylo Ren, now the nemesis of the Resistance was not what Skywalker had hoped he would be and is hesitant to train any other person.  Rey isn't all that impressed with Luke Skywalker but hangs out in Ahch-To most of the movie.

Rey and Kylo Ren are somehow connected mentally and emotionally.  Kylo Ren ends up destroying Supreme Leader Snoke with is light sabor and you think he's turning to the good side, but is still tormented between good and evil and doesn't.

Much of the ships and combat walkers are the same from the original Star Wars movies of 1979 - almost as though they had to revert back to the old ways since nearly everything is gone - possibly budget issues.  You hardly see any white suited storm troopers, either.  And, there really isn't any duh-duh-duh-duh-da-duh-duh-da-duh music in it either.

Back to Rey and Luke.  At one point in her incessant bugging Luke to teach her, she demonstrates her will over the Force sending cracks through the ground as she meditates.  "Something inside me has always been there," she says, "But now it's awake.  And I need help".  Luke wasn't impressed with the demonstration and is terrified. "I've seen this raw strength only once before," he responds.  "It didn't scare me enough then...it does now."  He, is speaking of Kylo Ren.  What I find interesting is that Skywalker is supposedly in seclusion for years but Kylo Ren isn't much older than Rey, so I wonder when did Skywalker teach Kylo Ren and when did Skywalker actually go into seclusion??  Hmmm....

Meanwhile, Finn and Poe Dameron are the leaders of the Resistance and do the typical flying and trying to save the world heroics.  However, a new heroine is introduced as Rose Tico, the sister of a slain resistance fighter, Paige Tico, who teams up with Finn and Poe to save the resistance and destroy the Supreme Leaders' ship.

Carrie Fisher is now General Leia Organa - head of the Resistance and there really is no acting from her either.  Just nods, silence and a few one-liners.  R2-D2 and C-3PO where also in it for a few seconds, but I guess that is to be expected as new robots like BB-8 are introduced.

Other minor new characters are Admiral Holdo (Laura Dern) and Benicio Del Toro who played the master locksmith to help Finn, Rose and Poe unlock the warships controls.  There was also General Hux - a general of the First Order.

There were a few new creatures in this movie - a horse of sorts, and two animal people on Ahch-To.  My two favorite were the Porg and the Crystal Fox.  They were so cute and I wanted to take them home.  Just sweet new creatures.  Porg was like a little, huge-eyed penguin.

And, finally at the end when all seems lost...again...to the Resistance good prevails for just a second and the movie ends with yet another teaser to yet another film thanks to the Crystal Fox leading the remaining few Resistance fighters out through the cave.

I think it's time to put Star Wars behind us or beef up the movies like the old ones...Just my take on things.  I'd give it a 3 Star rating.  Not their best work for a 2 hr and 33 minute movie...Now, Scott gave the rating a 4 star...so there you go.   I guess you'll just have to see it to rate it yourself.