Okay so, first off - I've done three movie reviews in a row, this being the third, and I'd just like to explain that I really haven't had anything interesting to write about, so here we are. Anyway, for most of the people who know me, they really know that I'm a film junkie - I never miss out on the blockbusters every year. :P

   Anyway, I think this might be the first post on here that will express my love for Star Wars. Fair warning, this post is NOT spoiler-free. So you know what to do, basically. I've seen the movie twice already lol so this will probably be a really detailed review. Brace yourselves.

   Again folks, if you still haven't seen The Last Jedi, I suggest you do now. Otherwise don't continue reading this hehe

   Here's the thing about Episode VIII - it divided the fans because of varying opinions on the film. Personally, I liked it. It was a fresh take on a Star Wars film, and Rian was not afraid to take a risk. That being said, there are of course also other parts about it that I didn't like. Like I said, I saw it twice (in the span of three days yikes) so I basically was able to digest and appreciate everything enough. So I'm going to break it down as simply as I can.

Unnecessary and unusual plots - wait, what??

   Let's start with the negatives (it's great to end up on a positive note, right?). What I probably didn't like most about the film is the unnecessary plot of the Resistance and their fuel capacity. It made the Resistance look weak, as compared to The Force Awakens. Sure, the First Order can now track them in light speed, but couldn't there have been another way than just, in the words of Hux, wait for the "beginning of their end"? Also, speaking of Hux, I just found it weird that they couldn't obliterate the Resistance fleet with continuous blasts. Instead, they blew up the Resistance ships one at a time. To put it into perspective, the First Order just looked like they were stalking and creeping up on the Resistance. It all seemed a little off and slow for me - they could have done better with that plot.

   Another plot line that I wasn't much of a fan of - the Rey and Kylo plot. I'm sorry, I'm going to get a lot of hate for this, but it really confused me. Please don't get me wrong - I don't hate on the ship. I just don't get how it happened??? It just... did? It's like Bruce Banner and Natasha Romanoff in The Avengers, the characters are already brilliant on their own, no need to put them in a love team. I mean, okay, maybe Rey and Kylo do have a connection in the Force - a connection we will never know about until probably Episode XI - but it all happened too fast. And I feel like it ruined Rey's character a bit. I didn't feel her character this time. I mean, just because she [Force] touched Kylo's hand, she feels all soft and pity for him because she felt that he could be redeemed? After she saw with her own two eyes that he killed his own father? I don't get it bro. And honestly, between Kylo and the legend that is Luke Skywalker, get a clue on who I'll most likely believe to be telling the truth.

   I also have a question regarding Maz Kanata. What happened to her character??? They literally made her a minor character and put her on the screen for like 3 minutes. Lupita's character deserved better :( Also, how does she and Poe know each other? Maybe they didn't show it in the last film, but it just created another plot hole.

Fresh and nostalgic

   I pretty much don't have much complaints about The Last Jedi aside from those I mentioned above. It's true, I'm probably biased but I think the film was brilliant - not the best Star Wars film, but let's all agree on this, it was definitely not worse than The Phantom Menace. 

   What I loved most about it is that it was a mix of the old and the new. See, everyone was saying that The Force Awakens, when it came out, was just a redo of A New Hope. I guess they're right in some ways (but not in a bad way) because it was the opening of a new chapter in the saga, the introduction in a thesis. Using that context, The Last Jedi is probably the body - it has elements of the old films (like Force ghost Yoda!) and it also has new possibilities that could happen in the future. My take on the movie is that the folks at Lucasfilm are starting to move away from the Skywalker family drama and explore other characters in this never ending galaxy far far away. We all know that the Force is not exclusive to the Skywalkers only, though we've already established that the Force is strong in their family, there are others who are possibly Force-sensitive as well. A friend of mine noted that the kid in the end of The Last Jedi is Force-sensitive. He's a random kid, but he does possess the Force. Not everyone who is Force-sensitive has to be related to the Skywalker-bloodline and I think this is what the saga will explore next, as there have already been reports that there will be another trilogy after Episode XI.

   I mean, look. They're slowly killing off the characters from the original trilogy. Han was killed in The Force Awakens and now Luke dies in The Last Jedi. I'm pretty sure they're going to kill off Leia in Episode XI, especially since Carrie Fisher has already passed. :( I also remember an interview wherein Carrie said that Episode VII was Han's, Episode VIII was Luke's and Episode XI would be Leia's. I'm going to miss the original characters, but if this is the direction that the saga is going to, it looks promising.

   This brings up the parentage of Rey. In the movie, Kylo Ren tells Rey that her parents are literally nobody and were drunkards who left her off in Jakku in exchange for some cash. He could be confusing her, making her emotionally unstable in order for her to join him, but so far this all that we know. There goes our theories of Rey Kenobi and Rey Skywalker! But again, the Force is not exclusive to certain bloodlines only, so it's possible. Plus, my friend also noted that they entitled Episode VII as The Force Awakens because the Force literally awakens again after 30 years, but this time in different children. The only baffling question is, what's so special about Rey in order for her to be the lead of the sequel trilogy? She must have an important role, otherwise I'd really be confused and we'd just be left with another plot hole.

   Other factors I loved about The Last Jedi include the cinematography, characterization and OMG moments (and porgs and vulpixes). The cinematography was amazing. That one scene where Rey was knocking on Luke's door on Ach-To and half of the screen was the ocean in the background was so beautiful. My personal favorite was the entire duel scene between Luke and Kylo on Crait, especially when he first came out of the Resistance base to single-handedly face the First Order. The scene looked like a painting, it was breathtaking.

   As for characterization, I loved what they did with Leia and Poe, specifically. These two characters stood out for me the entire movie. Poe finally got the screentime he deserved! And I love how they made him into a strong-willed fighter who will do nothing but do what he thinks is the right thing (like blow stuff up). Oscar Isaac really brings the character to life. Leia, on the other hand, was just... Wow. I honestly cannot put into words how much I adore Carrie Fisher, and how much we fans all miss her. I completely forgot that she's no longer with us when I was watching, then the dedication to her came out on screen during the credits and I felt so sad. :( I love what they did with Leia - she showed how powerful she actually is with the Force!!! That scene where she was literally blown into space and would have most likely died if she was a normal person gave me chills. But Leia was not a normal person. She's not a Jedi, either (imagine if she was, how powerful she could have been!!). That's what I love so much about her character - she put a whole new meaning into the word "Princess" and leveled it up to "General". But her wit and her charm will always be there. 

   I also loved Rose Tico by the way!! The addition of her character is wonderful - she's such a pure spirit who wants nothing more but to keep the Resistance going. Her pure spirit reminds me so much of Luke in A New Hope. I'm quite annoyed with people who think her character is useless or worse, that Rose is the worst character in Star Wars history next to Jar Jar Binks. But I think you guys are wrong. Rose's character just showed that despite the problems the Resistance was facing, she always believed in its cause and I think that's beautiful. I'm also in awe of Kelly Marie Tran because her humility is really astounding, considering she's the first Asian to have portrayed a main character in the Star Wars franchise.

   To sum it all up, I really enjoyed The Last Jedi. Like I said, it's not my favorite Star Wars film (nothing still tops Empire for me) but it was enjoyable enough. Rian took a risk with this new direction and it was worth it. He doesn't deserve all the hate. I think people should be more open-minded when it comes to movies and the paths the creators take. I get that a lot of us have our own opinions and that's okay. At the end of the day, we're all just fans alike and our love for the franchise has brought us all together. Anyway, I also suggest seeing it for at least a second time - you might be able to appreciate it more. I know some who have done so and they came out of the theater smiling instead. Personally, I'm excited to see where Episode XI and the next trilogy will take us! But we have to wait until 2019 to find out if all our questions will finally be answered. Until then, may the Force be with us always.

♥, Murgaloo