The promise of the Disney "Empire" is respected - and at the end of this year, we get another piece of the giant franchise, incomparable with another magnitude in the universe of cinema - the Star Wars saga. All admirers are waiting with trembling, compared with awe, especially after the successful orchestrated return to trilogy, J. Abrams. You enter the gym filled with that electrified tension that immediately after the legendary "A long time ago, in a galaxy far, far away ..." unleashes the tears of gratitude that you are a contemporary of this tale and have the chance to see the birth of each episode on a big screen. And then begins ... the new adventure. Not long after, it is clear that you have made the mistake of going to cinema with excessively high expectations, perhaps encouraged by "The Force Awakens" and "Rogue One," but the reality turns out to be quite different. Yes, objectively, "The Last Jedi" is good, even very good, but not the "awesome" movie I was expecting to see - and that's exactly my (personal) tragedy.

image source

(NB! The text continues with spoilers, so - read on your own responsibility!)

The stories of the narrative continue from where the "The Force Awakens" - the conflict between the First Order and the rebels continues, with the forces of resistance almost exhausted. Donald Gleason's hysteric general Huxes tries to destroy the enemy's fleet, but in the meantime they manage to blow up a super-giant imperial ship that gives rise to the emergence of Supreme Leader Snook (first in his powerful holographic image and later in a much- CGI-life version) and the famous Caillo Wren (who are all in the first row with nerves ...). The battle between the stars continues with the effective intervention of Wren, and after a certain hesitation (yet it is not clear who pushes the trigger), the forces of darkness show off with a powerful blast part of General Organa's ship - attention, here appears the most ridiculous scene in the whole movie! Our favorite princess flies among the stars. After a number of seconds, enough to turn any living organism into space into a icy block, her hand shakes and (obviously - as a true power ruler) she is flying (!) Back to the unspoilt part of the ship in the hands of caring associates to prove that ... it is alive!

Right here and in this ridiculous way, Ryan Johnson wipes out the wonderful opportunity to say goodbye to Leah, given the fact that Kari Fisher has gone from this world, and with her - her legendary heroine. Not to mention that Lady herself does not have a serious role in the act, unless we count her cathartic encounter with Luke to the final. I would not be surprised if Johnson decided to leave all the scenes in which Kari Fisher participates in her memory, and even more, she is his trusted assistant in writing the script. But no matter how bold it is in it, and although the innovative, original elements make an impression, the overall impression of the story is lack of coherence, serious fragmentation, variable rhythm and tone. I caught myself analyzing episodes (especially the few annoying "facepalm" moments!) While the action was happening in them, which in my view is unacceptable for the Star Wars film and is equivalent to a kissing. While we can not be sure to what extent Disney has actually intervened directly in the work of the writer-director (let's not forget that Kennedy allows Johnson to drop the sketched story of Lawrence Kadzin and start over again), my personal feeling is for serious craftsmanship with "haircut" in front of the headquarters and a slight entanglement in the strands. It may be the result of overly personal adherence to the material (you do not have one more, unbiased view of yourself, you risk not being able to look around and judge everything) or too fancy worship but the audience is not interested in explanations / excuses - she wants a cinema to immerse herself, and then she gets out of the gym stunned by the other life in the alternative world of someone's fantasy. It did not happen to me with "The Last Jedi" and that's why I'm most likely to blame the director. Of course, my personal anxieties are just as vague as an ant compared to the whole flora and fauna of the planet Earth - this movie will become one of the most successful events in 2017 and everyone will watch it because it is the sequel to a legend, but ... something in us cracked ... I'm from the honest fans who want to tell the truth that the film has serious problems without giving it a superfluous glory, but without destroying it - it does not deserve ) this. It is saved by a series of episodes and two more moments, which are really masterfully composed and presented in a very exciting way, all three of which are related to the development and completion of the three most important characters in the movie - the rulers of the Force.

image source

Luke and Ray. The relationship between the two is a direct reverie to the eastern tradition in which there are calm zen masters who are tiring of impatient disciples. Only in this case the teacher is angry with himself and the world, and the young soul has not yet found the grace of the right questions. After their encounter, Luke is startled by the untapped power that rages on Ray, but nevertheless agrees to give her the most important postulates. Having learned the truth about the teacher's betrayal and the spoiling of Ben Solo from the mighty (but no backgammon) Snook, Ray decides to check to what extent she has an influence over the unrestrained young man - and goes on a date. Ray and Ben. Having succeeded in touching their minds through powerful telepathic abilities, further backed by the Supreme Leader's evil intent, the two young and lush natures seem to try to make truth about each other. He admires her potential, she hopes that not everything in it has faded. Mutual attraction is obvious, no matter how deadly the desire for both to overcome it. Again Ray proves to be stronger, because without fear he goes "into the mouth of the lion," before the incarnation of the Dark Side. I do not want to delve into details about Snowwitch - I'm just going to say that after such a serious request from "The Force Awakens, when he appeared in "The Last Jedi" he just cracked like an overpowering balloon in front of my eyes. They reminded me that I had "prophesied" his death in Episode VIII - he does not actually have a specific task as an image because he is absolutely unworthy to match with Palpatine and is used only as a "step" for the growth of Caillo Wren. Tears over Ray - in their design, complete choreography and performance - are superb and are a worthy reverie to the identical scene between Luke , Vader and the Emperor in "The Return of the Jedi." A small flaw is the predictability of this episode, and one more detail bothersome in my thoughts for the second day of the day - being such a powerful telepathic creature that Snook, how could he fail to predict the direction of the ruby ​​blade ?! In the soul of Ben Solo, admiration of the power and admiration of the wild charm of the divine girl Ray merges, and her hope that she will be able to save the prodigal son, soften her illusion to him, and even awaken favoritism in her eyes. Their synchronic struggle with SNOWK's red plastic samurai is attractive as an apotheosis of the momentary shared feeling, and after its ripping end, only emptiness and anger remain. The boy is still weaker - and runs to chase (though with murderous intentions) the girl because (obviously) she can not live without her - she is the universal challenge to his abilities and feelings, not excluding hate ..

image source

Ben and Luke . After so many years in exile, filled with self-pity and remorse, the former "new hope" decides that it is time to meet his curse - a beloved nephew who is eager to destroy the Resistance in all corners of the universe. Stranded in an old, abandoned base on a mining planet, the remnants of the rebel army do not see a way to escape - a cannon boom was built before the door-shield at the main entrance to the mine, and they grabbed a heavy cannon. The only attempt to counteract is an outgrowth with broken old-fashioned spiders - and I mention this detail with admiration for the impressive color decisions of the cadres. The carmine, bloody color of the soil beneath the whiteness of the salt layer on the surface is a super art shot! After the director failed to kill one of the main characters of "The Force Awakens" at the mouth of the cannon (and had it!), And it breaks through a serious hole in the final partition, and then Luke Skywalker himself appears. We can all imagine the nephew of the nephew - follows a ridiculously destructive cannon, targeting only the former teacher, from which he comes absolutely safe. There is a classical western-stage duel in which Ben does not succeed in crossing his sword with his opponent. But a little later, with his ruthless strikes, he realizes that he is an invincible opponent in front of his eyes - and he is seeing his blindness ... This confrontation between teacher and student is a model for the masterful use of various means of expression and conventions of the plot. Together with her previous battle, Ray's encounter with Snook and Ray's training of Luke, they form a kind of triangle that builds the structure of the narrative. Battles in space (it's great to hurt at a light speed in an imperial ship!), The bumping of Po Dhamaron, the new heroine Rose (probably a serious dane to ubiquitous social justice tendencies, as well as women piloting X-wing boys!) And " her journey along with Finn to the glamorous, absolutely alternative world of wealthy merchants (resembling the I-III trilogy as a trilogy) - all these characters and events gradually fade into the overall picture of The Last Jedi to highlight the serious change in images Ray, Luke and Ax Ben Solo / Caillo Ren. He grew up before our eyes. From the frivolous, hysterical boy gradually begins to form a multi-layered character, to whom we will not forgive the fateful stroke with which he has destroyed his father but whom we begin to understand - his anguish and his aspirations are provoked by the attitude of the others and the expectations towards him and are fueled from the serious flow of the Power that submerges its essence in darkness. My personal expectations for episode IX are Ben Solo to prove to be the most interesting character, but for this purpose the script team will have to think of something so extraordinary, shocking and unexpected that I do not even want to try to imagine what might be this ... I still believe in J. J. Abrams ...

image source

I will never swallow the problem that "chased" me all along the "Last Jedi" - the total shame I felt about Ryan Johnson for actions, characters' replies, and sometimes for whole episodes. The insertion of flat jokes with cheesy-replicas may be appropriate for other movies, but in the Star Wars saga this seems unfortunate and sorry. I do not even want to mention the various animals set up to simulate the "crap" in the Disney canons - I saw them, they were irritating me endlessly and I wanted to forget them sooner. But! If I say I will not watch the episode again - I'll lie. On the contrary - I will watch it at least a few times at the cinema to try and reinforce my impressions of moments important to the saga. And to make sure, over and over again, that my initial reaction is not fake - "Star Wars: The Last Jedi" is a good movie, but there are many (serious) problems. For my fancy psyche, this fact is tantamount to a Death Star hit ...