An Honest Review from an Old Fan

Rating: 9/10 (15 December 2017)

I've been in love with Star Wars since I was 3, and sometimes you love things even though they're stupid. People wanted The Last Jedi to be that same stupid plot they've been in love with since 1977, and it wasn't. People expected Luke Skywalker to hop in his X-Wing, go blow up an even bigger Death Star, and get a medal while everybody claps at the end, and that did not happen. Instead we got a very strong, independent movie that wasn't trying to emulate the success of it's predecessors. While some of the hardcore fans pan this movie for not being the same thing they've been watching since 1977, I think in the years to come it will be remembered as a high point of the series, because this is the movie that broke tradition and let Star Wars be something new.
I enjoyed the film, a lot, and if you were a fan of the Extended Universe, you'll love it too, because it feels just like a good EU novel turned into a movie. This is what the Sequel Trilogy should have been from the start. The stakes are high, not because the not-empire has some dumb new even bigger planet destroying weapon to blow up rocks that the audience doesn't care about (thank god), but because every character in the film legitimately feels like they are in danger, as the resistance is brutally chased down and destroyed one ship at a time by the First Order. I absolutely loved the film because it was fresh, the enemies felt dangerous, and it had me sitting on the edge of my seat from start to finish. I know some fanboys will cry today, but I have no doubt that years down the line, barring IX being absolutely amazing, this will be the go-to movie for the trilogy.