Star Wars Episode 8 (Spoilers)

[Nelson Jackson]

Has anyone else seen this? I'm just back and thought it was unreal, absolutely loved it, it left me speechless leaving the cinema and I now have more questions than ever haha. Got a good bit of humour from it as well, something that hard core Star Wars fans may not appreciate!

Edited December 18, 2017 by Nelson Jackson

[Miss Prism]

Hubba, hubba - will be my Christmas treat.

[45156]

Was going today, but decided that there will  be too many kids for my liking in a Saturday morning, so have decided to go early next week, as there's showings daily starting at 8.30 am

 

Will report back later.

[mjkerr]

Following on from

http://www.rmweb.co.uk/community/index.php?/topic/120363-star-wars-the-last-jedi/?p=2681043

 

I was offered a chance to see the film early, along with the other members of the UK crew, but was unable to attend

Instead I was given tickets to the Press screening along with my tickets to the Premiere (both 2D IMAX screen versions)

 

I have since seen the film in both 2D Dolby Atmos and 3D versions, and have started looking at things that I know are in the film (Easter Egg)

 

I have also been paying more attention to the dialogue

During filming a general outline of the film can be worked out, especially by those of us who have access to most of what is going on!

There is also some hidden dialogue which refers to Episode 9

 

What was unusual for this film were the references to "Earth / Human" terms

For example, hours, weeks, running out of fuel, putting someone on hold, and checking someones status...

A new style film for the next generation

[mjkerr]

Was going today, but decided that there will be too many kids for my liking in a Saturday morning

I find the audience participation makes it

Agreed, too many kids can destroy a film, but so can some other people (even those in the late 20s)

 

When The Force Awakens came out there were very few kids, with visits very much spread throughout the day and not just the weekend morning, and from what I have seen so far this film is similar

The difference this time is there are two weekends between release and Christmas

[Ian J.]

...

What was unusual for this film were the references to "Earth / Human" terms

For example, hours, weeks, running out of fuel, putting someone on hold, and checking someones status...

...

 

Indeed, without it being anything of a spoiler, there was one very odd, inconsequential line including the word 'god' that could have been written differently easily and far more in keeping with Star Wars tradition.

 

Mostly I found the film quite good, with one or two misgivings. I will not mention more until more people have had a chance to see it.

[Gareth Collier]

Being a Star Wars devotee I can only describe it as disappointing which is born out on various SW groups. It is excellent entertainment along the lines of the current Marvels films which, I suppose, is who Disney's target audience is. Can't go in to why it was disappointing without revealing spoilers.

[mjkerr]

Being a Star Wars devotee I can only describe it as disappointing which is born out on various SW groups

It is excellent entertainment along the lines of the current Marvels films which, I suppose, is who Disney's target audience is

Similar parallels to TFA

Great to have a new Star Wars film, great first time watch, but not really anything new

It also had some dreadful errors (in film making) which thankfully do not appear in TLJ

 

At least TLJ has some new elements, for TFA Disney had to play safe, for TLJ the genie was out of the bottle, and for IX anything goes!

[jjb1970]

TFA was basically just a rehash of episode 4. Hugely enjoyable and I still love rewatching it at home but it was very unoriginal. The Star Wars film which I rate very highly and by far the best of the films which followed the three originals is Rogue One, that is a fabulous film.

Edited December 16, 2017 by jjb1970

[Big James]

The last Jedi is a solid film. It’s a great film just not a great Star Wars film. It’s on par with revenge of the Sith. My main gripe with it is how much they wasted luke. Watching it I couldn’t believe this was the same man in the original trilogy let alone Anakin Skywalker’s son.

 

Big james

[34theletterbetweenB&D]

 ...My main gripe with it is how much they wasted luke. Watching it I couldn’t believe this was the same man in the original trilogy let alone Anakin Skywalker’s son...

 

 Sounds very realistic to me. A person who has previously been highly effective in some situations may be a total flop in a different situation. And likewise even in outwardly very similar situations, due to personal deterioration, or a lifechanging alteration in outlook. And likewise someone previously of no account, may with experience or other factors 'come out of nowhere' and do something astounding. A major problem of the Fantasy/SF genre is this 'once a Hero/Peon/Villain, always a HPV' fixity, rather than a chance for a character to grow - or diminish.

 

And let's face it, 'The Empire' (aka The Federal Union') is actually the force of righteousness, struggling with a group of hoky liars (aka The Confederacy): so it has to win in the end (oh is that a spoiler, no it cannot be, I have only ever seen the original Princess Layercake fancies Hand Job fillum, and that thankfully only once).

[Big James]

When I watched the new one all I kept thinking was no matter what obi-wan had seen he was still prepared to come out of hiding to do what’s right and fight vader knowing he had no chance of winning and he had seen the Jedi order destroyed plus all his friends slaughtered. Anakin was the same he fought dooku On his own and knew he was fighting way above his level. Luke on the other hand at the first set back he run off into hiding to die.

 

Big james

[mjkerr]

The Star Wars film which I rate very highly and by far the best of the films which followed the three originals is Rogue One, that is a fabulous film.

Gareth Edwards, the Director, has a cameo role in Rogue One; blink and you miss it! (well twice as the same shot is used twice)

 

However in TLJ he was given a much "bigger" cameo and clearly visible (as compensation for the not so visible previous cameo)

One of the soldiers in the Trench on Crait says "Salt", and Gareth is the soldier to his right / left on screen

Edited December 16, 2017 by mjkerr

[Ian J.]

Gareth Edwards, the Director, has a cameo role in Rogue One; blink and you miss it! (well twice as the same shot is used twice)

 

However in TLJ he was given a much "bigger" cameo and clearly visible (as compensation for the not so visible previous cameo)

One of the soldiers in the Trench on Crait says "Salt", and Gareth is the soldier to his right / left on screen

 

I thought I recognised the 'actor', but couldn't place him.

[jjb1970]

The biggest flaw of the Star Wars universe is that the evil empire which was able to wipe out the Jedi order was then so utterly incompetent and left gaping holes in its security and weapons systems. Same as the first order, they can convert a planet into a star killing mega weapon but then just switch the shields off and leave it undefended so a few fighters can blow it up. However most movies (especially science fiction ones) fall apart if you start thinking about what you're watching.

[mjkerr]

Same as the first order, they can convert a planet into a star killing mega weapon but then just switch the shields off and leave it undefended so a few fighters can blow it up. However most movies (especially science fiction ones) fall apart if you start thinking about what you're watching.

The parallels there are to events that happened in recent history...

[Jeff Smith]

The biggest flaw of the Star Wars universe is that the evil empire which was able to wipe out the Jedi order was then so utterly incompetent and left gaping holes in its security and weapons systems. Same as the first order, they can convert a planet into a star killing mega weapon but then just switch the shields off and leave it undefended so a few fighters can blow it up. However most movies (especially science fiction ones) fall apart if you start thinking about what you're watching.

Haven't seen this film yet but your last sentence is very true. I read a lot of sf and much has to be taken with a pinch of salt. The main gripe about military sf is that tactics, weapons systems and space ships are often not futuristic enough, merely envisioned straight line developments of current systems based on maritime navy ships and weapons. Two exceptions spring to mind in book form, Old Mans War and The Forever War, but even the latter has a (now) dated beginning.

Edited December 17, 2017 by Jeff Smith

[Big James]

The empire poured all its resources and military leadership into the first Death Star. The only one to survive was vader. Tarkin was the real brains behind the imperial navy. It’s destruction followed by the destruction of weapons depot on cylon set the empire back and allowed the rebel alliance vital time to regroup and rebuild itself. Also vital systems started to defect taking much needed resources away. The first order on the other hand I can’t believe they popped up over night. Like we led to believe. The destruction of the Jedi order and the transformation of the republic was a 1000 years in the making. The clone wars was the perfect Jedi trap it isolated the Jedi and they had to completely rely on the clone troopers for support. So when order 66 was enacted they could never see it coming.

 

Big james

[Ian J.]

The political background wasn't much of a front and centre thing in the OT, while it was the story Lucas wanted to tell in the PT. I think many viewers of SW would like to just have OT-style stories without the intrigue. To some degree that's what we're getting in the ST, less intrigue, more action. Unfortunately the current producers appear to be a little less clear that one of the things that held the OT together was the 'unspoken' politics. The ST seems to have too little of this so far, and in particular TLJ seems to discard some elements just a little to easily, despite being an otherwise enjoyable, more sharply written film.

Edited December 17, 2017 by Ian J.

[Big James]

The only reference to politics I can think of in the original trilogy was when they said that the emperor had dissolved the senate. I like the politics in the prequel trilogy. My main gripe with the prequels was the love story between anakin and Padme it felt forced and George Lucas can’t write love dialogue to save his life.i like the new trilogy.

 

Big james

[mjkerr]

The only reference to politics I can think of in the original trilogy was when they said that the emperor had dissolved the senate

There are other dialogue references, but there are also visual references

"If this is a consular ship, where is the Ambassador?" (representative of government / Alderaan)

"I'm not a Committee"

From films one to six the relevance is clearly reducing, and by six there is only one reference

Edited December 18, 2017 by mjkerr

[reevesthecat]

Watched it last night and disappointed but without posting spoilers won't say why just yet. Can just say it stretched believability too far!

Mark

[letterspider]

The Empire Strikes Back still is my favourite film in the series but I think this comes a close second with A New Hope.

Still leaves many questions unanswered - why the Jedi code requires children to leave their parents, why Jedi should not have children - and I think script writers have not the slightest intention of answering these questions. What they may answer is whether Sith can possess another Jedi, because I am not entirely convinced there can be any other reason for yellow eyed Anakin - in which case I am expecting to see an exorcism in Star Wars 9...

[mjkerr]

Still leaves many questions unanswered - why the Jedi code requires children to leave their parents, why Jedi should not have children - and I think script writers have not the slightest intention of answering these questions

The (currently planned) films are never going to answer those questions, the three (current) script writers are referring to different material

[Ozexpatriate]

... I now have more questions than ever haha.

Yes, that is one of the biggest problems with this film. Far too many of the questions raised in The Force Awakens are completely unanswered.

 

Having said that, there's no question that it is fun to watch.  Did I enjoy it? Yes. Was I simultaneously disappointed? Yes.

 

Watched it last night and disappointed but without posting spoilers won't say why just yet. Can just say it stretched believability too far!

Yes. I am happily prepared to suspend disbelief in a science fiction fantasy from a franchise I love. There were a lot of big problems with elements of the plot, and I'm not talking about mystical things..

 

There is also a particular set scene (visited more than once) that looked like it was done with the resources of a high school musical theatre director, not a multi-million dollar film production. It would have looked right at home in Star Trek (the original series).