Since December 18, 2015, the world has been itching with anticipation, and this weekend, Star Wars: The Last Jedi finally came out. The world ate it up;  some were left satisfied, others were not.  Regardless of personal response, nearly all can agree that this new addition to the classic film franchise brought something new to the table – but perhaps the directors should have just played it safe.

Don’t get me wrong, I’ll take any new Star Wars content I can get, but between countless new characters, several complex plot lines, and a plethora of Hollywood stars, this film had a lot going on, and it got a little bit … messy. Director Rian Johnson made his Star Wars debut, an undoubtedly pressuring task, especially following the success of Johnson’s directorial predecessor JJ Abrams with Episode VII, The Force Awakens. Johnson’s vision did not align with that of most Star Wars enthusiasts. While a new vision can sometimes be refreshing, the elements Johnson added to the trilogy were frankly a bit stale. Kelly Marie Tran, Benicio del Toro, and Laura Dern joined the familiar cast from Episode VII. A stellar cast, but, unfortunately for the actors, the galactic characters fell short. I left the movie impressed with the actors’ performances but confused with what purpose they played to the plot at all.

Speaking of plot, I’m not sure where to start with the story. Towards the last hour of its seemingly never-ending duration, I found myself thinking “Ah, here’s the climax. Oh, no, I guess this is the climax … okay, this must be the end!” It almost seemed as if the creative team came up with several exciting, poignant moments for the peak of the plot, then couldn’t decide which one they liked best, so they stuffed in all of them. Each “climax” was exhilarating and beautifully directed, but some of the effect was lost after the third or fourth time. The movie was packed tight like this throughout its entirety; it became taxing to follow the continued story lines from the previous episode plus the new.  Although overall intriguing and entertaining, I wish Johnson would have taken a step back and not tried to make the movie so new and surprising; alternatively, I think fans would have been more content with a simpler story and just the familiar faces of Abrams’ film.

I went into the new Star Wars with high expectations; some were met and some were not. However, I still left the movie with the sweet, nostalgic excitement that accompanies every new Star Wars film. I have hope for the last installment of the trilogy, coming out December of 2018. JJ Abrams will return to direct Episode IX, and I have faith that he will pull together any loose ends or weak links in the trilogy. Star Wars fans, put aside your expectations and go see this movie. It may not fulfill every standard the previous episode set up, but it will leave you humming John Williams’ enchanting score and dreaming of what lies ahead for Rey, Finn, Poe Dameron, and Kylo Ren. Until next December, may the force be with you.