It Takes Risks, And I Appreciate That

Rating: 9/10 (19 December 2017)

I believe this film is divisive because it's different. Some people like the risks it takes, and some people think it deviates from what Star Wars is. Personally, I appreciated its boldness and its willingness to take risks. One of my biggest problems with The Force Awakens was that it pretty much followed the Star Wars Episode IV: A New Hope formula. In my eyes, it played it safe. But I do understand why some would be turned off by The Last Jedi. It does try new things, and that won't work for everyone. However, I personally found the good outweighed the bad, and there was a lot more good in the film than bad. But there will be people who disagree specifically on what are the good parts and what are the bad parts. The Last Jedi, moment by moment, asks itself what the complete opposite thing anyone would have expected them to do is, and then does it. But this isn't simply for the sake of doing so, but rather it all serves the story and the narrative Rian Johnson has crafted. The things that happen in this film come completely out of left field. If you had told me what happens in this movie prior to my seeing it, I would have been angry. I would have thought that it ruined the movie, and it was a disservice to the characters and to the brand. However, upon seeing it in context, and seeing how every choice, no matter how different it may be, serves the story, I'm on board. It's not the story I would have chosen myself, but it ultimately works and I like the direction they are going in. It's not often that I get to sit in a movie theater and genuinely have zero idea of what is going to happen next. For the eighth (technically ninth) entry into a single franchise, having this level of unpredictability and originality is incredibly refreshing...