Star Wars: The Last Jedi

"Playing out with an alarming degree of familiarity in its tone, setting and storyline, 2015’s Star Wars: The Force Awakens ultimately served franchise course correction over bold storytelling – it existed to reassure the wider audience that Star Wars was in safe hands, and that the (perceived) missteps of the much-maligned prequels would no longer plague fans."

"Although [it] meets a relatively high standard for franchise filmmaking, Johnson’s effort is ultimately a disappointment... the longest and least essential chapter in the series."

"An excellent middle chapter bursting with wit, wisdom, emotion, shocks, old-fashioned derring-do, state-of-the-art tech, and stonking set-pieces."

"It is a satisfying, at times transporting entertainment. Remarkably, it has visual wit and a human touch, no small achievement for a seemingly indestructible machine that revved up 40 years ago and shows no signs of sputtering out (ever)."

"An explosive thrill-ride of galactic proportions."

"Simply, unconditionally, wonderful."

"Rian Johnson turns this middle part of the current trilogy into an 'Empire Strikes Back' for the next generation."

"It's infinitely better than its predecessor, and it sparkles with the Star Wars depth, magic and dust, despite some of its occasionally baffling flaws."

"Makes its own way confidently and invigoratingly through the galaxy, delivering all the drama, the suspense, the wonder, the spectacle, the novelty and the heart I need from my Star Wars fix."

"The Last Jedi might just be the best Star Wars film yet."

"A feast of a follow-up that actually pushes the saga forward."

"A stunning black, white, and red color pallette, thrilling adventure, appealing new characters, worthy developments for old friends and a cause to root for."

"Loaded with action and satisfying in the ways its loyal audience wants it to be ... generally pleasing even as it sometimes strains to find useful and/or interesting things for some of its characters to do."

"If The Force Awakens raised a lot of questions, The Last Jedi tackles them head-on, delivering answers that will shock and awe in equal measure. Fun, funny but with emotional heft, this is a mouth-watering set-up for Episode IX and a fitting tribute to Carrie Fisher."