It's time for a new Star War! Since Disney bought Lucasfilm and decided to churn out one new entry from a Galaxy Far, Far Away on an annual basis we can now fist pump in excitement or wince with dread, depending on which intergalactic platter is being served up. This year is a return to the Skywalker series with STAR WARS: THE LAST JEDI, the 8th chapter in the long running trilogy-after-trilogy tale that started it all, this time directed by Rian Johnson (LOOPER, BRICK). After the unfortunate loss of Harrison Ford's Han Solo in THE FORCE AWAKENS, we now see the full-on return of Mark Hamill's Luke Skywalker, arguably one of the most compelling and beloved characters from the original trilogy and one that evokes a lot of mystery, seeing as he could've got either way with The Force. Also returning is the new franchise lead Rey (Daisy Ridley), Finn (John Boyega), Poe (Oscar Isaac), Kylo Ren (Adam Driver), Captain Phasma (Gwendoline Christie), General Hux (Domhnall Gleeson), Supreme Leader Snoke (Andy Serkis), as well as new characters from Laura Dern, Benicio Del Toro and Kelly Marie Tran. And surely a few surprises.
The premiere reaction for the film was resoundlingly positive with many making the stanard bold claims of it being the best since Empire (which tends to happen every time folks get a whif of that "new Star Wars" smell) with a few folks being underwhelmed. Our own Eric Walkuski enjoyed it immensely, giving it a 9/10 and saying: "…THE LAST JEDI had me locked in its grip almost entirely throughout its 150 minute runtime; it felt like my heart was beating double-time during most of it. Like THE EMPIRE STRIKES BACK, this second chapter raises the stakes and complicates the journeys of its heroes and villains, and when it's over you have that glorious feeling of 'I can't wait to see what happens next!'" We'll have a second review by Chris Bumbray up on Friday to see if he felt similarly.
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And with that, now it's your turn! We want to hear what YOU thought of the film! Naturally, we'd prefer you to comment only if you've seen the film as that's the point here, but do what feels good. Just don't get mad if you get trounced for trolling or posting blatant spoilers in headlines. Healthy debate, genuine thoughts, and respectful interactions is all we ask. So, is this a strong middle chapter to the new trilogy or a rehash of what we've seen before?
Rotten Tomatoes: 193 reviews, certified fresh: 95%
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