The Star Wars series has captivated fans worldwide for a long time since the first film was released in 1977. The original trilogy was completed with “Star Wars Episode V: The Empire Strikes Back” released in 1980 and “Star Wars Episode VI: Return of the Jedi” in 1983, followed by the new trilogy, a prequel to the original trilogy, released in 1999. The trilogy that followed “Star Wars: The Force Awakens” was released in 2015, starting with “Star Wars: The Force Awakens”. Star Wars: The Last Jedi” is the second film in the trilogy and the eighth episode in the Star Wars series. It is also known as a film that has caused a lot of controversy around the world.

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The most divisive film in the history of the Star Wars series

Star Wars: The Last Jedi is a special film in the Star Wars series. It is one of the most divisive films among those who have seen it. And while it was ultimately a box office hit, it did not make as much money as its predecessors, causing the trilogy to fall flat.

It can be seen from the review site Rotten Tomatoes, which gave the film a 95% critical review on Tomatometer, compared to a 41% user score on Popcornmeter (as of February 2025). (as of February 2025).

The Movie got off to a good start. Critical acclaim for the film, which was released before its general release, was high across the board.

However, as soon as the film was released to the general public, the number of high ratings exceeded the number of low ratings, resulting in a split in the film’s reputation. The low ratings, especially from the “Star Wars” fans of yesteryear, were noticeable, and the film sparked much discussion, especially on the Internet. The exchanges were quite ugly.

Star Wars: The Last Jedi – the most divisive film ever?

There has been a huge split in opinion over the latest instalment in the Star Wars franchise.

To this day, the film’s reputation remains sharply divided, and the primary reason for this is its failure to provide fans with the kind of work they want to see.

Works with a diverse cast

The Movie Star Wars: The Last Jedi was one of the most diverse casts in the Star Wars series. The three main characters in the trilogy are Rey, Finn, and Poe, as in the previous films. The actors playing each character are gender and race-diverse: female, black, and Latino.

In addition, two new characters, Rose Tico and Lieutenant General Holdo, have attracted significant criticism in this work. For Rose, most of the criticism was directed at the race and appearance of the actor playing her, creating the appearance of an internet lynching. Holdo received a lot of criticism for her final decisive blow (the Holdo maneuver), which was a departure from the series’ previous settings.

Holdo maneuver

The Holdo maneuver was a suicidal ramming tactic named after Resistance Vice Admiral Amilyn Holdo. The name was based on Holdo’s sacrifice during the First Order’s attack on the Resistance navy, which consisted of Holdo ramming the cruiser Raddus against the Supremacy at near-lightspeed velocities to buy the surviving Resistance members time to escape to Crait.
by Wookieepedia | Fandom

Diversity is also challenging, not just in the Star Wars series. In particular, the diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) policy was an issue that permeated many entertainment industries, not just film, until the mid-2020s.

And the “galaxy far, far away” where the Star Wars series is set is supposed to be inhabited by diverse life forms that transcend skin color and gender. That is why there are many characters in the series whose skin color is bizarre or whose gender is unknown. Should we evaluate them on the scale of the real world?

One thing is sure: the recent “Star Wars” series has featured actors of various races and genders as main characters. It is a good trend that makes representing a galaxy inhabited by diverse life forms easier.

Creating a New Star Wars Image

It can be said that the movie “Star Wars: The Last Jedi” is a film that shows the spirit of building a new “Star Wars” image. Its predecessor, “Star Wars: The Force Awakens,” was a film that paid much respect to the old trilogy while creating a new story. It had enough elements to reassure fans anxious to see a “Star Wars” without the series’ creator, George Lucas. On the other hand, the significance of why a new trilogy is being made today is less clear.

Looking for the good parts, I found the challenge of creating an entirely new trilogy by continuing the story from the previous films without breaking the traditional image of the Star Wars series. This attempt to cast off the old photos of heroes and villains and break free from nostalgia was highly praised by critics.

But it was not what fans of the Star Wars series wanted to see. This mismatch is what divided the opinion of the film. Each fan has their interpretation of the series. Therefore, it is true that there are fans who appreciate this work. The diversity of fans may make it more challenging to create a work that satisfies everyone.

In that respect, Rogue One: A Star Wars Story, which is an outside story, is what fans wanted to see.

A masterpiece of science fiction in which the Jedi do not appear – Rogue One: A Star Wars Story

Chronologically, this is how Princess Leila got the blueprint data for the Death Star, just before Episode 4.
For those who have seen Episodes 4-6, this is a heartbreaking film, and I wondered how X-wings and AT-ATs could be so hopeless.

Summary

The movie “Star Wars: The Last Jedi” ended with the Resistance on the run from beginning to end as a story, and I didn’t know how the Resistance was too weak and how to find hope. Also, is Rey the main character? I also got the impression that there was nothing new after breaking all the foreshadowing from the previous film, such as Snoke leaving the Movie without a fight after having been the last boss in the earlier film.

It comes up with “Luke and Ren’s master and apprentice relationship” and “The First Order,” but in the end? Honestly, it was a work that I could only think Disney made anyway, in a haphazard way.

This Movie is one of the most extreme in the series, and this may influence my opinion. Whether this is a masterpiece or a bad movie depends on the audience.