I am not a Star Wars expert, but I grew up watching Episodes IV, V, and VI, so I believe that I can recognize the difference between those masterpieces, and this… thing that they’re calling a movie.
A lot of money went into Star Wars: Episode VIII – The Last Jedi at a total budget of $200 million (note that I couldn’t find the budget listed anywhere except Wikipedia), but I do not believe this was money well-spent.
I can honestly say that I did not walk out of the theater thinking that I had enjoyed the experience. When asked what I thought about the film, my first words were, “I’m not sure. I liked it, I think, but I didn’t like-like it.”
After reflection, I discovered that I have a LOT of issues with this film. But, in this post, I am only acknowledging the three most influential mechanics that led to my disappointment with Star Wars: Episode VIII.
*SPOILERS TO FOLLOW*
Issue #1: Unnecessary Comedy
We do not need them, Rian Johnson.
We do not need them on Warships, we do not need them interrupting shit.
We do not need them Here or There, we do not them Anywhere.
Except, maybe, just to look at… because they’re so adorable! But still – unnecessary.
The Porgs are just one example of unnecessary comedic relief. Throughout the film, various characters would toss-out off-handed comments meant to ease the tension of the moment.
Unfortunately, by having so many reliefs available, the viewer never had to think about what was happening below the surface – and so, did not have to seek out the deeper meanings that were so prevalent in the original trilogy (George Lucas’ focus on the psychological capacity of human beings).
Issue #2: Unnecessary Space Travel
Ethan Gach summarizes my disappointment for unnecessary space travel – the casino scenes in particular – in his post, One Of Star Wars: The Last Jedi‘s Biggest Problems Comes Straight From Video Games :
“In effect, a large chunk of The Last Jedi sees Leia put out of commission so that the other principal characters are kept in the dark about what her trump card is thus leading them to cook up their own half-assed plan to jump into hyperspace but without the enemy fleet following them which requires rewiring the space GPS on the big boss’s ship which in turn means they have to find a “code breaker” who can get them on board without being noticed which in turns means going to a casino where Rose can recount her backstory, motivation, and maybe use both of them to get Finn woke. All this and I haven’t even explained the parenthetical subplots that take place on this casino world because that would take too much time to describe such short parts of the movie that aren’t very memorable anyway.”
So much wasted time… for a plot-point that wasn’t necessary… on a planet that no one cares about. Outside of saving the Fathier – which aren’t really necessary in the grand scheme of things – I don’t see why they bothered.
Issue #3 Unnecessary Plot Drives
Leia should have died within the first 30 minutes of the film when the bridge exploded and shot her out into the freezing vacuum of space (don’t even get me started on the failed science of this film).
Instead of dying (as she should have), she uses the Force to safely float back to the ship (note that in the films up to this point, her only use of the Force was to feel when something happened – she has never actively used the Force until now).
This is NOT how the Force works. As Luke points out only shortly after this scene, the Force does not control people and make things float; the Force is the balance between all things. Therefore, it does not suddenly wake up an unconscious person and give them the power to float through space at will. No.
Instances like this one occurred constantly throughout Star Wars: The Last Jedi. Their only purpose was to get the characters from A to B.
Here are my two cents on the matter:
I wont be seeing this film again, and I wont be buying it. Nor will I advise others on what to do.
See it and get your own opinion, or don’t.
Obviously, Disney has made enough money on this film that they don’t care if we see it or not.
Kiminy Cricket 