Review ... Star Wars: The Last Jedi

OUR reviewers weight in on the latest Star Wars movie, The Last Jedi. See what they have to say about the 'must see' movie of the year.

DESPITE borrowing heavily from the original trilogy, Star Wars: The Last Jedi still manages to keep some surprises up its sleeve. It is an entertaining romp held together with bad decisions, recycled ideas, and a helping of deus ex machina.
Once again, like in The Force Awakens, the movie starts by setting a light-hearted tone. It does this by using the same formula and almost the same characters. But, what follows is more impactful to the Star Wars mythology than any of the movies before it.
Analogues to famous scenes from previous Star Wars movies are many. Between them hides smart jokes, a more detailed look at how the Star Wars universe works, and a lot of moments that will make you exclaim: "Why did you do that for?"
We get to see the effects of war on the galaxy and how the war shapes it. We are also reminded of the scope of The Force and made to question what balance in the universe means.
The movie plays with viewers' expectations a lot, all based on what little we know of the new Star Wars universe. It is well done when it works. Some of the surprises are worth it, but most of the time, it feels like the problems and their solutions are coincidental.
Even the movie's end scenes parallel the end scene of Rogue One, which is effectively a wish-fulfilment moment for Star Wars fans.
To me, this is the most entertaining movie among the modern Star Wars releases. Under the direction of Johnson, we see a different side of this universe.
Nevertheless, it still manages to be frustrating by not answering almost all of the questions posed in The Last Jedi.
One does not watch Star Wars for stellar performances, and it is still true here.
However, I will give points to Hamill for his depiction of the old Jedi master, the late Fisher for her intensity, and Domhnall Gleeson (General Hux) for playing a character from a military comedy movie that somehow wanders off onto the Star Wars set. – Azizul Rahman Ismail
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WITH The Last Jedi, I find plenty of things I enjoy. The battle scenes are thrilling and tense, depicting a Resistance on the run from a still-powerful First Order and trying to survive a dire situation. I also like how the film shows how the rest of the galaxy has coped with – or profited from – the war.
The actors have stepped up their game as well. The naturally charismatic Ridley gets to show off a range of emotions, as well as her improved skills with a lightsaber as Rey, while Driver brings a new depth to his character Kylo Ren.
Boyega, a standout from the previous film, spends most of his time on a mission with newcomer Kelly Marie Tran, and while their story is a little hit-and-miss, the two actors definitely have chemistry together.
But by far the best performance comes from Hamill, who basically steals the film portraying Luke Skywalker, a war hero who is jaded and guilt-ridden by his past, but who finds his own redemption at the end.
And the late Fisher has plenty of good scenes as General Leia, reminding us why her character is such a badass.
However, with The Last Jedi, for the first time, I am able to sense the formula the filmmakers used to put the film together.
Mixed in with all the positive aspects are obviously rehashed plot points from previous films, and clear attempts at using cute characters to sell merchandise.
I also feel the film is too long, probably due to the convoluted story, written by director Johnson, which forces viewers to juggle multiple subplots, and leads to some nuances getting lost along the way.
The film also either ignores or outright refuses to answer some of the big mysteries brought up in The Force Awakens. It may be Johnson's way of deferring the task to J.J. Abrams, who directed it and who will direct the upcoming Episode 9.
In the end, you can only be distracted by the flashy effects for so long. While it's not a misstep, I do find this over-hyped film to be a slight disappointment, although I am still eager to see what will come next for this saga. – Anansa Jacob