Under the steady control of Kathleen Kennedy and J.J.
Abrams, this third Star Wars trilogy has built upon the traditions of George
Lucas’ mythology and pays homage to the type of fan-service that sells
light-sabers at Toys R’ Us. But the director of the latest installment, Rian
Johnson of “Looper,” “Brick” fame, plays the storytelling of this new sequel like a bored gamer who decides to break away from the core missions to see how
far the boundaries the video-game will go. This isn’t to say that “Star Wars:
The Last Jedi” is wildly off-topic or even experimental, but it does play with
the expectations of the audience with narrative risks not seen in the franchise
since Irvin Kershner’s 1980 sequel, “The Empire Strikes Back."
The story picks up where 2015’s “The Force Awakens” left
off; Rey (Daisy Ridley) has found Luke Skywalker (Mark Hamill) hiding as a
hermit on a distant planet. There, she hopes to be trained in the ways of the
force by the former Jedi master. Cocky flyboy Poe Dameron (Oscar Isaac) and the
reluctant and frightful ex-Stormtrooper Finn (John Boyega) are traveling with
the Resistance, trying to survive the intergalactic pursuit of the imperial
First Order, which is led by the vengeful Kilo Ren (Adam Driver).
Structurally, many of these story beats are very similar to
those built into the plot of “The Empire Strikes Back,” and similarly, this
installment wishes to disturb the canon with a few sharp left turns and a few
shocking reveals. But rather than making his bed in the comfort of nostalgia,
Johnson’s tricky screenplay also challenges Lucas’ classical, Campbellian
tropes. Rey’s journey of self-discovery does not lead to self-assuring
revelations about her past, and only further complicates her place in this
battle between good and evil. Ridley and Driver share several scenes in psychic
conflict, in which the characters bridge the bureaucracy of war and destiny to
make a deeper connection that defies both of their places in their spiritual
and philosophic struggle. This
potentially treasonous relationship is very well acted and is some of the most
compelling drama the series has produced thus far.
We’re treated to another side story in which Finn and a
young resistance mechanic named Rose (Kelly Marie Tran) travel to a space
Casino full of intergalactic one-percenters to find a hacker who can help them
stop the First Order from being able to track their ships whilst escaping in
light-speed. This mission, while bouncy and played like a high-stakes movie
heist, is also subverted and woven into the greater peril of Leia's command
(Carrie Fisher) and difficult decisions made by her Vice Admiral Holdo (Laura
Dern).
Johnson’s visual take on the material is a little left of
center as well, and the set design is often beautifully stark and minimal. His
work with the actors is generous and thankfully he gives aged performers like
Fisher and Hamill more to do in the story than to simply act as camera-winking
cameos. This is a terrific action film and great advancement of the Star Wars
canon.
Some long-time fans have bucked to the risks Johnson took
with his entry, but what I appreciate the most about “The Last Jedi” is that,
while it’s a half hour too long and some of the humor doesn’t land, this is one
of the most story-driven installments the series has ever seen. Rather than
serving a classical hero’s journey about good versus evil, the characters are
now forced to move forward with a plot that has greater ties to their
unpredictable motivations.
Grade: B+
Originally published in the Idaho State Journal/Dec-2017
Listen to this episode of Jabber and the Drone to hear more conversation about "The Last Jedi"
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