The sequel trilogy of the The Last Jedi which took the fandom and tore it in half.
Some fans adore the film, while other fans hate it to the point that they say it is not Star Wars. No matter the opinion though, the film is still relatively recent and so the question arises, will the film become better with age, or will the vocal section of the fandom be correct in their criticisms years down the line? Here are 5 reasons why The Last Jedi will age better with time, and 5 why it will not.
WILL - IT IS CHALLENGING
This is a fact about the film that ultimately proves controversial amongst some fans, but the fact is that The Last Jedi is a challenging film, perhaps the most in the entire Star Wars franchise.
Some people do not like it, but the movie makes you think. It strips away expectations and that ultimately will be better digested, and further appreciated in the future. Rian Johnson takes big chances, but they turn out to be some of the best parts of the film such as Luke's arc, and Kylo's further descent into darkness, which will become even more beloved in the years to come.
WON'T - NO LIGHTSABER ON LIGHTSABER COMBAT
Lightsaber combat has been a cornerstone of Star Wars movies since its inception in 1977 and there has been at least one in every movie of the Skywalker saga. All except The Last Jedi.
This is not a problem for a lot of people, but those now and in the future who love lightsaber combat will be disappointed by the lack of it in this film. There is the fantastic Luke/Kylo encounter where lightsabers are present and the throne room scene, but ultimately in time, there will be a division of fans who love what there is and those who feel it is just a tease for what could have been.
WILL - ITS MESSAGE WILL CONTINUE TO RESONATE
There are so many messages and themes that come from various Star Wars movies, throughout the original trilogy we are treated to messages of hope, resilience, and family. The Last Jedi has the most resonating messages of any movie since.
Johnson gives a beautiful message that you do not need to come from powerful to make something of yourself, shown through Rey and her parents being nobody. It also conveyed the message of not letting yourself be bogged down by the past, and instead to move forward, a message that in the future will resonate just like it does now, inspiring hope, inspiring people.
WON'T - IT WASTES SOME KEY OPPORTUNITIES
The Last Jedi was the perfect time to answer a lot of the questions posed by The Force Awakens. While it did answer some questions, the movie The Rise of Skywalker came round, with The Last Jedi being the perfect opportunity.
A key example is answering, or at least beginning to answer, the identity of Snoke as well as that of the Knights of Ren. The question of Anakin/Luke's saber and how it was required was also ignored, there is also who burned down Luke's temple (it was not Kylo). These unanswered questions will only get worse with age as they frustrate people who wish they got the answer.
WILL - IT IS BEAUTIFULLY MADE
The humor in this movie, for the most part, does not work, and there is one bad piece of dialogue out with that. Other than that, though, The Last Jedi is gorgeous and made with brilliant craftsmanship.
The script is tight and has occasional wit and charm with fresh, real dialogue, specifically for the film's three central characters. Williams' score is, of course, beautiful also. The cinematography and effects in this movie are unreal also, the shot in the picture above is one of the best in all of Star Wars. This is the kind of easy-on-the-eye filmmaking fans will adore in generations to come.
WON'T - IT WASTES SOME CHARACTERS
The Last Jedi spends most of its runtime focused on the story of Rey, Kylo, and Luke and then separately looking at Poe, Finn, and the Resistance. But in that attention, a lot of characters got lost in the mix.
On the Blu-ray, Phasma has a great deleted scene but is wasted overall. The fascinating Maz Kanata is nothing but a quick hologram cameo near the start of the movie. Hux was also treated as a joke, getting one good laugh in the aftermath of the throne room massacre. There are some others too and ultimately this will not be appreciated as the years go by and these characters' stories are developed further in canon.
WILL - A NEW GENERATION WILL LOVE IT & THERE ARE SO MANY NEW THINGS TO LOVE
Star Wars is generational. Those who grew up on the originals or prequels will be nostalgic and filled with adoration towards those films, the sequel trilogy is no different and in years to come, they will be celebrated by the generation who grew up loving them.
There is so much new stuff introduced in The Last Jedi to love that will only age like a fine wine. Luke's arc, for example, is spectacular. There are also the Force powers introduced and exploration of the Force that are fantastic. This movie is a new approach that will be loved in the years to come as people get over their fear of unfamiliarity and appreciate the film.
WON'T - POINTLESS SUBPLOTS
Perhaps the biggest issue with the film in itself is the pointless subplots it presents us with. While the main story involving the central three is spectacular, there are some strands within that just go nowhere.
The whole Canto Bight sequence was a waste of A) the fascinating place, B) an actor like Benicio Del Toro, and C) a waste of a mission for our characters, it may have been a progression for Finn's character but did not click properly. The other is Holdo not telling Poe of her plan, it is nonsensical that she would not just tell him. It takes away from the movie's rewatchability.
WILL - THE PERFORMANCES
The thing the sequel trilogy truly has going for it, over either of the other two trilogies, is the performances. The performers as individuals and as part of an ensemble in the sequel trilogy are phenomenal and in The Last Jedi, they are at the forefront.
Daisy Ridley is brilliant as she weaves her way through the emotional and impactful arc of Rey. Adam Driver, as always, is spectacular as he struggles with the emotional tear within him as he cannot shake either the light or dark within. Then, of course, Mark Hamill gives his best performance as Luke in this film and it is a treat to watch. Not to mention Carrie Fisher, Oscar Isaac, John Boyega, and many more who are all just amazing.
WON'T - THE RISE OF SKYWALKER
This is not a sleight on The Rise of Skywalker, but the fact of the matter is it deems a lot of what The Last Jedi has done pointless and so deems it unworthy to age as well as other Star Wars pictures.
The whole fast-paced first portion of the film is J. J. Abraham's Episode VIII before moving onto Episode IX. Snoke's identity is thrown in to cater a sloppy Palpatine return, the identity of Rey's parents is retconned, Kylo's further plunge into evil is reversed and overall the film retcons a lot of The Last Jedi to the point its place in the saga and its necessity, especially in the years to come, is tarnished.
