The story continues where it left off. Ray (Daisy Ridley) tries to persuade Luke Skywalker (Mark Hamill) to teach her about the newly discovered powers that are awakening in her. On the other hand, the rebels are being pursued by the First Order fleet and the situation does not look good at all. Kylo Rehn (Adam Driver), after suffering defeats and humiliation, is trying to get on his feet. However, the fight he is waging is not only against the rebels, but also with the rebuke of his teacher Snook (Andy Serkis), but also with himself (
Star Wars: Episode VIII – The Last Jedi is a new sequel to the franchise and the second in a series of new trilogies, if we can call it that. It directly follows the latest film Star Wars: Episode VII – The Force Awakens, leading the story in a new direction. I wrote about this previous and I still believe that it was a very good Star Wars film, which at the same time paid tribute to all predecessors, but also laid the foundations for the future. J.J. Abrams did a very good job at that. And then a new director, Ryan Johnson, was hired for episode 8, who also wrote the script. A lot can be said about his work, good, but also a lot of bad.
When it comes to directing, Ryan did very well, at least when it comes to techniques. The film visually looks great. Tight and ironed, with phenomenal effects and some really impressive visual solutions (I would especially emphasize the enthusiasm for the scene with the multiplied Ray). Costumes and music classically SW. But again, most new blockbusters assume that these segments are at that level. The cast and new cast is great. Everyone is on the level, while Daisy Ridley, Mark Hamill and Adam Driver have some really phenomenal acting moments. However, I would point out that, as in the first, all the glory of the characters is taken away by BB8 – a phenomenal little toaster.
The other part of his job, the one as a screenwriter, he did the mold. Exactly. After the previous film, I expected the story to move in a new direction. To start a new story on the created foundations, which would end with the third part in the epic finale, which we are used to seeing when it comes to the Star Wars franchise. To explain to us the events in the time period between the old and the new saga, the origin of the First Order, Snook, etc. To use this time for exactly those things, preparing the ground for the final clash and beyond…
However, none of that, or a spoonful. Two hours and thirty minutes, too long, if you ask me, served as, for me personally, the worst case scenario in the entire franchise. Clumsy, cluttered, without a clear vision, with a lot of unnecessary, forced, stuffed things. Not to mention the many illogicalities, nebulae and holes. One every two minutes. Some things are so obviously nebulous that you wonder what kind of message the director is sending. Does he really consider us morons, or did he simply not cope with the big task entrusted to him and the size of the name he is looking for. The consequences of this fatal scenario are entire parts of the film, which are absolutely inappropriate and unnecessary. Furthermore, our dear characters, following the roles written for them, turn out to be funny, and it all goes so far that the foundations of the whole saga are shaken by this, to put it mildly, underage, or better said, amateur work on the script.
Whether it is up to the director or the studio (read Disney) remains to be seen. What is certain is that Ryan was rewarded for not recording the sequel. That job will again be done by J.J. Abrams. Does that say how satisfied everyone is with Ryan’s work, or is the studio trying to emerge from the mud of its own, not to mention what. Playing with something so big, in the movie world, like Star Wars, sends maybe some other messages, or asks new questions. What about the new movies from the Marvel world, and just what about the ones from the FOX house (since Disney bought them)? What about the one marked R? If Disney’s relationship to Star Wars size is an indicator, then nothing good. Still, I sincerely hope that with the new episode, things will get back on track.
