--- title: "Star Wars: The Last Jedi: the reviews" canonical: "https://film.one/film/star-wars-the-last-jedi/reviews" title_page: "https://film.one/film/star-wars-the-last-jedi" critics_score: 82 critics_reviews: 20 licence: "© Fi1m Ltd. Written by AI under a human editor; checked against sources before publication. Quote with attribution and a link to the canonical URL." --- # Star Wars: The Last Jedi (2017): what the critics said Critics' score 82 from 20 reviews: 18 positive, 1 mixed, 1 negative. Most critics like it a great deal. Eighteen of the twenty reviews are positive, and several rank it as the strongest entry since The Empire Strikes Back. The praise clusters around Rian Johnson: his willingness to upend expectations, his humour, and the staging of the set-pieces. The scenes between Rey and Kylo Ren are singled out again and again, with Adam Driver’s performance often named as the film’s centre. Mark Hamill’s return as Luke and Carrie Fisher’s final appearance as Leia draw warm notices. The reservations are consistent even among admirers. Many reviews find the middle sags, and the Canto Bight subplot with Finn and Rose is the weak strand named most often. A few note that the film struggles to give every character something worthwhile to do. The spread is narrow at the top and wide at the bottom: The New Yorker stands almost alone in calling it calculated fan service, and Paste lands on a mixed verdict, thrilled by the Rey and Kylo material and unpersuaded by the rest. ## The Guardian — Peter Bradshaw Rating 5/5. 12 December 2017. The critic praises Rian Johnson's direction for delivering a tidal wave of energy, emotion and spectacle in this eighth Star Wars episode, with gripping character-driven face-offs and surprising tonal shifts. Some convoluted military plot strands and an underwritten new character are noted as minor flaws amid the overall euphoric mythic belief. [Read the review](https://www.theguardian.com/film/2017/dec/12/star-wars-the-last-jedi-review-episode-viii-rian-johnson) ## The Telegraph — Robbie Collin Rating 5/5. 15 December 2017. The critic hails the film as thrilling and genuinely startling blockbuster filmmaking that flexes the Star Wars formula with surprises, strong performances and beautiful staging while respecting the saga's spirit. It singles out the inventive direction and emotional depth for praise. [Read the review](https://www.telegraph.co.uk/films/0/star-wars-last-jedi-critics-review/) ## The Times — Kevin Maher Rating ★★★★★. 13 December 2017. The critic calls it the best Star Wars film of the series for its wit, visual spectacle and unexpected emotional power, crediting Rian Johnson's genre-bending skill. It highlights the dense, layered storytelling and devastating emotional moments. [Read the review](https://www.thetimes.com/culture/tv-radio/article/film-review-star-wars-the-last-jedi-pssr39rll) ## Time Out Rating 5/5. The review calls it a triumph of comic irreverence and dramatic purpose that dazzles like the saga has not in decades. It singles out Johnson's confident direction and witty, wild approach for praise. [Read the review](https://www.timeout.com/london/film/star-wars-the-last-jedi) ## IndieWire — Eric Kohn Rating A. 12 December 2017. It is the most satisfying entry in the franchise since The Empire Strikes Back, blending Johnson's indie roots with blockbuster spectacle through rapid-fire trickery and narrative finesse. The film never lets up on its astonishing light-and-color show and cinematic ambition. [Read the review](https://www.indiewire.com/2017/12/star-wars-the-last-jedi-review-1201907581/) ## Los Angeles Times — Justin Chang Fi1m's normalised score 90/100 (inferred from the text). 12 December 2017. The critic calls it the most enjoyable and exciting Star Wars film in decades, the first flat-out terrific one since The Empire Strikes Back. He singles out its flowing unpredictability, emotional depth, and ability to deliver surprise alongside nostalgia. [Read the review](https://www.latimes.com/entertainment/movies/la-et-mn-star-wars-last-jedi-review-20171212-story.html) ## Total Film Fi1m's normalised score 90/100 (inferred from the text). 12 December 2017. An excellent middle chapter that propels the saga forward with wit, wisdom, emotion, and astonishing set-pieces while delving into themes of family, myth, and the Force. It is deeper and funnier than expected. [Read the review](https://www.gamesradar.com/star-wars-the-last-jedi-review/) ## Vulture Fi1m's normalised score 90/100 (inferred from the text). 12 December 2017. The new Star Wars is shockingly good, achieving a fusion of junkyard genre parts and passion not seen since The Empire Strikes Back. Rian Johnson pinpoints the intersection of characters' need to belong and the special effects that lift those longings into myth. [Read the review](https://www.vulture.com/2017/12/star-wars-the-last-jedi-review.html) ## The AV Club — A.A. Dowd Rating B+. 12 December 2017. The film locates the middle-chapter Empire Strikes Back mojo with a brilliant psychic communion between Rey and Kylo Ren that makes the dark side's allure feel real. It sags in the middle but lands on an affecting point about preserving cultural tradition without rigid dogma. [Read the review](https://www.avclub.com/the-last-jedi-locates-that-middle-chapter-empire-strik-1821221823) ## Sight and Sound — Kim Newman Fi1m's normalised score 80/100 (inferred from the text). 19 December 2017. The review praises the film as a valedictory middle chapter that delivers emotion, spectacle, and character complexity, particularly for Kylo Ren. It highlights Rian Johnson's skill in balancing seriousness with charm and humour to avoid a complete downer. [Read the review](https://www2.bfi.org.uk/news-opinion/sight-sound-magazine/reviews-recommendations/star-wars-episode-viii-last-jedi-eighth-time-charm) ## Empire — Ian Freer Fi1m's normalised score 70/100 (inferred from the text). 12 December 2017. The film delivers expected Star Wars thrills alongside surprising story twists, character arcs, and emotional weight, though some middle sections drag. It belongs to Luke Skywalker and respects Leia while offering bold narrative moves. [Read the review](https://www.empireonline.com/movies/reviews/star-wars-last-jedi-review/) ## The Hollywood Reporter — Todd McCarthy Fi1m's normalised score 70/100 (inferred from the text). 12 December 2017. The film is generally pleasing and loaded with action that satisfies franchise fans, though it sometimes struggles to give all characters meaningful roles. It features welcome humor and a vigorous score from John Williams. [Read the review](https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/movies/movie-reviews/star-wars-last-jedi-review-1066656/) ## The New York Times — Manohla Dargis Rating Critic's Pick. 12 December 2017. The critic finds the film a satisfying, at times transporting entertainment with visual wit and a human touch. She singles out Adam Driver's raw performance as Kylo Ren for delivering a potent portrait of villainy as a choice. [Read the review](https://www.nytimes.com/2017/12/12/movies/star-wars-the-last-jedi-review.html) ## The New Yorker — Richard Brody Fi1m's normalised score 30/100 (inferred from the text). 12 December 2017. The review highlights one mysterious, inspired central sequence but faults the film overall as calculated fan service and conformity. It criticizes the plotting as compulsory and the storytelling as chillingly consensus-driven rather than personal or innovative. [Read the review](https://www.newyorker.com/culture/richard-brody/star-wars-the-last-jedi-reviewed) ## Deadline — Pete Hammond Fi1m's normalised score 90/100 (inferred from the text). 12 December 2017. The critic finds the film one of the strongest entries in the series, delivering maximum fun through brilliant action sequences, state-of-the-art effects, and strong character development for both new and returning players. They single out the poignant final screen presence of Carrie Fisher as Leia, along with the showcase for Mark Hamill as Luke and the complexity given to Adam Driver's Kylo Ren. [Read the review](https://deadline.com/2017/12/star-wars-the-last-jedi-review-rian-johnson-luke-skywalker-carrie-fisher-lucasfilm-video-1202225528/) ## /Film — Josh Spiegel Rating 9/10. 12 December 2017. The critic calls it the best Star Wars film since The Empire Strikes Back and praises how Rian Johnson upends expectations while delivering surprising moments and strong performances. [Read the review](https://www.slashfilm.com/555015/star-wars-the-last-jedi-review/) ## The Ringer — K. Austin Collins Fi1m's normalised score 90/100 (inferred from the text). 12 December 2017. Calls it a wonderful, generous blockbuster that revitalizes the franchise with invention, heartfelt storytelling, and strong character work while honoring its past and future. [Read the review](https://www.theringer.com/2017/12/12/star-wars/star-wars-the-last-jedi-film-review-rian-johnson) ## Collider — Matt Goldberg Rating B+. 12 December 2017. Praises the film's bold subversion of expectations, strong visuals, and standout performances while noting it takes chances with humor and themes. Criticizes pacing issues and a weaker subplot on Canto Bight. [Read the review](https://collider.com/star-wars-the-last-jedi-review/) ## Den of Geek — David Crow Rating 4 out of 5. 18 December 2017. The critic praises Rian Johnson’s film for adding needed ambiguity to the Star Wars universe and boldly taking the series in unexpected new directions while subverting nostalgia. It singles out the compelling dynamic and chemistry between Rey and Kylo Ren, along with the film’s visual poetry in its action sequences. [Read the review](https://www.denofgeek.com/movies/star-wars-the-last-jedi-review/) ## Paste — Jim Vorel Fi1m's normalised score 50/100 (inferred from the text). 20 December 2017. Mixed verdict on a film with thrilling highs in the Rey-Kylo dynamic, parentage reveal, Snoke's death, and throne room fight, but disappointing lows in the pointless Finn-Rose subplot and other elements. [Read the review](https://www.pastemagazine.com/article/four-things-i-love-and-four-things-i-hate-about-st) --- © Fi1m Ltd. Written by AI under a human editor; checked against sources before publication. Quote with attribution and a link to the canonical URL. Our review: https://film.one/film/star-wars-the-last-jedi.md