Star Wars: Episode 8 – The Last Jedi

REVIEW:

I remember watching Star Wars: Episode VIII – The Last Jedi on release day, and even before stepping into the cinema, there was already doubt creeping in. Me and my friends had seen something online about how the film would open, that it would pick up exactly where Star Wars: Episode VII – The Force Awakens ended, with Rey holding out the lightsaber to Luke… only for him to take it and throw it over his shoulder. We laughed it off at the time because it sounded ridiculous, completely out of character. But then the film started, and that’s exactly what happened. I couldn’t believe what I was watching.

That opening moment with the lightsaber. It wasn’t just a joke, it set the tone for everything that followed.

This is the most visually stunning Star Wars film and one of the most frustrating. Even upon rewatch, I often found myself shaking my head in frustration. I’m all for experimentation, and I respect filmmakers who take risks, especially in a franchise this big. But the frustration here comes from the fact that The Force Awakens set up so many intriguing questions, and instead of building on them, this film seems more interested in dismissing them. Rian Johnson takes a big swing, but for me, it just doesn’t land. In trying to subvert everything, it forgets why we cared in the first place.

What makes that even harder to accept is the portrayal of Luke Skywalker. This isn’t Luke Skywalker. It’s a version of him that doesn’t recognise who he used to be, and considering how excited fans were, myself included, to see him back on screen, it feels like a complete disservice to both the character and the audience. When even Mark Hamill questioned the direction, it says a lot. This is the man who saw good in Darth Vader, who refused to give up on him, and now we’re supposed to believe he would even consider killing his own nephew. I’m all for Supreme Leader Snoke being the one who turned Ben Solo, but learning that Luke had a moment of weakness like that, this is where the film lost me. I just can’t get on board with it.

That said, there are genuinely strong moments here, and it’s only fair to give credit where it’s due. The opening battle is fantastic. Oscar Isaac as Poe Dameron leads an explosive assault on the Dreadnought, and it’s Star Wars spectacle at its best. His back and forth with General Hux is sharp, funny, and full of personality. Poe continues to be one of the standout characters of the sequel trilogy, and every time he’s on screen, the film feels alive.

There are also emotional beats that really hit. When Luke quietly asks, “Where’s Han?”, it lands with real weight. You feel the loss in that moment. And visually, this film is breathtaking. Snoke’s throne room sequence is absolutely stunning, this is Star Wars firing on all cylinders. The scale, the colour, the tension, it all comes together perfectly. When Kylo Ren and Rey take on the guards, it’s easily the best scene in the entire film.

But then you have ideas that feel like they should matter and just don’t. The original Jedi texts are introduced like they’re going to deepen our understanding of the Force, especially after Luke’s search for the first Jedi temple was set up previously. Yet here, Luke claims he came to the island to die, and those texts barely impact the story at all. It feels like setup without payoff, and it’s incredibly frustrating.

And then there are moments that completely take you out of the film. Leia using the Force is something I’ve always wanted to see, but the way it’s executed here just doesn’t work. This genuinely took me out of the film. Watching her float through space, still alive, felt bizarre enough, but what made it worse was the lack of logic around it. When she pulls herself back to the ship and the door opens with Poe and others standing on the other side, how were they not sucked into space. It’s moments like this where the film’s internal logic starts to fall apart.

I also want to be clear about something. While I have a lot of criticisms of this film, the backlash aimed at Kelly Marie Tran was completely unacceptable. There is a huge difference between criticising a character and attacking an actor. I didn’t have an issue with Rose as a character, and even if her relationship with Finn feels rushed, that’s a writing issue, not something that justifies the kind of abuse she received.

There are still ideas here that I really like. The Force connection between Kylo Ren and Rey is genuinely interesting and adds something new to the mythology. Their dynamic is one of the more compelling aspects of the sequel trilogy. But then you have sequences like Canto Bight, which feel completely disconnected, like they belong in a different film altogether, and it kills the pacing.

Visually, though, this film is incredible from start to finish. The Holdo manoeuvre is one of the most beautiful shots in the entire franchise. Watching that ship tear through Snoke’s fleet in silence is unforgettable. And the battle on Crait looks stunning, with the white salt surface breaking apart to reveal red crystalline rhodochrosite beneath. It’s such a striking visual and one of the film’s most memorable images.

But visuals can only take you so far. The story is where this film struggles. Decisions feel forced, character motivations feel inconsistent, and key moments don’t land the way they should. Captain Phasma is once again underused, and the film never quite balances its ideas with its execution.

Ultimately, The Last Jedi is a film full of bold ideas, but not all of them work. I understand what Rian Johnson was trying to do. He wanted to challenge expectations and take the story in a new direction. And I respect that. But for me, it just didn’t pay off.

It looks incredible. It sounds incredible. But in trying to be different, it loses something essential.

And it all goes back to that opening moment, because that lightsaber toss wasn’t just a joke, it was a warning.