The Last Jedi Luke Skywalker's role in "The Last Jedi": Did you like it?

[MessiahDecoy123]

Who said he had to go on a killing spree? A lightsaber duel with Kylo would have sufficed.

So Luke beats Kylo, then what?

Unless you wanted Luke to lose?

 

[markjoedelonge]

So Luke beats Kylo, then what?

Unless you wanted Luke to lose?

The First Order crumbles.

 

[Marvel united]

No, didn't like it. Hated that they killed him off

 

[MessiahDecoy123]

The First Order crumbles.

I don't see the point.

Prequels - fall from grace
OT - redeemed by your children
ST - Luke kicks Kylo Ren's ass

 

[Kanon]

It was an endless cycle no matter what Luke did.

In fact, it seemed the more pro-active Luke was the more things would backfire.

If it was a cycle, the moment to break it is not when is at its worse. I'd rather have him beat Kylo and the first order, and then break the cycle by not training anyone

 

[Mjölnir]

So slicing people up accomplishes this?

Maybe in a video games, your body count makes you a "winner" but not a master jedi close to joining the force.

Yoda and Obi-Wan definitely intended for Luke to defeat Sidious and Vader when he became older, so yes.

 

[titansupes]

Who said he had to go on a killing spree? A lightsaber duel with Kylo would have sufficed.

Robots. Have him take out a whole group of cool looking, OT style assassin droids or something. Obviously there's no place for that in the story of TLJ as it exists, but that's the kind of thing people have been dreaming of since RotJ. Satisfies all sides of the debate.

 

[I'm Venom]

I thought Luke went out nobly.

Having said that, I still don't like it. I don't like that Luke was killed off. He's too young. He's powerful, and he could easily be of big help in the next one. One of the things I feel incredibly robbed from is seeing Luke kick serious ass. I wanted his Vader moment in Rogue One. Luke walks out to do battle, and as he scans his surroundings there's 10 or 15 guys with blasters or whatever. For me personally, I would’ve lost my mind in a scene like this. And this is something I feel TLJ was missing. It just needed something to please the hardcores, the fans who have been supporting this series for 40 years. It's a disappointment in that way for me.

 

[Iceman]

There's a lot I like about Luke in this film. But there are many other ways the film could have gone for Luke that I would have preferred.

 

[danoyse]

Robots. Have him take out a whole group of cool looking, OT style assassin droids or something. Obviously there's no place for that in the story of TLJ as it exists, but that's the kind of thing people have been dreaming of since RotJ. Satisfies all sides of the debate.

I literally have not wished for a scene like that over the last 34 years...

 

[markjoedelonge]

Robots. Have him take out a whole group of cool looking, OT style assassin droids or something. Obviously there's no place for that in the story of TLJ as it exists, but that's the kind of thing people have been dreaming of since RotJ. Satisfies all sides of the debate.

I thought Luke went out nobly.

Having said that, I still don't like it. I don't like that Luke was killed off. He's too young. He's powerful, and he could easily be of big help in the next one. One of the things I feel incredibly robbed from is seeing Luke kick serious ass. I wanted his Vader moment in Rogue One. Luke walks out to do battle, and as he scans his surroundings there's 10 or 15 guys with blasters or whatever. For me personally, I would’ve lost my mind in a scene like this. And this is something I feel TLJ was missing. It just needed something to please the hardcores, the fans who have been supporting this series for 40 years. It's a disappointment in that way for me.

Yup exactly. Rian was just too focused on undermining expectations.

 

[jmart]

Loved it, but I admit, it took me a second watch to get there. The first time caught me off guard.

Making him flawed gave him depth. As much as I love the original three, in rewatching all of the films minus Force Awakens (just didn't get to it in time) before Last Jedi, I had the realization that Luke is...kinda...dull? I'm not sure if it was Hamill or the way the character was written, but I found all of the major characters surrounding him to be more interesting. And the stuff between him and Vader is interesting because Vader being his father is interesting, not so much Luke being his son (if that made any sense). Then again, I wouldn't liked being tasked to act along side one of the most charming actors in film history (Ford). On a sidenote, this film misses not Ford so much, but his charm. Oscar Issac can only do so much.

The film sent him out (he'll be back) on the best note: he is a legend. We the audience know he's a legend, but the galaxy in which this film takes place now knows he's a legend. That last scene with the kid is perfect, which is why it boggles my mind why anyone would walk out of this film hopeless. You just saw hope (some might say A New Hope) give hope to those who need it most. And the music by Williams in those scenes between Luke and Kylo and Luke and Leia...perfect.

Anyone hoping for a 60+ Luke to kick ass, be mad at Lucas for not doing these sequels twenty years ago, or at JJ for sticking him on an island (I personally think both JJ and Rian have done damn fine jobs). I'm just glad we didn't get Christopher Lee 2.0. Those lightsaber fights with Lee in Clones are embarrassing. That's the low point of this series, not this film. Not even close.

I maybe in the minority or majority (I literally have no idea), but the last 45 minutes of this film are perfect, and that's mostly because of Luke. I'm a fan.

 

[titansupes]

I literally have not wished for a scene like that over the last 34 years...

You've never, ever thought it would be great to see Jedi master Luke being great in a battle?

 

[C. Lee]

Robots. Have him take out a whole group of cool looking, OT style assassin droids or something. Obviously there's no place for that in the story of TLJ as it exists, but that's the kind of thing people have been dreaming of since RotJ. Satisfies all sides of the debate.

Nope....I never ever dreamed of Luke battling a group of robots. The Jedi vs CGI robots in the prequels squashed that vision from my mind.

 

[danoyse]

You've never, ever thought it would be great to see Jedi master Luke being great in a battle?

"Wars not make one great."

I always remember Luke for throwing away his lightsaber at the end of ROTJ instead of fighting.

And I thought what he did on Crait was pretty badass.

 

[InCali]

You've never, ever thought it would be great to see Jedi master Luke being great in a battle?

He was.

 

[titansupes]

Nope....I never ever dreamed of Luke battling a group of robots. The Jedi vs CGI robots in the prequels squashed that vision from my mind.

I never said you dreamed of him fighting droids. That was my example of getting a Luke fight (which is pretty well established the vast majority of fans wanted) without making him seem too vicious and potentially undoing his big moment at the end of RotJ.*

Also-- Not all CGI is created equal. The way they've visualised things in this new trilogy... Luke facing a group of IG-88 type droids with modern FX would likely be great.

*Note: I don't think RotJ ever implied he was going to become a pacifist, just that he wasn't going to fight/kill with anger.

 

[titansupes]

"Wars not make one great."

I always remember Luke for throwing away his lightsaber at the end of ROTJ instead of fighting.

And I thought what he did on Crait was pretty badass.

He was.

I wouldn't exactly call that a battle. Which would've been fine, if the movie didn't start a battle without actually starting it.

I would've been happier with the Crait fight if it didn't TELL us he was about to fight (by activating the 'saber) and then having him dodge/stand there awkwardly with it before turning it back off. It may make sense in universe (but there's a better way to do that, too), but it simply communicates the wrong thing to the audience. Just have him stand there/dodge/Force stuff while totally unarmed, and that frustrates and humiliates Kylo even further... And it doesn't give the wrong idea to the audience and leave us with blue balls.

That's another part of it that I find so frustrating-- there was a better version of the scene right there.

Same with the way fake out/fade away death immediately followed by a real fade away death. Just a bizarre bit of timing.

 

[KRYPTON INC.]

He was.

 

[danoyse]

I wouldn't exactly call that a battle. Which would've been fine, if the movie didn't start a battle without actually starting it.

I would've been happier with the Crait fight if it didn't TELL us he was about to fight (by activating the 'saber) and then having him dodge/stand there awkwardly with it before turning it back off. It may make sense in universe (but there's a better way to do that, too), but it simply communicates the wrong thing to the audience. Just have him stand there/dodge/Force stuff while totally unarmed, and that frustrates and humiliates Kylo even further... And it doesn't give the wrong idea to the audience and leave us with blue balls.

That's another part of it that I find so frustrating-- there was a better version of the scene right there.

Same with the way fake out/fade away death immediately followed by a real fade away death. Just a bizarre bit of timing.

I didn't need a battle.

Again..."wars don't make one great."

I never got the "wrong message" when Luke ignited the lightsaber, because something was already off about Luke when he arrived. He looked younger, and it made no sense how he got to Crait. I already suspected that wasn't actually there, and he was up to something more.

I thought how the whole thing played out was more intelligent, more clever, and yes, totally more badass than watching a stuntman CGI'd to look like Mark Hamill doing a bunch of backflips and lightsaber moves. This was the Luke I was hoping to see in this movie.

And to quote Yoda again..."Luminous beings are we, not this crude matter."

 

[InCali]

AAAAAAAHHHHHHH!!!! Criminal!!!! I referenced it first!!!! NO FAIR!!!! FIX IT!!!

 

[Lobo]

I've not read the thread, and have only seen the movie once. I voted I don't know in the poll, but the more I think about it, I'm leaning towards no I didn't like his role despite the greatness at the end

 

[titansupes]

I didn't need a battle.

Again..."wars don't make one great."

I never got the "wrong message" when Luke ignited the lightsaber, because something was already off about Luke when he arrived. He looked younger, and it made no sense how he got to Crait. I already suspected that wasn't actually there, and he was up to something more.

I thought how the whole thing played out was more intelligent, more clever, and yes, totally more badass than watching a stuntman CGI'd to look like Mark Hamill doing a bunch of backflips and lightsaber moves. This was the Luke I was hoping to see in this movie.

And to quote Yoda again..."Luminous beings are we, not this crude matter."

I was hoping that he was a projection, because of his entrance and the fact I was hoping Luke didn't stop to get his hair dyed before saving the day. But the movie had already made so many poor decisions that I wouldn't necessarily be surprised at that point.

The AT-AT portion of the scene all but confirmed he wasn't there. But still--WHY activate the 'saber? Why TELL the audience there's going to be a fight and then not deliver? Why break Chekhov's Gun? Just remove the 'saber* from the scene, it instantly becomes better.

For the flip side of that, if you're going to have them both with 'sabers-- it could and should've be as classy as the opening portion of Luke and Vader's fight in ESB, only this time Luke's in control and Kylo's the uncertain, desperate young one.

A lightsaber fight does not equal a Prequel lightsaber fight-- thank goodness. I don't know why people keep trying to paint me as arguing for them-- I've been railing against the PT fight style since '05. No need for awkward backflips from a stunt double.

Another little irony of that is the clear stuntman and awkard flipping involved in the actual scene-- that damn Matrix dodge and the way he spins out of it in the next shot.

*Also, why the blue 'saber instead of the green one? I haven't thought about that much.

 

[InCali]

I wouldn't exactly call that a battle. Which would've been fine, if the movie didn't start a battle without actually starting it.

I would've been happier with the Crait fight if it didn't TELL us he was about to fight (by activating the 'saber) and then having him dodge/stand there awkwardly with it before turning it back off. It may make sense in universe (but there's a better way to do that, too), but it simply communicates the wrong thing to the audience. Just have him stand there/dodge/Force stuff while totally unarmed, and that frustrates and humiliates Kylo even further... And it doesn't give the wrong idea to the audience and leave us with blue balls.

That's another part of it that I find so frustrating-- there was a better version of the scene right there.

Same with the way fake out/fade away death immediately followed by a real fade away death. Just a bizarre bit of timing.

Sorry it left you with blue balls (checking)....nope. Whew....

 

[C. Lee]

I never said you dreamed of him fighting droids.

OK....so I should ignore this?

Robots. Have him take out a whole group of cool looking, OT style assassin droids or something. Obviously there's no place for that in the story of TLJ as it exists, but that's the kind of thing people have been dreaming of since RotJ. Satisfies all sides of the debate.