Tuesday, December 19, 2017

STAR WARS: THE LAST JEDI (2017) - Daisy Ridley, John Boyega, Mark Hamill, Carrie Fisher

Director:     Rian Johnson
Writers:      Rian Johnson, George Lucas

I liked this one much better than THE FORCE AWAKENS.  It might be because “Force” had to take time to establish new characters.  In this one, we could engage into the storyline much faster.

This latest STAR WARS movie is focused more on the personal odysseys of the main characters and the dynamics between the familiar characters and the new ones.  It’s fascinating how we love the robots (C3PO, R2D2, BB-8) as much as we love the humans.

Mark Hamill, as Luke Skywalker, “The Last Jedi,” is cynical and dark.  Yet, it’s his very darkness which makes his ultimate rescue of the rebels more climactic.  Daisy Ridley, as Rey, fulfills her heroic potential, fighting to keep Kylo Ren, Han Solo's and Princess Leia’s son, from surrendering to evil. 
 
In “Force,” I was a little disappointed in John Boyega’s portrayal of Finn, the new character meant to be Rey’s heroic counterpart.  He acquits himself better in this version, though he still suffers by comparison to Harrison Ford’s crazy, charismatic “Han Solo” character.

Director Rian Johnson’s choreography of the battle scenes adds to the storyline, rather than detracting from it.  Benicio Del Toro is strong as a would-be ally overcome by dark motives.  CGI effects are excellent, and Andy Sirkis, who embodies his CGI manifestation of the villainous Snout, is excellent.  I loved the little critters with big eyes from Skywalker’s island who kept getting in Chewbaca’s way.

In the end, I have to admit that I thought BB-8, the upgraded version of R2D2, was the most heroic and lovable of all.  Funny, huh, given that he’s “just” a robot.




TAGS:  Star Wars, Jedi, Mark Hamill, Daisy Ridley, John Boyega, George Lucas, Rian Johnson, Benicio Del Toro, Andy Sirkis