An overview of 'The Last Jedi' and any future manifestations of Star Wars

Rating: 6/10 (17 June 2018)

Well back in 1977 Star Wars emerged like a breath of fresh air after the early 70's period of bleak and violent films which signalled the final end of the 60's dream. I was unaware of this at the time I just knew I enjoyed the fun, creativity and enthusiastic energy of the movie. So now cut to modern day with it's much changed social and political landscape and movie industry and I sit down to watch 'The Last Jedi'. It all looks so much like the original films, but immediately a worrying thing occurred, I didn't know who all these new characters were or what at happened in the previous film, I couldn't even remember if this was a prequel or a sequel !
So off I went to the Internet to find a synopsis of 'The Force Awakens' and then I remembered they'd killed off Hans Solo. Now I could see the script logic why they did this, but it was like killing Capt Kirk or Spiderman. Why couldn't they let him just gently retire or sail away like Gandalf to some other world / dimension. These are modern cinematic mythic figures and I feel they should have been treated with respect.
So I restart this film which was Okish, but after a while a sense of gloom descended upon me, I realised all these events where occurring after the fairytale ending of the Return of the Jedi ' when they all lived happily ever after.....', and that there was always going to be a another empire, another death star, it was never going to end and my own emotional reaction was - Why can't they leave it alone !!?
But anyway returning to the real world. This film was made in a climate when virtually all Sci Fi is all about gloomy dystopian futures and this film is subtly being morphed to fit in with it. The younger audiences have at the moment an appetite for these bleaker stories, and they aren't so bothered about the 'Happy Ever After' of the the original films and that's OK. All populist films must reflect the needs of the audience at the time they are made and that '1970's Star Wars' time is past now, and all that really matters is - Was it a good film?
Well how can a rehash ever really be a good film ?
They did their best and it isn't awful.
There was one particular highlight later in the film, that really saved it for me, when the old magic suddenly reappeared and that was when Yoda made an appearance. He was the whimsical, playful and profoundly wise Yoda of 'The Empire Strikes Back' and a warm glow of nostalgia and joy came over me Those Yoda scenes were always my favourite moments in the original trilogy, for even back then I did grow weary of Death Stars and whizzy space battles. These scenes were the emotional heart of the film in which the spiritual element of the Force was given centre stage. It was done with such a light touch via Yoda, when it could easily have come over as a bit too preachy or mystical.
They used Yoda here in 'The Last Jedi' for the same purpose, so it seems the resonance of 'The Force' is still applicable for today's audience. And I feel we are still following that yearning for a unifying spirituality from 1960's, that when it failed to materialise in the real world resurfaced in fictional form. It was ironically created by George Lucas who had no spiritual inclinations whatsoever.

And that's me done, reviewing wise, for any new manifestations of Star Wars.