Star Wars: The Last Jedi
Directed by:
Rian JohnsonScreenplay:
Rian JohnsonCinematography:
Steve YedlinComposer:
John WilliamsCast:
Daisy Ridley, Adam Driver, Mark Hamill, Carrie Fisher, Oscar Isaac, John Boyega, Kelly Marie Tran, Domhnall Gleeson, Benicio Del Toro, Andy Serkis, Laura Dern (more)VOD (4)
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In Lucasfilm's Star Wars: The Last Jedi, the Skywalker saga continues as the heroes of The Force Awakens join the galactic legends in an epic adventure that unlocks age-old mysteries of the Force and shocking revelations of the past. (Walt Disney US)
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Reviews (19)
Star Wars by Charles Dickens. It is a pity that every breathtaking oil painting scene (and there are quite a few of them) and every sequence aspiring for the very best of the whole universe (emotions, fate, choreography and ideas) has a story line that leads nowhere and just accumulates padding on the pile of other padding. A characters that is completely pointless or moments that serves purely as a merchandising insertion "go and buy". Plus, it doesn't work as part of the saga. It does not answer any (really none) of the questions from the previous part, it even ignores most of them. But purely as alone standing movie, the eight film is more than a solid popcorn blockbuster; but whether that is enough in the case of Star Wars is a completely different question.
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I tried it again and the Star Wars curse was not broken and once again I experienced 150 minutes of martyrdom. Jedi, First Order, The Force, Skywalker, Resistance, Obi-Wan, it takes a special dictionary to know and navigate all the terms. I didn't find it funny at all, the action is minimal and very uninteresting, the effects feel like something out of the 90's, the story is uninteresting and the pacing is plodding. Anyway, I suffered through this and I probably won't give the next part a chance. Star Wars is the only major film franchise that has completely passed me by and I still don't understand its interest. 20%
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Johnson delivers on the premise for which he was hired at Disney, bombarding the saga from all sides, letting the rich history and modern hi-tech gadgetry take charge. It establishes its order right from the start in a monstrous action sequence, turning away from Abrams' dissolute geekiness to let the protagonists rather rant for nearly two hours, and tugs the threads of fatality to the edge of tolerability. Then, when the characters are sufficiently in control (Rey is more mysterious and Ben even more emotionally volatile), an action orgy breaks out that still makes it worth going to the movie theater to see big Hollywood blockbusters. This production treatment is far beyond what many other franchises can only dream of. It's no longer the primal feast for the eye that it was last time, but Johnson and Yedlin are more visually modest in order to then plant visual highlights exactly when their story, and especially their characters, demand it. Silent destruction and red salt are the cosmic symphonies of the image last brought to us by Interstellar. The only thing missing to complete perfection is the original 3-hour runtime. I really felt at times that there were a few moments that slipped through my fingers unnecessarily. Regardless, by the time the closing credits rolled I felt real physical exhaustion. An emotional experience like a festival indie soc-drama. PS: In the days ahead, nothing will be more entertaining than reading the words of conservatives over the age of 30 barking about the new generation of heroes and pining for the good old days.
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A few spoiler-ish remarks on the facts contributing to my opinion that The Last Jedi is the best episode of the Star Wars series (a hair better than The Empire Strikes Back, which this film – like other parts of the saga – in many ways mirrors or even boldly revises): 1) Both films interweave three central conflicts – intergenerational, class and between the light and dark sides of the force (all dialogue scenes between Kylo and Rey as well as the dialogue Rey carries on with herself). Eager young heroes make rash decisions, which generally end badly for them. If they had listened to their older and more experienced masters, they could have avoided some complications. However, generational change is unavoidable. Therefore, it is a matter of whether the young rebels entirely reject or take inspiration from the teachings of their predecessors. The ability to be an inspiration to the younger generation is decisive for the storyline with enslaved children on the planet Canto Bight. In order for the bourgeoisie to enjoy themselves, someone has to work. The final scene indicates that this exploitation may be the impetus for a class revolution. 2) Luke explains to his apprentice that the force does not come only from inside a Jedi, but is founded on balance with the world around him. An example of a person who has achieved harmony with nature is Luke himself, who can get by with the gifts that the island offers him (there is a good reason for the maligned milking scene; it serves as more than just a comical aside). Later, we twice witness how listening to nature saves the heroes’ lives – Finn and Rose escape from Canto Bight thanks to ungulates resembling a horse-llama hybrid, the last insurgents find their way out of the cave thanks to arctic (crystalline) foxes. 3) The film repeatedly and intentionally does not fulfil our expectations and does not build myths, but instead casts doubt on and demolishes them; it does not play according to the rules that the previous episodes followed, thanks to which it is a very stimulating viewing experience. The film does not allow us only to passively watch it and tick off “mandatory items”. Jedi training is terminated prematurely; the expedition to Canto Bight ends in fiasco (though the gifting of the ring to the boy will probably play out in a significant way in the next episode); the main nemesis dies much sooner than you would expect; with the exception of the initial action sequence, the good guys find themselves on the defensive, almost constantly running away from someone and trying to save lives, which is fully in accordance with the motto of the eighth episode – it does not make sense to fight what we hate, but to save what we love. 4) The whole thing looks incredibly good. It is obvious that the filmmakers cared deeply about the compositions, and put a lot of thought into the choice of lenses, the size of the shots and the colour contrasts (how they play with red and white at the end is breathtaking). In short, compared to other franchise genre movies, the camera work here not only fulfils a practical function, but it lays claim to an Oscar nomination with almost every shot. 5) The Last Jedi is truly funny and truly sombre (where neither aspect outweighs the other and the transitions between them are very natural) and, especially in the second half, one wonderful scene follows another, making the film an incredible emotional ride. 90%
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I hesitated for a moment over how Rian Johnson's visual sensibilities don't even come close to those of J.J. Abrams, and how nostalgia is stronger than humor at first glance. But that was only the first half hour, which is just a prologue compared to everything that follows. Once the atmosphere on the island starts to thicken and some secrets finally open their arms, The Last Jedi finally becomes what it promised: an atmospheric spectacle loaded with fateful characters. The tension that flows from the screen every second of any interaction between Kylo and Rey took my breath away, and even though it attracts most of the attention and seemingly sidelines Finn, Poe, and even Leia herself, it's worth it. It is precisely the connection between these two halves of the only image, additionally spiced up by Luke in Mark Hamill's vivid portrayal, that is the gem that has already cemented the third trilogy of the famous saga as the best trilogy.
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