Well, that was a fun ride! So, for now, I’m not gonna touch on the plot or story; no spoilers here. Rain Johnson wrote and directed this entry into the Star Wars film franchise and he has delivered an extremely entertaining flick, expanding on the known and adding a little more flavour to it. He’s brought us a couple of new worlds, likely only one of any significance, but they are visually arresting in their design and grandeur, fitting for the action that takes place in those places. I’ll get more in depth into the production design later. Mark Hamill properly returns as Luke Skywalker after the much ballyhooed cameo from The Force Awakens (second billing and less than a minute on screen?), very much picking up where we left off… and then heading into some unexpected and occasionally humorous territory in his interactions with Rey (Daisy Ridley) I did have an issue with time dilation, a problem that similarly afflicted The Empire Strikes Back. I’m sure some of you sharp-eyed viewers may raise some issues in that area as well, but it is something that would come to mind only after the exuberance of the movie has passed. Yes, exuberance. For the most part. There is a time factor to the story that keeps the pace going at an urgently fair clip, and that may also cause some scenes to lag just a little. That being said, this is a long movie coming in over 150 minutes, plus credits - because you’ve got to sit through the credits to enjoy John Williams score. Speaking of which, it was fantastic to hear Williams call back certain themes from the original trilogy. This is especially poignant during Carrie Fisher’s tribute in the end credits. (Come on, that’s not a spoiler. Her passing last year was obviously going to be acknowledged.) The rest of the cast do well, even if it may take a moment or two to accommodate the newcomers, especially Kelly Marie Tran or Laura Dern. Benicio del Toro continues to act as eccentric as he can manage giving his character an odd stutter. The three new characters who were introduced in the last movie (Rey, Poe and Finn) continue in their development. Billie Lourd (Carrie Fisher’s daughter) has her character upgraded as well, given more to do and be an active part of the crew instead of simply lurking in the background as before. In all, the movie delivers as much as you’d want to expect from a part of the Star Wars saga. If you’ve managed to stay away from teasers, trailers, reports, leaks and such, there are surprises to be enjoyed; the unexpected to be surprised by. For a Star Wars fan, it delivers, especially in IMAX 3D (highly recommended). There are some gripes which I'll get into in a spoilerific write-up later. (link to be updated after I post). Rating **** /5 Directed by Rain Johnson Stars Mark Hamill, Carrie Fisher, Daisy Ridley, Adam Driver, Oscar Issacs,, John Boyega, Kelly Marie Tran, Domhnall Gleeson, Gwendoline Christie, Andy Serkis, Billie Lourd with Benicio Del Toro and Laura Dern Find the best online deals here. | Barnes and Noble | Google Play Store | Book Depository Discover more about the books here. Please Support. In the spirit of "No Spoilers," not posting a trailer either.
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