MOVIE REVIEW: Star Wars episode VIII: The Last Jedi (2017)

NOTE: This review is written years after the release of the film, and days after the release of the Disney+ Star Wars show “The Acolyte”. This review is less about the film and more about the franchise’s fanbase and its cultural impact.

Star Wars is no longer just the most influential intellectual property (IP) geared toward the affluent 25-and-under cis-het White male demographic: it is a lifestyle. Jediism has been an established religion for over 20 years in the United States with 10 years of tax-exempt status, with an online temple. Many people have spent years of their lives consuming Star Wars content of every kind, their encyclopedic lore knowledge is held sacred to the point that any contrary information (even if it comes from the creators of Star Wars) is, at worst, seen as a form of dogmatic heresy against the original trilogy (episode 4, 5, and 6). In their eyes, Star Wars must be presented and consumed in a way they deem appropriate or it isn’t really Star Wars.
Many of these self-proclaimed “fans” hate the Star Wars Sequel Trilogy —three movies made by Disney after their purchase of the Lucasfilm IP, set after the original trilogy and the prequel trilogy (episodes 1, 2, and 3). I have already reviewed episode 9 (the Rise of Skywalker), but I had a chance to watch a YouTube reaction to episode 3 (Revenge of the Sith) one weekend…