We saw a Star War! Last Jedi spoiler thread

[Raith5]

I thought that the Last Jedi was a mess. I knew the end of luke skywalker's story was coming - and I wanted it to come to end - but it was done in such clumsy, wishy washy fashion which contradicted the original stories. That is Luke is now a coward who finally decides to skype in, Leia who starts out with republic but two films later can fit the whole resistance in the Millennium Falcon, chewy/R2D2/C3PO did less to push the story along than the Porgs (which were great btw). Surely you can build a new series without hollowing out this legacy?

Aside from the lack of engagement with this legacy, and the lack of continuity with the Force Awakens (so many dropped story lines), I just didnt enjoy it as film. Sure, it had great moments and great ideas but then it had moments I found really distracting (suddenly space fuel is a thing, bombs in space, space Leia doing the mary poppins thing, the whole casino story line, hyperdrives as a weapon, etc). How did a film with this budget get beyond the story board phase?

It is the only SW film where I regularly check my watch and I wondered if Star Trek fan club is still taking applicants.

 

[Imaculata]

Nothing brings me more joy than seeing people on the internet complain about social justice warriors after seeing a movie. And it truly was a joy to see such varied representation in this movie, with a lot of female pilots too.

But after seeing the movie, I still have mixed feelings about it. Surprisingly, the deconstruction of the Force and iconic characters from the original trilogy, is what I take the least issue with. These were actually welcome additions to the movie. Its good that they shake things up, and I was genuinly intrigued by the movie's take on the Force. They gave us something new, and constantly defy audience expectation.

But the story was uneven, lots of scenes ultimately don't go anywhere (no pay off), several jokes fall flat, and the editing is occasionally a bit jarring. Some scenes go on too long, or they cut back to something we've already seen, with no real progression of the story. And then some other scenes end too abruptly, and do not allow the scene to settle with the audience (which you need).

This movie has a lot of pacing and editing problems. Plus this not only is a long movie, but it FEELS long. After the whole casino and space race bit, I remembered from the trailer that surely there's still an entire battle on the planet krait with AT-AT's that is supposed to happen. And I honestly thought to myself, how much longer is this going to be? I'm fine with movies that are a bit longer. Sometimes you are so drawn into a movie, that time flies by, and you don't even notice the length. But due to some serious pacing problems during the second act, you really notice that it drags on.

 

[Olgar Shiverstone]

I bet the whole parsec line also rubs some of you the wrong way......god i swear sometimes i'm ashamed to be part of this fandom.

Well, you see, there are these black holes near Kessel, and ...

 

[hawkeyefan]

So I’m not sure why Rian Johnson gets the blame for “destroying Luke” or whatever...it was very clearly established in The Force Awakens that Luke had a rogue student who destroyed his academy and then he quit...just walked away from it all. Han explains this to Finn and Rey in the Falcon in the Force Awakens.

So The Last Jedi was just going with what had been established. Not sure why people angry about this take on Luke are directing it at Johnson amd The Last Jedi.

Why did people seemingly go into this movie expecting something other than what Han explained?

 

[hopeless]

The more I hear about this the more I'm left wondering if Disney had Rian increase the amount of time involving Luke and Rey at the cost of ruining his actual planned storyline?

The Resistance are on the run, Finn is sent to infiltrate a First Order base to locate and disable whatever the FO are using to track them.

So they hide within say an asteroid belt waiting out the FO fleet forcing them to send in fighters almost killing Leia in a surprise attack.

We see glimpses of Rey's training they reveal Rey was clearly raised by a Jedi survivor explaining her prodigious abilities making it clear it was Finn who awakened in TFA not Rey!

Finn accompanied by a group of 2-4 specforces operatives making it clear he's their to advise not take centre stage.
The whole thing however is a trap set for Finn, the whole DJ betraying them is actually to help smuggle in Rose & BB-8 so they can complete the mission and hopefully rescue Finn.

They use Finn to draw out Rey ala ESB, but Finn escapes on his own.

Rose secures the ship they need to escape on, BB-8 sabotages the Supremacy whilst Finn helps rescue Rey demonstrating his fight with Kylo wasn't a one off.

Kylo kills Snoke caught unawares by the realisation that Finn was the one he felt awaken.

Can't help wondering what his original story would have been?

 

[Maxperson]

So I’m not sure why Rian Johnson gets the blame for “destroying Luke” or whatever...it was very clearly established in The Force Awakens that Luke had a rogue student who destroyed his academy and then he quit...just walked away from it all. Han explains this to Finn and Rey in the Falcon in the Force Awakens.

So The Last Jedi was just going with what had been established. Not sure why people angry about this take on Luke are directing it at Johnson amd The Last Jedi.

Why did people seemingly go into this movie expecting something other than what Han explained?

It's pretty easy to see why Johnson is getting the blame. While it was established in The Force Awakens, it wasn't really visible until The Last Jedi. Humanity tends to be near sighted and blames what it can see, not necessarily the cause of what it can see.

 

[hawkeyefan]

It's pretty easy to see why Johnson is getting the blame. While it was established in The Force Awakens, it wasn't really visible until The Last Jedi. Humanity tends to be near sighted and blames what it can see, not necessarily the cause of what it can see.

Just seems very odd to me. Folks seem mad at this movie for using what TFA established, and for NOT using things that fans speculated about after TFA.

I would have expected anyone that had such strong expectations about this movie wouldn’t ignore what had actually been established.

 

[Joker]

Some things may have been established in TFA but there was no plan or outline for what was going to happen after. This comes from JJ Abrahms and Rian Johnson themselves. It seems to me JJ wanted to make a good intro movie for the trilogy with enough plothooks for the next director to work with. He came from making Lost with Lindenhoff so he knows how to throw a lot of interesting things in the mix which may or may not lead to anything.
I don't really remember the original trilogy so I could care less about Luke. But I can understand people getting mad at Rian for writing Luke the way he did in The Last Jedi.

 

[Thomas Bowman]

I thought that the Last Jedi was a mess. I knew the end of luke skywalker's story was coming - and I wanted it to come to end - but it was done in such clumsy, wishy washy fashion which contradicted the original stories. That is Luke is now a coward who finally decides to skype in, Leia who starts out with republic but two films later can fit the whole resistance in the Millennium Falcon, chewy/R2D2/C3PO did less to push the story along than the Porgs (which were great btw). Surely you can build a new series without hollowing out this legacy?

Aside from the lack of engagement with this legacy, and the lack of continuity with the Force Awakens (so many dropped story lines), I just didnt enjoy it as film. Sure, it had great moments and great ideas but then it had moments I found really distracting (suddenly space fuel is a thing, bombs in space, space Leia doing the mary poppins thing, the whole casino story line, hyperdrives as a weapon, etc). How did a film with this budget get beyond the story board phase?

It is the only SW film where I regularly check my watch and I wondered if Star Trek fan club is still taking applicants.

They should have brought in Thrawn!

You tell me, who is the better villain? Thrawn would never have relied on some silly think like the Starkiller Base. I hear is still part of the movie continuity, he might show up for Episode IX.

 

[MoonSong]

Nothing brings me more joy than seeing people on the internet complain about social justice warriors after seeing a movie. And it truly was a joy to see such varied representation in this movie, with a lot of female pilots too.

I think some people just project at each and every chance they get. None of the female characters felt gratuitous, their presence made sense and made the world more organic.

But after seeing the movie, I still have mixed feelings about it. Surprisingly, the deconstruction of the Force and iconic characters from the original trilogy, is what I take the least issue with. These were actually welcome additions to the movie. Its good that they shake things up, and I was genuinly intrigued by the movie's take on the Force. They gave us something new, and constantly defy audience expectation.

Yes the deconstruction was welcome and the best part of the movie.

But the story was uneven, lots of scenes ultimately don't go anywhere (no pay off), several jokes fall flat, and the editing is occasionally a bit jarring. Some scenes go on too long, or they cut back to something we've already seen, with no real progression of the story. And then some other scenes end too abruptly, and do not allow the scene to settle with the audience (which you need).

Lots of minor problems with edition. I was anxious half the time. Though I disagree on the humor, a lot of the jokes are way funnier in the dub or are erased if not needed. VAs in my country do magic.

This movie has a lot of pacing and editing problems. Plus this not only is a long movie, but it FEELS long. After the whole casino and space race bit, I remembered from the trailer that surely there's still an entire battle on the planet krait with AT-AT's that is supposed to happen. And I honestly thought to myself, how much longer is this going to be? I'm fine with movies that are a bit longer. Sometimes you are so drawn into a movie, that time flies by, and you don't even notice the length. But due to some serious pacing problems during the second act, you really notice that it drags on.

One of the benefits of avoiding trailers, I didn't know what expect and I just allowed myself to follow the flow of the movie. Only by the last act I got to think back and notice "wow, this feels like a miniseries and I'm watching the season end".

I'm going a second time. Can't wait to buy the DVD, too.

I don't think I'd go twice to the theater to see the same movie. But I'm eager to get the Blueray as soon as it's out.