The Stunning Last Jedi

Rating: 10/10 (14 December 2017)

Star Wars: The Force Awakens
Is a film that needed to play it safe in some regards. It was introducing new characters, new worlds, and trying to restore a fan base that felt burned by the prequels. It succeeded in establishing a baseline for the sequel trilogy, and that baseline has allowed writer-director Rian Johnson to move the franchise forward with the stunning

Star Wars: The Last Jedi

Although, like The Force Awakens, it takes more than a few beats from the Original Trilogy, Johnson feels eager to subvert our expectations, challenge the archetypes the series was founded on, and take bold steps to establishing a new concept of what a Star Wars movie can be while still feeling very much in line with previous films in the franchise. ,from the film's stunning craft and confident storytelling.

If The Force Awakens was a matter of giving fans what they wanted, then The Last Jedi is giving them what they need, which is more complex characters and themes that break free of the traditional archetypes and mythic tropes the franchise was founded upon.

Even if you can feel the film's runtime as it heads to the climax, there's no shortage of appreciation for what Johnson has accomplished. I won't be surprised if fans start openly wondering if The Last Jedi is better than A New Hope or Empire, although I think it's clear that the film surpasses The Force Awakens even if the sequel's success is partly due to the unglamorous groundwork The Force Awakens had to accomplish. There are so many moments and details I want to dig into with The Last Jedi, but I don't want to spoil the many reveals, twists, and turns that make the movie such a wonderful experience. I lost count of the jaw-dropping moments The Last Jedi presents, and it's a movie I can't wait to revisit.