Star Wars: Five Things ‘The Last Jedi’ Got Right
Let’s take a look at some things The Last Jedi did perfectly.
A few weeks ago we took a look at some of the mistakes The Last Jedi made. However, the movie has plenty of great parts to go along with the mistakes. Today let’s take a look at some things the movie nails.
Making Rey No One
After the Force Awakens there was a ton of speculation about who Rey was. After all she had to be somehow connected to one of the powerful characters we already knew right? A secret Skywalker? Luke’s daughter? Maybe a Kenobi? Well, the Last Jedi answered the question by saying she was no one. Just a girl chosen by the Force. Now this movie gets some flak for “subverting expectations” but I honestly think it got it right here. This felt like the best move, it made the universe bigger and expanded things. There wasn’t any real reason she had to come from some family. Anakin didn’t after all. Being related to a powerful family was Luke and Leia’s thing. It was an inspirational idea that someone who came from nothing could become everything. Sure, Rise of Skywalker undid this, but in the context of this movie, it was the right move.
Calling Out The Old Republic Jedi
At one point during his “training” of Rey, Luke goes on a mini-rant about the Jedi Order. Here he calls out the Jedi of the Republic for their hubris and hypocrisy, and talks about the danger of being a legend. In a series, at least movie-wise, that romanticizes the Jedi, it’s important to also point out their flaws. If anything it sounds like he’s been talking to Ashoka in his free time.
Killing Snoke
In another subversion, the movie kills off Supreme Leader Snoke half-way through. This is a character we’ve been assuming was the series big bad, the one who’d finally get taken down at the end. While some think killing him was a mistake, I feel that it was the perfect move. This was one of the few really surprising moves the movie made, as it defied tropes and conventions. Many of the other “subversions” aren’t really shocking – but this was. It changed things, and led to a wonderful set up to have Kylo, not Snoke be the ultimate big bad. Snoke after all was a bit of a nothing character; with a handful of scenes and little presence. It made sense to actually see the Sith tactic of the apprentice killing the master in practice, and cemented Kylo as a rising power.
Not Redeeming Kylo Ren
Redemption arcs are a dime a dozen these days, and Star Wars is no stranger to them. Plenty of people always assumed Kylo Ren/Ben Solo was going to be redeemed. The Force Awakens played with it, only to have him reaffirm his commitment to the Dark Side. The Last Jedi does a lot of work in making Ren a more sympathetic character, explaining his past and fall more. It seems like maybe he has a real connection with Rey, and he wants to destroy the warring factions. And then it happens, he turns on Snoke, saves Rey and helps destroy Snoke’s guards. It seems like he is changing sides, redeemed. Rey even calls on him to stop the attack on the Resistance fleet.
But the movie doesn’t go that way. Ren isn’t redeemed at all. He didn’t kill Snoke to save the Resistance, or even really to save Rey. He did it for power. This is his move, to take control and become Supreme Leader. Yes, he wants Rey to join him, but in the Dark Side, as the rulers. Kill the past, because the First Order is the future. It’s a great move, that fits the character that’s been established. By the end of the movie you’ve got Ren as the Darkest person we’ve seen, killing off his own family and now unhinged and in control of the First Order. It’s a great set up the final movie (too bad it was thrown away).
Bonus: Adam Driver
Just a shout out to Adam Driver who just carries this movie. He is perfect in the role. That’s all.
Luke And Yoda Chat
When people compare this movie to Empire I feel a lot of it has to do with this scene. Sure, there are some odd ramifications about how much Force Ghosts can do, and why they don’t intervene, but taken on its own this scene is beautiful. In just a few minutes it ruminates on failure, growth, being a teacher, and the danger of being beholden to the past & random old documents you don’t really understand. All of this while being beautifully shot and scored. This scene really brings the old magic and shows why Yoda became the wisest Jedi on Dagobah. “We are what they grow beyond.” As someone who’s been a teacher, few lines in Star Wars hit like this one.
Let us know what you thought the movie got right, down in the comments!
