Star Wars: The Last Jedi

[selenak]

The Force was strong with that one. Which is to say: I think this is where the new trilogy comes into its own. There are still homages, but while The Force Awakens was pretty much an unabashed New Hope remake, emotional beat for emotional beat, The Last Jedi while nodding strongly towards both The Empire Strikes Back and Return of the Jedi doesn’t cling to their narrative structure as much once introductions are done, comes up with new storylines for its new characters, and doesn’t do what annoyed me about The Force Awakens, i.e. have something theoretically catastrophic happen (in TFA, the destruction of several planets) with zero emotional impact due to how it happens. I am in two minds about one thing it does re: one of the characters, but still, overall, I think of three new movies released so far, this is my favourite.



Let me start with saying: go, casting people, in terms of gender. Pretty much Leia’s entire command staff is female. Lots of female pilots. Even the imperials have both female “office staff” and female pilots around. And the most important new character, Rose, is in addition to being female Asian, looks like a non-model real life person, is in her pilot’s uniform throughout the entire movie, and endeared herself to me post haste.

The movie, as its obvious predecessor ESB, split up its three major new characters from the beginning, but unlikee ESB took the risky move of exploring not dynamics between two of the three. Instead, Poe Dameron who got fleshed out here beyond “cheerful rebel pilot” is shown mostly in terms of how he relates to Leia (and then her substitute), while Finn has his subplot with Rose. Rey follows the Luke in ESB precedent of wanting training from an oddly behaving Jedi Master, but the relationship that’s developed mostly for her during her storyline isn’t the one with Luke, as Luke’s was with Yoda, but with Kylo Ren. She’s not reunited with the rest of the gang until the end, and given the preceding movie build up her relationship with Finn so much, this certainly was a bold narrative move - which worked. More about it in a minute.

The humor worked really well for me, too. Poe trolling Hux at the start was delightful and had the entire audience in stitches (what’s more, it was an entirely new gag none of the SW movies had thought of before, and looking back, why not, given that what Poe does is such a perfect way to undercut imperial pompousness?). On the other end of the scale, this time the movie ensured that when something dark happens, you actually feel it (no abstractly blown up planets; the major redshirt who is killed early on turns out to be Rose’s sister, so the impact of her sacrifice is felt throughout, and it makes the losses Leia’s forces suffer while on the run real instead of abstract numbers).

World building: that casino planet as an example of exploitation and the way it tied into Rose’s background story was an excellent idea, not least because it both brought in more of a First World/Third World feeling of tyranny and injustice instead of yet more Space Nazi clichés, and because it brought back, lo and behold, slavery and races as the background of a major character without making said character otherwise similar to the obvious precedent. Not to mention that the big escape sequence on the gigantic kangeroos (forgot their actual name) was just the kind of joyful silliness that makes you cheer when it’s done well in Star Wars.

Oh, and while we’re talking prequel territory, I’m pretty certain that the people responsible for the script must have watched The Clone Wars, because the guy Finn and Rose end up with was pretty much Hondo by another name. (Yes, there’s the Lando Calrissian precedent, but personality wise? Definitely more Hondo than Lando.)

Overall myth: turns out I’m on board with the reveal that Rey really isn’t related to anyone but was simply an abondoned child. It fits with the overall theme of transition and the way the rebellion needs to be carried by the people if it is to succeed, not one particular bloodline. What I’m torn about, in terms of the overall myth: Luke. I spent the movie going internally “yes, no, yes, no” etc. Not, I hasten to add, about his actual exit, that was perfect. And I was glad (if that’s the right word) that his reason for becoming a hermit at a time when Leia, Han and Co. needed him most wasn’t “just” “my student who is also my nephew went dark side”, but that he actually had something to feel guilty for instead of beating himself up about nothing. Otoh: that still leaves him having turned his back to a burning galaxy for years, and no matter how guilty he feels, that just doesn’t feel right in terms of the Luke Skywalker we used to know. (Turns out I have Luke opinions? I wasn’t aware.)

(Yes, they wanted him to echo Obi-Wan, but Obi-Wan’s two decades of hermit-dom came at least with long distance keeping an eye on Luke growing up.)

Then again, I loved a lot of what the movie did with Luke. R2 playing Leia’s original “help me, Obi-Wan Kenobi” message and Luke’s response? Was perfect. The twins’ love for each other shone through the movie, and if their actual reunion felt a bit as if they had to accomodate Carrie Fisher not being there (sob!) for all the necessary shots, there turned out to be a great Watsonian reason for the odd sense of “are these two people really in the same room together?”. Bringing back Blue Force Ghost Yoda for a chat was a terrific touch, too. And Luke’s last stand - the way he did it, what he accomplished - and the final shot of two setting suns - this was indeed how Luke Skywalker should exit the SWverse.

Now, if The Force Awakens made me feel Hux and Kylo Ren were essentially fanboys cosplaying as Tarkin and Vader (and being bad at it), The Last Jedi still had Hux being a very faily Tarkin cosplayer (but inadvertendly amusing being one), and finally made me by Kylo Ren as a character. Him destroying his wannabe Vader helm early on helped a lot. As did the movie actually doing something new with him. To wit: him bonding with Rey and destroying Snoke without redeeming himself but because he’s sick of all parent figures and wants the top job himself. Mind you, I very much suspect the origin of that storyline was a scriptwriter in a galaxy, far, far away first learning about Star Wars via pop culture osmosis, assuming Darth Vader to be the supreme bad guy and finding out to his disappointment it was this emperor fellow instead. But while I am glad the Anakin/Vader/Anakin story went the way it did and that it was Palpatine, not Vader, who was positioned as the ultimate bad guy in the first six movies, I also really appreciated what the new team does here, because yes, coming to care for one particular person does not equal wanting to quit evildoing. And it retrospectively reconciles me with Snoke being such a paper thin dull standard Evil Overlord, since he was never meant to last.

(Though really, Snoke: didn’t you at least study how the whole Vader-Palps thing went down a bit? And if so, what made you think restaging it with Kylo Ren as Vader and Rey as Luke was such a good idea?)

Moreover, we finally get a reason why Ben Solo fell that wasn’t just “Snoke’s influence”. (And to my gratification wasn’t “parental neglect”, either, because part of fandom assuming this irritated me in the intervening two years.) And it wasn’t a copy of Anakin’s reason, which wouldn’t have worked given the very different background of the two characters. Like I said re: Luke, that particular reveal makes sense for the actions of both characters, at least the immediate ones after it happened.

Trivia: thanks, movie, for clearing up that Luke pre-Ben Solo going Kylo Ren had indeed his green light saber from RotJ, not Anakin’s blue one. Also, well played later on when Luke seemingly shows up with Anakin’s light saber intact after we’d just seen it torn apart; should have figured out then what Luke actually was doing, but didn’t.

So, I hear Poe/Leia is a thing in fanfiction? If so, congrats on calling it, because this movie certainly gave me “the Queen and her knight” vibes of the M and Bond nature. Which naturally I find appealing.

Speaking of fanfiction calling it: could not see Rey/Kylo after the last movie, can see it now, though am in doubt the next movie will go there. Am absurdly amused the first kiss in the new movies is between Finn and Rose, aka a ‘ship that no one called due to Rose not having been introduced until this movie.

Rey as the first “new” Jedi unburdened by all the baggage of the Jedi of old, including the genetic heritage: as I said, ultimately a good call.

Doylist sadness: it’s Luke who dies in this one, but chances are we won’t see Leia again, either, unless they do the creepy GCI thing they did with Tarkin, and just, no. So this was the last movie with the characters of old, and that makes me misty-eyed. And oh, Leia. Despite all the crap that happened to her, unbroken, carrying on and inspiring people through the galaxy. Truly the princess that was, that is, that ever will be.

Comments

[vilakins]

[nodding away to everything you said] I posted on FB yesterday that it's great and the best of the three. Pity Rian Johnson isn't directing the next one too. But Leia must have said the line about changing her hair, so they knew where they were going with that meeting.

I too am pleased that Rey comes from nobodies, even if they really were scum, as I've never been keen on the royal blood trope that pervades fantasy. This was accentuated in the last scene with the little boy taking his broom with the force, and I love that hope lives, even though no one came to Leia's call. I really hope that stays as canon, and no one writes that in as a lie from Ren.

Rose absolutely for the win! Yes, she looked real and thus very relatable. The death of her sister was very affecting. Even though Rey has the model looks, she looked real too, no discernable makeup (so many in films seem to have it permanently on, even in the morning and after battles), and looking sweaty and solidly real.

I loved the humour. 'Rogue One' totally missed out on that, plus was guilty of destroying cities full of ordinary people as well as the resistance fighters.

One thing I must have missed though - why did Ben Solo turn to the dark as a lad? I was thinking that needed an explanation.

Next up: young Han Solo in May! I hope it's more like 'The Last Jedi' than 'Rogue One'.

[selenak]

Why Ben Solo turned dark: You don't think waking up to see your beloved uncle and mentor standing above you seemingly about to kill you, at a point where you yourself haven't done anything yet (dreams are not deeds) would do the trick for a teenager? There's a reason Luke was ashamed of himself.

(Mind you, not that this excuses what Kylo Ren does and continues to do thereafter. That's on him. But it explains the original fall.)

ETA: So glad you liked Rose! I thought she was great and was amazed to see complaints about her in virtually all the early reviews in my circle thereafter.

[vilakins]

But Luke said he felt the darkness in Ben, more then he'd felt before, so something must have caused that. Yes, intending to kill him, even though he changed his mind, explained his self-exile very well, but why did someone with Ben's background have that much dark in him?

Seriously? People didn't like Rose? She (and her sister) rocked! And that he looked real was a total plus. I was so relieved she survived.

[ruuger]

I was so pleasantly surprised by how many female characters there were in the movie because one of my few issues with Rogue One was the lack of women besides Jyn Erso. I especially loved Admiral Holda and the woman who died at the beginning. And Leia of course. She was amazing, and I was crying like a baby when she was blasted into space and then used the force to save herself.

And the most important new character, Rose, is in addition to being female Asian, looks like a non-model real life person, is in her pilot’s uniform throughout the entire movie, and endeared herself to me post haste.

Rose was one of my least favourite female characters in the movie because she was the type of a Joe Average character that I've never cared for (plus for a moment I got excited that the woman who died was her lover, and was disappointed when they turned out to be sisters instead), but I loved the fact that she was a female Average Joe.

As did the movie actually doing something new with him. To wit: him bonding with Rey and destroying Snoke without redeeming himself but because he’s sick of all parent figures and wants the top job himself.
I thought that was a brilliant twist, both him turning to the dark side due to being afraid of Luke and then choosing to be evil instead of getting a redemption arc. I did not expect that.

And Luke’s last stand - the way he did it, what he accomplished - and the final shot of two setting suns - this was indeed how Luke Skywalker should exit the SWverse.
I have never been a fan of Luke, but I loved that. I literally almost started clapping when it was revealed that Luke wasn't really there.

[ratcreature]

I don't think there was a reason beyond that easily accessible power can corrupt? Maybe it is just a bad idea to expose the teenage brains of powerful potentials to Force use before their brains are more emotionally mature? Luke and Rey who were already young adults when they first realize their potential seem to do a better job resisting temptation, and don't seem to face unsurmountable disadvantages from their lack of early practice when it comes to fighting.

[vilakins]

I like that explanation, and it would also apply to Anakin who was much younger. In his day they trained children, and possibly Luke was doing that again. Kids can be quite cruel before they've learned more about life and how others feel, and with that much power...

[dhampyresa]

Rey as the first “new” Jedi unburdened by all the baggage of the Jedi of old, including the genetic heritage: as I said, ultimately a good call.

Yep. REY <3

[daybreak]

I miss Carrie Fisher. That must be said. I loved her in this film, but I felt the weight of her years here. It served Leia's character well. Sigh. Miss her.

I don't know if I believe what Kylo Ren told Rey when he was trying to manipulate her. I watched the flashback of her as a child many times. It doesn't seem as if they are just selling her. But that's also her memory and memory is tricky.

I don't think they'll go there and I didn't get any romantic stuff in the film. They are both suffering so much. And they both break my heart. When Luke said he saw a scared boy, that was wrenching. That's all Kylo was, still is at times. A scared boy with a lot of power. I feel for him, but his very unpredictability makes him both a great character, but not one they can keep around indefinitely.

Luke was great. Mark Hamill was great. I see his years too, but that glint in his blue eyes--I can still see Luke. Twenty years old and believing.

The women were wise, daring, and brave. Pulling the men back from their ego-filled quest for--I don't know what. And saving the men's asses!

This series is aging as I age and well, like Luke I'm beginning to see the light at the end of the tunnel. And the light is bright and strong.

[daybreak]

but why did someone with Ben's background have that much dark in him?
I don't know that he does. He saw a lot of darkness in Ray and was equally afraid. She was able to get the upper hand because he was older and weakened by his failure with Ben. But if she'd been his apprentice first? Who knows.

I don't know why he's so scared, except Luke didn't feel the pull to the dark side like Anakin did. He says dark and light are a balance but he was so scared of being responsible for losing a student. It was a big responsibility.

The interesting thing? Kylo Ren isn't as dark as Anakin. Vader was Vader. I still get shivers when I watch A New Hope and Empire Strikes back. Kylo is clearly still conflicted and highly emotional. Luke missed that somehow back then, but Rey sees it clear.

She will definitely that to her advantage someday. :-)

[vilakins]

I'm sure she will.

If she does ever turn him, I don't know how he'll handle having killed his father and, as far as he knows (possibly?) his mother.

[daybreak]

I don't think Kylo will ever get over killing Han. It was his younglings moment. Once he was the youngling he thinks was getting killed. Now he's the killer. He loved his parents, that much is clear.

Early in this film, he had a chance to destroy the bridge and Leia on it. He didn't do it. Others did it for him, but he didn't, couldn't press that button. She felt it, was ready for it. But no.

That's before he and Rey connected. That's Kylo. He loves Leia. That's what makes it all so complicated. Luke, Rey, Kylo, all the rebels, they love Leia and she's the emotional centerpoint for this film.

When Leia goes (and they had better write this well) that will be Kylo's last tether. He was going to destroy them all at the end but that was a child's blind rage. And he lost them. He tried to forge an alternate bond with Rey. But he lost her too.

It's okay, though. Rey will fight for him first. But her turning point will be like Luke's when she realizes she won't be able to get Kylo back. Not ever.

(I still think she's Kylo's sister. The friends I saw it with last night vehemently disliked this theory. But in the cold light of day I have never seen or heard of in a film, series, or animated series (haven't read any books) of any one having the strength in the Force that Rey has and not be in that family. Ever. Her connections with the Skywalkers them speak of family and the writer/director handled her connection with Kylo with a light hand this movie. So when she loses him for the final time, it's going to change her irrevocably because he's the last piece of family she'll have. Until she has her own kids.)

[vilakins]

I don't see how she's Kylo's sister as their parents would never abandon her, and if she was kidnapped and left there, they'd be looking and talking about her.

I really love the idea that she's someone the Force is strong in, presumably like past Jedi; they must have appeared from families who either didn't have any talent, or never realised it, as Luke may never have without tuition. I so hope they don't retcon her background, though I know Ren could well be lying to make her need him more. And the child at the end has nascent Force.

Sorry, I haven't read any books or seen anything but the films.

[likeadeuce]

I'm glad you dug it! I didn't quite love the movie -- none of the new Star Wars have quite been the thing *I* wanted but then it's never really been *my* fandom, and I'm happy to just have an enjoyable story with appealing actors. The exits for Luke (and Leia?) were indeed fitting and Rose is a nice addition. I appreciate your observation about all the losses in the movie being losses we feel rather than abstract things that happen at a distance; that's really true

[selenak]

Star Wars isn't one of the fandoms that I'm truly passionate and mad about, either, but I care, and have done for a while, so I was pleased that this movie, nitpicks not withstanding, appealed to me.

BTW, belatedly it occurs to me the director sounds like the same one who did a film called "Looper"? In which case there are some interesting cross connections, thematically.

[rose_griffes]

I had LOTS of Luke opinions myself, but I knew that I would going into this. He's pretty much the movie character I imprinted on, with A New Hope as the first movie I can really remember seeing at the cinema. I 'played' Star Wars for months afterward. (Usually this was: I announce, "I'm Luke Skywalker!" and then run around with my pretend lightsaber making swooshing noises.)

So most of the first half of Luke's screen time felt very wrong to me, and then they gave us that second half, and I loved it.

I am glad he got a good exit.

The film as a whole got a barely-passing grade from me: it was too long, plus the problems with characterization (not just Luke, from my perspective), balanced out by a pretty awesome last section.

[rose_griffes]

DB! *fistbump*

I went into this movie thinking that Rey was Kylo's sister. Hee!

I doubt that's something they'll go with in the next film, having done what they did here, but I thought it was a narratively sound theory after The Force Awakens.

[labingi]

Thanks for the interesting thoughts.

It's okay, though. Rey will fight for him first. But her turning point will be like Luke's when she realizes she won't be able to get Kylo back. Not ever.

This makes decent storytelling sense. I can only say I personally hope they don't go there because it would be so depressing. To really lose someone you care about that way--i.e. you'll never get them back; you'll be on inimical terms for the rest of your lives--is one of the hardest things ever. In mundane real life, I've been dealing with this for three years and will likely be dealing for the rest of my life, and even minus "evil" and the Dark Side, it's so incredibly hard. And I think to do it justice in a narrative requires a lot of time to unpack the grieving process, which is not going to be available in, say, the second half of one action movie, which makes me hope they don't try to go there. They could talk the talk, but I don't think they have a medium that can walk the walk, and it would come out feeling jarring and depressing--or else trivialized. But obviously, I have my own biases like all fans/human beings. :)

[labingi]

Love you post and agree strongly with virtually all of it. :)

I don't have very strong feelings about Snoke, but I do feel like he was dismissed too easily. I'd rather he hadn't been written into TFA, but given that we have him, it's weird to have no backstory on someone who's obviously been around and very powerful for a long time. In terms of plot structure, I find I hope he's just gone. In terms of world-building, I think it would be weird if we didn't some further echoes of his presence in the Force or reputation or something.

I would totally ship Poe/Leia if I hadn't already paired her Tyrion from Game of Thrones in my head. (Sorry, I'm weird.)

[selenak]

I hear you on Snoke. Partly, I suspect, it's a problem of general shoddy world building - I mean, TFA tells us the First Order is on the move against the Republic and gaining, but it never bothers to say where they come from, whether we're talking Imperial remnants or not, how long the Republic lasted before they showed up, and why we're calling the Republic's forces "the Resistance" as if to painfully avoid the fact they're government troops.

I mean, I know what it all comes down to, on a Doylist level - everyone ("everyone" meaning "the scriptwriters assuming about fandom") wants to identify with "rebels against an evil state government", not with "beleagured government officials fighting a military coup". Thus the new Republic can't be shown as a functioning state. And thus Snoke is just there as the current Evil Overlord. At least in this installment we get an answer of sorts as to (some of) who is financing this entire Evil Empire operation, which most action movies don't bother with. (One of the many reasons why I find Hydra so implausible and ridiculous in the first Captain America movie is this part: where are Schmidt & Co. getting the petrol, military equipment and healthy soldiers from after basically deplaring independence from Hitler? At a point where even the regular army had trouble getting petrol at all?)

(Here I can't resist pointing out that the much bashed prequels actually do bother with that kind of stuff. We see Palpatine rising (and we know where he originally comes from), eliminating the democratic safeguards to his power and getting himself an army ready and conditioned. We also are given several reasons why various parts of the galaxy are dissatisfied with the Republic and likely to buy into dictatorship as an alternative.)

[selenak]

I always liked Luke - the cliché that you fastforward during "Empire Strikes Back" through the Luke and Yoda sections in order to get to the Han and Leia ones never was true for me. Not in a "favourite character" kind of way, but in a "I always was fond of him" way. Still, the intensity with which I inwardly argued "but Luke just wouldn't turn his back on Leia and the galaxy burning for YEARS" throughout surprised me.

[daybreak]

Rosie! *fistbumps back*

It's my co-worker's theory but I saw it in this film. Now that Carrie Fisher has passed they may have to go a different way. I can't see this happening without Leia explaining it. Even I couldn't accept this narrative without Carrie Fisher herself speaking it.

It's in J.J. Abrams' hands now. Anything is possible. I will think about that in two years. Right now I'm just loving this film!

[daybreak]

Hmm. You maybe be right about doing it justice. I mean we had several decades to wait before finally seeing Anakin's fall. It makes a difference. Gives you years to digest, spin, accept, or deny it. But we don't have (and maybe shouldn't--that's a lifetime) that sort of time to work with this sort of narrative.

I just can never trust Kylo Ren. He killed Han and I was very invested in Han. And he's so--conflicted. It would feel a bit cheap if he just was redeemed and lived happily ever after. But maybe he'll be redeemed and die quickly? It still wouldn't feel like it had done his current character's trajectory justice.

We are frail and fallable and human. It's incredibly painful to witness and experience in real life and in real time. *hugs*

But gosh, does it fascinates me in media. :-)

[daybreak]

Which other characterizations?

[labingi]

Aw, thanks for the hugs. That means a lot.

He killed Han and I was very invested in Han.

It seems to me one reason TLJ is so contentious and why, at this point, every Star Wars film is going to get rigorous critique is that we all have our own relationships with the franchise and ideas it brings up.

I can imagine it must have been very hard for you to see Han go that way. When you're really invested in a character who's been around over decades, it's like losing a person in your life. Now, me, I had killed Han off in my head canon about eight years before TFA, so even though I was completely unspoiled for his death, I was also totally emotionally prepared for it.

I guess it's a sign of great art, though, that it can both move us and wound us.

[rose_griffes]

I just posted an entry mentioning Star Wars. I'll go rant in the comments there as a reply.