Star Wars: The Last Jedi - Reaction and Discussion *CONTAINS SPOILERS*

[kbelle8995]

I mean, how many times can one say the same thing. I can say "I'm in love with Kylo Ren" about 50 more posts, but ya'll got that memo, right?

Kidding @KaptKaveman - although I could not possibly disagree with your constant assessment of this movie more, and I AM an old school, cosplaying fan; and I've mostly played the good guys, mainly because I can pull off Leia/Padma, but no one is going to buy a 5'5 Vader

I'm stoked (not snoked) to make a Vice Admiral costume and I can't WAIT for 9!

I personally would love to see your Vice Admiral costume. I dream of putting together a Hoth Leia outfit. But finding those things and wearing them in Florida is tricky.

And I wish disney made a "Commander Hugs" T-shirt

 

[TheMaxRebo]

So Pablo over on twitter retweeted (I believe) a breakdown someone did on this scene and how it was there to solidify Finn's involvement with the Rebels. The poster went on to say that Finn's main story in the TFA was escaping the First Order and his relationship with Rey. This casino side story was supposed to be him saving Rey from coming back to the fleet and then in the process he discovered what the Rebels were all about, how corrupt the galaxy had turned, etc. This completes his arc from deserter who only cares about his friends to Rebel solider.

Now if you ask me I thought this was accomplished in TFA with his trip to starkiller base with Han and Chewie. Yes he only came there for Rey but after finding Rey Han tells him that they basically should continue on with the mission of disabling the weapon. That to me is what should have completed his arc. How was he not aware that there was oppression in the galaxy? He was with the FO for crying out loud. He watched his troop open fire on a poor innocent town. This side trip dilutes Han's impact on him in TFA (for me at least) and just seemed overly silly. If they needed his character to continue to grow they could have came up with a better way.

Interesting, I agree that it seemed a bit unnecessary ... reminds me of in professional wrestling when a character does a "heel turn" (so goes from being good to bad) but the crowd already viewed him that way - so it doesn't have the intended impact

Also seemed like was trying to show isn't just the First Order military group that is bad but like everyone accept the resistance - that if you aren't "resisting" then you are part of the problem (again, probably trying to tap into the current political environment in the U.S.)

 

[STLstone]

I feel like a lot of important / interesting notes were touched on in the Casino scene and by the characters involved in general. To introduce Del Toro's character DJ and showing that the rich got rich by selling weapons to both sides and then when he says "they blow you up today, you blow them up tomorrow" and just pointing out the circle they are in - which them amplifies Kylo's desire to ency the cycle, break from the past, etc.

And agree about Rose as she is the visual image of what the new resistance and rebels are - keeping that spark of hope and saving what you love, etc. (also connects to the political statements made by the Casino scene in general and Rose sort of representing the whole #resist efforts going on in the real world)

I do think the whole thing could have been accomplished in less time and in a more elegant fashion, but I do get what they were trying to accomplish with it in genearl

It also shows character growth for Finn. He goes from selfishly loving the party atmosphere (something he may have never seen before as a storm trooper) to understanding that it comes at a cost.

 

[STLstone]

This segment was about as ham handed as it gets. Everything about the segment is out of place in this movie. How did they learn to go there? Why did they decide to go there? What happened while they were there? What part of it was necessary to the overall plot of this movie and the next? The selling weapons to both sides? That plot has been done since the cold war started, most recently by Tony Stark. Showing the evils of success/excess? Nothing new there. Was this part just to give Finn something to do and introduce the stable boy who uses the force at the end?

Also, serious question: Who is going to be the main antagonist for movie 9? Kylo Ren? Hux? The Casino planet people? I am not sure any of those three being the answer makes for an engaging conflict. That highlights the problem with "going a new direction" in movie 8 out of 9.

Just curious, why are you so worried about what happens in the 9th movie? I can't imagine you would want to watch it...

 

[TheMaxRebo]

This segment was about as ham handed as it gets. Everything about the segment is out of place in this movie. How did they learn to go there? Why did they decide to go there? What happened while they were there? What part of it was necessary to the overall plot of this movie and the next? The selling weapons to both sides? That plot has been done since the cold war started, most recently by Tony Stark. Showing the evils of success/excess? Nothing new there. Was this part just to give Finn something to do and introduce the stable boy who uses the force at the end?

Also, serious question: Who is going to be the main antagonist for movie 9? Kylo Ren? Hux? The Casino planet people? I am not sure any of those three being the answer makes for an engaging conflict. That highlights the problem with "going a new direction" in movie 8 out of 9.

well, as I said, it could have been handled better but I do get the points they were trying to make and that they used this to try to accomplish a few points (again, could have been done more elequently).

And some of the things it did cover, while perhaps not new in general, haven't directly been covered in Star Wars - I mean, you mention Tony Stark, but perhaps I missed when Ironman appeared in the Star Wars Universe

As for the main antagonist in episode IX, to me it is clearly set up to be Kylo - he's made his decision to and fully split from Rey/the idea of joining with her and he wants to break from the past and wants to be in charge. It will be up to Episode IX to cement that and that he is worthy of that but I really liked his development in 8 vs 7 and think he is positioned to be that "Big bad guy" but episode 9 needs to continue that and cement it

 

[TheMaxRebo]

It also shows character growth for Finn. He goes from selfishly loving the party atmosphere (something he may have never seen before as a storm trooper) to understanding that it comes at a cost.

yeah, it definitely shows him "learning" different things - from the beginning when he at least showed he cared about Rey and didn't want her to come back to the situation they were in to at the end being willing to sacrifice himself to take out the First Order (so went form caring about himself vs being a cog in the First order machine to caring about one other person to caring about a cause)

now, again, I think it could have been done better, and probably wasn't critical to the main plot and development of the movie as a whole (more a side story / "B" storyline) - but wasn't worthless for the overall development of the "Star Wars Universe of characters"

 

[pmaurer74]

This segment was about as ham handed as it gets. Everything about the segment is out of place in this movie. How did they learn to go there? Why did they decide to go there? What happened while they were there? What part of it was necessary to the overall plot of this movie and the next? The selling weapons to both sides? That plot has been done since the cold war started, most recently by Tony Stark. Showing the evils of success/excess? Nothing new there. Was this part just to give Finn something to do and introduce the stable boy who uses the force at the end?

Also, serious question: Who is going to be the main antagonist for movie 9? Kylo Ren? Hux? The Casino planet people? I am not sure any of those three being the answer makes for an engaging conflict. That highlights the problem with "going a new direction" in movie 8 out of 9.

Personally, I think the Knights of Ren have something to do with the Antagonist. Maybe even Snoke.

 

[MickeyMinnieMom]

I can say "I'm in love with Kylo Ren" about 50 more posts, but ya'll got that memo, right?

I think I’m more into Driver than I am Ren... but I probably would have dated either in my early twenties...

This segment was about as ham handed as it gets. Everything about the segment is out of place in this movie.

This is something I totally agree with you about. Better movie if they cut it ALL out. Including Rose.

It also shows character growth for Finn.

Hmmm... I really don’t see it... I feel like his character treaded water at best in this film. I basically could have cut him out altogether. Which I thought was a shame. Squandered an opportunity to flesh out a Stormtrooper who chose to defect.

 

[jade1]

How did they learn to go there? Why did they decide to go there? What happened while they were there? What part of it was necessary to the overall plot of this movie and the next? The selling weapons to both sides? That plot has been done since the cold war started, most recently by Tony Stark. Showing the evils of success/excess? Nothing new there. Was this part just to give Finn something to do and introduce the stable boy who uses the force at the end?

Also, serious question: Who is going to be the main antagonist for movie 9? Kylo Ren? Hux? The Casino planet people? I am not sure any of those three being the answer makes for an engaging conflict. That highlights the problem with "going a new direction" in movie 8 out of 9.

Maz told them to go there (since she busy in a battle), as she knew of a trustworthy code breaker there.

Obviously they made the mistake of settling for an untrustworthy code breaker, as time was running out, who indeed had the talent as well.

If he had not turned them in (for money), I suppose they would have disabled the hyper space tracker (the end goal of the exercise to save their last ship) and gotten away.

And we would have missed arguably the most amazing visual scene in star wars history.

 

[MickeyMinnieMom]

And we would have missed arguably the most amazing visual scene in star wars history.

 

[jade1]

Well my opinion of course, but Holdo's eff u in hyper space was the only chance left at that point, and it was breathtaking.

That scene would not be in there if the code breaker had been trustworthy.

 

[MickeyMinnieMom]

Well my opinion of course, but Holdo's eff u in hyper space was the only chance left at that point, and it was breathtaking.

That scene would not be in there if the code breaker had been trustworthy.

Oh. I was not the biggest fan of that scene, I guess. And didn’t like Holdo. #justiceforAckbar

 

[jknezek]

Well my opinion of course, but Holdo's eff u in hyper space was the only chance left at that point, and it was breathtaking.

That scene would not be in there if the code breaker had been trustworthy.

I liked "new Leia" and I wish they hadn't killed her off 30 minutes after introducing her.

 

[Boski]

As for the main antagonist in episode IX, to me it is clearly set up to be Kylo - he's made his decision to and fully split from Rey/the idea of joining with her and he wants to break from the past and wants to be in charge. It will be up to Episode IX to cement that and that he is worthy of that but I really liked his development in 8 vs 7 and think he is positioned to be that "Big bad guy" but episode 9 needs to continue that and cement it

Agreed. I think his build up has been great and at this point they need to go all in Palp's style. If we end up with some type of Vader ROTJ "redemption" I'll be very disappointed.

 

[ITALIANNYC]

As for the main antagonist in episode IX, to me it is clearly set up to be Kylo - he's made his decision to and fully split from Rey/the idea of joining with her and he wants to break from the past and wants to be in charge. It will be up to Episode IX to cement that and that he is worthy of that but I really liked his development in 8 vs 7 and think he is positioned to be that "Big bad guy" but episode 9 needs to continue that and cement it

See this is where I disagree. In the force awakens, thats how I felt at the end. He killed his father and is finally going all in to become a sith and be with the dark side.

During last Jedi, if anything, he showed more conflict by not killing his mother in the movie.

In the end, it doesn't show me any character progression at all.

Personally I haven't seen anything to make me think hes the big bad guy simply because he gets shown up all the time. Yes he killed snoke, but I found it incredibility unbelievable that a master sith lord who is so powerful cant sense a light saber moving towards him, esp after that big speech about feeling everything kylo does.

 

[TheMaxRebo]

See this is where I disagree. In the force awakens, thats how I felt at the end. He killed his father and is finally going all in to become a sith and be with the dark side.

During last Jedi, if anything, he showed more conflict by not killing his mother in the movie.

In the end, it doesn't show me any character progression at all.

Personally I haven't seen anything to make me think hes the big bad guy simply because he gets shown up all the time. Yes he killed snoke, but I found it incredibility unbelievable that a master sith lord who is so powerful cant sense a light saber moving towards him, esp after that big speech about feeling everything kylo does.

Well, I saw it as he killed his father thinking it would bring him all in with the dark side, but it didn't work, and that is why he is questioning it, and questioning what he has to do - which leads him to thinking he has to break from the past. And he still had that conflict when he could have fired on Leia, but by the end he realized he needed to fully break from the past

Oh, and small thing, but Snoke isn't a Sith Lord - the Sith were ended when Vader killed Palpatine. Snoke is powerful with the dark side of the force, but isn't part of the Sith

 

[KaptKaveman]

Just curious, why are you so worried about what happens in the 9th movie? I can't imagine you would want to watch it...

I'm a curious guy. Seems like it might be hard for JJ to make the main antagonist Kylo Ren when he has already been bested twice by Rey. How is he going to get better? Plus .... no cool fear inducing costume.

Thank you.

You are welcome!

Personally, I think the Knights of Ren have something to do with the Antagonist. Maybe even Snoke.

I could see the Knights of Ren if they had set that up in this movie but they really haven't, seems like it might be a rush to put them in and flesh out the back story(not that this seems to be a concern as these movies are going) all in a 2 hour - 2 hour 15 min movie. Snoke? That would seem a little bit Marvelesk to kill him off only to come back and say "GOTCHA he was not really dead!

 

[Redcon1]

Interesting, I agree that it seemed a bit unnecessary ... reminds me of in professional wrestling when a character does a "heel turn" (so goes from being good to bad) but the crowd already viewed him that way - so it doesn't have the intended impact

Also seemed like was trying to show isn't just the First Order military group that is bad but like everyone accept the resistance - that if you aren't "resisting" then you are part of the problem (again, probably trying to tap into the current political environment in the U.S

I'm a bit confused by your wording. I took it to mean neither side is innocent. They both buy weapons to enrich the casino patrons and continue to wage war against each other- The Industrial Military Complex, Star Wars style. Not that if you're not resisting, you're part of the problem. Similar to today's world, no one on either side of the political or social spectrums are totally innocent or correct in their way of thinking and actions.

I don't know if this is what Johnson meant to convey, but DJ telling Finn and Rose that both sides were guilty of weapons-purchasing, says to me, everyone is at fault for the continuous warfare and uprisings.

 

[andyw715]

I just want to know how Maz got the lightsaber in the first place. "That is a another story for another time..."

 

[TheMaxRebo]

I'm a bit confused by your wording. I took it to mean neither side is innocent. They both buy weapons to enrich the casino patrons and continue to wage war against each other- The Industrial Military Complex, Star Wars style. Not that if you're not resisting, you're part of the problem. Similar to today's world, no one on either side of the political or social spectrums are totally innocent or correct in their way of thinking and actions.

I don't know if this is what Johnson meant to convey, but DJ telling Finn and Rose that both sides were guilty of weapons-purchasing, says to me, everyone is at fault for the continuous warfare and uprisings.

Well, I think both things were shown ... that both sides (the Republic and the Empire/First Order) would purchase weapons from whoever could make them - neither side is "innocent" ...

... but also what Rose shows Finn about the Casino and the people there. Yeah, it looks pretty and they aren't part of the First Order, but they aren't trying to stop the bad guys either - if you aren't fighting back against the First Order then you aren't trying to fix things