Spoilers!
Star Wars, like most beloved things, comes with unachievable levels of expectations from its those who love it. Those of us who have grown up with Star Wars have strong opinions and even stronger wishes for where the story takes us. There have been millions of words devoted to fan fiction(both official and unofficial) that shape the Star Wars universe to where we would like it to be. Unfortunately, and more importantly, realistically, the movies have failed to meet those lofty dreams of countless fans. I myself learned a lesson when The Phantom Menace came out. Not only did it fail to live up to my expectations, it failed to live period. And that movie was done by the man who created the Star Wars universe! So I have learned to not bite into the hype(I don't even like watching the teasers and trailers) and try to experience each subsequent movie as something detached from what I have experienced before. I also need to watch them more than once to have true gauge of what I think about the latest incarnation of the Star Wars franchise.
Why am I bringing this up? Because The Last Jedi is one of the most polarizing chapters in the Star Wars cinema universe. It seems most people either really hate* it or really like it. I have seen some real flame wars happening on the internet over the movie including some vitriol heaved at many of its stars. The Force Awakens awakened strong feelings not just in Rey but in almost all Star Wars fans around. While the movie was just a re-telling of the original, it still fed our need to love and have hope in the Star Wars cinema universe again. It also fed the high expectations of most fans as to what the next chapter would/should bring. And it brought The Last Jedi. For the record, I mostly like it, or at least, I want to mostly like it but there were some definite issues that prevented me from really liking it or adoring it like other fans have.
Luke Skywalker and his character arc looks to be the main gripe with most fans. And I can't blame them. Luke, for many, is Star Wars. It is his story more than his father's and how he acts and his death(not just him dying but how he died) really sat wrong with many fans. I get where he is coming from that leads to the way he is acting. The guy has been through more levels of heaven and hell than most people knew existed. He went from simple farm boy to savior of the galaxy and back to simple farm boy. So what if he didn't have it in him to be the savior again? That is why we have Rey now. Luke's journey had come full circle and it was time. Sad yes, but still necessary. Personally, I didn't mind him dying(Force ghost anyone?) and I thought it was cool and powerful the way he died(fading away into the Force while staring into the horizon). No it wasn't done in some spectacular fashion that I think most fans feel Luke should have gone out but it was done with quiet honor and dignity. However, the movie made way too light of Luke being with Rey and his training/failing of Ben. I could have seen less milking and fishing scenes and more insight into what the hell happened to Ben other than a flashback or two. His reaction to Han not being there was too short, too simple. Those two went through some shit together, let's see the tears flowing. So Luke Skywalker, other than a couple of gripes, was not an issue for me.
The main thing that I really did not like was that it was too sitcomy* if that makes any sense. Disney is doing the same thing to Star Wars that it did to most of the Marvel movies; made it too light and fluffy so to attract the biggest audience they could while dumbing it down enough so that the majority of ticket buyers could go home smiling and feeling good about life. This really worries me about future installments. It is a slippery slope that I hope will be rectified before it is too late. Rogue One proves that Disney can make a good Star Wars movie, I just hope when this data is analyzed a re-direction can be found.
The main pursuit/battle was also a little too unbelievable as well. Are you trying to tell me that the Empire First Order never developed a ship that could quickly intercept any of the Rebellion Resistance ships? And if that hyperspace/self destruction trick is so powerful why didn't they just do that the moment Snoke's ship first appeared? Or during any of the previous battles? It seemed to be a pretty powerful weapon at their disposal. And what was Snoke* doing there? If you are going to rip off the Emperor then you should have at least learned from his mistakes. And as much as love me some Benicio Del Toro his character was way too convenient for the plot. Good thing Rose and Finn got put in the same cell as someone that they so desperately needed in order to complete their extremely difficult plan in just the nick of time. Convenient plot point is convenient. Besides, wouldn't that casino have been the perfect place to reintroduce Lando? Bring back Lando! Don't even get me started on Leia Force flying through the cold vacuum of space.
RIP Captain Phasma, I wish we knew you well but you appear to have been just a throw-away character in cool looking armor.
But, I mostly did like the movie. While it was sitcomy the series has yet to complete its journey to the Darkside of sitcom humor. I still love the characters of Rey, Poe, Finn, and now Rose and enjoyed watching them develop more through adventure like those kids did back in 1977. I love that Kylo Ren isn't just another cold, cunning Sith Lord but could be certifiably crazy. He presents a different type of danger than the previous Darths. Overall the movie was entertaining. It was a little long but decently paced and my 5yr old nephew was able to sit through it until the end enjoying what he saw. And isn't that what it is all about? New characters to learn and love with new fans? It might not have been the second coming of The Empire Strikes Back it doesn't have to be. It just has to be good without insulting the fans with midichlorians or racist caricatures while still advancing the overall story line. And I feel the movie succeeded in that. But remember, I learned to temper my expectations a long time ago.
My updated rankings for Star Wars movies are:
TIER 1
1. Star Wars
2. The Empire Strikes back
TIER 2
3. Revenge of the Sith
4. Rogue One
5. The Return of the Jedi
6. The Last Jedi
7. The Force Awakens
TIER 3
8. Attack of the Clones
Just tears...
9. The Phantom Menace
*hate- The bagger at my local supermarket told me this morning that he walked out of it. He says it is too PC now.
*sitcomy- What was with that Abbott and Costello exchange between Poe and Hux in the beginning of the movie? Seriously, how did Hux become the leader of that army when he falls for bush league stunts like what Poe was doing. "But it was funny!" you say? Remember that funny bit involving Grand Moff Tarkin? No? No? That's because there wasn't a GODDAM THING FUNNY ABOUT GRAND MOFF TARKIN! And that is why Wilhuff was put in charge.
*Snoke- You get the feeling that they didn't know what to do with the faux-Emperor so they just killed him off?
