**spoiler alert**

“Darkness rises and the Light to meet it.” Yes, after two long years of waiting, the eighth installment of the star-fighter battling, lightsaber flashing epic saga has finally arrived – and wow. With mind-shattering visuals, remarkable acting, and an unforgettable plot, it is truly the epitome of modern-day entertainment. Even so, it doesn’t lack controversy as it manages to enrage half of the Star Wars fanbase, but still pleases almost all critics, something no past Star Wars film has done before.

Fresh, and true to tradition

With director Rian Johnson at the helm, Star Wars: The Last Jedi was given a fresh new style that gives the franchise a new personality. Unlike the previous episode, The Last Jedi has a plot so unpredictable, it is impossible to guess what is going to happen next. It is also the most intense Star Wars film ever made, chock-full of suspense, tension, and cheeky one-liners. Audiences are at the edge of their seats from the first scene to the last.

However, Star Wars: The Last Jedi still retains the tradition of the original trilogy by having relatable characters and amazing acting. From the powerful Rey, determined to stop evil by whatever means necessary, to the legendary Jedi Master Luke Skywalker, who refuses to help because he still feels guilty about the mistakes he’s made, all the characters are fully realized and are therefore relatable, even the villain Kylo Ren, who is portrayed with such a human touch that the audience can see his conflicted nature and his struggle between the Light and Dark side.

Spectacle

But what truly makes this film stand out from the rest of the Star Wars franchise is the glorious visual effects it brings to the screen. It boasts the best lightsaber battle ever filmed, as Kylo Ren and Rey team up to take out Supreme Leader Snoke and his guards; with it’s ominous background music and incredible choreography, it is cinematography at it’s best. Not to mention the opening space battle, with it’s suspense-building slow motion, is executed to perfection.

Shoehorning and pandering

Nevertheless, no movie is flawless, and Star Wars: The Last Jedi is no exception. One of its biggest problems is the Finn-Rose side-plot. Sure it’s interesting, adding humor and brilliant action sequences to the film, but it doesn’t actually affect the main plot, and it feels like they are just trying to justify throwing in a Mos-Eisley like casino scene. Another issue the movie has is the porgs: usually when a movie has cutesy stuff it isn’t all that bad, but in this case, the porgs keep on returning to the screen in the middle of intense action sequences and ruin the scene. Also the existence of these porgs is basically Disney’s thinly-veiled attempt to sell more merchandise.

Despite all this, Star Wars: The Last Jedi is still an incredible movie, as it is a literal reincarnation of The Empire Strikes Back with its own personal flair and twists and turns that will blow your mind. It doesn’t matter if you are a Star Wars nerd or just a regular Joe looking for an entertaining movie; Star Wars: The Last Jedi is a must-watch.