Star Wars: The Last Jedi [4K UHD]

Phenomenal. Between The Force Awakens and The Last Jedi, Disney has succeeded in making Star Wars fun again. Where the prequels were meandering and senseless (with a soupçon of ill-advised “comic relief” flatulence/poop jokes), the new films are well structured and build to satisfying conclusions, with humor that doesn’t undercut the tone. SLIGHT SPOILER ALERT “TFA” and “TLJ” are about change and new beginnings. We are slowly but surely saying goodbye to the Skywalker family; George Lucas’ silly vision of Anakin, etc. as THE ONLY PEOPLE THAT MATTER IN THE WHOLE GALAXY has been retired in favor of a vision of a more democratic version of the Force, not contingent on the number of bugs in your bloodstream. Why? The Jedi Order looks ridiculous under the weight of Lucas’ prequels, Clone Wars cartoons, and his expanded universe. While the original trilogy gives a sense of a small but dedicated order of spiritual warriors, Lucas later transformed them into a massive order of celibate warrior monks and bodyguards, answerable to no one but an inept council that has no foresight and delivers intentional slights to its own members on a whim. Many have commented on how the Jedi Council seems to act only in service of propelling the plot, without any identifiable “in-universe” reason. Example: Anakin is elevated to the Council but spuriously denied the title of Master. We are not given a real reason, except for the fact that we know Anakin needs to feel betrayed by the Jedi so he can have the motivation to turn against them. If the council thought for a moment, they would instead deny Anakin a spot on the Council altogether under the argument that he was not ready yet, or they could just elevate him to full Master status and overrule him when he allowed his emotions to get the better of him. Either option may have failed to mollify him completely, but might have avoided his turn to the Dark Side, which was precisely what they wanted to prevent in the first place! In contrast, the characters in the new films are fresh and unencumbered by the lore of Star Wars. It’s nice to see strong women in these films; my two-year-old daughter will one day be able to see Rey as the hero of Star Wars movies, something that would have been unthinkable ten years ago. Likewise, although there are callbacks to the original trilogy, these new films are clearly forging their own path, so to speak. The death of Snoke was surprising and satisfying; in three seconds, the dynamic of the entire trilogy was permanently altered. Kyle Ren’s inner conflict and ultimate embrace of the Dark Side (while simultaneously rejecting Snoke’s teachings about the Dark and the Light) was suspenseful and well done. And sad as it was to see Luke die, it was necessary for the films to move forward (and not entirely unexpected on my part). And of course, how could I not mention the return of Yoda to confront Luke about his indecision and doubts, to remind him that failure is the greatest teacher, and to remind us that Luke, whose mind is never on where he is or what he is doing, is not perfect. And that last image of Luke, older and wiser, watching two suns set, is poignant and perfect. Some criticism has been leveled at the “new” force powers, like astral projection and telepathy. Are these new, though? If the Jedi can control the minds and thoughts of others, why can force-sensitive individuals not communicate telepathically? Luke and Darth Vader did just that in “Empire” (“Luke...” “Father?”). And if Jedi can become Force ghosts after death, why can’t they project an image of themselves across space? The truth is, “The Force” is whatever the writers say it is, like it or not. All in all, I found The Last Jedi to be satisfying. Rey found a new way that rejects the dogma of the Jedi order (much like Leto’s Golden Path in “God Emperor of Dune” rejected the dogma of Muad’Dib’s religion and the restrictions of the Bene Geserit sisterhood), Kylo Ren fulfilled the destiny of a Sith Lord by killing his master before rejecting the Sith, the Resistance created new heroes, and we saw Leia get a proper send off (“No one is ever truly gone,”). Don’t listen to the naysayers; the special effects are fantastic, the characters change and grow, and the story moves forward.

Yeah, good fun that is definitely not a one or two star film like some of the true dregs out there these days. Yet look at the user ratings breakdown. Not sure what the most popular reason for irrationally hating every second of this visually stunning YA space fantasy movie is, but that ridiculously melodramatic reaction is undeniable when looking at some of these reviews. Some are so lost in nostalgia that they can't accept the aging heroes making way for a new generation. Heck, they can't even accept upgrades in their comic relief droids. Some desperately wanted to see Luke go out slaughtering storm troopers like younglings and refuse to understand or appreciate why he is the last Jedi. Screw a message with even slight nuance or philosophy, just show me poor old Mark Hamill spinning around with a lightsaber. I guess the disgraceful and awkward handling of Yoda in the prequel trilogy wasn't enough of a lesson for them. Some truly are very angry that the messages that the film sends could possibly be seen to be relevant to current political situations. This is both pretty much unavoidable and very well handled in the movie. I think that, for some politically motivated haters, the character of Kylo Ren just hits a little too close to home for comfort. Overall, this is a very enjoyable movie, but not a serious masterpiece of any kind. It isn't meant to be. It's meant to be accessible and popular with kids. It is undeniably exciting and visually beautiful. It also isn't an almost direct reshoot of Empire, like TFA was for A New Hope. This is, quite simply, the defining series in blockbuster young adult friendly space fantasy. It can't be killed by one movie despite what you might hear from trolls. This should be obvious after it survived pod racing with no problems. The movies have made huge leaps in terms of writing and are better off for it. The original trilogy was great for its time, but the writing almost seemed to insult the intelligence of its audience. Modern viewers prefer characters with nuance and serious flaws that need to be overcome or accepted. Han always did shoot first, but that aspect of his character is mostly ignored in the rest of the story. Heck, they literally tried to erase it. Palpatine was also never explained in any detail until the prequels. Boba Fett became a fan favorite with almost zero actual dialogue, a pathetic on screen death, and a mean looking suit of armor. Yet suddenly, even the amazing advancement this movie did make in terms of character development is not enough for those who look back perhaps too fondly and blindly on the original from their childhood. For all of its nostalgia value and seminal importance, the original trilogy was full of two dimensional paper characters. This movie marks the first time that the mainline trilogy has deviated from that formula, and I am glad that they saw the strong appeal and success that this sort of writing brought to Rogue One. The movie is nothing less than a positive step forward for the series in literally every single aspect. Rian Johnson refused to apologize or tiptoe when doing that, and almost seems insulted by the suggestion that he should. I agree with him wholeheartedly and cannot wait to see what he does with his own trilogy.

Star Wars: Episode VIII: The Last Jedi (TLJ) is the latest feature length installment in the epic Star Wars cinematic series. The previous installment being directed by the highly lauded J.J. Abrams, this feature sees high-budget directorial newcomer Rian Johnson take the helm precisely where the previous entry left off, to a promising continuance of the series. Indeed, don't let his resume fool you. Although, TLJ is the first film he has been called to direct with such an astounding high budget, he proves himself no Padawan to the task, leaving audiences with a thrilling and moving experience, which not only defied expectations but even challenges the audience for having them in the first place. Some slight spoilers abound in what follows. You have been warned. Getting the technical aspects out of the way, as usual, Star Wars continues to impress with it's usual abundance of well crafted eye candy. The experience of witnessing a cosmic battle among the stars in the Star Wars series has never shown dearth in its immersive ability, and that is still the case here. From an adrenaline pumping battle with Snoke's Praetorian Guard, to seeing the beautiful vulptices and the striking scattering of red salt on the world of Crait, viewers will no doubt walk away satisfied for their visual fill. The most notable highlight comes wherein a certain scene a certain character hits light-speed in their ship in order defend the Resistance from being wiped out by the First Order in a moment which has it's visual brilliance only underscored by the emotional toll that follows. I won't spoil more than that. And if you were indecisive as to whether to buy this film on Blu-ray or DVD -- and I'm not sure why you would be -- buy it on Blu-ray. What I will go on to spoil, as if the previous film didn't already make this obvious, is the heartfelt (or is it cynical?) return of Mark Hamil, reprising his role as Luke Skywalker. Fanboys of the serious are no doubt split on how Luke has been reintroduced to the series: more on that in a bit. However, as for the actor himself, Hamil does a spectacular job regarding what he's given to work with. Indeed, this is true for all the cast. Of note in particular is Adam Driver who steals the show as Kylo Ren, doing a fantastic job with mere contenance alone conveying the inner angst and turmoil of the disillusioned fallen Padawan of Luke Skywalker. Despite being the central antagonist of the film, Driver will genuinely leave the viewer uncertain as to which direction he will take before all is said and done. And although that may lead readers to think I gave away the ending arc of this character, watch the movie, and you may be surprised. This is true too of Daisy Ridley, reprising her role as the aspiring Padawan of the Resistance member Rey (of nowhere), her character too having her own existential crisis. There comes a twist in the film where it is unknown in what direction these characters will go amidst the consequences, and, well, that brings us to the story. And what a story it is! But I'd like to get a minor nitpick out of the way before praising all the good. As mentioned before, the movie takes place PRECISELY where the last movie left off, as in there is no time gap from the end of the last movie to the beginning of TLJ. This is unprecendented in the Star Wars movie series. With every sequel in the man story, there is a gap of time from where the previous movie left off ranging from months to years, usually done to allow Expanded Universe (EU) material to fill in the blanks for hardcore fans to enjoy while waiting for another movie to come out. But I believe this was also done originally by George Lucas in order to simulate the feeling of his childhood in watching old film serials that use to play before the feature presentation of a movie. By not allowing a gap of time to exist, I believe something was lost here which, although seemingly minor, is a big aspect of the main Star Wars movies. Nonetheless, with what was envisioned, I can see why the change was made, and the story doesn't suffer for a flaw in expetation, quite the opposite in the bulk of what is given. The theme of this film centers on expectations (or at least the subversion of them: deconstruction, if you will), legacy, legend, failure, faith/hope, responsibility, and life. And as for expectations, it is the audience's which is thrown right out the window upon meeting the new (and more cynical and defeatist) Luke Skywalker. Now introduced to us as a self-loathing hermit who has essentially given up on not only himself, but the Jedi, all hope, and even the Force, we meet Luke where we left off in the previous installment: his hidden location discovered by Rey on some remote planet. Only what's more, we find he has no interest in saving anybody, not even himself. A horrible mischaracterization, no? Well, no, not for me. Fans are split on this topic, especially the hardcore fans who have a particular vision of what Luke must always be and symbolize upon him becoming a Jedi at the end of Return of the Jedi. However, and while I can understand fan puritism in some cases, just because a story or character goes in a direction you did not want, doesn't make it bad story in what it sets out to be. For instance, certain characters like Superman, Rorscach (Watchmen), and The Doctor (Doctor Who) are meant to symbolize something bigger than themselves, something never changing, and thus, there are simply things that these characters are not meant to intentionally do under any circumstance else betray the very point of their existence. In fact, there are situations these characters should not be presented in because of what they are meant to represent. Luke never came off to me as being the same type of character, representing an ideal before being his own person. I suspect the same is true for anyone who had no problem with Luke's characterization in TLJ, but if you hold Luke up to be more of a symbolic character than his own person (flaws and all), this movie probably isn't for you. It will be difficult to dance around heavy spoilers from here on out, but let me start by saying, if the character of Luke was going to go in the direction Johnson was going to take him in, the reason given in the movie was the perfect reason why. The audience learns of an incident within Luke's past which tempted him to make a gut-wrenching choice. A choice for which he's never forgiven himself. Many fans of Luke argue that Luke woud never consider doing this, but I argue, given what genocide we've seen brought at the hands of Luke's father (and thus what potential genocide could come from this new threat he is faced with) and that all attempts at a peaceful resolution continuously failed him despite his best efforts over a prolonged period of time, I can see why Luke, at his wit's end, considered it. What's more, if the choice didn't leave Luke feeling especially humilated, denouncing himself as a failure, what reason could Luke have for isolating himself in the middle of nowhere while his friends and family struggle at death's door, the mighty First Order wiping out many of their number as the days cycle on? Like Yoda and Obi-Wan before him, his failure is related to not being able to prevent what was right under his nose, and represents not just defeat at the power of the dark side but a means of punishing himself. An interesting parallel: "it's like poetry, sort of; they rhyme." However, Luke's defeatism claims not only himself, but it appears to claim his belief in the Jedi as well. Fans of the Star Wars prequel trilogy will be thrilled by the implicit acknowledgement to the prequels, whereas the last movie seemed to be mostly silent as to their existence. Luke tells all about the Jedi's failure and their arrogance that left them ripe for a downfall in Episode I - III. Luke rightly points out and chastises the arrogant absolutist philosophy practiced by his predecessors at the height of their power, leading them to their own destruction. But failure isn't the end, nor is it wholly a bad thing: the upshot of Luke's arc, and what he learns through an old friend (wink wink), was truly moving and inspiring. To anyone who feels helpless in a sea of chaos, to anyone who believes their previous short-comings signify the end, TLJ reminds us that despair was yesterday, hope is tomorrow. And when we thought Luke was the only hope, we were reminded, "No, there is another." The passing of Carrie Fisher was a blow to many a Star Wars fan, but although this was her final movie, it most certainly wasn't the least of them. Leaving on a high note, the character of Leia reurns to us one last time, war-weary but holding on to an inner light in more ways than one. Her character arc mosty revolves around that of Poe Dameron, played by Oscar Isaac. Isaac does a wonderful job in the role of Poe, a brash and impulsive starfighter with the The Resistance, whose actions are quite what one would expect of a sort of Han-Solo-ish figure for this current series of movies. But although he fills something of that role, viewers will leave the movie not with what they expect of it. Instead it is a high contrast with him, Leia, and Vice Admiral Holdo, played by Laura Dern, which will leave one not exactly wanting to be flippant with the odds when concerned with the stake of his colleages lives. It's an unexpected subversion to see in an action movie, but this time faith/hope, level-headedness, and caution win out over the usual power fantasy of risking it all and winning. Again, a common theme of one's failure not being the end pops up within this arc as well. Related to this, and still carrying those themes on throughout, is the arc of Finn, played by John Boyega. The character defined as a man running away from what he should confront continues on that same note in TLJ. It is through him we meet the ever compassionate and charming character of Rose, played by Kelly Marie Tran, recovering from the death of her sister in the movie's opening battle, and later on, the nihilistic DJ, played by the phenomenal Benicio del Toro, a master slicer (hacker) needed to penetrate the First Order's defense systems. It is through these characters wherein Finn's identity as a hero is tested, Rose inspiring into Finn a hopeful optimism and appreciation for life to bring out the hero within him, while DJ encourages an amoral cynicism to keep him down his cowardly path. There's also a bit of an anti-capitalism and anti-war message presented through the characters in their own respective way that may put off any poltically right-leaning individual, and indeed, many of that persuasion do appear to have been completely set off by this. From what I've experienced, however, Star Wars has always had a bit of a left-leaning message, whether it be anti-Bush in the prequels or against the Vietnam War in Return of the Jedi. It seems odd that some choose now to complain, but let it be known, there is a left-leaning message in the movie for anyone too sensitive a taste for it. Continuing on, the character of Rose furthers another theme found throughout the movie, that of legends and heroes, or should I say the demystification of such things. In her first encounter with someone she believes to be a laudable hero, Finn, she finds he is much less than what she thought him of the praise, absconding from the Resistence in order to keep his friend Rey out of the battle with the First Order. And indeed, it is interesting to see Johnson deconstruct much of the unequivical praise that is attributed to the typical heroes featured in a fantasy story, showing a different, much more human side of such characters. However, this doesn't ultimately make them any less the hero for consequence of their flaws, not deep down. No, and again, the movie reminds us through the sub-plot with Finn, Rose, and DJ that it isn't failure that marks the end of things. Life is precious, and being a cliche hero who is so willing to die just for victory can be less heroic than cautiously living on for the chance of hope in a better solution. And if you commit to this, sometimes that patience, that faith, that hope is rewarded far better than any high risk or suicidal plan. Much of this too is true for Rey and Kylo Ren. Finding her "legendary hero", he too is much different than what was expected, much more human and flawed. But she isn't alone. Kylo Ren too is suffering from disillusionment as to what he aspired to be, a helmet smashing scene underscoring this point early in the movie. Were the Jedi worthy of being aspired to? But additionally, from the point of view of the dark side, what is so worthy in the philosophy of the Sith? Does legacy, blood given or religion told, determine the whole of our identity? Perhaps the past should burn to a cinder, and something new should be born from the ashes of the old? This is a queston Johnson keeps at the forefront of the primary character's arcs. I won't spoil too much more, excect to say there is a nice nod to Zen Buddhism in a line (which actually has a clever double-meaning) a certain old fan favorite character has to say about Rey and the future of the Jedi philosophy. And yes, I know, arguably all of the Jedi philosophy is heavily inspired by eastern philosophy, Buddhism in particular. It was still a nice nod, to me, though. This accompanied with a scene at the end of a certain child sweeping away a dirty stable before gazing at the stars in wonder, left me with a sense of optimism for the future. This movie has created a severe split in the Star Wars fanbase for many reasons, including some explained here. But what many of the critics miss is truly a tale of optimism despite any disgrace of defeat, an urge to go on when all feels lost (when you have failed and you are lost), and that our destinies are in our control (in our hands), if we can only believe in ourselves and each other. A set back is not the end. "Hope is like the sun. If you only believe in it when you can see it, you'll never make it through the night."

Personally, I love every Star Wars movie, although Episodes 1 and 2 are kind of hard to sit through. When I first saw The Last Jedi - I could understand why people hated on it so much. It went in directions that people didn't expect, and some didn't really want. That being said, I LOVED pretty much all of the twists in the movie. I do agree with most people that the Canto Bight stuff was pretty unnecessary though. SPOILERS: Luke's death: I loved the way Rian Johnson handled the passing of Luke Skywalker (which I know is an unpopular opinion). The whole point of Luke's force projection thing is to buy the resistance time to escape. It was never going to be about going out in a blaze of glory like many people expected/wanted. Isn't the whole point of the Jedi to be the peacekeepers of the Galaxy and of the Force? Luke did something that nobody had ever done (as far as we know) at that extreme of a level. How much more of a Jedi can he be? I loved the imagery of Luke becoming one with the Force with the sunset in the background, it was a beautiful callback to the original Star Wars. People are angry about Luke just disappearing into the force peacefully, although they seem to forget that Yoda basically did the same thing in Return of the Jedi, nobody seemed to have a problem with that though. Luke's Cowardice: This also brings up the complaint that Luke is a coward who went into hiding, when he does literally the same thing Yoda and Obi-Wan did at the end of Revenge of the Sith. They failed to see evil right under their nose, and it came out and destroyed the Jedi Order, which is what Ben Solo did. The difference is that Luke actually did see the evil and was about to hastily act on it, but then was caught with his lightsaber lit and the rest is history. Luke was ashamed of what he let happen, and felt like the galaxy would be better off without him, and without the Jedi as a whole. People say that Luke wouldn't pull out his lightsaber like that, but it wasn't the first time he let his emotions get the best of him. Remember Return of the Jedi, when Luke was beating the living hell out of Darth Vader? He let his anger get the best of him for a few moments, but he stopped and realized what he was doing and fought against it. The same thing happened with Ben Solo, Luke just realized it too late. Snoke's Death: This was beyond satisfying, Snoke always felt like a placeholder for when Kylo would eventually take over as Supreme Leader. I think this actually makes Snoke a bit more interesting because it makes you question, who the hell was that guy? He was obviously very powerful with the Force because he threw Rey around like a rag doll, and then to just get killed off so easily. Who is he? What's his story? I have a feeling that more will be learned about him in Episode IX through some kind of backstory. I think the point is that the Force is always looking for balance, there's never not going to be a sith, it has to remain balanced, which is why Snoke appeared. The Force chose him to balance out the light.There may be lulls where there are more light side force users than darksiders, but eventually it balances back out. Rey and Ben: Going into the movie, I thought that one of the major characters would switch sides or something. I got that, for like 5 minutes. Ben Solo kills Snoke unexpectedly and briefly fights the Praetorian Guards alongside Rey, which was an amazingly awesome fight scene. For a moment I thought, "Okay so is Ben a good guy now?" I really liked when Ben basically turns back into Kylo Ren and asks Rey to join him and rule the galaxy together. It shows that maybe Ben Solo isn't redeemable after all. The only nitpick I have is that Rey doesn't seem to be really tempted even a little bit to join the dark side, she just immediately tells Ben to not go that way. Other than that, this was a really great scene. Rey's Parents: I don't have much to say about this one because I find this to be the least interesting major character detail. That being said, I like the subversion of expectations, and I like the message. I think it's a much better message that someone can come into power and make a name for themselves coming from nothing, rather than having to be born into it. Much like Snoke, I think the Force chose Rey to balance things out. This is actually in line with the whole thing from Attack of the Clones about Jedi not being allowed to love, because how else do they procreate? I guess the idea is that the Force chooses people to be force-sensitive, and that's how the Jedi Order found new Jedi. The kid with the broom: Pretty much the only real reason why Canto Bight is in the movie, at the very end of the film you see a force-sensitive kid use the Force to grab a broom. This goes along with what I said about the Force choosing people to be force-sensitive. With the passing of Luke Skywalker, and there really only being two Jedi remaining (Ben and Rey), the galaxy needs new ones. Canto Bight: Okay, so this is pretty much the only thing I didn't like about the movie. I don't think it's necessarily god-awful, it's just unnecessary. The movie is 2h 31m, cut out most of the Canto Bight stuff and it's not quite as much of a chore to sit through. Finn and Rose's plan fails, and I think that may have been kind of a meta point on the part of Rian Johnson. Not all grand plans succeed, and that may have been the point. If it was, they didn't illustrate it very well. Like I said, the main payoff for the whole Finn and Rose trip to Canto Bight is the kid with the broom at the end of the film. I really felt like Finn was wasted as a character in this film, he was such a big part of TFA, and then he becomes kind of a side character in TLJ. His story could have been much more meaningful and powerful if he had been allowed to sacrifice himself like the film teased for a moment, but then Rose had to fly into him and ruin it... She made it worse with a really forced kiss that I think Finn was even surprised by. Leia and Poe: I thought the whole flyboy Poe thing was kind of cliche, but it was fine since we knew what Poe was like because of how he acted in TFA. I also loved how we finally got to see Leia use the Force, although admittedly it looked kind of silly. Overall, Star Wars: The Last Jedi is a very solid film, the pacing is a little iffy because of the Canto Bight stuff, but the good moments are just too good.

A truly spectacular Star Wars movie. For me, the only other Star Wars movie I like better is Empire and it's almost a tie. The story is absolutely beautiful. The thoughts, ideas, morals and values expressed in this movie are a throwback to the original films, told in a completely unique way. The way the characters grow throughout the film is wonderful, especially Luke, Rey, Kylo, Poe, Leia and Fin. The visuals are breathtaking and as always, John William's score adds so much to the emotion of film (truly one of the greatest composers of our time). My favorite parts of this movie are Rey and Kylo's relationship - the throne room scene is out of this world, Luke's acceptance of his failure and decision to stay true to those he loves at the end, Poe's growth into a leader, and Leia's strength to save herself from death through the force. Some things I didn't care for in the movie is the opening scene with Poe taunting Hux (corny humor kind of turned a lot of people off early) and the way the bad guys are so funny in their incompetence that we no longer fear them (we have to fear the bad guys, right). That said, Star Wars always had a kind of childish humor and this movie stays true to that - guess I'm just too old to appreciate it now. I grew up with Star Wars. I love it. It makes me sad the way this movie has been received by some fans. I went into this movie with an open mind and no preconceive ideas about the way it should go and I think that's why I loved it. I think others, who did not enjoy it, already had solid ideas about who Rey was and the way Luke should be portrayed. When this movie went in its own unique and wonderful direction they couldn't accept it. For me, the most beautiful part of this story is the idea that failure is the greatest teacher. Luke let failure consume him. For many fans, that injured Luke as the hero we all know and love. But for me, it made him even greater - it made him more whole, human and relatable. Watch it with an open mind and you won’t be disappointed.

JUST saw this movie. I rarely watch movies in theaters anymore because most movies these days are nowhere near the cost of entry. I almost always wait until a movie comes out on Redbox to watch it because a $2.00 Bluray is, on average, the best value in my opinion. So like with most movies, I was waiting for the latest Star Wars to come out Redbox or to achieve a reasonable rental price on Amazon. The only reason I caved in and rented this movie before it dropped even further is because my good friend has been wanting to talk about the movie for months because he saw it when it came out in theaters. So I bit the bullet and spent the $6.00 to rent this movie in HD (you can't watch a Star Wars movie in SD, that's a sin). I assumed it would be overpriced, like many movies I watch at that price. Boy, was I wrong. I NEVER, EVER thought I would say this about any Star Wars movie that wasn't one of the original three, but this is the best Star Wars movie I've ever seen. Which also means it's one of the best movies I've ever seen period. I was absolutely blown away. I don't think I'll ever forget the feeling I had when this movie ended. I seriously FELT the force inside me. Are there some shortcomings/flaws in this movie? Of course. EVERY movie has flaws, even the classics. If you're critical enough, you can find something flawed in every scene of every movie ever made. I almost never say things like this, but if you didn't like this movie, you must be awfully jaded/cynical. And I say that as someone who is pretty cynical. Now, it's one thing if you're the kind of person who just doesn't like Star Wars at all. I will never understand that, but I can respect the consistency of that position. However, if you're the kind of person who claims to be a "true" Star Wars fan, then you really should love this movie. I'm not going to provide a detailed and logical argument WHY you should love it, because that would miss the point. Much like the force, the most important part of a movie is not in the various details, but in the ineffable whole. So I will just say this is a movie with genuine spirit and soul. It is exciting, gorgeous, funny, clever, and deeply emotional. And Rian Johnson's directing was masterful. He seemed to capture the old spirit of Star Wars movies, but with very tasteful and subtle updating. Extremely impressive work. Totally did the franchise justice with this movie. I would argue he even managed to ELEVATE it somehow, just like a Jedi inexplicably elevates rocks. My initial impression of Rian Johnson as both a writer and a director: The force is strong with this one. Normally, I would leave my review at that (I've already said a lot!), but I also feel compelled to address the very SPECIFIC and overwhelmingly negative subset of Last Jedi haters who claim that this movie was ruined by excessive political correctness and the like. Before I respond to that argument, please know that I HATE political correctness. I completely reject the idea of trying to fill some imaginary racial or gender quota while making a movie. I find the increasing emphasis on "safe spaces" and "microaggressions" and "triggers" to be oppressive and irrational. I agree that Hollywood is becoming increasingly and annoyingly preachy and self-important. I am NOT some "cuck" or "social justice warrior". In fact, as a Marine vet, I am pretty much the OPPOSITE of a "snowflake". So when I say the massively negative reviews about political correctness are unfair, it is NOT because I'm trying to be a "white knight". It's because those accusations are NONSENSE. And because I read so many of those kinds of reviews (I was curious as to why the critical reviews and the audience reviews were diverging so much), I went in EXPECTING the movie to be terrible and overly politically correct. SO WRONG. And if God came down out of the sky and told me this movie meets the divine definition of "politically correct", then I'd have to seriously rethink my views towards "political correctness". If this movie truly is "politically correct", then "political correctness" is amazing. So if you're someone who is hesitating to see this movie because you're worried that Rian Johnson ruined Star Wars forever with cringe-inducing political correctness, DON'T. The fact that this Star Wars movie has more space for women and ethnic minorities DOES NOT detract from the ART of the movie. I see no evidence that Rian Johnson sacrificed one bit of artistic integrity in order to satisfy some kind of racial or gender quota. Maybe you will not love the movie like I did, but neither will you despise it the way the haters do.

If you don't like diversity, then don't watch the newer Star Wars movies. I'm a purist when it comes to the OG Star Wars trilogy, but like it or not, things have changed. I'm not a fan of the feminist tones in a lot of the movies and TV shows coming out of Hollywood these days, but I don't get all the hate thrown at actors like Kelly Marie Tran (Rose). She did a great job and so what that there was an Asian female in a lead role. The only role I was not really fond of was Leia. Carrie Fisher just seemed to be underplaying it so much that her character was stone stiff and stirred no emotion. I think all the complaints about the newer Star Wars movies plays to a bigger problem in that I think Hollywood has simply run out of ideas. So, they just keep remaking and rehashing the blockbusters that made them a lot of money back in the day. I grew up in the 80s and there will always be an innocence and magic in movies from back then that modern film just can't capture, no matter how much CGI they use. Anyway, for this movie, go into it with an open mind and see it more of a product of modern movies than only comparing it to the original trilogy or else you'll be disappointed. Nothing will ever beat the first Star Wars trilogy, but these new movies are much better than the Episode 1-3 lot from the 90s and early 2000s.

Do not listen to the angry bs from fedora wearing internet trolls that can't stop harping about the same old blah blah "sjw ruined the movie" wah wah wah, yawn, eye-rolling so hard, puhhhhleeese. You just mad kylo is an eye candy snack and women are not portrayed as the boring usual stereotypical weak damsels or "strong" types with no follow through. Seriously get over it, this is not the movie for you then. Let the people that appreciate this artwork in peace. Some reviewers didn't even purchase this movie or watched it all the way through. Just being whiny adult children. I've been a Star Wars fan since the original series and would watch them every xmas with my dad. I grew up with Star Wars in my blood and I have way too much Star Wars paraphernalia to last two lifetimes and I absolutely loved The Last Jedi. It is a fresh and different take on the concept. This is a completely different type of story that fits in with our world today. The visuals are stunning and everything is well thought out and pulls from actual lore. If you watch the bonus features you can see all that was put into it, and each decision that people are complaining about is actually something from the lore or has a reasoning behind it. It makes sense if you think about it. This movie in the timeline is years and decades after the original trilogy. People change. No one ever stays the same as themselves decades later in life. Things happen and situations cause people who were once a bright shining beacon of hope to fall. That is human nature and the struggle to find yourself again. I think people are missing the main message too. Yoda even explained to us. "strength, mastery, folly, failure also...failure most of all, the greatest teacher failure is". It is not always about being the hero, but to stop for a moment and think about your actions and the consequences it can have. People have to mess up hard to learn how to be better people. Luke had to fail in order to find himself and be able to be the hero again. Poe had to fail to learn to be a better leader. Rey had to fail to discover who she is and where she stands with others and in the story. Snoke failed by being way too into himself and his manipulations backfired. The First Order failed, their leadership incredibly flawed like their cause. The Jedi failed because suppressing feelings, love, and aspects of their concept of the force and themselves lead to the sith, tragedy and despair. etc etc. But because of these failures, it has taught and created possibilities for a new future. The movie is all about realizing there is a balance, but good vs evil isn't always such a clear answer as you see characters shift between light and dark. It shows us how different viewpoints of the same situation can be interpreted completely different between people. And lastly, how the force lives within all of us and all living things and death. How life leads to death, but death also is needed in order to create new life. It is the force that binds all things, not something only the Jedi or Sith can harness. I love the core message of this movie. It is a great lesson about human nature and life. I've enjoyed this movie so much more than the force awakens and rogue one. Don't get me wrong, those were amazing movies and so fun and exciting and lots of pew pew. I analyzed those movies with just as much gusto as I did for TLJ and love them all and how unique and different they are from each other, but all connect. The Last Jedi is different, intense, and thought-provoking. The chemistry between Rey and Kylo is scorching and the acting is incredible by the cast. Adam Driver, Daisy Ridley, Mark Hamill, and Carrie Fischer are insanely incredible acting gems. All the micro facial movements and expressions that show so much within the characters souls. It's all in the eyes and slight movements! Anyone saying this is worse than the prequels ARE NUTS. The prequels are uncomfortably cringy with forced chemistry between characters and where a pick-up line is awkward talk about not liking sand (the fights and visuals were rad though!). Are you kidding me?? I think I threw up a little in my mouth thinking about it. The Last Jedi is exciting, fun, and paced well. Were there problems and some odd moments? yes...but that is with all movies. Overall, it was an enjoyable experience and I loved analyzing and delving into various aspects and deeper meanings in the movie. I can't wait for episode IX. Stop drinking the haterade and join me in my otp ship. toot toot, mfers.

El envío llegó rápidamente y bien embalado. Me cogí la edición inglesa porque era más barata que la edición castellana. Pude comprobar por la foto de la contraportada, que llevaba audio y subtítulos en castellano, pero no lo he podido confirmar hasta que no la he recibido. Lleva el audio en castellano de la versión para cines. Si te da igual que la carátula esté en inglés...es una buena opción.

Excelente imagem 4k

as described

Para los fanáticos de star wars, ésta es una excelente película con sonido e imagen espectaculares! Vale la pena tenerla en la colección!

This is an excellent addition to the Star Wars saga. This continues the stories of some of the most loved characters as well as those of newer characters and brand new ones as well. There will always be criticism no matter what but in a house of Star Wars fans (both young and old) it was anticipated and did not disappoint. Highly recommend watching the bonus features and deleted scenes. There was so much filmed for this movie that quite a bit was cut and never made the actual movie. There’s also a character with an alternative option for their death there as well. So the movie is great - it gets 5 stars from us - however Amazon on this occasion would get 0 if possible!!! As many Star Wars fans did, we preordered this pretty early on. Our children were literally counting down the days to its release and arrival, knowing they’d be one of the first to receive it as it was preordered. To add to their excitement it would be arriving over the Easter School holidays. So the arrival day was nominated as their Star Wars family movie day and we were all set, all we needed was the movie! The night before it was due to arrive we received a message saying it had been dispatched, excitement was building. First thing in the morning the kids were up and waiting for it’s arrival, knowing full well though as with every delivery, it could actually come any time that day. Early on the message came that it was with the courier and out for delivery. So they waited. Lunch time came, still waiting. Late afternoon, still waiting. It was due to be delivered by 6 so we knew it couldn’t be much longer, anticipation was very high by now. Then we received a message saying the item would no longer be delivered on this day and would be delivered tomorrow instead. I can not even tell you the sheer disappointment in our home. They went straight out to the shops and purchased it there. The courier was not overly bothered when contacted. It did arrive the next day by then it was obviously no longer needed. The whole point of preordering an item like this is to be among the first to receive it. We then cancelled our other dvd on preorder as it’s a safer bet to just go to the shops for it. We love Amazon. We love prime and how quickly Amazon delivers items and 99% of the time they do come as expected. But unfortunately on the time they didn’t keep to it, it did actually ruin a fun family day planned.