This review contains spoilers for The Last Jedi. You are warned.
-Nate
Review of The
Lost Jedi
This movie had lots of positive elements. Even so, there are other
aspects of it that were unsettling or even disappointing. Presented
below are some of what I see as the pros and cons.
Pros
Here's what I liked.
- There was plenty of action. Even though the film ran longer than any previous Star Wars movie, it didn't seem to lag at all.
- The script provided plenty of humor, too. Some of it seemed a little goofy, but for the most part it made a nice contrast to the drama.
- As others have mentioned, the story also provides a number of genuine surprises that helped keep it entertaining.
- I am intrigued by the scene that takes place on Canto Bight at the end of the film. That provides some potential for interesting development.
- It was cool to see Luke and Leia interacting again.
Cons
Here's what I didn't like.
- Poe stages a mutiny that ultimately fails, but it doesn't matter, because someone else's actions render his efforts unimportant.
- Finn and Rose go on a mission to Canto Bight that ultimately fails, but it doesn't matter. Once again, some else takes care of it. Combined with the previous comment, this doesn't make the heroes of the Resistance seem very competent.
- The greatest act of heroism is committed by a character introduce in this film, and who dies in this film. That worked in Rogue One because I grew to like those characters in spite of their flaws. It doesn't work here, because for most of the movie I wasn't sure if she was really a hero.
- Two of the intriguing questions left by The Force Awakens—that of Rey's parentage and the origin of Supreme Leader Snoke—are ultimately dismissed. Snoke is dead now, and, if Kylo Ren was telling the truth, Rey's parents were scavengers who traded her for drinking money.
- Luke spends the first half of the film arguing why the Jedi Order has to end. He hesitates when it comes to burning down the tree that contains the first Jedi teachings, but Yoda's Force spirit seems to go ahead and make that happen. Even so, by the end Luke has changed his mind.
- Instead of developing one or both of the potential relationships for Finn (Rey or Poe), we add another character and have even less resolution.
- In the end, we're left in the same place we were at the end of Episode VII, so it feels like this movie didn't really add a whole lot to the story. Many people disliked George Lucas's work in the prequel trilogy, but it's hard to deny that they added meanigful developments to the story.
