_posts/2017-12-15-my-brief-review-of-star-wars-the-last-jedi.markdown
---
title: 'Star Wars: The Last Jedi'
date: 2017-12-15 00:00:00 -06:00
tags:
- movies
- movie review
- Star Wars
- Episode VIII
- review
subtitle: The latest of the Star Wars saga films is a fresh, new, and exciting chapter
of my favorite franchise
custom_type: post
review:
type: movie
rating: 5
movie:
letterboxd: https://letterboxd.com/ttimsmith/film/star-wars-the-last-jedi/
featured_image: "/uploads/media/luke-skywalker.jpg"
---
<figure class="extendout">
{% include imgic.html src="/media/luke-skywalker.jpg" alt="Mark Hamill as Luke Skywalker (Disney/Lucasfilm)" %}
<figcaption>Mark Hamill as Luke Skywalker <span class="image__copyright">© Disney/Lucasfilm</span></figcaption>
</figure>
As what's become tradition with films we're really looking forward to, Kelly and I with some friends and my cousin went to watch _Star Wars: The Last Jedi_ on opening night. Here are some thoughts on the movie, careful for **spoilers**.
**Spoilers people**, you've been warned.
---
- I can't remember the last time that I was so genuinely surprised by a film, much less this many times. _The Last Jedi_ is filled with—what were to me—jaw-dropping moments.
- I'm really pleased with the character arches for most of the characters. I'd say that Finn's arch wasn't all that entertaining and Phasma still didn't get enough in this movie. And it doesn't look like Phasma will be back.
- All the mystery around Rey's parents had me thinking it was going to be a _huge_ reveal. But it wasn't. And the greater point that they were trying to make with that is a smart one. As [Charlie Schneider of Emergency Awesome put it in his video](https://youtu.be/xJBVo7XjI3w), the statement made is that _anyone_ can be special, _anyone_ can be force sensitive. You don't _have_ to be a Skywalker. This feels like a smart direction to take Star Wars in.
- I'm unhappy with what was done with Supreme Leader Snoke. I still don't know who he is, how he was in the position that he was in, how he learned to yield the Force, etc. The character feels useless on its own, and only serves as vessel for Kylo Ren's arch.
- I thought Kylo Ren was going to turn back to the light after killing Snoke. His ascension to being the true villain—not only someone who's strings are being pulled—felt right. Adam Driver again does an amazing job with this character.
- Kylo Ren not killing his mother gives room for redemption. I don't blame him for Han's death, I blame Harrison Ford for wanting out.
- As I write this, I'm listening to John Williams' excellent score for this film. His masterful blending of themes he wrote decades ago with new ones is awe-inspiring.
- I love Luke exposing the Jedi for their mistakes. For years, I've felt that the Jedi George Lucas created were deeply flawed as a group, yet it was never acknowledged. Luke talking about Jedi not owning the force or the fact that their hubris allowed for Sidious to take over, will take the Jedi in a new exciting direction in future movies.
- I nearly lost it when Yoda showed up.
There's much more to say, but I promised to keep this brief 😜. We'll be talking about _The Last Jedi_ on _Retake_ this upcoming week. [Subscribe](https://nightowl.fm/retake) so you don't miss it!