The Last Jedi stands out like a sore thumb

Rating: Null/10 (23 November 2018)

The opening sequence of The Last Jedi begins as The Force Awakens ends; and in doing so creates a timeline overlap that only goes to amplify the jarring and blunt style transition taking place.
The newly simplified existing characters and their cardboard tag-alongs spring from one unconvincing scenario to the next, while the trusted writer/director manically wipes the legacy slate clean. In it's place is served a large dose of passive and disposable entertainment that consistently fails to deliver enough internal logic to keep disbelief at bay.
The entire storyline to date gets unceremoniously rolled through a mangle and cut into a shallow and insincere Star Wars parody.
Inbetween the bizarre dialogue and poorly executed creative choices, we bear witness to tumbleweed one-liners, frown inducing sitcom set-ups, script-bending erratic manoeuvres and eye-rolling merchandise tie-ins.
Every time the story raises its game; poised to deliver some real grit, tension or emotion, it immediately disappoints with cheap audience-aware gags and cringe-worthy pop-culture references not of a galaxy far, far away.
The Last Jedi stands out like a sore thumb next to the succinct storytelling of The Force Awakens and the impressive cinematic impact of Rogue One.
I seem to have found myself injected with a totally unexpected appreciation and respect for what George Lucas achieved with his Star Wars prequels, despite the significant flaws of their own.