Review of Star Wars: The Last Jedi (2017) by Barry F — 21 Oct 2018

Disney are view and expect the audience to view Rian Johnson and J.J. Abrams (The Force Awakens was just OK but could have been developed into something decent in this movie) as some kid of new Michael Powell and Emeric Pressburger, there not, they can't produce films that people wholeheartedly enjoy and are able to re-watch with wonder.

I watched this film in the cinema and re-watched to give the film and it's makers a chance. I was right the first time around but was left with a feeling of anger after a second watch. The production values are excellent, it's well shot and the sound design is great. The problem with this movie is how it's written and directed, it's just awful. Meaningless set pieces after meaningless set pieces are knitted together with creditworthy humor and ham handed sentiment.

The major bad taste after watching is the way the producers and director wasted talent, Carrie Fisher's last appearance is blunted and absent, does the director regret this, I wonder, sticking her in amber for the majority of the movie and removing the expected mother son relationship after the death of Solo. Luke is just silly, being on an island can turn even the most driven Jedi into acting like a teenage girl who has been grounded.

The director said that the negative reception was like the negative reviews (that did not really happen) when The Empire Strikes Back was released, that disingenuous and arrogant tone can be seen wen watching this film, best avoided.