Whilst full reviews can’t be published until Tuesday evening (UK time), reviewers who have seen the film have been able to tease their thoughts on social media following last night’s LA premiere.
And the consensus? It’s good news – and it seems the film is every bit as surprising as the cast have promised.
Terri Schwartz of IGN wrote that Kelly Marie Tran’s Rose is the breakout star, saying: “I cannot understand how much I fell in love with @kellymarietran’s Rose from the start. She is a new heart for the series.
“As much as The Force Awakens was about looking back, #TheLastJedi is all about looking forward.”
Fandango’s Erik Davis was full of praise, tweeting: “#TheLastJedi is absolutely fantastic – gripping, touching, funny and powerful w/ gorgeous shots and the most badass battles.
“When it gets going, holy crap does it get going. Hands down the best #StarWars movie since Empire.”
Writing for Cinemablend, Eric Eisenberg warned that it’s not quite a perfect film, but said: “Impressed… It makes some big, impressive and surprising moves that I definitely didn’t expect. Not all of the plot stuff is exactly perfect, but the character work is once again fantastic, and it’s just amazing to see Luke Skywalker back in action.”
Gizmodo’s Germain Lussier was left “shaking”, as he said: “Star Wars: The Last Jedi is everything.
“Intense, funny, emotional, exciting. It’s jam-packed with absolutely jaw-dropping moments and I loved it so, so much. I’m still shaking.”
New York Magazine’s Kyle Buchanan is evidently a huge fan of Laura Dern’s Vice Admiral Holdo, as he said simply: “SPACE DERN.”
SlashFilm’s Peter Scrietta warned fans to “stay away from spoilers”, as there are plenty of big plot points that deserve to stay under wraps.
And Aaron Couch of The Hollywood Reporter said the film boasts “hands down Mark Hamill’s best performance as Luke Skywalker.”
Entertainment Weekly’s Anthony Breznican summed up the mood, as he wrote: “Luke was right: ‘This is not going to go the way you think’. #TheLastJedi will shatter you – and then make you whole again.”
British critics will see the film tomorrow night, ahead of its London premiere on Tuesday.
Star Wars 8: The Last Jedi is released on Thursday in the UK and Friday in the US.