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Review: "The Last Jedi" is exciting addition to beloved franchise

“The Last Jedi,” Episode VIII of the classic and beloved space opera “Star Wars,” was one of the most hyped-up movies of 2017.

The seventh installment, “The Force Awakens,” brought the films back to media headlines when it was released in 2015. Since then, the Star Wars franchise has reclaimed its presence in the lives of lifelong adult fans and youths alike.

“The Last Jedi” premiered on Dec. 14, and the movie’s anticipation reignited the worldwide Star Wars craze. Star Wars toys and action figures stocked the isles of supermarkets and toy stores, Star Wars clothing hit popular retail stores, such as the GAP and on opening weekend the film hit a total of $220,009,584 gross in the box office, according to IMDb’s Box Office Mojo.

Directed by Rian Johnson, the film starred the temperamental First Order Kylo Ren (Adam Driver), an identity-grappling Rey (Daisy Ridley), FN-2187 (John Boyega) otherwise known as Finn and of course the return of the beloved characters Luke Skywalker (Mark Hamill) and Princess Leia Organa (Carrie Fisher).

“The Last Jedi” would be one of the late Carrie Fisher’s final on-screen performances, and this brought many lifelong fans to the theater.

Fisher died in December of 2016. Her extremely popular character, Princess Leia, was first introduced in the original “Star Wars” movie in 1977.

With a budget of $200 million, Johnson’s film included intense spaceship battles, dramatic point-of-view race scenes, mesmerizing oceanside scenery and fierce lightsaber clashes.

Along with thrill and intensity, the new movie explores the journey of discovering self-identity, letting go of the past and recognizing the wrongs one has committed.

Following the paths of many of the characters introduced in “The Force Awakens,” the newest installment in the Star Wars franchise was a worldwide hit and rests as the third-highest-grossing film released in 2017, according to IMDb’s Box Office Mojo.

“The Last Jedi” takes risks when it comes to the typical Star Wars recipe and introduces a few never-before-seen concepts relating to the “force.”

For many, these new concepts may be viewed as fresh and exciting additions to the Star Wars world, but for others, the changes made to the vintage series may negatively impact many character plots and traditional Star Wars norms.

As a casual Star Wars fan, I was entertained by the movie and thought it was both exciting and dramatic. The film offered a modern take on the old and well-loved world of Star Wars.

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I would not recommend entering the theater with absolutely no Star Wars knowledge however, as the movie contains many different stories and characters, which makes it a bit complicated.

For someone who has never seen a Star Wars movie, I would recommend viewing “The Force Awakens” beforehand in order to learn the names and background of many of the characters.

For Star Wars fans both new and old, “The Last Jedi” offers a fun movie-going experience that is sure to entertain and is most definitely worth the cost of a ticket.

Timber Mabes is a culture reporter with the Daily Lobo. She can be contacted at culture@dailylobo.com or on Twitter @timbermabes.

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