Star Wars Episode VIII - The Last Jedi

[aukevin]

Re: Star Wars Episode VIII - The Last Jedi

I thought the movie was good but not great. Not even top 5 of Star Wars movies, I honestly after one viewing only have it above episodes 1 and 2. There were some amazing parts like the first 10 minutes were probably my favorite of the movie. After TFA Rey was my favorite but I think Poe has that place now, he really clicked for me in this movie.

But overall there were quite a few things that didn’t do it for me in this movie. If I wasn’t on my phone I’d spoiler tag my issues but I’m afraid I’d might accidentally post a spoiler if I try.

But my issues were story related which really bothers me, whereas the other less desirable episodes like 1 and 2 were just silly issues like Jar Jar or bad dialogs that I don’t have problems with because I’m in agreement with the overall story.

Hopefully after a second viewing it will be better for me, but I definitely didn’t get what I wanted from the story.

[LionsFanNJ]

Re: Star Wars Episode VIII - The Last Jedi

This movie was amazing. The buildup to the third act was slow but man. It just hit the ground. So many of my favorite scenes.

Spoiler

Laura Dern's lightspeed kamikaze was the highlight of this movie.
That is a visual that i won't forget for a long time.

Oh i was kinda upset Rey didn't make like a makeshift lightstaff. Kinda what Darth Maul ran with.
It totally makes sense since she's spent her whole life training with a bo staff.

Can't wait for Episode 9 though.

[kingkilla56]

Re: Star Wars Episode VIII - The Last Jedi

Movie was ok. Some sweet visuals. Kylo Ren Adam Driver was the superstar of the movie and it wasn't even close.

I have lots of issues with the plot, pacing, and studio decisions. But I'll spare the forums.

It was an ok movie. I hope episode 9 is much better.

[Blzer]

Re: Star Wars Episode VIII - The Last Jedi

Spoiler

Oh i was kinda upset Rey didn't make like a makeshift lightstaff. Kinda what Darth Maul ran with.
It totally makes sense since she's spent her whole life training with a bo staff.

Can't wait for Episode 9 though.

On that note, we can probably get one in Episode IX.

[jasontoddwhitt]

Re: Star Wars Episode VIII - The Last Jedi

Only complaint I had...

Spoiler

What they did with Phasma....again. They did a great job building her back up with the Phasma book....only to have her go out like that.

If the end goal was to have her die in this movie, then they should’ve done more with her in The Force Awakens. Have her fight Finn at Maz’s Cantina and beat him down before the Resistance arrived. I just can’t believe they would go through all the trouble to write a novel on a character who had a very marketable look for her to absolutely not matter in either movie.

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[ehh]

Re: Star Wars Episode VIII - The Last Jedi

I'm a huge Star Wars fan who was immensely disappointed with TLJ.

Spoiler

I have no problem going in a different direction, to a certain extent, but this was a discombobulated disaster. From a general movie perspective, removing the Star Wars label, this was a terrible movie. Bad writing, bad characters, bad pacing, plot holes, too many irrelevant characters/plots getting too much screen time, etc.

It felt like a B-movie from the Marvel/DC universe with a dash-too-much of Guardians of the Galaxy. From that perspective, this was not a Star Wars movie. It felt like every other half-baked, stick-to-the-formula, uninteresting film series from the last decade. I'm guessing that those who like Marvel/DC movies that get churned out year after year are the fans who enjoyed TLJ. I personally can't stand those movies as there's zero emotional connection and they all feel the same - that's what I felt with TLJ. My emotions were not stirred throughout the movie outside of Finn's near-kamakazee stunt. As much as TFA was a remake of ANH, it did move my emotions. Rogue One obviously did, I wouldn't argue with someone who said RO is the best Star Wars movie after ESB.

Kylo Ren was the only bright spot of the movie, he's essentially what Anakin should have been in the prequels. Outside of him, the writing and dialogue were so poor. The first hour and a half, every character felt wooden.

Luke, man what a controversial topic his character is. I don't hate where they were going with his character but the execution of it was dreadful. I understand why Mark Hamill disagreed with the script - it didn't feel like Luke at all, even if it's been three decades since we've seen him. He's been a hermit on this island for who knows how long, the fact that his biggest ambition in his life was a failure eating away at him - and he still has time for bad/cheesy/out-of-place humor. So, so bad.

Finn and Rose, don't even get me started there.

The new Force abilities made no sense. The Jedi are essentially gone yet two relative novices in Rey and Kylo are able to use this powerful, never before seen telepathy/hologramming - whatever you want to call it. Luke is a disaster of a Jedi master who've we been told as shut off The Force yet he's able to use that ability as well? Leia Mary Poppins-ing through space - my Lord the cringiness. And we still can't get a battle scene besides Vader in RO where a Jedi/Sith actually use their Force abilities. Kylo and Rey fight the handful of red dudes after killing Snoke and don't think to use a Force Push or Choke. It'd make the battle just a tad easier.

And that brings me to the comedic relief...

At one point I thought I was watching Spaceballs. The comedy was forced, too frequent, out of place and cringe-worthy. It repeatedly killed any emotional connection that was building. I literally face-palmed when Luke threw his lightsaber over his shoulder. You can get your point across in a much more poignant way. Have him drop it, have him hand it back to Rey, etc. His line of, "You thought I'd show up with a laser sword and save the day?" My Lord, shoot me. Brushing his shoulder off after the AT-AT bombardment. Ugh, so unlike Luke's character. This movie truly felt like a bad parody at times.

While TLJ isn't as bad as the prequels, the forced comedy was nearly as bad. The best Star Wars films have their brand of cheesy humor but it's well-timed and rare. There's a certain charm to it. I would say that TLJ failed miserably to achieve that charm but I think it's evident that they didn't set out to do so.

Ultimately, Disney is doing exactly what I feared when they bought LucasFilm, they're turning Star Wars into a garbage, shallow series like the Marvel/DC movies. It's cash cow time. There is no turning back from here - Star Wars is in the Disney machine and will now abide by their movie formula. If we're now going to get stuff like BB-8 commandeering an AT-ST, saving the day and then we learn that AT-STs can now sprint - then I want out. The uniqueness of Star Wars and its emotional appeal is likely gone forever.

[Caulfield]

Re: Star Wars Episode VIII - The Last Jedi

I think in the upcoming months, the most over-used meme on the interwebz will be one of Luke saying
''Everything you just said in that sentence is wrong''.

[Armor and Sword]

Re: Star Wars Episode VIII - The Last Jedi

Not sure how its not top 5. It is for sure better then the crap that was episode 1 and 2 and it is better then 4 and R1 for sure.

Better than 4 and Rogue One??? Oh god no.

Agree to disagree.

Episode 4 is an absolute classic and there no Star Wars Universe, unless that movie was made and became the monster success that it was.

Wow that is actually blasphemy IMO.

Only The Empire Strikes Back was better IMO.

So again its simply subjective.


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[Armor and Sword]

Re: Star Wars Episode VIII - The Last Jedi

I don't really have rankings, just tiers.

3, 4, 5, 7
R1, 8
2, 6
1

Agree mostly. Except I move R1 up 2 down and 6 up to second tier.

2 was the low point for me not 1.




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[LowerWolf]

Re: Star Wars Episode VIII - The Last Jedi

Just got back from seeing it the first time. Going again tomorrow since I agreed to take my mom ... lol.

Initial impressions: Good, not great. Clearly better than any of the prequels for me, but behind the original trilogy. I enjoyed TFA significantly more. It's somewhere near RO for me.

Spoiler

• I'm not buying Ren's story about Rey's parents. She's too powerful and too familiar to come from two nobodies. I still think she's Leia's daughter (with someone other than Han). That's really the only way to explain the connection with Ren.
  
• I'm mixed about Snoke's death. On the one hand, I'm glad he's gone so that Ren can grow. But after showing all that power, he went out rather meekly.
  
• I thought Luke was very good.
  
• Agree that there was too much humor, especially early on.
  
• Rey was possibly my favorite SW character of all-time after TFA. I still love her, but Poe outshined her this time around.
  
• I like Finn, but his story wound up being pointless. I didn't want him to die, but I almost wish he had sacrificed himself.
  
• The kamikaze scene and fight scene in Snoke's throne room were both very well done.
  
• Didn't like how Leia survived. That's unrelated to Carrie Fisher's death (RIP). I just thought that whole scene was hokey. Would rather she had died there.
  
• Phasma was wasted. Again. Although the waste of Darth Maul and Boba Fett is still more egregious. My guess is she somehow survived so they can waste her again in the next movie.

[Altimus]

Re: Star Wars Episode VIII - The Last Jedi

Huge fan, fun and enjoyable movie but overall and in the end walked out pretty disappointed.


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[Blzer]

Re: Star Wars Episode VIII - The Last Jedi

Just saw it for a second time. Some cringeworthy or lackluster parts were slightly more tolerable this time since I knew what to expect, but the Luke/lightsaber thing will not pass for me and the little leaf gag was out of place too. They only work in theater when I get to hear the crowd react, but I am going to cringe when watching those scene at home down the road. Those moments are literally right out of a parody film. Same with the shirtless moment. Leia pulling an M.P. made me chuckle a little bit inside; not my favorite moment there either.

Yet even still, this crowd was much more reactionary than my Thursday night crowd, and they had plenty to react to; mostly moments to cheer. During one specific kill somebody yelled out: "Night, sucka!" Pretty funny.

Now, one observation, one question pertaining to said observation, and one confession:

Spoiler

They kind of tip their hand a little bit of Luke not actually being at the rebel base: his hair is trimmed and less gray, he never leaves any footprint markings, obviously he is unscathed in the assault, and he never attempts to fight or interact with BenRen (although he did kiss Leia, so I dunno to what extent he can do that).

When Snoke infiltrated Rey's mind and he states something about Luke being clever, does that mean that he knew what Luke's plan was? Like, as if Rey knew the same plan and Snoke died with the secret play of using the force to project himself on that rebel base? Or was he just referring to the whereabouts of his hiding place?

This time when the credits noted their loving memory to their princess Carrie Fisher, I got more than just a little choked up. I was near bawling. So touching.

[kingkilla56]

Re: Star Wars Episode VIII - The Last Jedi

The sentiment that people who disliked this movie are simply fanboys who don't like new things, is a pretty bad one.

This movie gave you a bunch of payoffs it simply didn't earn yet. Concepts and ideas JJ Abram asked us to explore and the end of TFA were abruptly and unceremoniously ended just for the sake of shock value. Decades worth of themes were squashed for the sake of "hey we're doing something different so get over it"

Honestly, this new trilogy should have had absolutely nothing to do with the previous story of the skywalkers and it would have been better received.

But after that movie, they relegated Rey to a plot device to move Ben's story forward. Finn is a joke. Poe....I don't even know.

The movie was disappointing on many levels for me. And I'm not a wildly passionate Star Wars fan at all. The movie flopped on a thematic and plot development level.

And they thought incredible visuals would just make up for it. Oh well.

Hopefully JJ can salvage a great finale to this cluster in episode 9. But if I were him, I wouldn't be sending the script writer of this any holiday gifts this season. Good luck.

[ehh]

Re: Star Wars Episode VIII - The Last Jedi

This movie gave you a bunch of payoffs it simply didn't earn yet. Concepts and ideas JJ Abram asked us to explore and the end of TFA were abruptly and unceremoniously ended just for the sake of shock value. Decades worth of themes were squashed for the sake of "hey we're doing something different so get over it"

Honestly, this new trilogy should have had absolutely nothing to do with the previous story of the skywalkers and it would have been better received.

I agree, and this is a big concern for me given that JJ is doing Episode 9. When we rewatch this trilogy in a decade it's going to be a fractured mess.

Ep 7 - JJ's take on classic Star Wars
Ep 8 - Rian's bold, drastic shift.
Ep 9 - JJ moving back to more classic Star Wars (in all likelihood).

I also agree that if Rian wanted to go in this direction, which in and of itself is a cool thing if properly executed, then it should have been done to start his own trilogy or with Episode 7. Having this big of a change come now is so out of place, especially when much of it will probably be undone with Ep 9.

[mestevo]

Re: Star Wars Episode VIII - The Last Jedi

I'm not sure what to think of Poe. I like him, but at the same time he annoys me in the same way an amusement park guide is so over the top and over-expressive about everything - I get the same feeling from how Poe is portrayed in a lot of his scenes.