Star Wars: The Last Jedi

A thick, dense continuation of the "Star Wars" saga that creates a new cinematic experience and satisfies nostalgia, "The Last Jedi" shows it still has a few surprises in store for viewers.

The ongoing story of the Empire vs. The Rebellion has of course transitioned to the First Order vs. The Resistance, though it's still generally good vs. evil. After the events of "The Force Awakens," we find the Resistance in dire straits despite the destruction of the Starkiller Base, their numbers and firepower dwindling as the powerful Supreme Leader Snoke (Andy Serkis) closes in on them, having destroyed most of their bases and pursuing them through hyperspace.

Meanwhile, fledgling padawan Rey (Daisy Ridley) has made contact with retired Jedi Luke Skywalker (Mark Hamill) and hopes to talk him into re-joining the fight as hope seems to be fading.

Co-writer/director Rian Johnson ("Looper") crafts a sprawling story that, perhaps more than any other Star Wars film, makes a statement on today's politics, and does so in a way that doesn't seem as simplistic or pandering as previous incarnations. It's a subtle, nuanced bit that doesn't take a stance or sacrifice the integrity of the film.

The space battles and lightsaber duels are still there, of course, though the latter especially is held for special occasions, much moreso than George Lucas's prequels, which had characters waggling their lightsabers as if they were using them to express their creator's manhood. They are as thrilling as ever, moreso even, and the action manages to have as emotional and personal a connection as it ever has. In short, there are moments that gave this old Star Wars fan goosebumps--not the nostalgic "I remember that" kind of goosebumps, but full-body tingles that lasted, went away, then returned triumphantly.

Not coasting on nostalgia is Johnson's biggest show of courage, and the one that pays off the most. Luke and Leia are featured prominently, but they also step to the shadows to let the new generation--Rey, Finn, and Poe--to take center stage. This is their film, though perhaps not as much as it is Kylo Ren's (Adam Driver). If his character were aware that he was fictional, he would be proud to know that even if he doesn't have Darth Vader's stature or presence, his pathos and rage makes him every bit the villain his grandfather was. He's Anakin Skywalker done correctly, albeit a few films too late.

But still, the film that is Carrie Fisher's last showcases Leia in a way the franchise never has before. We see her as the strong backbone of the Resistance, a figurehead that inspires, but also takes action. Of the original triumverate, her character is the one that stayed in the fight as the swashbucklers tired and moved on, and she is a strong maternal presence that helps buoy the still-new characters.

Johnson also has the courage (and, perhaps, the cache) to deviate from the Star Wars structure. Where Lucas erred by creating films that were slavishly laid out in homage to his own holy trilogy, there are beats in "Last Jedi" that are wholly unique in tone and substance. Hell, for a good portion of the film the good guys are running from the bad guys rather than standing valiantly and facing them down.

And the surprises. There are certainly surprises, and I will not even hint at them, save to say that Johnson and company pulled off a trick no one has in years: they successfully trolled the fan community, crafting surprises that the masses weren't able to anticipate. The answers they choose to give are deliciously satisfying, even it if is in a meta sort of way.

With a film that does as much as "Last Jedi," there are certain to be challenges to laying out the film, and that if anywhere is where Johnson has the occasional struggle. The first hour drags somewhat in spots, and it could be argued that characters are a bit too jokey at key points. One particularly tense and exciting sequence occurs, then cuts away to a far less interesting plot thread and throws out an awkward joke before returning to the action.

But "Star Wars" is as much as anything an experience, and the joy of spending time with these characters and seeing the magnificent things they do is as much of the experience as the thrills and chills. The runtime is a small price to pay for a film that feels both new-age and old-timey, a thrilling, a resonant, emotional, and wholly satisfying experience that cements "Star Wars" as the greatest franchise of them all.