The Last Jedi is a conundrum. One thing I have to say about director Rian Johnson is that he took risks with this screenplay, offering up new ideas about the force that we never thought of. Some will appreciate it, others...not so much.

I'm all for changing things up, but I still have an opinion about the direction this movie went. There were choices made with key characters that just didn't hit the "sweet" spot as far as I'm concerned.

Another issue is the unevenness of the whole thing. It's literally like 2 plots going at the same time, and one being far more interesting than the other.

Rey and Kylo are the definite standouts. The good news is these characters are challenging, conflicted, and entertaining as hell. And I actually enjoyed their arc more this time around then The Force Awakens.

This is a one viewing review, and I'll definitely see The Last Jedi again. It's almost a requirement, which I tend to like in movies.

Update: After a 2nd viewing, I've seen this film in a whole new light. A lot of the themes of "unlearning what you have learned" and seeing the Force from a different angle didn't resonate with me on the first viewing. And I completely misjudged Luke's state of mind and his sole purpose in The Last Jedi.

This is a beautifully constructed movie by Rian Johnson, which REQUIRES multiple viewings, and it is the best Star Wars film since Empire.