Star Wars: The Last Jedi

Star Wars: The Last Jedi has built a real following in Australia on Disney Plus, and in the US on Disney Plus and Hulu among viewers who want their sci-fi to think as hard as it looks. The length is exactly right for the story it is telling — nothing rushed, nothing dragged out. A 7/10 rating says what the writing already makes obvious: this one works. Mark Hamill leads a cast that never lets the concept overwhelm the characters. There is no real reason to keep putting it off — it is right there on Disney Plus.

There is a reason Star Wars: The Last Jedi keeps coming up in conversation. The world-building is meticulous, but it is the characters who carry Star Wars: The Last Jedi through its more ambitious moments. Rey develops her newly discovered abilities with the guidance of Luke Skywalker, who is unsettled by the strength of her powers. Meanwhile, the Resistance prepares to do battle with the First Order. The human element stays intact thanks to Mark Hamill and Carrie Fisher, who anchor every scene. It hit screens in 2017. Star Wars: The Last Jedi resists the temptation to explain everything, trusting the audience to sit with ambiguity. It delivers reliably on what it promises, which is more than most of its competition manages.

Viewers burned by ambitious sci-fi that could not sustain its premise should give Star Wars: The Last Jedi a chance. It rewards viewers regardless of what else is in their watch history. Best experienced as a single, sustained watch from start to finish. Mark Hamill's performance is the anchor the more ambitious moments need. The world-building pays off in ways you will not anticipate on a first watch.