Everything I never knew I always wanted from a Star Wars movie

Rating: 10/10 (21 September 2018)

The Last Jedi continues the Meta-Narrative set-up by its predecessor The Force Awakens by being just as much about a new generation of characters continuing the legacy of Star Wars as the films themselves are being made by a new generation of filmmakers continuing the legacy of Star Wars. But while The Force Awakens was about trying to live up to and recapture that legacy, The Last Jedi is about learning to move on from it and become your own thing while still respecting the original legends that inspired you in the first place. Characters are given fascinating and unique story arcs that manage to subvert expectations while still delivering thematically satisfying conclusions. The story explores aspects of the Star Wars universe that I never really thought about before, but now want to see get explored more in dozens of new stories. The central mythos and themes of the franchise are questioned, deconstructed, subverted, reaffirmed, and ultimately brought to an expansive new level. It perfectly balances radical new ideas and creative filmmaking techniques with traditional Star Wars filmmaking style and franchise trappings. And more than anything else, it makes me excited to see this cinematic space opera continue to evolve over dozens of new stories released for decades to come. What more can anyone ask for from a new Star Wars movie?