Rating summary

Movie		3.5
Video		5.0
Audio		5.0
Extras		4.5
Overall		4.5

Star Wars: Episode VIII - The Last Jedi 4K Blu-ray Movie Review

Second time's a charm, 4K's a blast.

Reviewed by Martin Liebman March 15, 2018

Though vague, some parts of the review could be considered spoilers for 'The Last Jedi.'

“This is not going to go the way you think!” Luke Skywalker proclaims in the trailer for, and during a pivotal moment in, Writer/Director Rian Johnson’s Star Wars: Episode VIII - The Last Jedi. Props for truth in advertising. With a flick of the wrist and a lightsaber tumbling down to a couple of curious Porgs, Johnson appears to erase the entirety of purpose from The Force Awakens, this film's predecessor, which centered on, beyond introducing a new generation of Star Wars characters, the search for Luke Skywalker, the Jedi who had once led the charge in ridding the galaxy of the Empire, spearheaded by the tyrannical Darth Sidious and Luke's own father, Darth Vader. Johnson rewrites the character from hero to hermit, from Jedi Master to jaded recluse who would rather see the last remnants of the Jedi order burn -- literally and metaphorically -- rather than aid the fledgeling, outmanned, outgunned, and overwhelmed Resistance, even as his sister Leia Organa and friends Chewbacca, C-3PO, and R2D2 continue the good fight. No longer a champion of freedom from oppression and the savior who destroyed the Empire and in death freed his father from the Dark Side, he is now a man living in pain and doubt who has given up on everything that has made him legend.

Her powers grow.

And that needed to be addressed. That’s the elephant-in-the-room contrivance of these new movies. Luke saved the galaxy but it was all for naught. He blew up the first Death Star, lost his hand, learned Darth Vader was his father, turned him from the dark side, watched the emperor tumble down a hole, and fled the fiery remnants of the second Death Star, but none of it, apparently, mattered. The galaxy that’s far, far away has given rise to new villains with bigger weapons and badder attitudes. Nothing has changed. Luke has realized he cannot fix the universe, that there will always be a dark and a light, that one cannot exist without the other, and he may have even played a part in creating the new evil that’s terrorizing the galaxy. But by giving up he is essentially throwing in the towel on keeping balance, all but allowing the darkness to prevail and the light to fade, the spark that might ignite the fire that will destroy the First Order to never flicker alive. Luke has chosen to “do not” and allow chaos to reign because of his broken spirit. Perhaps he is the last Jedi, then, living out his days as a spiritually bankrupt individual who would save himself to live a life of emptiness in seclusion rather than make a final stand in an effort to stave off evil one last time. That's the choice he'll have to make, forced upon him by the young Rey (Daisy Ridley), with whom the force is strong, as the film otherwise follows the last few remaining Resistance fighters, including General Leia (Carrie Fisher), hotshot pilot Poe Dameron (Oscar Isaac), stormtrooper-turned-rebel Finn (John Boyega), and Rose Tico (Kelly Marie Tran) as the First Order, led by the malicious General Hux (Domhnall Gleeson), the powerful Dark Master Kylo Ren (Adam Driver), and the vicious Supreme Leader Snoke (Andy Serkis) pursue the resistance fleet, running on fumes and with no means of escape towards unavoidable oblivion.

The Last Jedi is a film of extremes. Johnson has taken not only the new set of films, but also the series, in a radically new direction. It's easy to find faults with it, and it's easy to sing its praises. The film's tonal presentation is perhaps its most glaring weakness, overwrought with needless humor that interferes with the dramatic currents that build the narrative -- as flimsy as it may sometimes be -- and often appear in the film simply to move merchandise, in the Porg's case, or simply to tickle Johnson's fancy. Essential, plot-critical humor works -- Poe Dameron stalling the First Order at film's open, BB-8 playing hero later on -- but with a story as dark and daring as this, the laughs, which oftentimes are met more with a groan rather than a guffaw and almost always undercut a more serious scene, only get in the way. The Porgs are the worst thing to ever happen to a Star Wars film. Yes, Jar Jar was silly but the Gungan at least stood in to make a critical, galaxy-shaping vote at one point in the prequel trilogy, elevating himself from crude comic relief to critical cog in the franchise. Even the cute Ewoks helped the Rebellion fight a tide-turning battle. Chewbacca only brushes a Porg aside when it gets in his way during a battle; they literally serve no purpose.

Another problem is the film's repeated efforts to recap the plot. Lines about the urgency of finishing a mission, the fleet running out of fuel, spelling out the film's most essential arcs dog and clog the film at random, as if Johnson feared that the audience could not keep up with the basics, maybe because the film is so otherwise overstuffed with stuff. Then, of course, comes the "Flying Frozen Princess" scene, this film's outer-space face-palm moment reminiscent of a classically goofy bit near the end of Superman IV. Defenses and detractions for that scene, and everything else controversial about The Last Jedi -- pretty much every frame (though maybe nobody has found reason to complain about the movie's familiarly bold yellow title card) -- have been written ad nauseam from every conceivable perspective. Audiences have made up their minds on what is easily the most controversial installment of the Star Wars universe, but maybe giving it a second spin, removed from the initial viewing, will allow the movie to play in more positive, but not perfect, light.

And this is very much Johnson's film in other ways, too. It's easy to see what he wanted to accomplish with it, primarily that he's whittled the Resistance down to a slogan. At one critical point in the movie, one character is set to sacrifice himself for the greater good, to destroy a weapon kamikaze-style, to allow the Resistance to live to fight another day. But at the last moment, his vehicle is knocked away by another character who says to him that it's not by "fighting what we hate but by saving what we love" that will win the day, even if his sacrifice meant saving many others. That's essentially the idea behind the whole movie. The Resistance is no longer about waving around guns and blowing stuff up. Poe Dameron is chastised and demoted in the film for taking the fight to the First Order at the expense of many lives and Resistance material. Heretofore stalwart Jedi Luke Skywalker has turned his back on both the Jedi and the Resistance, having witnessed its futility and living with his own failures as a teacher of the old ways. Now, the Resistance is about bringing hope to the hopeless. The film ends on a shot of a young boy, with some force abilities, looking to the heavens and dreaming of a time when peace and freedom rule the galaxy. But then again, chances are that the First Order isn't going to talk peace in Episode IX. Defeating it will require lightsabers and blasters. But the crux of the story isn't about merely defeating bad, it's about how to be good even when bad has all but erased any hope for the future.

As a Star Wars film, The Last Jedi does much to reshape the universe and forward the characters, but at the same time very little happens. The essential plot arc revolves around a low-speed intergalactic chase with Resistance ships running out of fuel and the big bad First Order ships (remember "there's always a bigger fish?" Well, there's always a bigger ship, too) in pursuit. Apparently they are just out of range for their weapons to be effective against Resistance shields. It's silly, and the result is another of the film's controversial sequences in which Finn and newcomer Rose travel to a casino in order to find a high-roller gambler who can, according to The Force Awakens' Maz Kanata, disable the First Order's ability to track the Resistance though hyperspace. But that's just a framework for the character arcs that follow, some of which are substantial -- Rey's heritage revealed, her relationship with Kylo Ren and his own evolution, Luke's choices -- and some of which are not, including killing off a beloved character off-screen, the flimsy quasi-romantic relationship between Finn and Rose, and the complete disregard for building any sort of backstory for Supreme Leader Snoke. The film is bloated and not only by its wasted humor; it could stand to trim a good 30+ minutes and tighten significantly. But even with all of its flaws, some major, some minor, the film plays fairly well. Acting occasionally struggles, due often to a flimsy script that has characters repeating plot lines and wrenching in inorganic gags, but action is very well done and Johnson has, if nothing else, given careful consideration to how each character responds to the shifting tonal landscape he's created.

Star Wars: Episode VIII - The Last Jedi 4K Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

The included screenshots are sourced from a 1080p Blu-ray disc. Watch for 4K screenshots at a later date.

The Last Jedi is no slouch on Blu-ray, but this 2160p/Dolby Vision UHD release offers an increase, often substantial, in terms of both textural clarity and color depth and vibrancy. The film, shot on film, retains an inherently natural and beautiful grain structure, here a little more pronounced than that on the Blu-ray, but the end result is a substantial net increase in textural yield. The native 4K presentation is a sight to behold, with detail refinements abounding from beginning to end. Watching closely after the Blu-ray and making some direct scene comparisons reveal the UHD's superiority. The image is much more firm, substantially sharper, and more capable of reproducing and displaying details that are not so much lost on the Blu-ray but that are certainly lacking this level of effortless intimacy. There's a tangible depth to facial definition, costumes, and environments that the Blu-ray is incapable of revealing. Fine-point object detail on scars, hair, set piece weathering and intricate material detail, and costume density -- everything sees a generous increase in firmness and inherent complexity.

The 12-bit Dolby Vision color presentation is perhaps not quite the revelatory extreme as the transfer's textural wonders, but the increase in essential and nuanced coloring is a welcome add. The yellow "Star Wars" title card bears the first Dolby Vision fruits, beaming with increased brilliance against not a comparatively dull Blu-ray yellow but a yellow without the popping splendor Dolby provides. Natural greens on Ahch-To enjoy improved saturation. Reds are of greatly increased density, and the Dolby Vision allows for the color to boldly proclaim Johnson's vision for its symbolic use in the film. Skin tones take on a more refined, flattering coloring, presenting with increased natural definition and complimenting the enhanced detailing that comes with them. Stormtrooper whites are wonderfully brighter and more alive; white balance certainly seems to be, at this stage, amongst the most beneficial of the Dolby Vision improvements to any film. Black levels remain deep and true, whether dark star fields or black attire. This is the way to watch The Last Jedi. The disc boasts a significant increase in detail and filmic credentials while also taking full advantage of the increased color output under the Dolby Vision parameters. If for no other reason this disc is a must-buy for its reference UHD video presentation.

Star Wars: Episode VIII - The Last Jedi 4K Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

The Last Jedi soars with a remarkable, powerful, full-featured Dolby Atmos soundtrack. But as with the companion Blu- ray's DTS 7.1 presentation, this one is best enjoyed, and fully realized, at a calibrated 0Db, whereas some other tracks may present too loudly at that setting. Regardless, once the volume is in proper position, the track produces one of the most enriching and perfectly complimentary listens on the market. Even as there are only scattered moments of discrete overhead engagement, the added fluidity, spatial volume, and total stage coverage make the Atmos track a superior to the DTS presentation. The track delivers a seemingly endless assault of musical and sound effects joy, both playing with fully engaged side and surround immersion. John Williams' score is, of course, a highlight, belting triumphant, stage-stretching and surround-encompassing goodness and rumbling support bass in deep and dense musical cues that presents essential notes and subtle support details with equal clarity. Action scenes are huge. Smaller ships zip, larger ships rumble, blaster fire penetrates the entire stage in one seamless line, and lightsabers tear about the soundstage with their distinctive, bass-heavy density, whether as Rey practices her trade on Ahch-To or during a key lightsaber battle partway through the film. Additionally, various scenes in which Ren and Rey telepathically communicate with one another see their voices swirl around the listening area with a precision that melts away the speakers, so clear and precise is the presentation. Canto Bight is home to some prodigious bass first as various racing creatures power along a racetrack and later as one of them bellows in a rumbling baritone. There's no end to the track's dominance. Every scene enjoys perfect complimentary detail, whether modest support atmospherics or large music and fluidly moving action. Dialogue is clear and precise, the final piece to an exceptionally well engineered and extremely enjoyable Star Wars sound bonanza.

Note that the digital Movies Anywhere version (included with purchase) contains a unique isolated score version of the film that is not included on disc.

Star Wars: Episode VIII - The Last Jedi 4K Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

The Last Jedi contains all of its supplemental content, minus the audio commentary track, of course, on a dedicated third Blu-ray. The commentary is only available on the feature film BD disc. No extras are included on the UHD disc. A Movies Anywhere digital copy code is included with purchase.

• Audio Commentary: Writer/Director Rian Johnson delivers an enjoyably agreeable track in which he dissects the film to an intimate degree. He discusses the famous fanfare, an alternate opening, visual effects, actors and characters, performances, set details, photographic elements, narrative details, the writing process and developing the film as its own entity and within the larger Star Wars universe, and much more. It's a fascinating track, full of honest insight as well as some typical commentary tidbits. It's a great listen that offers a necessary added insight into the movie.
• The Director and the Jedi (1080p, 1:35:23): An intimate, detailed documentary journey that explores the making of the movie from a number of interesting perspectives, packed with raw and honest insight by Rian Johnson and cast and crew, and fascinating footage from sets and rehearsals and production meetings. Broadly, the piece explores, in offset but flowing cadence, scripting, shooting, set and prop building, on-set life, discussions of working with cast and crew, editing, and plenty more. This is a movie and Star Wars fan's dream extra.
• Balance of the Force (1080p, 10:17): Johnson discuses The Force, Luke's motivations in the movie, Rey's place in the universe, the Force connection between Rey and Ren, and the film's final confrontation. Much of this is covered to some degree in the commentary track.
• Scene Breakdowns (1080p): Comprehensive insight into making three of the film's key sequences. Included are Lighting the Spark: Creating the Space Battle (14:23), Snoke and Mirrors (5:40), and Showdown on Crait (12:56).
• Andy Serkis Live! (One Night Only) (1080p, 5:49): Andy Serkis' performance as Snoke in the motion capture suit, prior to the CGI layers that made it into the finished product seen in the film.
• Deleted Scenes (1080p, 23:02 total runtime): Following a Rian Johnson Introduction, the following scenes are included, with optional Rian Johnson commentary: Alternate Opening, Paige's Gun Jams, Luke Has a Moment, Poe: Not Much of a Sewer, It's Kind of Weird That You Recorded That, The Caretaker Sizes Up Rey, Caretaker Village Sequence, Extended Fathier Chase, Mega Destroyer Incursion - Extended Version, Rose Bites the Hand That Taunts Her, Phasma Squealed Like a Whoop Hog, Rose & Finn Go to Where They Belong, Rey & Chewie in the Falcon, and The Costumes and Creatures of Canto Bight.

Star Wars: Episode VIII - The Last Jedi 4K Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

I hated The Last Jedi after seeing it theatrically. In fact, I had written an anger- and spite-filled page-and-a-half of notes ready to turn into this review. Some of those criticisms still made it into this final publication, but much of it did not. The film plays a fair better, though still with massive flaws, on a second viewing, especially a few months removed from its theatrical debut, allowing time to process it, to filter through the thoughts, to understand with more intimacy what, exactly, it is Johnson wanted to achieve with the film. In fact, "redemption" is a word that comes very close to describing thoughts after a second viewing. It's funny. Perhaps the first time it disappointed for failing to meet expectations and the second time it worked better for surpassing nonexistent expectations. It probably falls somewhere in that middle ground, and if one can look beyond the vacuous humor it's a movie that is more likely to trend upward, warts and all, than fall in stature over time. As my friend and colleague Michael Reuben told me when I received this disc for review, "I doubt anyone can say the right thing about it." So, this review is just $.02 piled on top of enough $.02 to pay off the trillions-of-dollars national debt trillions of times over. I liked the movie much more this time. I'm glad I did, because the last thing I want in my movie-watching life is a franchise-ruining Star Wars film. It will never be perfect, and a trimmed cut would be welcome someday, but it's really not all that bad given time to back away, process and consider, and watch again. Disney's UHD is one of the best, if not the best, in the business. Picture and sound are perfect (just make sure to turn the sound up) and supplements are many and thorough. Very highly recommended; just don't expect a perfect movie.