Star Wars: The Last Jedi (Post-release)

What did you think of Star Wars: The Last Jedi?

  • It was great. Loved it. Don't miss it at the theaters.

    Votes: 154 26.6%
  • It was good. Liked it very much. Worth the theater visit.

    Votes: 135 23.4%
  • It was okay. Not too pleased with it. Could watch it at the cinema once or wait for home video.

    Votes: 117 20.2%
  • It was disappointing. Watch it on home video instead.

    Votes: 70 12.1%
  • It was bad. Don't waste your time with it.

    Votes: 102 17.6%

  • Total voters
    578
star-wars-rian-johnson-interview-about-the-last-jedi-fan-backlash

Great excerpt from the above article. Say what you want this man really respects Star Wars and the characters.

Guerrasio: Was coming up with how Luke Skywalker would come out of his self-imposed exile a challenge to write?
Johnson: Yeah. It's something that, early in the process, the first thing I had to crack in the movie is why Luke is on that island. I had to figure out something that made sense, and you don't know much about where's Luke's head is at coming out of "The Force Awakens."
But what you do know is his friends are out fighting the good fight, and he's taken himself out of the equation. So for me growing up, I know Luke as a hero. I know that he must think he's doing the right thing by taking himself out of the equation, and that means he thinks the best thing for the galaxy is that he's not a part of this and, by extension, that the Jedi are not a part of this. So that leads you down a certain path.

Guerrasio:
And how did you come to the realization that this would be the end of Skywalker?

Johnson:
As I worked out that his arc was going to be coming to a place where he does this big heroic act that is going to be spread throughout the galaxy — basically taking back the mantle of Luke Skywalker, a Jedi master, a legend — it just slowly became clear to me that it would be this big grand act. It would be an act of mythmaking. And if there was ever going to be a place in this entire trilogy to give him this emotional moment of a goodbye, this was probably going to be the most emotionally potent place to do it.

Guerrasio:
In many ways, this is Luke's coda.

Johnson:
Yes, exactly. But I also have to say I'm not writing the next one, and I'm not sure what J.J. [Abrams] and [screenwriter] Chris Terrio are going to do in the next one with Luke.
But setting up possibilities for the next one, honestly, it seems much like Obi-Wan going where he did after "New Hope." The possibilities seemed even more exciting in terms of what Luke's place could be in the next chapter with him entering into this other realm as opposed to him having a lightsaber and being with our heroes. It opened more possibilities as opposed to fewer.
I was holding my breath when I did it and I realized all these things, though I also thought, "S---."

Guerrasio:
And how did Mark Hamill react to all of this?

Johnson:
It wasn't the thing he wanted to necessarily hear. [Laughs.] Understandably so. Mark had all these years to think what Luke's triumphant return would be. Luke's the hero coming back into this story, and the fact that this character and this movie could not be that — this character in this movie was by necessity what he had to be, and also in relation to Rey, that brought its own necessity.
If he comes in as just an optimistic fighter for the good guys, that gives Rey nothing to bounce up against — that's just an older version of Rey. So it's not what Mark had in his head initially, and that's why he's spoken very openly about his being caught off guard by the script and where the character ends up. But I knew this is where it had to be. We got into the conversations, and we got into the work, and we talked, and we argued, and we discussed, and that process ended up being very good for the character and also for our working relationship. It was a very good one.
 
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Right, initially he thought it was not great but after talking it through with Rian and undersatnding the impact of it he changed his mind and liked it. That's exactly what was posted in the earlier quotes in this thread.


I can't seem to find the earlier post you refer to but I'm really just basing my comment on Hamill's own words in the linked article. Him saying, "My goal is to do my very best to realize your vision, regardless of whether I agree with it or not" sounds like a graceful way of saying "I disagree but will do the job I was hired to do."

For the record, I thought Hamill and Ridley were both really great in this. Their scenes together were my favorite moments in the movie.
 
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That is actually a really good read. And I guess that Rian Johnson had all the best intentions. As I wrote earlier (I think!) I liked some of the movie, there were moments that were great. But still, there are so many flaws in that movie that do not allow it to be a good movie.
I am looking forward to seeing the film again, after all the discussions, though.
 
That is actually a really good read. And I guess that Rian Johnson had all the best intentions. As I wrote earlier (I think!) I liked some of the movie, there were moments that were great. But still, there are so many flaws in that movie that do not allow it to be a good movie.
I am looking forward to seeing the film again, after all the discussions, though.

This was just Rian's nice way of saying he wanted to get Luke out of the picture.
 
If Hamill had been included in writing Luke's character path I would bet anything it would have been far better.
He's right, Hamill has more grasp on the character than anyone. He has always been "into" Star Wars, he was always
up for making all the "making of" videos and going to conventions.
He really thinks about it unlike most of the other actors who I think it's just not in their orbit really.
His love for comics and all things Sci Fi prior to SW. He was qualified.
Oh well. So sad, too bad. It's done.
 
Was anyone else irritated that Luke referred to a lightsaber as a "laser sword"?
Was this just Rian trying to provoke and unbalance the fandom?

While I recognize the fan service, on its face, I just took it as Luke speaking sardonically. Deconstructing the reverence surrounding the "lightsaber" and how insignificant and irrelevant such a weapon is when we are talking about the metaphysical fate of the galaxy. Cutting things in half (Snoke notwithstanding) is not going to resolve the conflict between the Dark and Light sides of the Force.
 
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George still calls them laser swords.

It was a fan service moment just like the dice

Was anyone else irritated that Luke referred to a lightsaber as a "laser sword"?
Was this just Rian trying to provoke and unbalance the fandom?

It was a character moment for Luke, showing how little respect he has for the trappings of the Jedi. He was using the term in a dismissive, derogatory way.

I mean, yeah, the specific words were a cute callback to Lucas (and to Anakin in TMP, who also called them "laser swords") but that wasn't the point.
 
This was just Rian's nice way of saying he wanted to get Luke out of the picture.

Like, didn't you read Hamill's own words about Luke?

Amazing how people will take part of Hamill's quote as the whole truth but the full quote somehow is not the whole story. :confused
 
While I recognize the fan service, on its face, I just took it as Luke speaking sardonically. Deconstructing the reverence surrounding the "lightsaber" and how insignificant and irrelevant such a weapon is when we are talking about the metaphysical fate of the galaxy. Cutting things in half is not going to resolve the conflict between the Dark and Light sides of the Force (Snoke notwithstanding).

But cutting things in half does seem to stop, whoever you cut in half, from coming back....
 
Like, didn't you read Hamill's own words about Luke?

Amazing how people will take part of Hamill's quote as the whole truth but the full quote somehow is not the whole story. :confused

What part of my line did I say it was Mark Hamill? This is from Rian Johnson himself, so please don't make assumptions

“I had huge hesitance. I was terrified. It was a growing sense of dread when I realized this was going to make sense in that chapter …I think the hero’s journey of Luke Skywalker concluded in Return of the Jedi. This [trilogy] is the hero’s journey of Rey, and Finn, and Poe. The [ongoing] story of Luke is one that has to play in tandem with that of Rey.

Simply put, he wanted to get rid of Luke.
 
But cutting things in half does seem to stop, whoever you cut in half, from coming back....

Unless you're Darth Maul and not only survive getting cut in half, but also miraculously acquire spider legs in the process.

But seriously, yes, a lightsaber will kill someone, but there always seems to be someone else (good and bad) waiting in the wings to step up and replace the recently-departed. Kylo picking up right where Snoke left off is a perfect example.

I think that was kind of Luke's point - cutting and killing things with a laser sword is not going to resolve this fundamental conflict.
 
If Hamill had been included in writing Luke's character path I would bet anything it would have been far better.
He's right, Hamill has more grasp on the character than anyone. He has always been "into" Star Wars, he was always
up for making all the "making of" videos and going to conventions.
He really thinks about it unlike most of the other actors who I think it's just not in their orbit really.
His love for comics and all things Sci Fi prior to SW. He was qualified.
Oh well. So sad, too bad. It's done.

No, I think it would be more fair to say that Hamill's connection to Star Wars is with Luke as the center protagonist. Which, to be fair, has really been the truth up until now.

It makes total sense to me that, after reading the script for the first time, Hamill would be taken aback by the direction of Luke. "Wait! What is this? Luke isn't central??" But that's the entire point. And I think this is what a LOT of people are having problems with. We have 40 years of Luke Skywalker being THE hero of the Star Wars movies that it feels... wrong when he's not.

It's a hard thing when your franchise focuses so hard on one central character or group of characters.Some people had a huge problem with Kirk, Bones, and Spock not being a part of The Next Generation. I heard a lot of "that's not Star Trek!" going on.

I think if Hamill had been involved in the process more, the focus would have gotten muddy as it tried to divide the spotlight between Luke and Rey.
 
Unless you're Darth Maul and not only survive getting cut in half, but also miraculously acquire spider legs in the process.

HAHA!

But seriously, yes, a lightsaber will kill someone, but there always seems to be someone else (good and bad) waiting in the wings to step up and replace the recently-departed. Kylo picking up right where Snoke left off is a perfect example.

I think that was kind of Luke's point - cutting and killing things with a laser sword is not going to resolve this fundamental conflict.

Who wants to resolve this conflict?? NOT ME!!... then that would be the end of SW.. all good and "happy happy joy joy",,,, I want the saber fights...I want the Force chokes... be gone Luke..I now know that you do not know what I want!!...lol

My point... what IS Star Wars?... hell.. i dont want it to get too serious!... so much symbolic crap I got to read into...what happend to good characters.. action and story...Good vs Evil..

Other than Force powers, saber fights are my fav..Even in the games! Please... dont listen to Luke...dont take it away...
 
But cutting things in half does seem to stop, whoever you cut in half, from coming back....

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I hate these pretentious reviews that imply if you aren't well and truly buying what RJ is putting down then YOU are the problem and lack the vision to grasp his profound artistry. There are parts of this movie that are pretty great, some that seem good on paper where the execution is lacking, and some that are downright awful. That doesn't stem from the fact that Johnson is "deconstructing" Star Wars as I keep seeing it worded, or that people are wrong for having their gripes with it.
 
No, I think it would be more fair to say that Hamill's connection to Star Wars is with Luke as the center protagonist. Which, to be fair, has really been the truth up until now.

It makes total sense to me that, after reading the script for the first time, Hamill would be taken aback by the direction of Luke. "Wait! What is this? Luke isn't central??" But that's the entire point. And I think this is what a LOT of people are having problems with. We have 40 years of Luke Skywalker being THE hero of the Star Wars movies that it feels... wrong when he's not.

It's a hard thing when your franchise focuses so hard on one central character or group of characters.Some people had a huge problem with Kirk, Bones, and Spock not being a part of The Next Generation. I heard a lot of "that's not Star Trek!" going on.

I think if Hamill had been involved in the process more, the focus would have gotten muddy as it tried to divide the spotlight between Luke and Rey.

I think the issue (for me, at least) is not the fact that Luke bowed out, but where he was coming from when he bowed out. Granted, his ruse on Crait was awesome, and something only an extremely powerful Jedi could accomplish (I mean, he fooled humans and droids from light-years away, for cryin' out loud)). But the fact that "our" Luke had spent the last 15 years in self-loathing and exile was a little unsettling for me.

Yes, Luke had to step aside to let Rey's story breathe, but I would have preferred that the latter portion of his life weren't so depressing.
 
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