This may not be the Star Wars you are looking for...

Rating: 7/10 (1 March 2018)

OK! This will be my LONGEST EVER iMDB review... As such, I am going to break it down into sections - YES THERE WILL BE SPOILERS... It is necessary to try and explain how I have come to my conclusions.
Because, At first - I HATED THIS MOVIE... But as i planned to review it on YouTube and DEFEND REY who has become a poster child for Fans who Hate the new films, and as Fans get ready to DESTROY the career of Daisy Ridely the same way we did to Jake Lloyd (Annakin Skywalker _ Episode 1) - I had to rewatch and make sure I was on point...
I have now watched the movie 4 times... And I now see tings i originally missed...
Now, Is every Star Wars fan going to be happy with this Movie - NO! ABSOLUTELY NOT! But is it a Good Movie... Well, let me start with my breakdown...
CREATIVE CHOICES: I do not know Rian Johnson as a director, but I do know DISNEY as a Business... I have NEVER AGREED with the idea to bring out a New Episode in the Trilogy every 2 years - This is more about maximising profits and pleasing shareholders. Sadly, with that Mindset of Disney, Creativity is Stiffled.
That being said, there are creative Choice made by Rian Johnson that tome are foolish - GONE are the Screen wipes which,while dated have always been a tradition of Star Wars... You may think they do not matter but when you spot it - You suddenly realise what they added to the films.
They slowed things down just for a second or two and allowed you to take in the scene... It was never something I thought about as a child back in 1978, but now they are not there - It does show something... It is a subconscious change that helps the movies thematically and should never have gone... Without them, The Movie seems a little too Generic! Like a generalised Hollywood Action Movie.
Sadly, These creative decisions also lead into section 2.
STORY: I think everyone knows by now that The film Picks up DIRECTLY where The Force Awakens left off... BUT not at the same time, At teh endof tehForce Awakens, Genral Hux and Kylo Ren are given orders by Snoke NOT to pursue teh rebels after Starkiller Base is Destroyed... But teh Last Jedi opens with The First Order chasing them down... IGNORING THE STORY THAT HAD ALREADY BEEN ESTABLISHED!
I could have forgiven this if it was at least alluded to in the Text crawl at teh start of the movie - Just a hint that Kylo Ren had DEFIED Snokes Orders or such, but NO! IT IS EMPTY!!! IT MAKES NO EXPLANATION!
Even Fans who loved The Force Awakens, Such as Myself, have called out this BAD creative choice as a Plot Hole - And Sorry Rian Johnson but IT IS A MAJOR PLOT HOLE!!!
The Story overall does continue man themes that had already been laid out in TFA, The idea of Legends, Inspiration Faith are all handled well... But Mired by many unnecessary Sub-Plots... I know that many fans are NOT happy with these themes as they wanted a more coherent 'The Force is something you are born into 'Story - a Continuation of the Skywalker Linage... Myself? Sorry but I am happy that that arc has CLOSED!
The biggest issue for me was teh Sub-Plots, They had far too much attention and not enough attention was paid to the Man two Plots of Reys Training and teh Rebel Escape plan... The whole situation on Canto Bight just comes across as Filler...
With that said, If you can ignore the subplots and focus on the main story that truly matters - Its holds up very well... But there is one more issue here that does throw people out... It even got me...
Star Wars has always had subtle nods to its real world influences, whether that be History or Religion, you can see it.... But its never in your face...
The same is true of The Last Jedi, BUT - Many of the 'Nods' are FAR TOO SUBTLE!!! True fans will miss them over and over again and new fans will not see them at all.... Hell I am as OLD as the Franchise itself, and it has taken me 4 VIEWINGS to spot teh little Story arc Hints and Easter Eggs that foreshadow where the story is supposed to go... The Ideas and influences are FAR TOO SUBTLE this time that most will simply NOT CARE!
CHARACTERS: OH BOY! This is an area me and many fans will agree - Some of the Characters are NOT handled well.. But again it comes down to SUBTLETY... The Film does not do ENOUGH TO JUSTIFY WHY CHARACTERS BEHAVE AS THEY DO!!!
Multiple viewings CAN give you a better idea, but it should not need multiple viewings to understand a characters motivations... The Biggest Victim of this is POE DAMERON - His Character at first appears completely Neutered, and treated BADLY!
Again, It took multiple viewings but thats not actually true - But to understand you NEED to watch over and over again... THAT IS BAD SCREENPLAY!
Once it does become clear... It actually makes sense... For Long Time fans and Fanatics, They will be P**SED OFF! For newer fans, Most probably wont even see that at first t makes no sense and will just shrug it off... I could not shrug it off but I at least now see where Rian Johnson was heading - He just handled it VERY BADLY!
Another aspect many have taken issue with is Forced Humour in Characters - And sadly, again this is a creative choice I CANNOT DEFEND! The worst being - Spoiler Alert! - Luke being handed his old Light sabre by Rey and Tossing it over his Shoulder... While it got an initial giggle from me... It felt WRONG! An Empty hollow Gesture played for laughs... The scenes following make clear that Luke has NO INTEREST in teaching Rey... But that could have been done with one line of Dialogue, DAMN It was done with the LOOK in Mark Hamill's EYES!!!
Even one word... Just Hamill looks at Rey, Silent for a few seconds before dropping the sabre to the ground and saying in a cold monotonous tone 'NO'
So - The Chgaracters are BAD? Actually - No... Many get Great development - Rey is growing as a Charcater, Kylo Ren is more dangerous than ever, Poe Dameron is shown to be a Rebel Hero but also a bit of an asshole with an Authority Problem... In fact the east developed Character is Finn who is consigned more to a Comic Relief Role.
many Fans are being far too hard on the characters - Especially Rey - And I hate to say this but I will call out the Fanatics who are still attacking her - We destroyed the career of Jake Lloyd, Now you want do the same with Daisy Ridley?
She is a Great Actress doing an amazing job with the material she is given... The HATE on Rey is UNFAIR! If you are NOT happy with her character - That's fine, but ATTACK DISNEY for not developing her character... Dont just belittle the Character!
EFFECTS: Frankly, The effects are mainly Stunning - A great use once again of both Practical and CGI, teh way Star Wars SHOULD be handled... I thought I would hate the Porgs as a CGI addition but they are actually used Fantastically and are not a issue as I expected them to be... In fact, they add to two of teh funniest scenes in the movie and feel perfectly fine...
There is not a single thing I can critique about the effects - Some have moaned abut the sets such as Snokes Throne Room, And I admit I found it Bland, but thats more a personal preference... It does not affect the story and does not get in the way - So I do not consider it an issue. Canto Bight on the other hand.. Well, We have already covered that this is more a sub-plot that goes nowhere so anything to do with that is just wasted...
OVERALL: I always lok at a movie in One way... Did it Entertain me?
Taking advice from YourMovieSucks.org - Adam Paluze, thank you Dude! - I go now to each film no matter how hyped I am and give it an average 5 out of 10... What it gets right may see it get a better score, what it gets wrong will see it drop...
On my first viewing, While entertained, I was VERY disappointed in the film and it was a 4.5... But upon rewatching, it was back t a 6, Then a 7... And a & it has remained...
I cannot and will not defend teh Creative choices of Rian Johnson, He was given too much free rein and altered things that are staples of the Franchise... Much like George Lucas with the Prequels.
And I feel that teh true Ire from fans should be directed at Disney being more interested in Shareholders and Profit Maximisation -as this is hampering teh creative process by placing extremely heavy and dangerous time constraints on the Movies...
There will be fans who are DEEPLY unhappy with The Last Jedi... Some of it is indeed justified... But not all of it - And I feel that its a mark of a pretty poor Star Wars Movie that you need multiple viewings to understand where the story is heading... To Paraphrase Han Solo from The Force Awakens - 'That's not how Star Wars works...'
But there is actually more to enjoy here than hate... Badly handled, Indeed - A Bad Movie? I guess thats up to you.. To me, It was at first but I now appreciate what it was trying to do even if I do not like the direction it took to get there.
When my new computer returns, I may do an upload to YouTube breaking down the areas I feel have gone wrong and why Fanatical Fans are now the REAL THREAT going forwards...(Seriously, I get told I am not a true fan because I have not immersed myself in every book... By 25 year old's who first watched the movies on VHS and DVD - I am 45 YEARS OLD! Not only did I see A New hope on the Cinema Screen, I Bought the first issues of the Marvel Comics back in 1978... Don't you DARE tell me I am not a True fan! I have QUITE LITERATELY Grown up with these movies...)
Despite my 7/10 _ this film will NOT be to to everyone's taste... If I marked it as a Star Wars Movie, I have to admit it would be more a 5-6 out of 10 as it fails in the creative choices... As a Movie in general it has many good moments...
So its a Final 7/10 - Its good.. But Not that good!