Star Wars: The Last Jedi Is a Good New Installment in the Star Wars Franchise

by Elizabeth “Buffy” Cautela

I walked into the theater greeted by grown men dressed up as Wookies and Jedi Masters. It was finally the moment I had been waiting for for two years — the premier of Stars War: The Last Jedi.

The Last Jedi is one of the most divisive films in the franchise — some people love it. Some people hate it. I loved it. Yes, like every film, the movie has its problems, but I believe that the good in this film outweighs the bad. The Last Jedi picks up immediately where Star Wars: The Force Awakens left off, with Rey (Daisy Ridley) on Ahch-To with Luke Skywalker (Mark Hamill), while Finn (John Boyega) and Poe Dameron (Oscar Isaac) remain with the Resistance. On Ahch-To, Luke reluctantly trains Rey just as Yoda trained him on Dagobah in Star Wars: The Empire Strikes Back.

Back at the Resistance base, Finn meets Kelly Marie Tran’s character Rose. Both characters team up on mission to save the Resistance while they wait for Rey’s return.

The Last Jedi is unlike any Star Wars movie. To put it frankly, expect the unexpected. I loved that aspect of the film. It kept the audience on the edge of their seat wanting to know what was going to happen next. With a few exceptions, the film was believable, sucking me fully into the universe.

Another aspect of the film that I loved was Rey’s storyline, I was emotionally invested in her journey as if I was training on Ahch-To with her.

I didn’t care, however, for the Finn and Rose storyline. I felt like the movie spent too much time on a storyline that wasn’t as important to the plot as Rey’s story. For example, the movie has you on the edge of your seat on Ahch-To, but then cuts to a bland storyline with Finn and Rose, allowing you to slouch back into your seat feeling relaxed.

In my opinion, relaxation is not what you should feel while watching a Star Wars movie. But, the intense and firy Rey moments overshadow the dull Finn and Rose moments and make The Last Jedi worth the watch. There is one Rey scene in particular that I believe is arguably one of the best scenes in any Star Wars movie, playing a role in making this movie as awesome as it is.

The acting in this film is great. Kylo Ren (Adam Driver) is more vulnerable than ever, taking me to emotional places that I never thought I would happen with his character. Carrie Fisher’s last performance as Princess Leia is gripping, and at some points is even a tear jerker. The last actor’s performance that I think deserves endless recognition is Daisy Ridley. Her chemistry with her fellow actors (especially one specific one) is so believable, it’s literally scary. If you are looking for a well acted film, The Last Jedi is a film to turn to.

The Last Jedi is a movie that I believe everyone can take something away from after watching, which is why I recommend it. I loved what The Last Jedi brought to the table — a fresh take on the Star Wars universe. I appreciate it when a film is able to emotionally take me both to dark and hopeful places, and The Last Jedi does that for me. I laughed, I cried, and most importantly I had one heck of a time. The Last Jedi was something that I wasn’t expecting, but in the end enjoyed tremendously.

On my review scale, I give Star Wars: The Last Jedi a 91%. Below you can see the five categories I used and will continue to use to rate movies in the future. Please do yourself a favor, go see The Last Jedi. You’ll thank me later.

Rating System

Plot:16/20

Film Techniques: 20/20

Immersiveness in the Story: 18/20

Overall Enjoyableness: 19/20

Total: 73/80 or 91%

Star Wars: The Last Jedi is Directed by Rian Johnson and is in theaters now.