The CHIEF January 2018

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Film

Review of Star Wars Epidode VIII: The Last Jedi

By Joseph Gilmor Star Wars: the Last Jedi made its debut in theaters mid-December 2017 and left countless moviegoers, including myself, shocked and confused by the time the credits rolled. The Last Jedi certainly had a diverse cast, including a few characters from the Original Trilogy, such as Mark Hamill starring as Luke Skywalker and Carrie Fisher as General Leia Organa, to supplement a number of more recent additions to the franchise, notably Adam Driver as Kylo Ren and Daisy Ridley as Rey. The return of such noteworthy characters as Luke and Leia really played to benefit The Last Jedi , and many fans were glad to see a few familiar faces amidst all the chaos and confusion of the movie. Of course, The Last Jedi was by no means unoriginal, and director Rian Johnson took a number of risks throughout production to create a plot with enough twists and turns to keep loyal Star Wars fans and theorists alike busy for quite some time, or at least until the release of Star Wars IX . The story begins with a daring Resistance attack on a First Order dreadnaught, after which things quickly spiral out of control, threatening to destroy the entire Resistance. Meanwhile, Rey begins her Jedi training with Luke Skywalker, who remains in exile since shortly after the events of Return of the Jedi. By the end of the film, moviegoers have been taken on an emotional rollercoaster, with some more enthusiastic fans (including myself) even being reduced to tears. Needless to say, The Last Jedi left countless fans anticipating the next installment of the Star Wars film. I, for one, cannot wait to buy my next ticket. Until then, may the Force be with us all.