The Jedi Returns...

COLINS FILM CLUB REVIEW (Cinema) STAR WARS - THE LAST JEDI

Star Wars is indeed a phenomena... Since the original graced our cinema screens in 1977 it has grown into one of our most fondly remembered franchises and one of our most lucrative. In recent years we have seen the original founder pass the torch to the Disney Corporation which resulted in 2015`s The Force Awakens, which went on to bust the box office wide open and heralded to start of a fresh trilogy of films. Which of course brings us to this one, The Last Jedi... I will point out right now that i will deliver a spoiler free review which i hope those of you yet to see it will apprieciate. So - here we go... The film opens with a fantastic battle against the mother of all First Order ships and we are slowly re-introduced to Poe, BB-8, Finn and Leia during the battle chaos going on all around them. We also meet Rose, who is one of the new characters introduced in this film and who bonds with Finn. We also return to the Island hideaway that we were left at by The Force Awakens, as Rey approaches Luke and hands him his old light sabre. From these two starting points the rest of the film takes us on two arcs, one follows the fleeing Resistance forces and the other stays with Rey and Luke as they embark on a training montage. Its only until a little later on do the two threads eventually merge and the climatic battle see`s a major face off with the First Order. Now... to say anymore about the plot would give away things and like i said, thats not what i plan to do. Director Rian Johnson has crafted a very fine film in itself, deep in metaphor and reverence to its source material without breaking away too much from the established canon. He has been given essentially a clean slate to do with as he pleased for this entry, and has said as much so himself. This freedom has allowed for some wonderful narrative moments and the cast have got alot more to handle this time. And speaking of characters, its time to explore this area... Daisy Ridley seems very comfortable as Rey this time around, and this is no bad thing because her rather awed and innocent portrayal in Episode VII was perfect for someone unaware of her potential, but now this has changed, and the Rey we see in Jedi is a much more assured individual who is finally starting to learn her place in the greater scheme of Galactic politics and the ways of the Force. The powerplays and plans of First Order Supreme Leader Snoke become clearer here too, and Andy Serkis`s motion- captured tyrant is tremendous and seen now in all full after his towering hologram of the previous film. John Boyega has great fun as Finn, an its his character arc which enjoys some of the best screentime, he is paired up with Rose for most of this time and the pair of them play against each other exceptionally well. Possibly the greatest character arc though is that of Adam Driver`s Kylo Ren, who was the standout villain of Episode VII. Throughout the Last Jedi, Driver`s Ren, scarred from his last encounter with the untrained Rey, finds himself starting almost from scratch as he needs to prove himself once again, his rivalry with Domhall Gleeson`s General Hux reaching new heights and intensity. Driver puts in a solid performance and his multi-layered Kylo Ren is as much a flawed, vunerable figure as it is a major screen villian, a force to be reckoned with (pun intended). But The Last Jedi really belongs to two people - Luke and Leia, respectively played by Mark Hamill and Carrie Fisher. Hamill performs what is quite possibly is his best performance ever as an embittered and reclusive Luke Skywalker, who reluctantly agrees to train Rey but who harbours many dark secrets and truths which have spanned the years and which Hamill conveys with World-weary ease, it seems like he has put on a very comfortable coat and reprises his role with ease. But this isnt the Luke we remember, and this makes what we see unfold both intriguing and disturbing, but in a very good way... Then we have Fisher`s General Leia Organa - in her last ever screen role, filming completed before her tragic death. Her poignant scenes have added power and its a very fitting tribute to her, she carries weight to her screentime and a gravitas which commands respect, the Princess from the 70`s has grown up and become one of Star Wars greatest assets and goes to prove just how much she will be missed. With Industrial Light and Magic handling the FX once more, everything in this department is in safe hands, and seeing the Falcon soar and swoop through the salt caves pursued by TIE Fighters had Empire asteroid field flashbacks, which is something of a recurring theme as the scene where Snoke shows Rey the Resistance fleet being destroyed one by one is straight out of Return of the Jedi, as is the placing of Rey`s sabre on Snoke`s armrest. And the attack on the old Rebel base is yet another nod to franchise roots. So, The Last Jedi.... is it flawless..?? No, it isnt... The entire Canto Bright casino section seems to drag the middle section down, as if the entire action plot has just had the pause button hit. The scenes centre around Finn and Rose trying to locate Benicio Del Toro`s code-breaker but they feel like an attempt to again drive home some Episode IV canteen scene, which Episode VII did better with Maz Kanata`s emporium. Add to this an animal cruelty message tacked in for no apparent reason and the whole section just bogs down the film`s middle. Secondly, of all the characters to continue from the last entry, Oscar Isaac`s Poe Dameron really does come across as a bit of a dick.. sorry, but this guy`s hotheaded approach costs the Resistance dearly at the start, then he goes against orders yet again to set Finn and Rose on their mission, finally going against orders once more by staging a mutiny and obviously not learning from previous mistakes not only seems out of character from the last film but just makes him a bit of a pain in the arse for the scenes he is in. I do feel like they do not know how to treat this character... Okay, so this film is out now, its going to be big simply because of what it is and the fact that Star Wars as an entity bigger now than ever. It is a very good film, the balance is right for the most part and the magic is still there, held together by three tour de force performances by Driver, Hamill and of course Fisher. The age old story of good over evil is alive and well in this latest entry and the stakes have never been higher, in fact by the end of the film you will be asking questions about where they can go next with the next Episode. This is perhaps the films greatest overall achievement in that it goes along way to answering some of the questions from The Force Awakens but throws in even more mind numbing ones and plenty shock twists to keep the fans guessing until the next installment in 2019. This is definitely better than the awful Rogue One and places the franchise back on track. Recommended.

Its got plenty of explosions, light sabre and blaster action as any good Star Wars film should have. Mired with a heavy and ponderous middle section, its nonetheless a thumping good ride and a very fitting tribute to the late Carrie Fisher.

COLINS FILM CLUB RATING

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