Movie Review: Star Wars: The Last Jedi

The hubby and I had the immense pleasure of seeing an Advance Screening of Star Wars: The Last Jedi on Monday evening. It's literally taken days for me to try to string together words to express how absolutely AMAZING the movie is - and I still don't think I can do it justice...

I won't reveal any plot points, but I will say that the movie provides so many answers (while causing more to spring). We find out where Luke Skywalker has been (and why), what went down between him and Kylo Ren (aka: Ben Skywalker), as well as a glimpse of the status of the Jedi religion in the galaxy. 

Rey continues her quest to learn more about The Force, as well as an idea of what her place is in restoring balance. 

Next to Rey, the character arc of Kylo Ren is the most emotional and intense. 

One of my favorite characters is a new one, Rose Tico. She was so subtly dynamic and such a pivotal part of the plot as a whole as well as a catalyst for growth for others. 

Speaking of "new" characters (or at least new to me), I remember seeing some promotional material at Target featuring the red suited figures, that I now know as the Elite Praetorian Guards, a while back and being wildly curious as to who they were and what they did. All I'll say is that the scene with them is one of the most memorable, gripping, and action-packed in the entire movie. 

But there was really so much more. Whether you've only got a vague familiarity with the Star Wars universe or have an encyclopedic knowledge of not only the movies, but all of its canon and lore - this movie is for you. From the opening screen crawl that is a hallmark of the franchise to the closing credits, I stayed at the edge of my seat. I felt the gamut of emotions: from anger, to sadness, to joy and laughter, to triumph and surprise. There was not a single dull moment or wasted opportunity in the entire film. It is so layered and multifaceted that I actually recommend planning to see it multiple times - I know we are! Not that my opinion matters much for the cultural juggernaut that is all things Star Wars related, for what it's worth, I wholeheartedly give Star Wars: The Last Jedi 5 out of 5 stars.

Until next time...