Riley Brennan
Editor-In-Chief
Star Wars: The Last Jedi has released on Dec. 15, and following the release weekend, has posted 22.2 million at the international box office.
The movie has brought in less money than Star Wars: The Force Awakens, though the circumstances are different. When The Force Awakens was released, Dec. 21, 2016, many countries were well into their holiday breaks. However, with The Last Jedi premiering on the 15, majority of countries were not in the midst of break. The Last Jedi is predicted to make up the difference throughout the holiday season.
The film has received a score of a 92% on Rotten Tomatoes, but has been received differently among critics. On the Rotten Tomatoes website, only 54% of viewers said that they liked the movie. These statistics are very representative of the buzz that has surrounded the movie, which has received mixed reviews. Senior Max Chuma felt very strongly, saying, “I hated it. They talked too much, the dialogue was corny, and not enough lightsabers. It was heartbreaking.” However, Senior Adam Sommers enjoyed the movie saying, “It set up the next movie really well, and while there wasn’t as much action as I thought there’d be, it was still really enjoyable.”
The movie picks up where The Force Awakens leaves off, featuring both old and new characters. The Last Jedi follows a typical Star Wars movie, with the forces of good and evil at work, with the presence of plenty of spaceships and planets. There are definite twists and turns within the film, plenty of character develop, and as surprising amount of jokes and humor. The late Carrie Fisher, who stars as her iconic character Princess Leia, was given a tribute following the end of the movie, acknowledging the bittersweet experience of seeing her on screen. Fisher was also paid tribute at the premiere screening of The Last Jedi, where director and screenplay writer, Rian Johnson dedicated the night to her.
Despite the mixed reviews, many fans are hoping for a follow up movie. There is buzz that a Star Wars IX is to come, under the guidance of J.J. Abrams, who is currently believed to serve as director, a screenwriter, and a producer of the film. The movie is predicted to be a released in 2019, as the departure of director Colin Trevorrow set production back slightly. The future of the next film, and anything beyond that, still seems to be very much in the air, but only time will tell.
