Star Wars: The Last Jedi - 23 WTF Moments
Can we stop screwing great characters please?
Star Wars: The Last Jedi is a triumphant marriage of the familiar and the new. It rhymes, just as all Star Wars movies do, but it feels not only like a progression of the franchise but also something of a new beginning - at least in terms of the new life it breathes into old ideas.
It is hugely entertaining, dramatic and well-balanced, with escalation in all of the right places and a strong focus on key character interactions - without the cynical merch-peddling Minion syndrome problems that would have seen BB-8 and the Porgs pushed way too hard. In place of that is a clever evolution of The Force Awakens, with stand-out Star Wars fan-baiting moments, surprises and pay-offs that are both emotionally wrenching and wholly satisfying. And crucially, it leaves the new trilogy's story poised wonderfully for whatever Episode IX brings.
It's great, but there are still lots of moments - both good and bad - that will leave you scratching your head or your jaw hanging. And that's at least partly why lots of people are going to love it.
It should go without saying, but a SPOILER warning is in place here. Proceed with caution.