Star Wars : Episode VIII - The Last Jedi

STAR WARS : EPISODE VIII

THE LAST JEDI

Director : Rian Johnson

Year : 2017

Genre : Science-Fiction

Rating : ***1/3

It may be four decades since 'A New Hope' (1977) first exploded into the public consciousness but the resilient 'Star Wars' franchise shows little sign of slowing down. In fact if anything, the eagerly anticipated release of 'The Last Jedi', the eighth movie in the main series, proves that there is still a great thirst for all things Skywalker, stormtroopers and sabers and maybe Rian Johnson, the director responsible for the visionary time-bending sci-fi thriller 'Looper' (2013) is just the right man to quench the needs of the millions, if not billions of fans around the globe.

Indeed, it makes complete sense that Johnson's unique visual eye and mastery of complex narratives would be ideal for the expansive 'Star Wars' universe and, as is to be expected, his impeccable talents lend 'The Last Jedi' both an incredible cinematographic sheen and a layered, emotionally rich story that deftly manages to balance lightheartedness with a very real sense of threat and impending catastrophe.  Unfortunately however, it is an also an unfocused, overlong and sometimes repetitive story that may feature astonishing action sequences and terrific performances but also a number of unnecessary side-plots and barely developed characterisations.

Following on directly from the events of J.J Abrams jubilant reboot 'The Force Awakens' (2015), 'The Last Jedi' sees Daisy Ridley's feisty rebel fighter Rey harnessing her powers with the reclusive and regretful Luke Skywalker (Mark Hamill) while John Boyega's sorely-underused Finn is sent traversing the galaxy in order to prevent the extinction of the dwindling Resistance by the First Order. Meanwhile over on the dark side, Adam Driver's villainous and volatile Kylo Ren struggles against his own internal battle between good and evil - a battle which the disheveled Supreme Leader Snoke (Andy Serkis) believes he has already lost. This motif of moral balance is at the very core of 'The Last Jedi' and it is this that gives the film its true weight rather than its many exciting action sequences and tumultuous revelations.

The performances from the gigantic cast are uniformly great, even if some characters aren't given the screen-time to fully develop their motives. Donning the blue lightsaber once again, Daisy Ridley is terrific in the focal role of Rey whose internal battles are just as strong and potentially as dangerous as those taking place around her while John Boyega is as charming as always as the Stormtrooper-turned-good-guy Finn. Meanwhile fan favourites Mark Hamill and the late, great Carrie Fisher (to whom the film is dedicated) both lend terrific heft to their roles of the disgraced Jedi master Luke Skywalker and rebel leader Leia Organa respectively.

Other fine performances include those of Oscar Isaac as the fast-talking trigger happy Flight Commander Poe Dameron, Domhnall Gleeson who is once again delightfully sinister as First Order General Hux, newcomer Kelly Marie Tran who is very likeable as Resistance mechanic Rose and Andy Serkis who lends his indomitable vocal chords to the frail, unconvincing CGI frame of Snoke. Even the lovable spherical droid BB-8, my favourite 'Star Wars' character of all time, is given more to do here - upgraded from the cute comedic relief as seen in 'The Force Awakens' to a key player in some of the films most exciting scenes.

However, it is Adam Driver who once again proves to be the true highlight of this series, injecting his portrayal of the conflicted Ben Solo/Kylo Ren with both a terrifying sense of genocidal purpose and a sympathetic, almost child-like pity. Taking centre stage for some of 'The Last Jedi's most thrilling action sequences and well as some of its most emotional, Driver delivers one of the most threatening, most elusive and most intriguing of super-villains of recent years and I can't wait to see which dark paths he is sent down in future 'Star Wars' instalment's.

Filled to the brim with extraordinary fight scenes both in the air and on the ground, Johnson certainly gives multiplex audiences the spectacle they require, with several lightsaber duels and explosion-heavy dogfights proving to be the most thrilling and most visually astounding in the entire 'Star Wars' saga. There is also a wide range of new creatures and alien species to enjoy, most notably the adorable (and apparently edible) bird-like Porgs whose plushy, Disney store counterparts are sure to be on the top of everyones wish list this Christmas.

However at 152 minutes, 'The Last Jedi' is also the longest running movie in the series to date and while there are plenty of zippy action sequences to help the plot along, there are also a number of scenes which really do drag the entire pace of the film down; a particularly tiresome set piece with Finn and Rose in an intergalactic casino proves to be the movies absolute lowest point. These parts of the picture aren't particularly bad per se - the acting is good and imagination on display is truly remarkable. But in retrospect, they do feel rather pointless to the overall arc of the narrative and in a film that exceeds the 2 and a half hour mark, less is truly is more. Instead of feeling like a necessary detour from the plot, it feels like an excuse for Johnson and Disney to showcase a whole bunch of special effects and animatronics. Thankfully, these moments are far and few between and there is plenty of spectacle to distract from 'The Last Jedi's various other shortcomings but when stood alongside the many superior entries in the franchise, this film does come up short.

Many die-hard 'Star Wars' fans have already their voiced their criticisms towards Rian Johnson's treatment of the Jedi lore and the capabilities of the force and I can fully understand how some aficionados may hate the choices made - Mark Hamill himself has even gone on record saying that he disagreed with almost every decision made concerning the character of Luke Skywalker. However, as someone who has always been ambivalent towards the continued popularity of the series, I didn't go into 'The Last Jedi' wanting a completely faithful new entry in the franchise but rather a good  movie and for the most part, I got it. Yes, it is far too long and there are numerous scenes which really should have been left on the cutting room floor. Nevertheless, 'The Last Jedi' still a hugely entertaining, occasionally funny and at times genuinely moving entry in this most enduring of science-fiction sagas and I look forward to seeing which strange, new directions Rian Johnson plans on taking it in the future. The Force may not be strong with this one but its presence is most definitely felt.