the most dangerous Star Wars

Rating: 8/10 (19 December 2017)

The Republic has fallen and The First Order under Snoke (Andy Serkis) is taking over. The Resistance led by Princess Leia Organa (Carrie Fisher) is on the run once more. Rey (Daisy Ridley) seeks guidance from Luke Skywalker (Mark Hamill). Kylo Ren (Adam Driver) is conflicted about his dark side. Finn (John Boyega), Poe Dameron (Oscar Isaac), and new character Rose (Kelly Marie Tran) try a last ditch effort to save the Resistance.
I am left with a lot of nitpicks that don't add up to much and one big observation. This could be the most dangerous Star Wars. First, let's start with some of the nitpicks. There is a lot of humor in this movie. I appreciate it sometimes but there are some serious issues being pushed in this movie and the humor at times clashes. There is some melodrama and sometimes the scenes push too hard. For example, Rose's amulet gets a lot of screen time. It's interesting what happens with Benicio del Toro but sometimes the movie does not need to linger on that pendent. The little kids forced to work the stables can be too much. I'm sure Rian Johnson got the idea from kids being forced to ride racing camels. It would be helpful to have more than just kids in indentured servitude. It becomes too obvious in a bad way. The kamikaze run is cool but the question becomes why they didn't do that with the other ships or in the other movies. The casino idea of the 1% weapon dealers is intriguing but there is too much broad Vegas motif. The Porgs are the Porgs and I'm resigned to the Christmas gifting motive. I either understand or reluctantly accept each one and more of these little annoyances.
The overarching observation I have is a lot more uncertain. Rian Johnson is playing with the Star Wars sensibilities and its ultimate outcome is very much in doubt. It makes this a most dangerous Star Wars movie. The central idea of good versus evil is under attack. Benicio del Toro plays a criminal who talks a bit of truth to the audience. He essentially equates both sides. As long as there is war, the weapons dealers win and the people lose. Ghost Yoda literally burns down the Jedi religion. Skywalker's one moment of failure is also a direct shot at his character. Johnson is given new emperor Snoke and he promptly kills him off. Rei's parentage is given as nobodies. The question becomes whether that is the truth. I get the sense that Johnson intends it to be the truth and thereby cutting that branch away from the desperate needs of a Skywalker saga. Time and time again, he is pushing the Star Wars franchise in an intriguing and possibly dangerous direction. Stay tune to see whether it falls apart or succeeds as a new direction that The Force Awakens was never meant to be.