10 Best Sci-Fi Movies Of 2017

Somewhat unexpectedly, The Last Jedi - last year's unashamedly entertaining and original entry in the Star Wars saga - feels like the most divisive episode since The Phantom Menace. Some loved it, others hated it, but there's no denying it as an explosive, unforgettable chapter in everybody's favourite galaxy, far, far away.

Amongst the familiar explosions and lightsaber fights, the most interesting aspect of The Last Jedi, perhaps, stemmed from the way that writer/ director Rian Johnson decided to overhaul so many of the established tropes and traits of the franchise.

In other words, he turned them all on their head, and in the process created something that felt almost non-Star Wars in its execution. In The Last Jedi, side missions turn out to be a complete waste of time; characters shift allegiances in unexpected ways; heroes make mistakes that result in thousands of deaths.

And although the material didn't please everyone (especially die-hard fans,) the picture's glorious cinematography, epic fight scenes, and Mark Hamill's wonderful performance as Luke Skywalker still ensure Episode VIII is one of the best and most complex Star Wars films to date. Even if we haven't realised it yet.