The plus side of director Rian Johnson ("Looper") taking over the "Star Wars" franchise with his "The Last Jedi" is "Star Wars: The Force Awakens" director J.J. Abrams gave such a spectacular blueprint with which to start. If all Johnson did was stick to that outline, the odds were high he would have had a winning production.
Things could have gone horribly wrong. All you have to do is take a look at "Star Wars: Episode I _ The Phantom Menace" to see how even such a beloved franchise could go so terribly wrong. And, that effort had the guiding hand of the man who created this world in George Lucas.
The task Johnson faced was he could not just match what Abrams had done, but needed to expand the multiple story lines of "Force," delicately deal with the continuing bridges between the original trilogy and the new world and service the long list of characters etched into the franchise's growing mythology. This had to be accomplished while dazzling an audience accustomed to masterfully choreographed battles and special effects that create such a speechless feeling none of the numerous spoilers can be shared.
That's exactly what Johnson has done with "The Last Jedi." His contribution to the franchise _ which comes across like Abrams' version on steroids _ establishes the eighth film in the series as one of the best movies in the 40-year history, if not the very best. The only thing that will taint such an argument of which "Star Wars" movie is the champion is the emotional ties a person has with any offering in the trilogy that started with "A New Hope."
The biggest problem with "The Last Jedi" is it's such a perfectly woven story with twists overlapping strange turns so often, it is difficult to talk about any of the details without given away a precious secret. "The Last Jedi" will be best appreciated with a pure viewing that hasn't been tainted by spoilers. But, the movie is so good, moviegoers could be handed a complete breakdown of the production with their ticket and it would still be an incredibly fun and exciting experience.
One thing that can be said is the storyline that features Rey (Daisy Ridley) and Luke Skywalker (Mark Hamill) is one of the best examples of how the old and new has been so seamlessly blended. Ridley again brings a wide-eyed optimism draped in self-doubt to the role. The last time an actor showed this much emotional range in the franchise was when Luke was completing his training in "The Empire Strikes Back."
The Jedi story is so central to the mythology that without the right actors, any discussion of The Force can sound hokey. Check Episodes I to III for examples of how not to deal with The Force. But, both Ridley and Hamill sell any discussions with so much passion and intensity that the general story of the Jedi becomes a force that binds together every element of the film.
It looked as if "The Last Jedi" would be losing one of its major strengths from "The Force Awakens" as Rey and Finn (John Boyega) don't get to spend the same amount of time together. But, Johnson fills that buddy void through Rey's time with Luke, and Finn gets teamed with another spunky partner in Rose Trico (Kelly Marie Tran). Their adventure adds another level to the story that takes moments from past "Star Wars" movies _ such as the Cantina scene from "A New Hope" and the pod races from "The Phantom Menace" _ and shows how grand and emotional they can be played.
At the heart of the story is the continuing efforts by Supreme Leader Snoke (plated with great villainy by Andy Serkis), Kylo Ren (Adam Driver) and General Hux (Domhnall Gleeson) to wipe out the Resistance, which is under the direction of General Leia Organa (Carrie Fisher). This continuing conflict sets up numerous battles, none more intense than what happens in the final act of the film. There is so much creative writing and stunning images to applaud (but only in a general sense as not to give away any details).
Not only is the final battle a visual feast, it shows the smart writing of Johnson. There are events and situations that seem far-fetched, even in the "Star Wars" universe, but eventually make perfect sense.
It's safe to say the performance by the late Fisher serves as a fitting bookend to the life and energy she brought to the role of Leia ever since she begged Obi-Wan for help in "A New Hope." No one can match the spunk she brought to each scene.
"The Last Jedi" is nonstop action and drama, but Johnson even manages to sprinkle the movie with enough humor to balance out some of the more intense scenes. It looked like he was headed for another Ewok disaster with the introduction of the Porgs, but Johnson uses the cute critters just enough to be an accent and not a distraction.
Johnson also found time for some very emotional moments. They could have disrupted the flow, but he weaves them effortlessly into all of the other elements.
Mountains could be written about what Johnson did right with "The Last Jedi." As not to be the one who takes away even a fraction of a moment of entertainment, the best thing to be said is Johnson has made it incredibly difficult for those working on the next film in the series, because "The Last Jedi" is nearly flawless.
