'Jedi' is a far cry from Lucas' vision

Rating: 5/10 (26 December 2017)

Few would question the notion that 'Star Wars' is the greatest story ever told in cinematic history. Even through the dark days of the prequel trilogy, fans still kept the faith, waiting for the continuation of the galaxy far, far away created by George Lucas.
in 2015's 'The Force Awakens,' J.J. Abrams more or less did the franchise justice, as familiar faces crossed paths with the "new generation" of torchbearers in what was an engaging plot. Despite some minor issues and plot holes here and there, fans were generally receptive to the film, and its box office performance is the best evidence of this. In setting aside the (far superior) film that is 'Rogue One: A Star Wars Story,' the saga continues in Rian Johnson's 'The Last Jedi,' which hit theaters in December 2017.
If one thing is clear, it's the fact that 'Jedi' is much closer to 'Episode II: Attack of the Clones' than it is the masterpiece that is 'The Empire Strikes Back' when it comes to middle installments in the trilogies. A culprit that many are pointing to is Disney, which, for better or worse, has entrenched its influence following its acquisition of Lucasfilm. To say 'Jedi' has been "Disneyfied" is pretty much spot-on, as it's clear the studio is trying to appeal to an important demographic - kids and teens. While 'Star Wars' has become a multi-generational part of our culture, it's difficult to cater to multiple audiences and satisfy everyone.
To be sure, there are a lot of things to like about 'Jedi.' From the larger focus on Carrie Fisher's General Organa and Mark Hamill's Luke Skywalker to the special effects that are consistent with what's to be expected in the franchise, it definitely feels like the film belongs in the 'Star Wars' universe. We are also reunited with the likes of Rey (Daisy Ridley), Finn (John Boyega), Poe (Oscar Isaac) and the new "it droid" (sorry, R2) BB-8. And John Williams' Despite a lot of elements that would normally make for a solid film, 'Jedi' suffers on multiple fronts.
While dialogue has always been the weakest link in 'Star Wars' movies, it's downright painful here. It's not just "plain bad," like it usually is - it's been exchanged for one-liners that are not funny and cheapen scenes in a way that make them feel like they're written for kids. 'Star Wars' isn't supposed to be a comedy, but the screenwriters didn't seem to get the memo. There are also plenty of inconsistencies with other aspects of the 'Star Wars' universe - not that the average fan would pick up on these, but still bothersome to those who know the saga well.
Additionally, Adam Driver has continued to underwhelm as Kylo Ren (aka new Darth Vader). The villain is not intimidating and comes off awkwardly in the majority of the scenes he's in. Lightsabers are also used in a very flippant way, and it seems as tho characters are squeezed into parts of the film that they shouldn't be - just for the sake of them appearing onscreen. There is also a point in the film that feels like a natural place to conclude the story - or at least leave it as a cliffhanger - but instead, things drag on for longer than they should.
It's not the worst in the bunch, but 'Star Wars: The Last Jedi' is certainly one of the weakest installments in the franchise. Hopefully the quality of this film is not a harbinger of how things will conclude in Episode IX.