Strong with the Force, this ‘Jedi’ is … but perhaps its training is not complete

Movie review by George Haerle

‘This is not going to go the way you think,” Luke Skywalker tells Rey during a revelatory moment on her journey to become a Jedi.

This statement from everyone’s favorite Jedi Master couldn’t be more true in describing “Star Wars: The Last Jedi.” If there’s one thing this unpredictable movie accomplishes, it’s that many moments will widen your eyes and drop your jaw.

Despite unified love of the series, longtime “Star Wars” fans are fractured over which movies they love. Some embrace the entirety of the series, warts and all — even the godawful prequels “The Phantom Menace” and “Attack of the Clones.”

Some are brand-new to the series, drawn by “The Force Awakens” and “Rogue One,” into a saga where the events of the original trilogy are considered legend.

And then there are the purists, a sect of fans who believe the only true “Star Wars” films are the originals. This last faction will absolutely hate “The Last Jedi.”

There is too much plot to spoil to describe it much more deeply than this: The Rebels are on the run from the First Order, and Rey is pursuing her quest to recruit Luke Skywalker back to the Rebellion. The overall story is excellent, though you will notice a few plot holes and some major problems with a subplot or two. These issues are drowned out, however, by the grandness of it all. This newest entry in the “Star Wars” saga, whether you end up liking it or hating it, can’t be called anything but a true space opera.

What can be commented on are the fantastic performances, some of which almost get lost in pointless subplots. Daisy Ridley is as wonderful as she was before as the likable but troubled Rey. Mark Hamill delivers his best performance yet as a grizzled and jaded Luke Skywalker, whose self-imposed exile on the planet of Ach-To is explored in an incredibly satisfying way.

This subplot connects with one involving Adam Driver’s Kylo Ren (who also knocks his performance out of the park) — the most well-written and engrossing part of the movie.

While the core of the movie’s plot is the Rebellion’s escape from the First Order, this is the part of the movie that could have used a couple extra drafts in the scripting stage. While Poe Dameron (Oscar Isaac), General Leia Organa (the final and most heartwarming performance by Carrie Fisher) and newcomer Vice Admiral Holdo (Laura Dern) butt heads, Finn (John Boyega) splits off on a side mission to aid the Resistance/Rebels escape with another new character, mechanic/​engineer Rose (Kelly Marie Tran).

Minor spoilers ahead: Finn was a fantastic character that this critic admittedly loved in “Force Awakens,” but he really gets the shaft in terms of the story here. The arc involving him and Rose (an extra character that could have been omitted entirely) becomes quite pointless as the story shifts gears in the third act. This entire subplot is forsaken by a change of events that makes their half-hour of the movie feel like wasted time. Not only that, their little side adventure just isn’t all that interesting.

To add to this, Dern’s character could have been omitted as well; her plotline could have easily been written to be that of Leia’s.

The return of the First Order’s Captain Phasma (Gwendoline Christie) is essentially relegated to being this series’ Boba Fett, but with less charisma and less cool factor — which is totally disappointing, as she was built up as a formidable villain in “The Force Awakens.”

Still, the “meh” factor of about 30 minutes of a two-and-a-half-hour movie doesn’t drown out the sheer awesomeness of everything else.

Some critics are hailing “The Last Jedi” as the best “Star Wars” movie since “Empire Strikes Back,” which this critic says is complete hogwash. If you go into the movie thinking this, you might be disappointed. To quote Master Yoda: “Excitement? Heh. Adventure? Heh. A Jedi craves not these things.”

This “Jedi” however, offers plenty of it.

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“Star Wars: The Last Jedi” is currently playing at the Riverside Cinemas, 1017 S. Boone St. in Aberdeen.

George Haerle holds a bachelor’s degree in creative writing for media and lives in Cosmopolis.