Flawed but an improvement on Episode VII

Rating: 6/10 (29 January 2018)

Disney's uncomfortable stewardship of the Star Wars franchise continues with the eighth episode this time directed by Rian Johnson, noted previously only for Looper. He presents a deeply flawed movie that goes some way to filling in the yawning chasms of missing back story in Episode VII but not enough to set up Episode IX adequately. There are some impressive space battles, some much-needed character development for the main protagonists, and a welcome dose of Jedi mysticism but some of the plot holes are too challenging even for the most stalwart Star Wars fan to accept.
On the plus side I enjoyed Mark Hamill's reclusive turn as Luke. I understand his sentiment about letting the Jedi pass into history. I get why he has hidden himself on a remote planet and adopted a monastic existence. I understand why he ended his Jedi school and I thought Hamill brought it off very well.
I liked Ren and Rey's developing relationship, Light and Dark, Yin and Yang, and the fact they are both incomplete. ("Good and Evil, there never is one without the other," so said Merlin in the 1981 movie Excalibur). Rey explores the Force and discovers infinite variations of herself. Ren matures beyond the expectation of his master at a far greater rate than had been anticipated, and in Snoke's throneroom reveals how much he needs Rey.
I liked the final scene with the stable-boy's intensity showing that the Resistance and indeed the Jedi Order will, in fact, NOT die out, but will flourish and grow. Despite what Luke and Ren say, the Force will not wither and die.
The stand-out scene is, of course, in the throneroom which saw the maturity of Ren, the end of Snoke and a dark and intense battle with the guards, who fought to the last. This was a stupendous scene and the essence of Star Wars.
Well that was pretty much it for the good points. What a pity the rest of the film was so disappointing. A rebel fortress without a back door (no Fremen from the Dune franchise would ever enter any room without another exit, it beggars belief that an organized force would construct a stronghold that would double as a trap.
I don't understand why a fleet of Star Destroyers cannot destroy a single, poorly armed carrier.
I am still annoyed that there is no explanation as to who Snoke is or where he came from. I am guessing that he is, in fact, the Emperor, last seen being hurled into a bottomless chamber by Darth Vader in Episode VI, but I may be wrong.
There was a pointless excursion to CasinoWorld; a miserable, anonymous exit by my favourite character, Admiral Ackbar; irritating humour; Captain Phasma wasted AGAIN; Chewbacca wasted AGAIN; Leia Force-pulling herself in hard space even though she should be dead; and for Heaven's sake will someone in the First Order please kill Poe Dameron - I am not sure I can stand this character much longer.
There was a new Jedi trick - Interstellar Projection, which seemed to be the death of Skywalker. I am guessing it has never been used in any film before because it is a fatal exercise. It would certainly have saved a lot of Jedi a lot of grief in earlier movies had they used it then. I am not sure if this new idea is worthy or just cheating the audience.
So Episode IX will come and hopefully we will find out just what the relationship is between Rey and Ren and whether the Jedi will die out or be re-born. Sadly, I am beginning to wonder what is the point - the franchise has changed a great deal since I saw Leia's ship racing from the Star Destroyer way back in 1978. We shall just have to wait and see,
6/10