Sequels.
There are a lot of those in Hollywood. Sequels are probably one of the most overused tactics executed by studios to net in profitable cash while walking on a safe, thick rope of familiarity and an essence of "new-new, but same." But what about the few ones out there that actually stand out from the rest? Surely, there have been quite the remarkable few ones that have left their mark on the film industry? Terminator 2: Judgment Day, Aliens, The Dark Knight, all these are famous examples of rapidly changing the convention of sequels and delivering memorable feat. Now with a daunting task like this, surely, there have to be some sequels that didn't sit right with the audience at first. Star Wars Episode V: The Empire Strikes Back (1980) is a good example of this. Whereas the audience went in expecting a safe rehash of the amazing predecessor, Star Wars, they were met with a wildly different, wildly mature and dark film that didn't exactly leave them satisfied. However, in the test of time, The Empire Strikes Back has proven victor and went on to become one of the best movies in all of cinema. Now, the test of time aside, the fate of meeting with audience's disdain would come back to haunt Star Wars again in 2017, with the second installment of the sequel trilogy, Star Wars Episode VII: The Last Jedi. This is a movie that is so divisive, I have hardly encountered people who are, to put it simply, neutral or lukewarm to it. Some cherish it like a treasure, others absolutely loathe it, like the Black Death Plague. This movie single-handedly divided the Star Wars fanbase into two in one fell stroke. Now, I won't delve into the discourse, who's wrong and who's right. I will talk about what works and the few components that don't and ultimately try to have a conversation about what director Rian Johnson was trying to achieve and how much he actually did.
Following the destruction of the Starkiller Base, Rey travels to Ahch-To to learn the ways of the Force under Jedi Master Luke Skywalker, in hopes of reinvigorating the Resistance in their continuous fight against the First Order.
A fair bit of warning: From here on out, while I won't be discussing major story moments or story beats, I will be talking in-depth about some of the core themes of this movie, so please proceed at your own volition.
Right off the bat, you know that this is a quixotically different Star Wars movie. Director Rian Johnson's directorial fidelity shines the most. It hardly feels reminiscent of any other Star Wars film. It's a very gratifying aspect that the director's voice speaks through and through throughout the movie. This opens up a new door of creativity that's hardly ever explored. Now, yes, there are some flaws and hiccups among the movie's treads. There certainly are aspects that could've been tackled differently or less aggressively. There are some muddy spots here and there. But its seldom enough that it is seemingly unobtrusive in the face of what this movie gets right. Rarely do we get tentpole blockbusters that are a creative achievement in their own right and have a strong directorial signature to it on and on. Rian Johnson went on to make a movie that takes us back to the root explanation of the Force.
Whereas the Force had been shown as this supernatural thing that only a few people can harness since 1999, Rian reminds us that it is, in the end, a natural entity surrounding the whole universe and is not a thing of vanity. He masterfully reintroduces us to the notions of Yoda's teachings in The Empire Strikes Back about the not-so-black-and-white and nuanced deliberacy of the Force. He also delves into the aspect of balance. And this is where the film gets really thoughtful. Often times, a Star Wars movie has ended with the good guys overthrowing the big bads and suppressing them in the name of all around balance. Rian gives an interesting spin on this. What if the superfluous notion of suppressing bad through good is actually a detriment to all around peace? It has been proven once through the rise of the First Order due to the Rebel's overwhelming victory against the Empire. And so, Rian gives us a recontextualization of the theme of good and bad and presents us the question: What if we can achieve harmony between the Light side and the Dark side? And this is also a major driving force of the characters and henceforth, comes one of the most compelling character arcs ever put in a Star Wars story. A set of characters go through a major arc, and by the end of it, they almost become different persons. Key word "almost", because at a certain point, the movie backtracks all of this progression to square one, which may seem bad direction at first, but there's a surprising amount of substance to it. Sadly delving more into that would result in a spoilerific discussion. There's however another set of characters who sort of went through the same type of recontextualized arc, but didn't achieve the same depth of nuance and fidelity as the former. All in all, Rian Johnson delivered a very theme-rich movie in a very beautifully shot cinematic ocular-fest.
Speaking of which, the cinematography. I can't help but gush at how beautiful this movie looks. It definitely stares down The Empire Strikes Back as the most beautifully shot Star Wars movie. Cinematographer Steve Yedlin did a phenomenal job with the look of the movie. Colors, shot-blocking, frame-composition, set-decoration, everything comes together cohesively into this visual feast that is comparable to only a few. Especially towards the third act of the movie, we are introduced to this simplistic looking planet that has a cool trick up its sleeve. And that planet is possibly my favorite planet in all of Star Wars. This would've been impossible without Yedlin's keen eye for ocular splendor. Even if you don't like the movie, for understandable reasons nonetheless, you have to at least admit at how gorgeous this movie looks. Its a serious marvel to look at.
The cast is also rich in its performance. The new generation of actors Daisy Ridley, John Boyega, Adam Driver, Oscar Isaac, Kelly Marie Tran absolutely shine in this role. And the original actors the late Carrie Fisher and Mark Hamill, they absolutely steal the show whenever they are on screen. And speaking of Mark Hamill, the character of Luke Skywalker is probably at his best. Both Rian Johnson and Mark Hamill have done wonders to give this level of depth to Luke's character. And he has this sort of fear and burden of living up to the legend he is. And it is genius. Star Wars was the centerpiece of a lot of people's childhood. And as the audience have grown up, so had to Luke. And Rian understood this. Hence, Luke's character isn't just a rehash of his Return Of The Jedi stature. But a bolder, more mature take on the passage of time and the burden that come with ostentatious legacy and whatnot. But through recontextualization and the realization of not committing the same mistakes again, Luke's character transcends through his Return Of The Jedi phase and becomes something much more. Not just a lightsaber wielding legend or hero, but a fully realized Jedi with a pure heart and notion with the ultimate reminder of the Jedi code: achieving peace without inflicting violence. And like I said earlier, one set of characters (including Luke) undergo this amazing character arc, while the other falters a bit. But all in all, there's a very strong characterization that's on the clock.
Obviously a Star Wars movie is incomplete without John Williams and he does an amazing job as usual. But this time around, the strength of the rest of the movie somehow overpowers the soundtrack. Don't get me wrong, it's as euphoric as ever. But somehow, this one just didn't click. Could be just nitpick on my part, take it how you will.
I want to have a conversation about the overall reach of this movie and the various stances the varying degree of people have. Those who love The Last Jedi, yes, you fans' opinions are valid. But please don't let this be at the cost of dissing someone else's opinion. And those who don't like it have the same request of mine. And now to those who were truly hurt, not the angry mob on social media who spread hate towards it just for the sake of it, but those who felt like their childhood was insulted right before their eyes, I won't tell you to "shed your nostalgia glasses" and whatnot, I can understand the utter sentiment you have towards this. And you are totally right to have your own dream and a prescribed viewpoint of how the movie should've been. It can be difficult to see the very totem of your childhood, so many positive and bittersweet memories, mature so quickly and have such a varied layer of ambiguity applied to it in such a quick flash. It can be understandably difficult to see this change implemented so rashly. It almost feels like the movie is forcing change on you. But also try to understand that a story can turn out so many ways and that a writer doesn't have to be bound by the audience's expectations to write a movie and can go beyond. Yes, you can have your opinions as to how a movie can be made, but a writer should have just as much freedom to let his creativity soar. And ultimately, this freedom is what can lead to many great and inspiring and awe-striking stories. One last thing I can say is, the movie has been already made. And you are entitled to your opinion, but there's no changing it now. While keeping your own opinions at the forefront, also try to see beyond the flaws the movie has in your eyes and see the beauty of a character-rich story that lies beneath. And if you still don't want to or can't bring yourself to do that, I totally respect your stance. I have absolutely no right to snatch it away from you. But however rash and forceful the changes made throughout The Last Jedi may seem, in the ultimate conclusion, it is an unabashed love letter to Star Wars, the core fundamentals and beliefs and nuances of it. And one only has to engage with the story as it is presented in front of them despite the prescribed notions they have. If one can open their heart that way and let the movie touch them on a spiritual level, The Last Jedi and in the bigger picture, all of Star Wars will return that love a thousandfold. I sincerely believe that The Last Jedi can climb up to the caliber of The Empire Strikes Back in the sense that it had a divisive reaction at first, but as time goes, it will definitely be viewed as one of the most thought-provoking blockbusters ever made.
The love I have for Star Wars Episode VII: The Last Jedi is only achievable by very few movies.