The film made better by the test of time and The Rise of Skywalker.

Rating: 9/10 (19 December 2019)

The Last Jedi is a movie that is considered the most divisive of the Star Wars films- a title that once belonged to the now-revered Empire Strikes Back. Without spoiling the next film in the trilogy, I can definitely attest to the fact that the first and last films of Episodes VII, VIII and IX definitely do a lot to elevate VIII in terms of quality.
Yes, there are decisions in this film that defy what many fans would like to call as logic- Leia flying with the Force, Luke being the hermit no one expected him to be (or, more importantly, wanted him to be), Holdo lightspeeding through the capital Star Destroyer even though nobody has this genius idea over the course of seven films. I'd like to add that Episodes IV, V and VI had equally as many moments in them that defied conventional 'logic' as well. Obviously they did, I don't really know what people were expecting from a franchise that is prides itself on being a fantasy as opposed to science-fiction. Whatever didn't make sense in theaters while watching this movie, makes a lot more sense now having watched the entire trilogy.
I'll go as far as to say that The Last Jedi works on a dramatic level, especially after watching The Rise of Skywalker and The Force Awakens as the tense middle chapter. I can't help but recall some scenes that truly stand out in the entire saga as some of the best- the throne room sequence, or Luke confronting Kylo at the end, or Luke's first lesson to Rey, for example. It's also the most original of the three films, both VII and IX rely heavily on nostalgia for many of their key dramatic moments- this is not the case here. Themes such as mutiny, moral relativism, the true meaning of leadership as well as the menace of warmonging corporations are a welcome addition to the franchise, something we never could have seen in VII because of the nature of its pacing and its adherence to the tried and true Star Wars (1977) formula.
There are a lot of little details and foreshadowing that are absolutely nailed in this film as well- the way it ties into IX is almost organic. The film looks amazing, Steve Yedlin's cinematography is some of the best of the entire saga and the visual effects, while a touch dated, still look fine today. John Williams' orchesteral score is as brilliant as ever. The acting from almost the entire cast is great, I also think Benicio Del Toro's character and performance in this film are some of the two most overlooked aspects of this trilogy.
I'm taking away a star because of the Finn and Rose subplot which admittedly meandered a little too far for my taste from the more interesting and engaging plot elements of the film.