ian Johnson creates a powerful and immersive analysis of the mythological Force and gives Luke Skywalker an epic and touching conclusion

Rating: 8/10 (19 May 2020)

"The Last Jedi" respects the place and the importance of the series in the same measure that it understands the need to evolve it. Just as "The Force Awakens" has parallels with "A New Hope", "The Last Jedi" has with "The Empire Strikes Back", but far from being a copy.
After meeting the mythical and reclusive Luke Skywalker (Mark Hammil) on an isolated island, young Rey (Daisy Ridley) seeks to understand the balance of the Force from the teachings of the Jedi master. At the same time, the First Empire of Kylo Ren (Adam Driver) reorganizes to face the Rebel Alliance.
Despite evolving in the narrative, "The Last Jedi" has serious problems of rhythm due to several parallel plots. It is understandable that, especially in one of them, the pace actually has to be slower, with many explanations and parallels between past, present and future. In one of these plots, we see Rey on planet Ahch-To with Chewbacca and R2-D2 on board the Millennium Falcon seeking help from Luke Skywalker, who refuses to help and teach her because of his frustration with Ben Solo - who became Kylo Ren. In parallel, Rey begins to communicate with Kylo Ren through visions and telepathy. This sub-plot specifically, is the most interesting in the film due to its more psychological and dark side. Luke and Kylo (through telepathy) tell Rey different versions of the incident that took Kylo to the dark side of the Force and Luke into exile. The most interesting thing is that the public has both versions and remains in doubt about who is telling the truth about what actually happened and who is right. Rey thinks Kylo Ren can still be saved in some way while fighting ghosts from his past. The very ability to bring to the light side even the people most destroyed by the intrinsic evil to be, see Darth Vader's fate, symbolizes this very intense aspect, which, at least, is also assumed in the text of Rian Johnson. A discredited Luke Skywalker, faced with the failure of Ben's training, ends up finding, in his journey through the film, paths that lead him to either accept first training Rey or later to face his greatest disciple once and for all. Going through what is presented by Rey and Luke, we have a new generation duel, the first seeking knowledge from millennial generations and the second refusing to pass it on, in fear of its consequences, in view of the great power within the girl.
We still have the participation of Master Yoda, who teaches Luke that failure is capable of teaching much more than success, and that he must not lose Rey. By using practical effects, Johnson does not let this beloved character fall into the incongruities of his participation in the prelude trilogy, taking up all the extremely wise sense. For a moment we are directly transported to "The Empire Strikes Back" and we marvel at the extraordinary ability that Yoda has, even after a long time, to teach both Luke and us about life, the universe and everything.
Later, in the final act, there is still an interesting confrontation between Snoke (Andy Serkis), Kylo and Rey with two twists and dramatic moments. The way Jonhson presents these changes is built by an accelerated camera, fast dialogues. Rey's innocence (the same one that hadn't left Jakkar and was impressed by the green of certain places in the galaxy in the previous film) gradually fades from Daisy Ridley's eyes, while Kylo's fury gradually grows on Adam Driver's face.
Another plot is that which takes place in the military confrontation of war in space is where the supporting cast stands out. The script brings together almost all the characters in one core, but takes them through different missions to save the Resistance. We have Poe (Oscar Isaac), Finn (John Boyega), BB-8 and the ship mechanic Rose (Kelly Marie Tran) with the plan to disarm the First Order tracking device together with the mercenary DJ decoder (Benicio Del Toro) which is in a casino city called Canto Bight, on the planet Cantonica. This is undoubtedly the most escapist of all plots, without much focus on drama and war. The background, however, is very agile, as it allows the character of Benicio Del Toro to stand out, a criticism of the use of capital to finance wars, both by bad guys and by good guys. It is something new among the films of the saga, and one that allows much more discussions for the future, if so those responsible for the ninth chapter of the franchise delve into this aspect.
Meanwhile, on the Resistance ship we have Poe Dameron's conflicts with Leah over the impulsive pilot's decisions and, especially with Vice Admiral Amilyn Holdo (Laura Dern). The curious thing was to show this duel for generations. It is with great prudence that Johnson does not let himself be carried away by the customs of sub-plots of the kind, offering a twist in this sub-arc, which deals with questions about being a hero versus being heroic. In the plot, there is enough screen time for all the characters to introduce themselves, show their motivations, but little is said about the situation in the galaxy - it is as if there were only a dozen people worried or harmed by the achievements of the First Order. The viewer is often unable to feel that there is indeed a major threat across the galaxy. While the Resistance heroes try to save the galaxy, there is uncompromising fun in the casino city Canto Bight. On the other hand, we see Maz Kanata (Lupita Nyong'o) facing some kind of attack, when contacted.
"The Last Jedi" tries to move away from the fighting a little to focus on the characters, especially those linked to the Force. While the desperate flight of the Resistance is one of the engines of the film, it is the relationship between Luke Skywalker and Rey that effectively takes him foward. The new feature politely ignores these notions and brings back that powerful and intimate aspect of the Force, a power that is present in all living beings. Rey's saga to find his role in the world and also the truth about his past contrasts with Luke Skywalker's decision. Exiled after the failure of their initiative to create a Jedi school, completely destroyed by Kylo Ren, they clash head-on several times. The mentor, while wanting nothing to do with his new student, is afraid of her and, simultaneously, also a sense of responsibility towards that individual who seems to be so powerful with the Force. Escaping a little from the Manichaeism that appears in all features of the franchise, "The Last Jedi" shows us, for the first time, that heroes can also make wrong decisions or walk along a grayish trail. That's the main point of Luke Skywalker's journey in this film.
Jonhson delivers an interpretive film, visually beautiful, impactful and, above all, exciting for the topics covered and opportunities created. Not that the film lacks breathtaking action scenes, starting with the first fifteen minutes in a New Order counterattack that is very similar to Hoth's battle in "The Empire Strikes Back" and, obviously, the last few forty minutes encompassing the comfort of Rey, Kylo Ren and Supreme Leader Snoke, and obviously the entire final battle at a former Rebel Alliance base in Crait, which also features exciting and unexpected twists. Full highlight for the beautiful photography by Steve Yedlin and the production designer by Rick Heinrichs that create a unique look, that give a sense of grandeur and bring the most dramatic tone to the work.
If the classic trilogy concerned a good that can arise from a land sown by evil, and the George Lucas trilogy commented on the birth of the dark side in the most unlikely place, this, especially in this film, shows that these two sides are not so diametrically opposed, but that one is always accompanying the other, when not living in the same space and also getting confused. Perhaps that is why it is one of the most realistic episodes, in the work of its theme and tone. "The Last Jedi" is a film filled with characters, with many secondary narratives, with huge conflicts and all this makes the narrative written by Rian Johnson take time to unfold, and even making some narratives shorter than others and not always all being in the same climate, something that makes it feel a certain rhythmic gap.
When the credits for Star Wars: The Last Jedi appeared, the feeling is that a lot has happened. We understand Disney's desire to create a comfortable basis for the presentation of new characters and the opportunity of this world in "The Awakening of the Force", to now move confidently towards a future that effectively changes things. "Star Wars: The Last Jedi" is a film that is born out of a very rich feeling, something with an enormous power of images and symbols, marked by an inevitable will to stand before its time, as well as to understand itself as a film in the middle of a new franchise so referential to the oldest titles. Rian Johnson creates a powerful and immersive analysis of the mythological Force and gives Luke Skywalker an epic and touching conclusion that embraces his entire trajectory and ends this character's journey at a high level. In these deconstruction and reconstruction operations, an impact film appears, new without being able to move away from the others, faithful without denying the freshness that a new franchise could bring.