Wednesday, December 13, 2017

SA film critics react to latest Star War's latest film, The Last Jedi: 'Sh*t, that was amazing!'


Ecstatic and teary-eyed South African film critics walked out of the cinema yesterday evening after Disney’s closely guarded press preview screening for the latest Star Wars film, The Last Jedi, unable to contain their emotions and excitement with comments ranging from "shit, that was amazing", to "I enjoyed that the most since Empire".

Directed by Rian Johnson, The Last Jedi picks up where Star Wars: The Force Awakens ended in 2015, with Episode VIII that will likely become the 4th biggest film opening of all time, and definitely the biggest film earner of the year, including South Africa.

While American and United Kingdom reviews are out and available online since late Tuesday, TVwithThinus that has seen the film along with all other South African print and online publications are under an embargo and can only publish online reviews on Thursday 14 December from 10:01am.

Reviews of The Last Jedi in South Africa may only appear in print from Friday.

Star Wars: The Last Jedi opens in South African theatres on Friday 15 December with Disney Africa that has created a dedicated, special website, www.thelastjedi.co.za for South African audiences.

It stars returning cast members Mark Hamill, the late Carrie Fisher, Adam Driver, Daisy Ridley, John Boyega, Oscar Isaac, and Andy Serkis and will introduce new planets, hew characters and several new creatures ranging from crystal foxes to penguin-like porgs.

While reviews are strictly forbidden until Thursday and critics have been requested not to include spoilers in reviews so as to keep the many twists and surprises a secret for cinema-goers, the insta-reactions of film critics to the film as they leave cinemas can be reported.

On Tuesday South African critics got their first glimpse at the next installment in the Lucasfilm story set in that galaxy far, far away.

In Cape Town, a Disney staffer, aptly named Luke (but not Skywalker), told the gathered critics before the preview started that the Southern African Federation Against Copyright Theft (Safact) is present and monitoring.

Luke said he himself wouldn't be watching the preview screening; Disney staffers are all getting together on Friday to watch The Last Jedi together.

Critics were sternly told that cellphones need to be packed away and that any person seen with even the smallest light from any device will immediately be escorted from the cinema, the device checked and content, if any recorded, immediately deleted.

Two and a half hours later, chattering critics emerged from Cinema 2, with several looking emotional.

Some stood around in groups in the Ster Kinekor Nouveau lobby at the V&A Waterfront, momentarily huddling and not dispersing – as if to first recollect themselves and to get somewhat of a grip on what they’ve just seen and experienced.

"Shit, that was amazing!" was one critic's immediate reaction, while another said "I enjoyed that the most since Empire [Strikes Back]; every single scene".

At least two critics looked emotional, as if close to shedding physical tears. "Did you expect that?" one asked the other.

"Nope," was the reply.

On Wednesday NASA confirmed that The Last Jedi will also be shown in space. 

Astronauts on the International Space Station (ISS) will soon get to see the new Star Wars film when the film will be beamed up as a digital file.