[Movie Commentary] Wait, why does ‘Star Wars: The Last Jedi’ feel like a Marvel movie?

Chewbacca (Joonas Suotamo) and a Porg in "Star Wars: The Last Jedi" (Walt Disney Pictures)
Chewbacca (Joonas Suotamo) and a Porg in "Star Wars: The Last Jedi" (Walt Disney Pictures)
General Leia (Carrie Fisher) in "Star Wars: The Last Jedi" (Walt Disney Pictures)
General Leia (Carrie Fisher) in “Star Wars: The Last Jedi” (Walt Disney Pictures)

Note: This commentary contains spoilers for the movie “Star Wars: The Last Jedi”.

Star Wars is an epic. It always has, and it always will be. After all, it’s the grandest space opera the world has ever seen. The stakes are literally cosmic in scope. And it all boils down to powerful individuals making the choice between good and evil, light and darkness, Jedi or Sith.

So it’s surprising to see how it opens with a snarky Poe Damaron mocking an over the top, hammy General Hux over an intercom.

Hux was a little high strung in “Star Wars: The Force Awakens”, but this was balanced with other aspects of his character. Unfortunately, all that remains of Hux’s character in “Star Wars: The Last Jedi” is his shouty, temperamental, bossy behaviour. He’s become a one-dimensional villain that’s really only there to serve a plot purpose.

Poe Dameron (Oscar Isaac) in "Star Wars: The Last Jedi" (Walt Disney Pictures)
Poe Dameron (Oscar Isaac) in “Star Wars: The Last Jedi” (Walt Disney Pictures)

Just like a Marvel Cinematic Universe film.

While they’re all under the Disney banner now, it’s a little unnerving to see how close “Star Wars: The Last Jedi” is in style and tone to a Marvel movie. There are so many comical quips and witty insults between the characters that it loses that grandiose quality it once had, and sort of becomes a Star Wars film with a Marvel aesthetic to it.

Luke Skywalker (Mark Hamill) in "Star Wars: The Last Jedi" (Walt Disney Pictures)
Luke Skywalker (Mark Hamill) in “Star Wars: The Last Jedi” (Walt Disney Pictures)

Don’t get me wrong, I’m all for snappy dialogue, especially if it helps with the pacing. But there’s a difference between fast-paced dialogue and jokey lines. “The Dark Knight” had an excellent script where characters had great back-and-forths — without having to resort to comedy.

It’s just that there are so many lines that go to the trouble of illustrating how quick-witted characters are that the jokes overshadow the actual characterisation, like the movie’s too afraid of going a few minutes without keeping it light-hearted.

Rose (Kelly Marie Tran) and Finn (John Boyega) in "Star Wars: The Last Jedi" (Walt Disney Pictures)
Rose (Kelly Marie Tran) and Finn (John Boyega) in “Star Wars: The Last Jedi” (Walt Disney Pictures)

Dialogue aside, there’s also only one villain with actual characterisation now — Kylo Ren. Previously we at least had an ensemble of villains, like General Hux, Supreme Leader Snoke, Captain Phasma, who each seemed to have their own motivations and objectives.

General Hux (Domhnall Gleeson) in "Star Wars: The Last Jedi" (Walt Disney Pictures)
General Hux (Domhnall Gleeson) in “Star Wars: The Last Jedi” (Walt Disney Pictures)

Now all these other antagonists are reduced to one-dimensional humanoid-shaped obstacles (like the generic Marvel villain) or ashes (you can figure out who dies),  and we’ve only got Kylo Ren has actual characterisation. The problem is, the movie can’t seem to decide whether he’s a villain or a hero. He flip flops between redemption and damnation, has an artificially sympathetic backstory, and ends up betraying the characters who had faith in him.

Just like Loki, if you will.

Rey (Daisy Ridley) in "Star Wars: The Last Jedi" (Walt Disney Pictures)
Rey (Daisy Ridley) in “Star Wars: The Last Jedi” (Walt Disney Pictures)

Kylo Ren isn’t actually conflicted. It’s the creators who are conflicted over whether they want Kylo Ren to be a hero (commercially more viable, one supposes) or a villain (which means limited choices when it comes to spin offs). As a result, they don’t really give him any significantly heroic actions (since they don’t want him to explicitly be a protagonist) but he doesn’t do anything that’s really that evil either (besides killing his own father, but even that is explained in a way that is supposed to make us feel sympathetic for him). Again, just like Loki, where the creators want to keep him around but can’t really let him do evil villainy things.

Kylo Ren (Adam Driver) in "Star Wars: The Last Jedi" (Walt Disney Pictures)
Kylo Ren (Adam Driver) in “Star Wars: The Last Jedi” (Walt Disney Pictures)

Everyone seems to have forgiven Kylo Ren for killing Han Solo in the previous movie. Isn’t, say, Leia even the slightest bit angry about it?

Poe's X-Wing flies towards the Dreadnaught ship Finn (John Boyega) battling Captain Phasma (Gwendoline Christie) in "Star Wars: The Last Jedi" (Walt Disney Pictures)
Poe’s X-Wing flies towards the Dreadnaught ship in “Star Wars: The Last Jedi” (Walt Disney Pictures)

There are plenty of moments of awesome for all the characters, regardless of whether they wield the Force or not, but the way they are executed feels very — showy. Again, just like a Marvel movie. They perform all these impressive feats for the sake of wowing the audience, rather than being motivated to do so organically. Sure, there’s a logical plot-based reason for them to embark on such risky acts that are fun to watch.

Finn (John Boyega) battling Captain Phasma (Gwendoline Christie) in "Star Wars: The Last Jedi" (Walt Disney Pictures)
Finn (John Boyega) battling Captain Phasma (Gwendoline Christie) in “Star Wars: The Last Jedi” (Walt Disney Pictures)

But the explanations are mechanical rather than compelling in nature. And the treatment of their spotlighted scenes feels more like a spectacle than a story, which again, is the way that you’d seen it being handled in a Marvel movie.

Chewbacca (Joonas Suotamo) and a Porg in "Star Wars: The Last Jedi" (Walt Disney Pictures)
Chewbacca (Joonas Suotamo) and a Porg in “Star Wars: The Last Jedi” (Walt Disney Pictures)

All that being said, “Star Wars: The Last Jedi” is still a fun film that throws some unexpected (good) curveballs but meanders into a few boring plotlines, and deserves to be called a Star Wars film. It’s just that it’s sliding precariously close to the becoming a Marvel movie, and you wonder if the next film will be called “Marvel’s Star Wars Episode Nine: Rise of the Jedi” (or something like that).

Or maybe… “Avengers: The Infinity Star Wars”.

General Leia (Carrie Fisher) in "Star Wars: The Last Jedi" (Walt Disney Pictures)
General Leia (Carrie Fisher) in “Star Wars: The Last Jedi” (Walt Disney Pictures)

“Star Wars: The Last Jedi” opens in cinemas:
– 14 December, 2017 (Singapore)
– 14 December, 2017 (Malaysia)
– 13 December, 2017 (Philippines)

This article first appeared on and was written for Yahoo Singapore.


Follow Marcus Goh (yes, referring to myself in third person) on Facebook and Instagram for more (presumably) good updates!

I’m a Singapore television scriptwriter who’s written for Lion Mums, Crimewatch, Police & Thief, and Incredible Tales. I’m also a Transformers enthusiast and avid pop culture scholar. You can find me on social media as Optimarcus and on my site.

Send me an email if you want to get in touch!


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