Film review: The Last Jedi (2017)
This reviewer’s reaction to the “Star Wars” franchise is slightly different than those younger than he. I didn’t grow up with the films. I was already an adult when “Star Wars” was released in 1977, was married at the time “The Empire Strikes Back” came out, and had a child on the way when “Return of the Jedi” hit theaters. So I have always approached the films as cinema, not as sentiment.
At the time, the first three “Star Wars” films were impressive at many levels, but I recall being taken by how well each movie truly used the entire widescreen frame. This was during a time when TV and (eventually) video releases only offered full screen, so the “Star Wars” movies only existed in their true form on a theater screen. Their impact was enormous. Even back then it was not difficult to predict that these movies would continue to be popular with ensuing generations.
A lot has happened from that time to this. The first three movies have earned a deserved iconic status as expected. There were a gaggle of disappointing prequels that disrupted the franchise. And, of course, we also have those wagging heads who like to proudly proclaim they never connected with “Star Wars.” I don’t know if they are trying to be counterculture or just disagreeable, but they sound the same as those who state they never got why The Beatles remain so popular. Finally, a fairly recent character has arisen, the movie blogger who angrily rages against the most esoteric element of each movie in the franchise, as if his feelings should form the basis of every ensuing production. These types are only distinguishable by the fact that they’ve never been inside of a gym or a woman.
With all of these levels of positive and negative currents bouncing about the entire concept, we attempt to step back and objectively approach this latest Star Wars movie as cinema and not as sentiment. And, our verdict, is that it is great. It does its franchise well. It manages to maintain interest during its considerably long running time, keeping its narrative flowing with just the right amount of comedy, of melodrama, and of action so the stunning visuals never lazily settle into a form-over-substance excursion in effects-driven nothingness.
The current crop of Star Wars movies, which have now become as expected during the yuletide season as those maddening “Christmas Story” marathons on television, are being created by filmmakers who connected to the original films as sentiment as well as cinema. Their creative passion comes from the heart as well as the mind. So we see self-reflexive humor, noted characters who truly own their iconic status, and knowing winks to longtime fans of the series.
As with the earlier films, the visual effectiveness of the set design, the sweeping cinematography, the emotionally stirring music, and the utter seriousness of the performances, are all comfortably settled into the production, making it something that should not even be allowed to be screened on a computer or a phone. There is an old cinema school term called mise en scène that refers to the visual placement and design, the use of negative space the surrounds the central action, and “The Last Jedi” uses this perfectly. From creepy villains and their jittery co-horts, from the wry humor of the heroes, and the final screen appearance of Carrie Fisher’s Princess Leia, “The Last Jedi” is a formidable contribution to the series as a whole.
Carrie’s death in December of 2016 makes her scenes more impactful, especially the one she plays with Mark Hamill’s Luke Skywalker. When he rests his hand on hers and quietly states, “nobody really goes away,” it is almost more than this original fan could handle. Hey, maybe I am a bit taken by sentiment!
It is likely that the force will always be with us. New generations who were not around to see and experience the first three films at the time of their initial release now have their own Star Wars movies that are a part of their immediate world. They are growing up with these films, and will make them classics. And still new generations will likely create other ideas from this basis, long after we original fans have gone.
But nobody really goes away.