Finally somebody had fun making a Star Wars sequel

Rating: 9/10 (5 January 2018)

Very refreshing to see this film after decades of disappointing post-original trilogy follow-ups. I felt the director and actors livened up for this outing, freed themselves of some of the pressures which might have marred the last two (The Force Awakens and the bleak spinoff Rogue One), films that felt stiff and unimaginative in comparison. Whereas I left the Force Awakens sorely disappointed at lack of new vision, I left the Last Jedi reinvigorated with hope that this franchise can actually live to bring new imaginative layers to the Star Wars universe.
I've liked Johnson's previous films- not loved- but in my opinion he totally owns this world, and has now made his best film with the Last Jedi. There's a striking confidence and grasp of what made the originals so evocative while also shunning the 'dark fantasy' trend and bleakness of Rogue one; it is mercifully fun, and seems product of the love of creation. It is also as wildly inventive (especially on the creature front) as anything in the original trilogy.
Well played.