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TheStar Warssaga is one of the biggest cultural phenomena since the first movie came out in 1977. When George Lucas took a leap of faith to create his sci-fi space opera franchise, no one could have envisioned that one day it would lead to a sprawling universe that just keeps serving fans with tales of characters and places unimaginable to the average human.
From its iconic characters to its groundbreaking special effects and mythological storytelling, the franchise has set the standard for science fiction and space opera. Yet there have been times when projects just failed to grab the attention of fans as the original trilogy did. While the seriesThe Acolytewas once such aStar Warsproject, there have been films that have sparked heated debate among fans. AndStar Wars: The Last Jedicertainly occupies the first place in that discussion.
One of the highest-grossing Star Wars projects of all time, the Rian Johnson film is a bold take on the mythology of the fictional universe and apparently deviated too far from fan expectations.
Despite receiving exceptional critical reviews, it is widely considered by fans as the worstStar Warsmovie of all time. And here are five key reasons whyThe Last Jedihas earned its controversial reputation as the weakest entry in the beloved saga.
5Divisive themes and messages makeThe Last Jedian inconsistent entry
Star Wars: The Last Jedimight have grossed a humongous $1.3 billion worldwide (viaThe Numbers), but when it comes to being tonally consistent, it ended up failing brutally.
Written and directed byRian Johnson, the flick tackles various ambitious themes like failure, heroism, and the need to move on, but when it comes to delivering them, the film ends up doing a botched-up job. Even though many of these ideas have merit, their execution simply failed to hit the mark, making many feel the film’s message was heavy-handed and inconsistent with the overall tone of the franchise.
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For instance, the film tackles the theme of ‘letting go of the past’ or ‘killing the past,’ yet it heavily relies on nostalgia and established lore to make a case for itself. But this is not the only problem withThe Last Jediwhen it comes to being tonally inconsistent. The film’s treatment of the Jedi order is fundamentally flawed and departs from the series’ traditional reverence of the Jedi. These thematic choices, although made to take a riskier and bolder approach in the hope of intriguing fans, only ended up alienating viewers.
4Star Wars: The Last Jediconstantly marginalizes legacy characters
Star Wars: The Last Jediwas generally well received by the critics and has an impeccable rating of 91% on the review siteRotten Tomatoes. However, its critic ratings come as a surprise for several fans since the film often ended up sidelining beloved, fan-favorite characters. Even though it relied on the franchise’s past, it ended up going in the opposite direction by sidelining beloved legacy characters in favor of the new ones.
For example, Leia Organa, portrayed by the lateCarrie Fisherwho passed away before the release of the film, has limited screen time. Even the scene involving Fisher where she has to use the Force to survive the vacuum of space was found visually jarring and out of place for some fans. Moreover, characters like Chewbacca and R2-D2 were reduced to minor roles while the interesting dynamic between Luke and Leia was given minimal attention despite fans’ demand. Thus, the film failed to honor the iconic legacy of these figures, making itone of the least resonating films in the franchise.
3The Last Jedihas several plot inconsistencies
Another major criticism of theDaisy Ridley-starrer film is that it contains several disjointed and inconsistent plotlines. Its multiple fragmented plotlines often feel disconnected from fans, resulting in a lack of narrative focus. For instance, even though fans did not find Finn and Rose’s mission to the casino planet Canto Bight too problematic, the way it was introduced and ultimately executed felt nonchalant. Instead of advancing the characters as well as the plot to create a more entertaining storyline, the film made the scene too bland and tangential to the main plot.
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Furthermore, the way the status quo of The First Order and Resistance was changed and challenged felt too overly dramatic and unnatural. The central conflict involving the two groups not only feels illogical but also poorly executed and does not go along with the usual lore. This narrative fallout felt tangent and distracting from the main plot, making fans disappointed with the film’s pacing and leaving them questioning the logic of the story.
2The Last Jediplays with fans’ expectations without providing a satisfying conclusion
One of the leading points of criticism of the $1.3 billion grossing film was how it played with the expectations of fans with its unexpected and disheartening twists. Instead of paying off the build-up with meaningful closure,The Last Jedileft many feeling disappointed and unfulfilled by the story’s direction.
For instance, there was ample fan interest in the parentage of Daisy Ridley’s Rey’s parentage and many fans expected that she might be the daughter of Luke or share a parentage with one or the other characters from the original trilogy. However, Rey’s parents turned out to be nobodies since director Rian Johnson felt that this event would be more heartbreaking for the character and the fans. Johnson even likened the scene toMark Hamill‘s Luke Skywalker finding out his father was Darth Vader (viaEntertainment Weekly).
Moreover, fans were further disappointed when Supreme Leader Snoke, who was introduced as a powerful and enigmatic villain, was unceremoniously killed off without any explanation of his origins or motivations. Instead of providing answers and conclusions that would have satisfied fans, the film dismantled the mysteries and left behind a dozen more questions, leaving audiences feeling frustrated and unsatisfied.
1The brutal character assassination of the beloved Luke Skywalker
While fans, in hindsight, can overlook the other problems mentioned before, they certainly cannot overlook the wayThe Last Jedibrutally destroyed the central hero of the original trilogy, Mark Hamill’s Luke Skywalker. Hamill was even disappointed with the way his character was going (viaThe A.V. Club). Having waited decades to see their favorite character return to the big screen, fans were left massively heartbroken by getting a version of the character that felt unrecognizable.
“This heroic act that’s going to resonate throughout the universe”: Rian Johnson Really Believed Mark Hamill’s Most Controversial The Last Jedi Moment That Makes Our Blood Boil Was Going to Save Star Wars
Rather than the hopeful, idealistic hero who overcame darkness to redeem his father, Darth Vader, fans were instead introduced to a bitter, reclusive character who had given up on the Jedi Order and isolated himself on Ahch-To.
Not only was it seen as a betrayal of his core values but it felt against his personality. This controversial characterization has led to widespread disappointment and backlash even today since fans cannot seem to digest that their hero would ever consider such an action. Thus, whileStar Wars: The Last Jedimight escape many of its misdeeds, tarnishing the legacy of one of cinema’s most iconic heroes is one thing that it can never escape from.
Star Wars: The Last Jediis available to be streamed on Disney+.
Maria Sultan
Senior Writer
Articles Published :2703
Maria Sultan is a dedicated News Content Writer at FandomWire. With over five years of professional experience and hundreds of published articles, she brings a wealth of expertise to her coverage of Marvel, K-dramas, and the latest on streaming platforms.Her work is not just about reporting news; it’s about providing insightful perspectives on the entertainment trends that matter most.
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Carrie FisherDaisy RidleyLeia SkywalkerLuke SkywalkerRian JohnsonStar WarsStar Wars: The Last Jedi
