Star Wars: The Last Jedi Review - 8 Ups And 1 Down

4. The Exploration Of The Force, Hope, And Power

The Force surrounds us and penetrates us; it binds the galaxy together. It's an intrinsic part of Star Wars, but it's never been under the microscope in the way it is here. It looks at what the Force really is and how that goes beyond the Jedi to be something much, much bigger than one religious order, and does so in ways that are, by turn, weighty, funny, and surprising.

Where there's the Force, there's also those looking to use its power, and those to whom it gives hope - both of which are central conceits to the saga as a whole, and expertly examined in this film.

Through its central characters, the two apprentices looking to learn from their respective masters, it shows us how power has the ability to corrupt or change a person, and the destruction those with it can wreak. And it's there for the Jedi just as much as it is the Sith. Can this power be wielded for good, or is it destined to warp a person? It's a question that gets to the spiritual nature of the Force, but also the politics of the galaxy (and, of course, real life).

Even more so, though, it's a film about hope. About how it can almost be wiped out, and how it ultimately persists. How a small band of fighters can tackle the evil galactic might, or a scavenger girl face down the heir apparent to Darth Vader, and who and what can give hope to those people and the galaxy as a whole. It ties right back to the first film - y'know, the one with hope added into the title - and Johnson gives a lovingly crafted commentary on one of the saga's core themes, especially towards the end with some truly powerful moments that will stay engrained in the memory long past the credits.