Star Wars: The Last Jedi
16/12/17 Filed in: Cinema
We didn't quite make it to see this latest Star Wars film on its first day, but were there the day after.
In fairness to the effort that has gone into making this film, I am going to refrain from saying too much, although if you want to be totally surprised, then don't read on! This film works as a stand-alone piece, but of course for those of us that have watched the odyssey unfold there is so much more.
Rey (Daisy Ridley) returns, still trying to understand what it is within her that makes her different, and still trying to get Luke Skywalker (Mark Hamill) to teach her in the ways of the Force.
The Resistance is in full retreat, with Domhnall Green playing General Hux, the evil if somewhat accident prone commander of the First Order's battle fleet. The ultimate bad guy, however, is Supreme Leader Snoke, who puts up with Hux despite his failings. Snoke is also displeased with Kylo Ren (born Ben Solo), which leads to an interesting apparent meeting of minds between Kylo Ren and Rey, all done telepathically through the Force, of course. At this point we are not sure whether Kylo Ren is turning away from the Dark Side. Subsequent events tend to support this possibility. But this is Star Wars, where plot twists and the power of the Dark Side are always going to shape events.
John Boyega also returns as Finn, the former storm trooper who defected to the Resistance. He is trying to find Rey, but in attempting to take an escape pod away from the embattled Resistance fleet to look for Rey, forms an unlikely ongoing friendship with a female maintenance worker, Rose Tico (Kelly Marie Tran), who initially stuns him suspecting him of being a deserter. These two take on the risky task of disabling the tracking system in the First Order's command ship, a venture that is unauthorised, having been initiated by Poe Dameron (Oscar Isaac), a bold if somewhat maverick fighter pilot who has disavowed himself of the escape plan being pursued by Vice Admiral Amilyn Holdo (Laura Dern). Holdo is in command following a hit on the command ship that kills the occupants of the bridge.
It turns out that Vice Admiral Holdo is more astute than Poe gives her credit for, but before realising this Poe takes matters into his own hands. His actions are curtailed by General Leia Organa, played by the late Carrie Fisher, who gives a superb performance in what is a central role. Holdo's Plan B is, however, not as robust as she had hoped, and things deteriorate to the point where the very existence of the remaining members of the Resistance is in doubt. Meanwhile Finn and Tico, having co-opted DJ, an underworld character who promises to gain them access to the tracking system, are having their own problems, falling to the mercy of Captain Phasma (Gwendoline Christie), who unfortunately doesn't do mercy.
So we have all these threads which at this point start to come together, as our plucky heroes take on insurmountable odds to preserve what's left of the Resistance. But, of course, we mustn't forget the Force. Luke Skywalker had turned his back on it many years before, but we are treated to one final demonstration as he faces his former student and nephew, Kylo Ren. This is an encounter worth waiting for.
This film is vintage Star Wars. It has the same feel as the original trilogy. After some miss-steps along the way, Star Wars is back to where it should be.
It turns out that Vice Admiral Holdo is more astute than Poe gives her credit for, but before realising this Poe takes matters into his own hands. His actions are curtailed by General Leia Organa, played by the late Carrie Fisher, who gives a superb performance in what is a central role. Holdo's Plan B is, however, not as robust as she had hoped, and things deteriorate to the point where the very existence of the remaining members of the Resistance is in doubt. Meanwhile Finn and Tico, having co-opted DJ, an underworld character who promises to gain them access to the tracking system, are having their own problems, falling to the mercy of Captain Phasma (Gwendoline Christie), who unfortunately doesn't do mercy.
So we have all these threads which at this point start to come together, as our plucky heroes take on insurmountable odds to preserve what's left of the Resistance. But, of course, we mustn't forget the Force. Luke Skywalker had turned his back on it many years before, but we are treated to one final demonstration as he faces his former student and nephew, Kylo Ren. This is an encounter worth waiting for.
This film is vintage Star Wars. It has the same feel as the original trilogy. After some miss-steps along the way, Star Wars is back to where it should be.