Unique, Epic, Fantastic!

Rating: 9/10 (13 December 2017)

Following the Force Awakens which was both a critical and fan hit, Rian Johnson's The Last Jedi had the highest bar to climb, and it manages to go a lot higher than the its predecessor. Rian Johnson's touch has elevated The Star Wars franchise by daring to take risks, and taking our beloved characters to a new level.
This is a unique Star Wars film in its story telling aspects, in its humor, and in its style. This will drop as many jaws as I assume The Empire Strikes Back originally did. This is also the most beautiful Star Wars movie to date, with breathtaking Cinematography, Fight Choreography and Visual Effects. But Most importantly, all of these technical aspects are only there to elevate the gripping story and character arcs that Johnson has created.
The Last Jedi is absurdly entertaining, gripping, and is also a mind bender. It will trick you, confuse you and ask you questions, only to pay them off and answer them in the most surprising and satisfying way possible. None of the main characters are one sided, as Rian Johnson manages to make you feel empathy for all of its characters, specially the main Villain, Kylo Ren. He remains a strong antagonist who is conflicted, but driven and you could say the same about our hero, Ray. Luke Skywalker is handled masterfully, and that's all I can say about him without going to spoilers. So much happens with him that is surprising, but fitting to his character. Mark Hammill shines bright, but the brightest star is the Late Carrie Fisher, as General Leia. It is difficult not to feel emotional every time you see her on the screen. She plays her iconic character as well as ever, and could not be in a better movie as her last.
The Last Jedi has grand emotional gut punches, followed by great action sequences, including my all-time favorite _and for a lack of a better fitting word the most Badass_ scene in the franchise. However just like any film it has its flaws and I can summarize my main problem with the movie in one word: Porgs. These cute birds are only there to be adored and are only there so Disney can sell Toys, which we know brings a surprisingly large amount of revenue to the studio. In Contrast to the Porgs, I loved the cute droid BB_8 because he as so much purpose and he is vital in the story. The story also loses some of its emotional build up in one particular heavy scene towards the end, to throw in a joke which felt forced and unnecessary. Happily these two minor complaints get lost in this fantastic story. This is truly a great film, and you don't have to be a Star Wars fan to love it. Rian Johnson's different vision for this movie, has made me a lot more optimistic about the future of Star Wars, and his original trilogy.