Conflict and Controversy | A Star Wars The Last Jedi Review

RED ALERT! This Star Wars the Last jedi review and the show notes below, contain spoilers for Star Wars Episode 8 The Last Jedi. A SPOILER ALERT is played in the episode after the hosts give a non-spoiler mini-review. 

A balanced Star Wars The Last Jedi review

This episode of Anomaly Podast with Jen and Angela, is a Star Wars The Last Jedi review. “Star Wars Episode 8: The Last Jedi” is probably the most controversial Star Wars film to date. Please listen to the audio above for details. Love it or hate it, many critics and fans are coming down on one side of the debate. After all,  The Last Jedi is art and art is subjective. But Angela and I are not like most critics. If we have any criticisms we give our honest opinions while absolutely refraining from complete denigration. We’ve LOVED Star Wars since we first saw the movies in the 70s and 80s. We still do, and both of us found things we enjoyed about The Last Jedi. Yet, we balance our fangirl complements with honest criticism. This wouldn’t be a good review if we didn’t.

We hope you find our Last Jedi podcast review to be helpful and enlightening.

And if you haven’t seen it yet, don’t let the critics stop you from watching this movie. See the film and draw your own conclusions.

Scroll down (past the episode player) for show notes containing our point talking points.

SPOILERS BELOW!

What follows in the show notes for our Star Wars The Last Jedi review is our talking points the discussion. They contain big spoilers, so beware.

Rose Tico (Kelly Marie Tran)

A Lower Deck character (mechanic) becomes a hero, we talk about her in this Star Wars Last Jedi review (stream above).  It’s shameful how she was treated after this move and even worse how the character was treated in Star Wars: The Rise of Skywaler. Find out what we thought about THAT horrible decision by JJ Abrams in our review of Star Wars Episode 9.

Vice Admiral Amilyn Holdo (Laura Dern)

She appears in the novel “Leia: Princess of Aleraan” by Claudia Grey (we’re reviewing it next on The Star Wars Stacks)

Here’s a link to her backstory on the Star Wars wiki,  Wookiepedia

Why is Luke Skywalker such a jerk? And was it Justified?

The dude has a lot of baggage. Did it fit thematically with the new trilogy? We think so. Listen to our Star Wars The Last Jedi review to learn more. Want to know what we thought about how he was treated in Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker? If so then check out our review of Star Wars Episode 9 (The Rise of Skywalker).

Luke in Star Wars Episode 8

References to Knights of the Old Republic

If you’ve played Knights of the Old Republic, or read anything that takes place in the era, you’re familiar with a few things that happened in the film. We chat about this in our Star Wars The Last Jedi review. Scroll up to stream it. :)

Is Poe Dameron being reprimanded for “mansplaining” or was the situation on a “need to know basis” and he didn’t need to know?

Why didn’t Holdo let Poe in on the plan? Was it below his clearance after Leia Demoted him? Would it change anything if she told him?

Here’s the link to the Vanity Fair article Jen mentioned in reference to “mansplaining”.

Side note, Jen hates the word “mansplaining” almost as much as Angela hates the word “pleasure”. Bleh.

Was the role of DJ worth Benicio Del Toro or did it need a “Benicio Del Toro type”?

Maybe he wanted to be in the movie and they created this role for him. Maybe not. How did his character serve the story?

Maz Kanata (Lupita Nyong’o)

This could have been cut and we wouldn’t have missed it. But perhaps they’re just reminding us she’s out there doing her thing and she will play a larger role in the next film.

YES! Leia has Jedi powers!!!

After watching The Empire Strikes back in the 80s, I wanted Leia to become a Jedi too. When that didn’t happen, I hoped to see her use The Force in the new films. My heart leaped when I saw her pull herself back into the ship! Jen’s inner Six-year-old was satisfied at long last.

Leia has Force Powers

First Jedi Temple on Ach-To

There’s an interesting episode of “Stuff You Missed In History Class” all about Skellig Michael, a small island off the coast of Irish where the Ach-To scenes were filmed).

Here’s the link to the episode of Stuff You Missed In History Class that Jen mentioned.

We share our thoughts on how Luke obtained Blue Milk. I think you can guess what we’re going to say about that.
Oh my gosh, the Judgmental Nuns!
The porgs and what we thought about them. Here’s why the porgs were in the film.

The humor in Last Jedi

We look at Star Wars as a whole and decide if the humor in this film fit thematically.

Rey’s temptation by the Darkside

Some have called her a Mary Sue. This is why she’s not.

Kylo and Rey’s Force bond

The Force bond between Kylo and Rey was very intriguing and helped us see how Rey could become sympathetic towards him.

Casino “Canto Bight” on the planet Cantonica

Farthers (the space horses) that are used in the high-stakes races. Rose Tico wants to free them, but what about the kids??? I hope she is apart of their rescue in a book or upcoming film.

Is Luke a grey Jedi?

He’s not light, he’s not dark. In fact, he’s blocked himself from The Force.

The epic confrontation between Snoke, Kylo, and Rey

Kylo and Vader have been on the same path up until this point. The divergence is awesome. We’re glad he doubled down on evil.
Dead Snoke means selling more Snoke backstory books. We have mixed feelings on this.
Kylo trying to turn Rey and Rey trying to turn Kylo. Light rises to meet dark.

Are Rey’s parent’s really nobodies? Why we’re happy if they are.

The showdown between Finn and Phasma

Captain Phasma: The coolest Stormtrooper Captain that is all bark and no bite…in the movies. Check out the book if you feel let down by her treatment in the films. See the link below for a review of “Phasma”.

The Star Wars Stacks review of “Phasma” by Delia S. Dawson

Kylo and Luke Face Off

Okay, let’s all admit that Force Projection is KICK ASS!
We talk a bit about Force Power specializations in the Old Republic and how the Force Works. The original definition of The Force is back!

What we thought of Luke’s exit—Predictions for next film regarding Luke

Holdo’s hyperspace sacrifice—was it really necessary?

Why didn’t Admiral Holdo set the ship on autopilot?
The dramatic silence after the event was the exclamation point at the end of the scene.

Force sensitive Orphans

Will we see the little stable boy again?

Cameos

Carrie Fisher’s dog, Gary Fisher
Princes William and Harry
Here’s the link to the Vanity Fair article that Jen referenced during the episode about cameos.

Yoda, Luke, the tree and the books

What is your opinion?

Post your thoughts below, or scroll down to send feedback directly to the show.

If you like this episode, you may also enjoy these posts: Does Rogue One Measure Up?,  Our Carrie Fisher Tribute and Star Wars: The Force Awakens. Please scroll down for more Anomaly podcast episodes on Star Wars.