It is undeniable, for people of a certain age, that when the
bold yellow lettering and orchestral blare kick in, a tingle shoots up the
spine, the back is straightened, the chair gripped with excitement. Star Wars
is here. And more than that, it is new Star Wars, unseen Star Wars and it’s
going to include light sabres and Luke Skywalker. This alone is worth the price
of admission and maybe, just maybe, this can disguise the faults that could lie
within a Star Wars film; they can be overlooked because revisiting the galaxy,
seeing another chapter in the never ending (now Disney have it) battle between
good versus evil, will always be welcome.
Yet, for all of this welcome nostalgia, film theory and criticism
and rules of narrative exist outside of the Star Wars universe and continue
being relevant, disregarding rose tinted glasses and bearded Jedi Knights.
There are many reasons that many people will enjoy The Last Jedi. There are also many, very legitimate reasons why
this episode is one of the weakest in the entire saga. Yes, the acting and
dialogue are far more accomplished than in the much derided episodes 1, 2 and
3, but the story here is weak, a long, slow car chase where the actions of two
of the most significant characters have no bearing on the outcome whatsoever.
In fact, if they had stayed in bed and done nothing, the end result would have
been the same. In fact, it may have been better as their decisions are full of arrogance,
risking lives rather than saving them. They are unlikeable, widely missing the roguish
Han Solo charm being aimed for. Unforgiveable.
The tone here is never struck with certainty. It feels desperately
like it wants to be the dark middle child, in the same way The Empire Strikes Back (1980) is, but is riddled with
uncomfortable humour that removes any sense of danger or threat from characters
who are meant to be dangerous and threatening. Grand Moff Tarkin would never
have suffered the petty humiliations The
Last Jedi puts General Hux through, a character who here lacks any
presence. How are we to invest in a danger, consistent for the entire film,
when it is centred around a man who fell for a phone prank? The deaths that
follow become empty. Think back to the emotional resonance achieved in Rogue One (2016), a film which similarly
sought to represent the crushing of the resistance and you quickly realise The Last Jedi never comes close to
matching it.
When it comes to Skywalker it is hard to understand why his
character has been taken in this direction. There are elements of him which
feel organic; his isolation and reluctance to train Rey; his sacrifice at the
end when his job is complete. But at the same time, he is also cocky and hesitant
in his own convictions; he feels likes hypocrite and when he brushes dust of
his shoulder in a final showdown, a whole cinema cringes.
There are some features to like about The Last Jedi. At times it is visually stunning and the
relationship between Rey and Ben is interesting, although lacks anything that
surprising and for some reason refuses to answer important questions about ancestry.
Yet, too much here feels lazy and too reliant of the good will of fans of the
saga. Light sabres and Skywalker are exciting, but fans are not idiots, blind
to flaws because you flash lights at them, they deserve more respect than The Last Jedi gives them. There is work
to be done to restore this new trilogy. Fortunately, J. J. Abrams is the man
for the job.
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