I saw TLJ for my 2nd time today - the CGI scenes I thought I had issues with on my 1st visit have dissolved (a different & better screen, I think), and thought the story overall played out better too.
Yes, some of the humour is over the top in a couple of places - and felt a little forced - but that’s the subjective nature of comedy, and the humour in the previous films have often divided opinion down the years, so no real surprises here - it did shift the tone/impact of a couple of scenes for me.
The Canto Bight scenes also didn’t stick out for me as much a 2nd time - it was also more noticeable the abuse the fathiers were suffering - whip marks to their bodies etc. And also appreciated that this is a reversal of the Mos Eisley from Star Wars somewhat - this place too is wretched hive of scum and villainy - just at the other end of the scale (‘give a man a gun and he’ll rob a bank, give a man a bank and he’ll rob the world’).
The Progs, Ahch-To milk dispenser, fathiers, and Crystaline Critters - a nice spin and reminder that the Force is an energy between all things - including nature, and the importance of that.
Really thought Hamill nailed it (and his scene with R2 really resonated), the cgi on Snoke was very nicely done (and so what if his backstory isn’t explained - or if he isn’t Darth Plagueis etc - he is another strong dark side user, where his lust for power and control led to his arrogance and blindsided his beliefs as to what was before him). Carrie did great - some real emotion and her wit shone through here. Driver & Ridley were quality - as was the support cast too.
(I even noticed an actor from an old UK comedy I liked - Channel 4’s Teachers - Kurt of ‘Kurt & Brian’ fame, the hapless pair with great chemistry - was a Rebel pilot in this).
There are still questions and a couple of missteps for me - yet the talented fan editors on here already have some intriguing ideas…
Left the cinema with a smile once again - but with a more fulfilled feeling this time - and TLJ will still likely be in my thoughts for a good few weeks to come - and that’s what a good enjoyable film should do, isn’t it? (For me, anyway.)
It certainly didn’t go the way I was thought or expected it to go - that too… nice one 😃
I’m now very much looking forward to seeing how Episode IX plays out.