Star Wars: The Last Jedi is an action packed movie with great characters and surprised me with the direction it took the Star Wars series in. I’ve heard a lot of criticism and fans upset that this most recent installment didn’t feel like a Star Wars movie. However, that is exactly what I think makes this film so great and keeps me interested in seeing where this series will go from here.

May the Force Be With You! Rey trains to become a Jedi. Photo by Vanity Fair.

The plot of Star Wars: The Last Jedi picks up right after Star Wars: The Force Awakens. Rey seeks out Luke Skywalker’s help and trains with him to help heighten her abilities. Meanwhile, the Resistance is preparing for battle with the First Order. Let’s start off with the things I most liked about The Last Jedi. SPOILER AHEAD!

1. The Failures

I love this movie because of the failures of the characters. Poe gets demoted for being too reckless and trigger happy, Rose and Finn get betrayed by DJ and get captured by Captain Phasma, Holdo must sacrifice herself for the Resistance, Kylo disappoints Rey and doesn’t go to the light side, Rey’s parents aren’t anyone powerful and were just junkers who sold her off, Snoke dies without any explanation to his character, and the Resistance doesn’t destroy the First Order and instead escapes to rebuild. This is unlike other Star Wars movies because there are far more failures than successes and I find that to be a more realistic portrayal of what it means to be a part of a rebellion. I know these events felt lackluster to many Star Wars fans, but in the words of Yoda, “The greatest teacher, failure is.”

2. Rose Tico

Back Up! Finn and Rose conspire together in Canto Bight. Photo by Empire.

I loved this character! As soon as we say her sister Paige take the screen, I was excited to see an Asian person taking on a bigger role in the Star Wars universe. I was disappointed at her immediate death, but then we were introduced to her sister, Rose Tico. Rose is someone in the background of the Resistance. She isn’t a fighter in the direct line of fire, but is instead a mechanic. I loved seeing the perspective of someone who lives to help the Resistance, but does it in her own way. I laughed out loud when she zapped Finn after he tried to escape. Rose is spunky, caring, and an overall great character who I’m really looking forward to seeing develop in the next Star Wars movie.

3. The Destruction of the Tree Containing Sacred Jedi Texts

He’s Back! Luke returns to the big screen. Photo by Heroic Hollywood.

I loved seeing Yoda again, and not in some CGI fashion either. Yoda gives Luke one final push and strikes down the tree full of the Jedi texts, thus destroying the legacy of the Jedi. I found this to be symbolic of letting go of the nostalgia of the original Star Wars movies. These new installments will lead away from the classics and create something. I talked with my dad about this and he agrees that this unpredictability excites him. Seeing as how he grew up watching the Star Wars movies, this pull away from the originals gives him something to look forward to. These installments won’t be a retelling of the original series, and I’m excited to see where this goes. As a person in the new generation of Star Wars fans, I feel like this series is directly for me. Don’t get me wrong, I love the originals. Rogue One was absolutely fantastic, but it felt like a love letter not written to me.

4. Two Iconic Moments

Brave. Holdo contemplates her game plan. Photo by Wired.

There were two moments that particularly stood out to me during this movie. One of them is when Holdo rams the command ship at light-speed into the First Order ship, splitting it in two and destroying other nearby ships. This moment was breathtaking. I could hear the people around me in the theater gasp and mutter in awe of this moment. Holdo’s sacrifice made for an epic cinematic scene and he character will be remembered for her bravery. The other scene is when after being repeatedly blasted and the dust settles, Luke comes out unscathed and brushed his shoulder off. The theater busted out with laughter and I felt like Luke’s sass was accurately represented.

The Unholy Trinity. Hux, Kylo Ren, and Captain Phasma look menacing. Photo by Vanity Fair.

Now onto what I didn’t like. Although I did love seeing the original characters back, I felt like some moments were out of character. I guess I can attribute that to the time in between the original trilogy and the new movies, but I still can’t see Luke contemplating killing a child. Even for a second, the Luke from the original series was one of the most loving and caring characters in the series. I have mixed feelings on Leia’s whole force flying back into the ship. I get why she has the force since she and Luke are siblings, but I feel like she wouldn’t have been able to do that without the proper training. Perhaps, she trained herself in between the original and the newest releases, but we never saw this. I also really wanted to see Leia’s reaction to Luke almost killing her son. I assume she didn’t know, and I know Leia would unleash hell on Luke if she did. I also felt like Finn and Rose’s relationship was purely platonic, so I was surprised by Rose’s sudden declaration of love.         

Overall, I give this movie a solid 8.5/10 stars. This movie was thrilling, funny yet serious when it needed to be, fast paced, and an overall wonderful addition to the Star Wars universe. Did you see the Last Jedi? If so, what are your thoughts? Thanks for reading!