A Review With Brevity (If Not Wit)
There is a scene in The Last Jedi where we see how much a young boy, who seems to be an indentured servant or slave, was inspired after a few heroes of the rebellion visit him accidentally.
Star Wars: The Last Jedi is sending a message to all of the children all over the world as well and that message is that no matter what your station or situation, you are valuable, that you matter, and that you can make a meaningful difference in the world (or universe).
I will never forget standing in line for hours to see Star Wars (A New Hope) for the first time in 1977 (we didn’t have mega-theaters in Tennessee in 1977). I loved it so much that I saw it 12 more times during 1977/1978 and I spent the next several Christmases asking for Star Wars figures, Star Wars books, and Star Wars comics.
In fact, the first time I ever got into real trouble in school, it was because a classmate dared me to leave our elementary school campus, run to a (relatively) nearby convenience store, and purchase ten dollars worth of Star Wars Cards (In 1977 Tennessee every teacher and the Principal had paddles and were not afraid to use them on me or anyone else who broke school rules).
I was, in other words, an early adopter (obsessive) and an important member (in my own mind) or the Rebel Alliance. So as a life-long Star Wars fan who was present from the beginning, and who hated the prequels, I can say (with no reservation) that you should see Star Wars: The Last Jedi.
Present At The Revolution
So what do you say in a movie review about a movie that virtually everyone reading it has already decided to see (especially when you don’t want to provide any spoilers)?
I have decided to talk about what has made Star Wars so enduring and important, it’s central message that heroism isn’t about material reward.
I grew up relatively poor in New York City (my family moved to Tennessee because my Dad earned himself a better job).
My parents worked incredibly hard to make sure we made ends (barely) meet but it was never easy. We never really went without but we rarely had what the rich kids had.
What I loved most about A New Hope although I could never articulate it at the time, was that it was about a young boy, living in abject poverty, realizing over time that he had the power to change the universe for the better.
In the case of Luke Skywalker, we would find out later that he had sprung from a line of powerful Jedi Knights but he and his sister Princess Leia were not the only important members of the group often referred to as “Rebel Scum.”
Han Solo and his First Officer Chewbacca were rogue smugglers flying a beaten up ship that looked so beaten up that even Luke Skywalker originally referred to it as a piece of junk.
Ben Kenobi, a Jedi Knight, lived in self-imposed exile in a desert wasteland hovel (Yoda lived in hiding on a planet made up entirely of swamps in a tiny hut). These warriors, who turned out to have massive powers, were not living in luxury or taking trips to pleasure planets (while Harrison Ford would later be named “Sexiest Man Alive,” Han Solo was an international fugitive wanted in almost every star system).
Star Wars heroes weren’t living in luxury even after they won major battles or defeated empires, Star Wars heroes fought for the downtrodden without any real hope of fame or fortune (even Han Solo chose to fight even at risk of losing his cherished treasure). Star Wars heroes fought for people and for the importance of particular cherished principles.
The Last Jedi lives firmly in this same universe and the power of its message, repeated and refined over the decades of Star Wars movies, remains palpable and much needed today in these times of massive income inequality and overwhelming corporate greed and that message is:
No matter how powerful the overwhelming forces aligned against you are, no matter how outnumbered or poorly resourced you are, no matter how undistinguished your background is, it is more important to do what is right than what is likely to be successful or rewarded.
The Last Jedi distills this message to its essence, maybe more completely than any of the other movies in the history of the Star Wars universe (and it was the message felt least in the prequels).
Rebels lose.
Often rebels lose almost everything…over and over again.
Rebels don’t take vacations to pleasure planets or live in palaces (as mentioned, they usually have to live underground or in exile on planets nobody in their right mind would want to visit (much less choose as an official residence).
But still “they persist.”
And let me make clear, this group of Star Wars rebels are about inclusivity. Many of the heroes are women (and women who stand up to men successfully) and intersectional people of color. This is a rebellion for everyone in the hope of building a society with a place for everyone (and where all are treated with dignity).
Rebels are the living incarnation of the good side of the force, the notion that everything and everyone in the universe is deeply connected to everything and everyone else in the universe). Rebels and Jedi Knights learn that understanding the most powerful “force” in the universe often requires nothing more than a slap in the face with a blade of grass instead of a blaster or a lightsaber.
A Rebels strength, in the Star Wars universe, isn’t found in rank, or technology, or wealth, it is found in the simple but powerful bonds of community and friendship (friends and families working together to survive massive inequity and disadvantage).
Rey isn’t seeking out material reward, Rose isn’t seeking out material reward, Leia and Luke are not seeking out material reward, and Finn and Poe are not seeking out material reward.
All of them are working together to fight for each other’s freedom and survival in a universe that seems to see them more as raw materials then as people worthy of being accorded dignity and respect.
Now, we could have another discussion entirely about the massive amounts of money generated by this anti-materialist message but that is a discussion for another day.
Thinking Out Loud:
- It is hard to overstate how emotionally powerful it was to see Luke and Leia on screen for an entire movie. They are both major characters in Last Jedi and present throughout the film. I realized at the end of “The Force Awakens” that just seeing Luke was enough to make me feel emotionally invested and it was good to spend a few hours with Mark Hamill again.
- Daisy Ridley, John Boyega, Adam Driver, Oscar Isaac, and Kellie Marie Tran are worthy successors to the first generation Star Wars heroes. As the first generation are gently phased (or phased) out, I feel like we are in good hands. Ridley, in particular, really shines in “The Last Jedi.” I also really enjoyed Tran’s “Rose” when, at first, I wasn’t certain that I would.
- As much as I am ambivalent about welcoming established “stars” into the Star Wars universe, I enjoyed Benicio Del Toro’s “anti-Han” character DJ. Well conceived and written play on what would have happened if Han had never stopped being mercenary.
- People seem to love the “Porgs” but they seemed like absurdly obvious product placement to me. Are they cute, sure (Ewoks were cute too). Were they or the “Ice Foxes” necessary? Not really (I am not sure what they added to the story).
- There are some what could be called “fan fiction” moments but thankfully they are few and far between (and one, in particular, was well done).
- Be ready to put some time aside, The Last Jedi is almost 3 hours long.
- While my theater was packed, I was still able to walk in to the second showing in my area and still get a seat. I suspect this is because it was showing on so many screens in so many theaters that demand never fully overwhelmed supply. You should be able to find a seat (there were no lines at my local theater).
Josh is a blogger and freelance writer. Please consider following him on Twitter, throwing a tip into his hat on Patreon, show your appreciation using Paypal.me, or adding OnPirateSatellite to your feeds.
