Peter Dodge

*Foreword: I like The Last Jedi, but I understand completely why everyone else may not* **Second Foreword: Before you comment, please read the whole review** If there was ever a way to end the Skywalker saga, this would be it! This movie truly belongs to Star Wars fans, and gives all of our new characters the story arcs that they deserve. Now, critics have largely disagreed on this movie, and I cannot, as a casual movie-goer disprove of their reasoning, but only give my own, so SPOILERS AHEAD!!! The fan service is perfect in this movie. The problem with fan service in most projects, is that it doesn’t really have a point, but this does. Certain cameos (Wedge Antilles) weren’t necessary, and casual viewers may not get it, but it was SO COOL nonetheless! But the scene of the Resistance Reinforcements as I call them, and the voices of Jedi who’ve come before feel necessary to this final confrontation and are my two favorite scenes in the whole movie. Our new main characters shine brightly. While in TFA and TLJ required the presence of Han and Luke, this movie belongs to Poe, Finn, Rey, and Ben. Poe fully becomes the General we needed him to be. Finn has finally been treated right. Rey isn’t a Mary Sue anymore. And Ben is still the best. The final scenes on Exegal between Rey and Ben are some of the best in their character arc, and yet are still fun. My subtle favorite is when Ben gets his ancestral lightsaber from Rey, and then does a little nod like “Yeah, I know.” Their final kiss does seem to be there only to satisfy shippers, but it also feels right, at least for Ben, since he immediately dies after kissing the one person he literally gave it all up for, and his only perfect connection in the galaxy. Also Rey’s lightsaber is yellow!!! Also Finn has the Force!!!!! Also Chewie got a medal!!!!!!! Oh, Chewie! His reaction to Leia’s death almost killed me, it’s completely soul crushing and perfectly matches how the Star Wars team and fan community reacted to Carrie Fischer’s passing. My first gripe with this movie is a large plot point. (*please see the foreword). I don’t like that Rey is a Palpatine. One of the best things TLJ did was that it established that the Force isn’t hereditary, and that you don’t have to come from a famous bloodline to be powerful. That was the track Rey was going on. The message was that family doesn’t define a person, and greatness can come from anywhere. Now that last part has been stripped away. They did a great job in the movie of justifying it, and by the movie’s logic it makes perfect sense, but I dislike it nonetheless. My second is that Snoke was fake. We all know that there are future Star Wars projects lined up, some of which could occur during the Old Republic Era, so when a character who was meant to be ancient, and had seen “the rise and fall of the Republic and Empire” they could’ve left Snoke alone, and then explain his background in an Old Republic title. It just felt like a missed opportunity for the future of Star Wars, and the depth that could’ve been there. This movie was the best experience of cinema I’ve had in 2019, and I’m happy with where we’ve come with the Skywalker Saga. Now, here’s to The Mandalorian, and all of the future projects in the vast galaxy far, far away...