Star Wars VIII : The Last Jedi [WARNING: SPOILERS]

Adnams Drinker · 15 Dec 2017 at 14:10

I enjoyed it apart from one sequence - the whole 'Leia in space using the Force' thing. Everybody knows Leia is Force-sensitive, particularly in terms of its telepathic uses, but has had no training in its advanced use to manipulate the physical world. Suddenly she's using it to bring herself back to life and fly through space? **** off - whoever in Lucasfilm signed off on that as appropriate needs to hang their head in shame.

Actually thought the way Luke went out was pretty bad-ass, all things considered. Loved him taunting Kylo in a similar manner to Obi-Wan did with Vader in ANH. Huge goosebumps for me.

Have to confess I got a massive lump in my throat when Yoda was featured - he's one of my favourite characters from the OT and seeing him talking to Luke, with "Yoda's Theme" from ESB in the background, very nearly did me in.

Not buying the whole thing about Rey's parents just being random drunks - that's just Kylo messing with her head and there's more to come on that arc in the next one.

Never thought there was much chance of redemption for Kylo - once you commit patricide, there's really no way back.

Obviously nobody knew during filming that Carrie Fisher was at death's door, but with hindsight I think she should have swapped places with Laura Dern's character - if the main characters from the OT must be killed off, then what a way for Leia to have gone out in a blaze of glory, making the ultimate sacrifice to save the Resistance or at least give it a chance of escape. Seems tailor-made for her character's sense of duty.

Will definitely be seeing it again either next week or over the Xmas holiday.

simpletom · 15 Dec 2017 at 14:13

ianh said:
Looking around the dozen or so other forums I'm on there seems to be a fairly similar split to this site on peoples opinion of the film with roughly 75% of people saying they had problems with it (from Meh to raged induced hatred) and 25% liked it. Yet strangely the critical reviews don't match that split even slightly. Even IMDB is massively split between the critics and the paying public (83% rating for critics vs 53% for public currently).

Some Star Wars fans (I don't include myself, even though I've seen them all from the original, on first release) can be their own worse enemy. I suspect that there are a significant number resistant to change and throw a tantrum when things don't go their own way. They can be very vocal about this.

A funny thing I have seen in this thread are a fear that Disney are going to milk the franchise with the release of tacky merchandise. Listen up, kids, Lucas was, and is, the master of this. I mean, look at his crappy re-releases of the originals.

However, some fans still see themselves as protective of 'their film' - hey, it's an exclusive club! - gatekeepers of sci-fi.

I just ignore them.

PS I have not seen TLJ and keep an open mind. None of them come close to Blade Runner anyway

Simmz · 15 Dec 2017 at 14:43

It was more the feeling that it felt rushed to me. Kind of felt like I was watching empire strikes back and return of the jedi crammed into one without any further character development. Plus the whole jokes were kind of like a fart, if you try to force it too much, you know you are going to end up with ****.

HeX · 15 Dec 2017 at 15:10

Simmz said:
Plus the whole jokes were kind of like a fart, if you try to force it too much, you know you are going to end up with ****.

Don't know about where you watched it, but the whole theater was cracking up at the jokes, and some of these were hardcore fans sat there in full Jedi robes!

It's not like the OT didn't have comedy moments.

My biggest gripe was that we go nothing on Snoke; hoping we get some kind of background on how he was able to create the FO out of the scraps of the Empire, and with apparently unlimited funds and resources in Ep IX.

G-MAN2004 · 15 Dec 2017 at 15:16

ianh said:
Looking around the dozen or so other forums I'm on there seems to be a fairly similar split to this site on peoples opinion of the film with roughly 75% of people saying they had problems with it (from Meh to raged induced hatred) and 25% liked it. Yet strangely the critical reviews don't match that split even slightly. Even IMDB is massively split between the critics and the paying public (83% rating for critics vs 53% for public currently).

That's always the case with critics reviews and the general public, whether it's films, games or anything. Which is why I don't read them. Too much money involved probably.

Simmz · 15 Dec 2017 at 15:19

HeX said:
Don't know about where you watched it, but the whole theater was cracking up at the jokes, and some of these were hardcore fans sat there in full Jedi robes!

It's not like the OT didn't have comedy moments.

My biggest gripe was that we go nothing on Snoke; hoping we get some kind of background on how he was able to create the FO out of the scraps of the Empire, and with apparently unlimited funds and resources in Ep IX.

There were a few funny ones yes, but some to me just felt cringe especially the opening ones. I saw it in a 4dx cinema which made the hyperspace jumps absolutely awesome.

Scrutinize · 15 Dec 2017 at 15:26

ianh said:
Looking around the dozen or so other forums I'm on there seems to be a fairly similar split to this site on peoples opinion of the film with roughly 75% of people saying they had problems with it (from Meh to raged induced hatred) and 25% liked it. Yet strangely the critical reviews don't match that split even slightly. Even IMDB is massively split between the critics and the paying public (83% rating for critics vs 53% for public currently).

The forums discussing this are populated by the fans. Furthermore, it is the vocal fans propagating their displeasure so over emphasises or even inventing the negativity. Forums aren't really representative given its only really a few active members against millions of the wider audience. They are also full of spam, multiple, bot and troll accounts.

IMDb is readily available enough to do a quick vote which is accessible by many more people.

HeX said:
Don't know about where you watched it, but the whole theater was cracking up at the jokes, and some of these were hardcore fans sat there in full Jedi robes!

It's not like the OT didn't have comedy moments.

Yer our cinema loved it too. Best atmosphere in a film for ages.

adam cool dude · 15 Dec 2017 at 16:02

ianh said:
Looking around the dozen or so other forums I'm on there seems to be a fairly similar split to this site on peoples opinion of the film with roughly 75% of people saying they had problems with it (from Meh to raged induced hatred) and 25% liked it. Yet strangely the critical reviews don't match that split even slightly. Even IMDB is massively split between the critics and the paying public (83% rating for critics vs 53% for public currently).

I think personally it is Disney behind the scenes that if you say a bad word you get blacklisted. The way EA went back on its loot boxes in battlefront was unprecedented and I think Disney was highly involved in that. Not saying Disney is alone but it is what I suspect.

Panos · 15 Dec 2017 at 16:07

Efour said:
They need to wipe the slate clean of the old characters and make original new stories which they could do. I fear for chewie and R2 next film

Look, if you have read Vector Prime from 1999, you should know by now that the last two movies, he is on "borrowed time"

But since @adam cool dude mentioned Battlefront II. Luke in the game, is better represented in the brief story line moment, compared to the TLJ. Yeah. EA & Dice did better work than Disney portraying Luke. :/

Flibster · 15 Dec 2017 at 16:14

Ok just had a thought,

The almost constant "Let the past die", was that from the director to the fans?

It's starting to feel like it. The more I think about the film the less I like it.

Scrutinize · 15 Dec 2017 at 16:19

Flibster said:
Ok just had a thought,

The almost constant "Let the past die", was that from the director to the fans?

It's starting to feel like it. The more I think about the film the less I like it.

Given the plot, it is a very pertinent & relevant statement so I don't see conspiracy theory there.

adam cool dude · 15 Dec 2017 at 16:21

Flibster said:
Ok just had a thought,

The almost constant "Let the past die", was that from the director to the fans?

It's starting to feel like it. The more I think about the film the less I like it.

Oh almost certainly the film is done by the numbers rather than a director making a movie he would like to portray. It is the kind of movie that most likely had focus groups and all that kind of junk.

Quartz · 15 Dec 2017 at 16:23

Simmz said:
It was more the feeling that it felt rushed to me. Kind of felt like I was watching empire strikes back and return of the jedi crammed into one without any further character development.

Yes, there were clear shout-outs to both films.

I felt that a number of sections could have been trimmed to make the film tighter and better.

enigma27 · 15 Dec 2017 at 16:26

The more hours that go by the more i read the more i am understanding of why they did what they did.. i think if they had done what the fans wanted we would ultimately ended up with just a straight rehash of the OT. At least this way Rian had put it in the hands of JJ to do something fresh for EP9

Think a second watch is needed.

Al though not related just realised the solo movie is it in only 6 months but there had been very little info.

Flibster · 15 Dec 2017 at 16:26

Quartz said:
I felt that a number of sections could have been trimmed to make the film tighter and better.

The Entire Finn subplot could have been cut with absolutely no consequence to the rest of the movie really.

enigma27 · 15 Dec 2017 at 16:28

Flibster said:
The Entire Finn subplot could have been cut with absolutely no consequence to the rest of the movie really.

Agreed.

Josh · 15 Dec 2017 at 16:29

Today I made the mistake of reading the comments section on a YouTube video about a car - it contained a huge Star Wars spoiler, I'm not a fan of Star Wars but damn some people are jerks!

Quartz · 15 Dec 2017 at 16:38

Flibster said:
The Entire Finn subplot could have been cut with absolutely no consequence to the rest of the movie really.

It wasn't a Finn subplot; it was a plot containing a Chinese character so they can better sell the film in that market.

Flibster · 15 Dec 2017 at 16:58

Quartz said:
It wasn't a Finn subplot; it was a plot containing a Chinese character so they can better sell the film in that market.

That could have been any new character though. Why not the Vice Admiral who takes control post Leia's injury? Going out at a hero too, would have been popular.

Thought of another thing that could have been cut without any impact... Porgs. I wish Chewie had eaten that one, then moved onto all the others. Disney obviously wanted a toy to sell this christmas.. They had BB8 in 2015, Rogue One was free of kids characters in 2016, so they had to have something this year.

Mak3R · 15 Dec 2017 at 17:05

I found it interesting that this was the first use of

Shields actually sheilding, as in on the big rebel cruiser. How many times in past movies have you heard "shields up" or "concentrate rear shields" etc only for said ship to be instantly blown up by anything from a small fighter to a big cruiser. It was something I always wondered about in these movies, why shields always seemed useless.