Ok, it looks like there have been some pretty detailed reviews, and after 2 weeks, I’d hope you’d all have seen the film, but just in case...
SPOLER ALERT SPOILER ALERT SPOILER ALERT!!!!
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First and foremost: I freaking LOVED this film! Probably at least Top 3 Star Wars film for me, behind ROTJ and ANH, and MAYBE even ahead of ANH. Seriously, I felt like this film tied every other film together in a way that packaged up the Saga, with the knowledge that we’ll be moving forward from here on out.
I feel like the film was far more of a thinker than many give it credit for. A lot of the reviews I’ve read approached the film as a WYSIWYG type of movie, but I picked up a lot of the key elements on what was said, and what wasn’t seen. There was a general theme to this film, and it was that the Legacy of Skywalker is that of the Dark Side, no matter who you’re talking about. Additionally, the Legacy of the Jedi is one of failure and tragedy. These two notions are what the movie was developed from, and what the entire Saga is drawn from.
Anakin started out as a young, enthusiastic (and obnoxious) young boy why just wanted to right the wrongs of the galaxy. In the end, he was done in by Sith treachery and fell to the Dark Side hard, killing off almost all of the Jedi in the galaxy. In the end, he redeemed himself for his son and daughter, the very two individuals he began his journey to the Dark Side to try and protect to begin with by somehow saving Padme from dying during child birth. Kylo, according to this film, had already begun his descent before his confrontation with Luke. But most importantly, we see the Luke had fallen, at least slightly, to the Dark Side by seeking to strike down his own nephew. There is little knowledge given about his thoughts and feelings before their confrontation, but we see he is willing to kill his own family rather than see the Sith return, and we know that Fear is the pathway to the Dark Side. While most of the EU has been written off by Disney, we do know that Luke has fallen more than once to the Dark Side. He even cuts himself off entirely from the Force, for fear of his own inability to control his emotions. So we see that a Skywalker, any Skywalker, can and likely will fall to the Dark Side of the force, and Luke does not want to impart that travesty to anymore students.
We see that once again, the Jedi fail to prevent the Sith from rising. Luke wishes to burn the Jedi text, ancient texts that predate even Yoda, from a time when the Jedi first began. He wishes to end the legacy of failure by the Jedi, and when Yoda appears, he doesn’t try to stop him. Yoda’s final teachings are that it’s time to let go of the past, and trust in the future. Without saying it, Yoda tells Luke to go ahead and burn the texts, because the future of the Galaxy, of the Jedi, is not contained in a book, and perhaps it’s time to try something different. Yoda never stops teaching, and Luke still never listens. These two elements are incredibly powerful, when considered. Rey is the future, let her learn in new ways and trust in her heart.
I’ve read a lot of complaints on how Luke leaves the series, and I have to also disagree with the naysayers. Obi-Wan was called the Rebellion’s Only Hope, and he fulfilled his role perfectly. He sacrificed himself in ANH by becoming One with The Force before Vader struck him down. He did so to become a catalyst to motivate Luke into following his journey to becoming a Jedi. It was exactly what the Galaxy needed to be saved from the Empire, and it worked. It was wise, it was well thought out, and it worked. Yoda, used his powers with The Force to keep himself alive until Luke could return for his final lesson, and then became One with the Force to continue his teachings with Luke. Luke, after reconnecting to The Force, and being one of the most powerful Jedi in history, used what power he could muster to say his goodbyes to Leia, and even C-3PO, and face off against Kylo in order to give Rey and the Resistance a chance to escape. He sent Kylo into a fit of rage that won’t be forgotten, and accomplished his task. He was the Resistance’s Last Hope, and he gave them that hope. As he sat on the meditation rock, he faced out towards Twin Suns, very similar to the Twin Suns of Tatooine, where it all began. Full circle, Luke’s journey ended where it began, and then he became One with the Force. I can’t think of a better way for Luke to have gone out.
Porgs: I love the little buggers, and want a dozen in my house. Seriously, they cracked me up. I know, they’re cutesy, Disney propaganda to appeal to young children. But appreciate them for what they are: Comedic relief. The scene where they stared down Chewbacca for trying to eat one of their own, their infestation of the Falcon, and especially their attempt to howl like Chewbacca was fantastic. Loved every bit of it. Bring them on!
Leia, floating in space, doesn’t die, and makes her way back to a ship with no jetpack? Ok, this one was a stretch, even for me. Granted, she STILL is the daughter of Anakin Skywalker, but never as trained as Luke or other Jedi. Still, it was a weird scene, and unnecessary. That was their chance to phase her out of the franchise since she actually died. However, they had filmed all of her spots prior to her death, so perhaps it would have really wrecked the bulk of the movie to reshoot all of the other scenes.
I would like to know more about Snoke: Where did he come from? Why is he disfigured? Why was he so powerful? But now he’s gone. Is he? Sith have a habit of rebuilding themselves with mechanics, so is he actually dead? We never see his ship be COMPLETELY destroyed, or anything else happen to his body. Just saying...
But there are a few questions remaining: Where did Rey come from, and what is her legacy? And What’s in store for Kylo Ren? Who are the Knights of Ren? How does that all figure in with the Saga?
The last element that I think doesn’t sit well with fans and casual viewers alike is, the entire movie broke the mold. In the OT and PT, the middle films end in devastation and on a dark note, with the Bad Guys winning the day. But this movie was different. The Good Guys won. The First Order was defeated, their leaders dead, their armada destroyed, and the Resistance got away. Leia and the Resistance lives, Rey conquered her fears and became more in tune with The Force. She is learning to harness her seemingly incredible Force powers, and she resisted both Snoke and Kylo. She’s the first in a new line of Jedi, and she’s not afraid of that.
I loved this movie. Every aspect. Where the minor elements seemed to fall short or really stand out, the rest of the movie redeemed them all. I can’t wait to see how J.J. Abrams wraps it all up!
