Friday 14 April 2017

All the things from the Teaser Trailer that have got me excited for The Last Jedi!

The Teaser Trailer for The Last Jedi (or Star Wars Episode VIII, if you will) is here!  And I liked it a lot.  Though there was stuff about The Force Awakens I loved, and stuff I really did not like, this trailer has me looking forward to this next installment immensely.  Here are a few of the shots that show why:


"What did you see?" "Light...Darkness... A Balance."  One of the ideas that the Star Wars saga haven't explored enough is the idea of the Balance of the Force - that perhaps, as the Prophesy referred to since the Prequels, there needs to be those who can draw on both its Light and Dark sides.  I hope that this film will investigate that, and maybe resolve some of those outstanding questions.


Some lovely shots of the craggy Ireland, erm, islands where some of the film was shot - I'm looking forward to seeing Luke do more than turn to the camera.  Maybe help Rey to fulfil her destiny?


Imperial - sorry, First Order Walkers of the North Ridge!  Yep, looks like there's a new version of the AT-AT coming...


It's okay, looks like these speeders have got their tow-cables ready... I guess that's what they're dragging along this desert floor (another typically gorgeous-looking Star Wars planet!):


Walkers aren't the only thing that looks to be back from the classic trilogy...


Poe's X-Wing explodes!  But what caught my eye was the tail and front of the ships to the side - are those A-Wings?  We'll come back to those...


I reckon this shot is part of a flash-back, to when Brat-o Ren and the Knights of Douche - sorry, Ren, destroy Luke Skywalker's New Jedi Temple.


...now this is what I'm talking about!  It looks like we're going to get a mass fleet battle in this film, with what looks like Resistance frigates of some sort taking on the First Order.  And yes, that is an A-Wing!  Great to see this fighter back from Return of the Jedi.


One of my favourite moments in the original Trilogy is the mass battle between the Rebel and Imperial Fleets at Endor in ROTJ; I'm looking forward to seeing another massive space battle in this film!


"It's time for the Jedi... to end."  Luke's weary voice, indicating some of the heart-break and disillusionment he must feel after the destruction of his fledgling Jedi Order, really got me in the feels.  Hopefully it indicates that we can look forward to some of Mark Hamill's best work in the role, following from Harrison Ford's excellent work as Han in TFA.

So this was a really good trailer - we see the new fan favourites from TFA return (Rey! Poe! Finn! Kylo! Phasma!); we get a glimpse of what looks like some classic Star Wars action and battle scenes; but only the vaguest smidgens of what the plot could be.  If this film can build on the best parts of TFA (the new characters, the energy, the clear love for the franchise) and avoid it's mistakes (rehashing plot from earlier films, and not killing off classic characters in a wasteful and insulting manner), then it should make for a really fun trip to the cinema, and a worthy entry to the Star Wars Saga.

Now, shall we watch the trailer again?  ...and again?  ...and again?  ...and again?!?!