539. Star Wars - The Last Jedi; movie review

STAR WARS - THE LAST JEDI
Cert 12A
151 mins

BBFC advice: Contains moderate violence

The everyfilm archive for 2017 would not be complete without the latest version of Star Wars, would it?
Thankfully, because he was staying for the Christmas holidays, Master W agreed to join me (this really isn't Mrs W's bag) even though he had seen it a few days earlier.
This was most useful for the after-screening chin-wag because, being a devotee, he was able to fill a few gaps in my knowledge.
Actually, let me put that record straight - I have seen every one of the Star Wars films but I just don't hang on to the plot nuances in the same way as their fans.
Therefore, I didn't see where Rogue One fitted into the franchise and that is one of the reasons it irritated me.
The Last Jedi was not only a return to form but it made sense as a follow-up to The Force Awakens which was one of my favourite Star Wars movies

And yet, I read that Star Wars nerds are raising a petition to have The Last Jedi expunged from the franchise's catalogue, with it so appalled they are (see what I did there?).
Master W (not a Jedi) disagrees. He and a pal drove all the way from Lincoln to Sheffield to see it in IMAX and he was so impressed, he was delighted to see it again.
Anyway, episode 8 (haven't there been 9?) stars Carrie Fisher (in her last film) leading the rump of the republic in a daring escape from the First Order (or the dark side to most of us).
Oscar Isaac, John Boyega and Kelly Marie Tran are daring pilots leading the rearguard action while  The Force Awakens' heroine, Rey (Daisy Ridley), is sent to seek help from Luke Skywalker (Mark Hamill) who is in retirement on a faraway planet, surrounded by furry animals with big eyes.
Yes, Star Wars wouldn't be Star Wars without a merchandising opportunity.
Leading the bad guys are a very ugly supreme leader (Andy Serkis), Han Solo's son (Adam Driver) and a commander who thinks he is more powerful than he is (Domhnall Gleeson).
It is a classic against-the-odds battle but the background story of Princess Leia and Skywalker give it the extra dimension.
Also, this episode returns to the occasional comedy of the original trilogy with C3P0 and R2D2 joining Chewbacker in prompting fun memories.
Overall, there is an effective mix of the old and the new, which is what makes Star Wars endearing and long-lasting.
And, in my opinion, The Last Jedi brings the franchise back on track.
I think I might start a petition against the petitioners.

Reasons to watch: The last Jedi brings Star Wars back on track
Reasons to avoid: some may think the story had already seen its end

Laughs: a couple of chuckles from me but belly laughs from others in the audience
Jumps: none
Vomit: none
Nudity: none
Overall rating: 8/10

Star tweet

Luke Waltham‏Verified account @lukewaltham 24h24 hours ago

Dear @carrieffisher, It’s been a year since you passed away but your spirit is still with us. You were exceptional in @starwars The Last Jedi and you have left such an important legacy in the entertainment industry and society. We will continue fighting mental health stigmas x

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