Star Wars: The Last Jedi; Spoiler Edition [Enter at your peril]

[Huxy]

So after mulling the movie over for a day, I gotta say this is one of my favorite SW movies of all time, aside from a New Hope and Empire. Still sure which is my top, but that's no important. What I loved about the LJ was the risk's it took. Some of which payed off and others which left me feeling unfiffiled and dissapointted. The most notable to me being Phasma's death along with a few other key parts. Overall, the film was a breath of fresh-air into the whole SW saga. Also, upon watching a few videos and theorizing...this trilogy is Kylo's. Rey isn't a Skywalker, though that might change for episode 9. Meaning that Kylo's been the focus the whole time which is an interesting idea. I'd give the film an 8.5/10. Not 100% perfect, but visually it was perfect and it had many good characters and a great narrative that made you wanting more.

Also found this video dealing with the whole Snoke biz. I hope this theory is true.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-mZZAvIHMvQ

 

[Jsc]

My friends and I walked out of that theater and didn't stop making fun of The Last Jedi movie for the next two hours. We laughed at the plot. We laughed at the technology. We poked holes in every line of dialogue. And we milked the four titted giraffe just because there is seriously a four titted giraffe worth milking in this movie.

Oh my gosh guys. Seriously. That was seriously the most beautiful cluster-kark of a doozy, that I have ever seen on the silver screen. I loved it. Like, Starship Troopers #1 good. Because I think I just watched the best parody of a Star Wars movie since Space Balls.

Solid 5/5. Would watch again stoned anytime.

 

[Elpsis Kerrigan]

Well, I watched it yesterday. It was entertaining, but many things were meh. Some observations as follows:

• It seems to start almost right after TFA...yet the world-building makes no sense. The First Order is already overrunning the galaxy, while the rebels are merely a couple hundred people. I guess Starkiller Base wasn't that big a deal. The New Republic has totally vanished. Meh. Trying real hard to get us back into Evil Empire vs. plucky rebels territory. Man, building a new republic was really superfluous. No continuity of government plan, no fleet. Might as well let ditch the whole galactic government idea and give anarchy a chance.
• The sequels continue to suffer from the lack of a competent, menacing villain you can actually take seriously. Snoke spends all his grandstanding and then dies, Hux is comic relief and the typical useless commander who stays in command because he's good at yelling slogans, and Kylo continues to be a petulant man-child with granddaddy issues. Well, I guess Supreme Leader Kylo Ren's ineptitude will be a good way for the tiny rebellion to suddenly win in episode 9.
• Rey is an instant master. She doesn't need to receive training or read Jedi books. While a sympathetic character, she continues to be a Mary Sue. A good hero needs to struggle, experience defeats and grow in the process. Her only flaw seem to be that she's naive and makes the mistake of thinking she can redeem Kylo.
• Cringe Force bond. Why are Kylo and Rey Force skyping? Why are they connected? Ok, it's due to the Palpy Cosplayer. For that matter, why is Rey so fixated on redeeming Boy-Vader? And why does she hype him as a threat when talking to Luke? Based on their fight in TFA, she has little reason to be impressed. Or care about Boy-Vader.
• Finn romances some chick. Lack of chemistry is no obstacle. They go on an unnecessary trip to a casino planet and liberate some animals. Greenpeace approves.
• I kinda like how virtually everyone in the movie fails at what they try to do.
• The plucky rebels sacrifice their last battleship and now all their surviving members fit into a space bus. Good thing the duo of Imperial cosplayers is leading the First Order.
• Leia can float in space. Batman, you're not that special anymore.
• Hello, Phasma, how was the trash compactor? Oh, you're already dead. We barely knew ya. Please stay dead this time.
• I agree with Luke. It's time for the Jedi to end. I liked him calling them out. It's hilarious that Snoke is fixated on finding him...yet all Luke wants to is sit on his island and milk space cows.
• Ackbar dies and Admiral Purple Hair takes over. Then launches a kamikaze attack...though she spends a good deal of time watching her comrades die.
• Rey's parents were nobodies. I like that, too. Assuming it sticks.
• Snoke tries to be more than a Palpy Cosplayer by wearing yellow instead of black. Very daring! Speechifies. Then dies like a punk. Bye, Snoke. We barely knew ya.

 

[Valiens Nantaris]

I feel like there's a war between JJ and Rian. JJ introduces all these plots and mysteries...Rian tosses them our or makes fun of them. JJ is back for IX so will some mysteries get changed back?

 

[Elpsis Kerrigan]

[member="Valiens Nantaris"]


Suddenly Rey's parents are no longer nobodies?

 

[Valiens Nantaris]

[member="Elpsis Elaris"]
That's where I'm heading.

 

[Nima Tann]

[member="Valiens Nantaris"] [member="Elpsis Elaris"]

It was just a trick to deceive Rey of course!

 

[Tallia Farn]

Saw the movie both Thursday and Friday. Came out of it Thursday night with mixed feelings. Me and my sister agreed that we needed to see it again to get a solid opinion on it. There were some amazing moments in the film that rank among some of my favorite Star Wars scenes ever, and there are also large chunks of the film that left me feeling disappointed. I enjoyed it a lot more on second viewing, even liked the Finn storyline more though I still think the film suffers from being too many places at once.

All in all I think it's a fun ride that's missing a soul. Rian seemed to be throwing ideas at a wall to see what sticks, sometimes that was really successful and sometimes that left me scratching my head in confusion wondering if there was any greater purpose behind it all. I think it's the first Star Wars movie that I feel rather apathetic towards and I don't really have a strong opinion good or bad on the film as a whole.

I'd give it a 7/10 if I was a film critic, and it falls in an odd place in my Star Wars rankings in the wide gap between the PT and the OT. I could talk all day about the things I love in the film and I could critique it for just as long. And on top of it all, I want to go see it in theaters a third time so I guess Disney did their jobs in the end. I think "conflicted" is the best adjective I could use to describe my reaction to it.

 

[Blaax Yovshin]

So I gotta say, I absolutely loved The Last Jedi. The Force Awakens left me scared about Disney’s ability to make a good Star Wars movie but The Last Jedi got rid of any doubt I had. The plot was good, the cast has grown into their roles and I’m looking forward to the next one. Speaking of the next one, I’m willing to bet the next one will be named Star Wars: Rebellion or something to that effect. However, back to TLJ, I will say there were certain parts that disappointed me like how Rey didn’t turn to the dark side or how Snoke was killed off so quickly and that’s something I want to talk about. So many people were quick to get outraged by that and understandably so but I don’t get why people are acting like we will never know who Snoke is and all that. You guys know we have a whole third movie to explore all that right? I can almost guarantee you that we will get that information in the form of Rey asking Kylo about Snoke and him giving her a whole rundown of the whole thing. Also, sorry to burst any bubbles here but I don’t think Snoke will be coming back. From what I read, the new director just didn’t like his character and wanted Kylo to be in a position to actually take the reigns for himself and not have that foundation of a “master” behind him. Overall, new director didn’t like Snoke and Now has no use for him since Kylo and Hux are squabbling over who is the new Supreme Leader. By the way, I could definitely see Kylo and Hux being an interesting couple. There’s a lot of sexual tension there.

So now that that’s out of the way, can we talk about that lightspeed scene? The one where the admiral demolishes the whole fleet by going to lightspeed and ramming into Snoke’s ship. That is probably the first time when a Star Wars movie made me say “wow” out loud (yeah I was that person if anyone heard that in the theater they were in) in a moment of pure, real amazement. That scene was so amazingly beautiful. I think for me, however, the most powerful scene was the one where Kylo and Rey break Anakin’s lightsaber by splitting it in two. I’ve heard some people claim that it’s disrespectful to the original movies or it’s an insult to the original Star Wars and blah blah blah. But I couldn’t disagree more. I believe that scene was the perfect symbolism for the end of an era. And that’s what this whole movie is about, it’s about Disney saying to the fans that the era of Luke and Leia and vader is over. It was a good era but all good things must come to an end. The new Star Wars trilogy might not be everyone’s cup of tea and that’s fine but to say it’s insulting to the old Star Wars because it’s different is just wrong. It’s not insulting because it’s not just like the old films, remember the last time Disney made a Star Wars movie that was just like the original? It was called the Force Awakens and everyone was disappointed. Some nobody growing up on a desert planet who’s parents are unknown goes on an adventure, meets Han Solo and Chewbacca, they all go to the local rebellion and form a plan to destroy a planet killing sphere owned by this militant force hell bent on controlling the galaxy. They succeeded and Leia watches the whole thing from. The rebellion base. Like it or not, the Force Awakens is just a rewrite of the original Star Wars and I’m so glad the last Jedi wasn’t a rewrite of the empire strikes back. It was its own and it was fun, it was daring it was original and I am looking forward to seeing it a third time. That’s about all I’ve got to say about it. Feel free to respond with counterpoints or feedback, I love talking about this stuff!

 

[Stephanie Swail]

I feel sorry for JJ setting up so much myth and wonder in 'TFA' to have it tossed over a cliff in 'TLJ'.

Where DID Maz get Luke's saber from?

Why WAS Luke's saber calling to Rey if she literally is a nobody with no connection to the Skywalker gene - it seems she Force bonds with Skywalkers (Luke / Kylo) without any link.

What DID happen to the Knights Of Ren from the brilliant vision Rey had? They are tossed away and we see nothing more of them. Those dumb crimson guards v2 should have been replaced by the estbalished KOR to at least show Kylo eclipsing them all.

...and man, the First Order rules the galaxy or something? They are embarrsing to watch. The SL gets offed by a kid, they literally spend all their time chasing Rebels/Resistance and don't seem to be very powerful at all.

I really can't see where JJ will take this in Ep IX to claw back the roots he started in 'TFA' and give us a worthy climx which already feels has peaked with a whimper here.

 

[Darth Ferus]

My favorite part by far was the hyperspace bomb. It was a beautiful and impressive scene (the actual explosion) and does make me think there's a reason why people dont normally do it.

The first order thought the big ship was fleeing, and chose not to shoot at it. Does this mean using the hyperdrive makes the ship easy to shoot while it tries to warp away? That seems to be the theme when Hox finally notices the plan and screams to fire at the ship.

Still though. I gazed in awe at the editing and beautiful scene as lightspeed debre seemed to erase the first order ships.

 

[Jake]

So, all my Kylux fans...wanna talk about that scene where Hux smiles at Kylo when he was leaving Snoke’s throne room?

 

[Vaucris Macroe]

[member="Robogeber"]
The whole force projection thing was the reason I remembered chaos was a place. Where he wasn't shown to be a projection yet I was like "How long before one of the more questionable militaristic Jedi characters who may as well be a darksider misuses this?"

 

[Cyrus Tregessar]

My favorite part by far was the hyperspace bomb. It was a beautiful and impressive scene (the actual explosion) and does make me think there's a reason why people dont normally do it.

It is a really visually impressive scene and works fantastically in the film.

But it's problematic on so many levels. If entering hyperspace like that was so potentially destructive why wouldn't it have been utilized in warfare before? Think about how trivial it would have been to destroy the Death Star, or how the Empire could have used hyper-missiles as a sort of WMD to enforce control. It basically nullifies all conventional warfare. Right now even on the board you're looking at a potential Lensman Arms Race.

So yeah, visually stunning but it's in direct conflict with established canon. Same with hyperspace tracking, actually, which was already established as at least vaguely achievable by like, Rogue One (and explicitly achievable in Legends canon).

 

[Jor Kvall]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Mdm8rpv045U​

​

Luke deserved better.

 

[Elpsis Kerrigan]

Random trivia: Leia demotes Poe from Commander to Captain.


But Captain is a higher rank than Commander. In a navy, it's equal to an army colonel. I believe it's also been treated that way in Star Wars. Commander is Major. Ergo if he'd been demoted, he would have been a Lieutenant Commander.


Admiral Purple Hair does not seem to notice either. Leia and Admiral Purple Hair also have poor communication skills. Couldn't they have just said that the plan is to go to an unmarked planet, hide and send a signal? Would have avoided the unnecessary subplot and made things a lot easier. Maybe then the rebels would have more than 20 people.

 

[Darth Kentarch]

So when everyone saw Snoke. In his gold bathrobe. Did anyone else think he was just a force pimp?

 

[Jor Kvall]

Admiral Purple Hair does not seem to notice either. Leia and Admiral Purple Hair also have poor communication skills. Couldn't they have just said that the plan is to go to an unmarked planet, hide and send a signal? Would have avoided the unnecessary subplot and made things a lot easier. Maybe then the rebels would have more than 20 people.

Not only that, Admiral Purple Hair also waits until nearly all of the Resistance escape pods get shot down before she finally kamikazes herself into the enemy battleship.

 

[Jsc]

I seriously don't even care anymore.

As a hardcore fan since I was twelve. I've done nothing for the past twenty years but hail Star Wars as some of the greatest fantasy stories ever told. Yet, today I find myself humbled back to the gripping harsh reality that Star Wars, like all great stories, is no stronger than the grasp of it's own storytellers. As human and as fallible as the human minds that made it. My nostalgia being broken. My fandom having been laid bare. Nothing remains but good memories.

To the next generation I say, hello. To the original trilogy I say, farewell. And to The Last Jedi I say, Ha! That was stupid slap in the face. But. Probably exactly what this old fanboy needed.

 

[Elpsis Kerrigan]

It's amusing that both sides have terrible leadership. This article describes it nicely: https://angrystaffofficer.com/2017/12/18/a-leadership-vacuum-the-last-jedi-and-mission-failure/



Part of me likes the failure theme. Virtually everyone fails at what they try to do. It's kinda amusing. Almost like a deconstruction of Star Wars. Audacious...but amusing to watch.


That said, Abrams is back in charge for episode 9. Part of me wonders whether he'll retcon a good deal of what was stated in 8. I cannot help the impression that both directors seem to be pulling in different directions.