Star Wars: Episode VIII – The Last Jedi is all about action, adventure and fantasy on multiple levels with multiple developing story-lines. This installment of the series includes content that could easily have been stretched into four separate films. In short, The Last Jedi attempts to cover a great deal of ground and does so with success.
If I were to evaluate Star Wars: Episode VIII on an economic analysis basis it is the: JHL Price Performance Winner of 2017 for Best In Class Initial Viewing Action, Adventure and Fantasy*.
By the viewing time standard of today (i.e., lack of attention span or unwillingness to sit still for any extended-period of time) Episode VIII’s run time of 162 minutes (2.5+ hours) could be deemed as excessive or long in the tooth. Not So – at least for me. The opening, closing, and development of existing story-lines is rather superb in The Last Jedi. Writer\Director Rian Johnson and Film Editor Bob Ducsay deserve a great deal of the credit. Both worked together on the quirky (and highly enjoyable) Looper.
In Episode VIII the old and new characters have life and vibrancy alike. The movie score from John Williams feels to have found a new hop in its step. If there is any disappointment it would be that Carrie Fisher’s last performance is muted if not stale, and Laura Dern and her role feel completely out of place. Dern and her role feel as if it was lifted at the last second from the cutting floor of The Hunger Games.
Any slight disappointment with the Last Jedi is easily snuffed out by a terrific performance by Mark Hamill and the perfect placement of comic relief. Hamill is nothing short of superb in this film and some sight gags remain etched in my brain!
Ultimately, Star Wars: Episode VIII is as good an installment as any made previously.
*JD Power and Associates and their B.S. and easily obtained (via $$$) “Product Quality Awards” have nothing on me!
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