‘Star Wars: The Last Jedi’ Is Officially Certified Fresh On Rotten Tomatoes

With less than three days before the first ticketed screenings, the reviews for The Last Jedi have begun pouring in and, along with them, an overall consensus on how the film stacks up to the rest of the saga. Review aggregator site Rotten Tomatoes has confirmed that the film is certified “fresh” with a 93% positive rating.

Based on the positive social media buzz following the film’s official premiere, many audiences assumed the film would receive a positive ranking, with the big question being just how positive a score the film would end up with.

The current score, which could fluctuate by a few percentage points as more reviews are officially tallied, makes it the second-best score in the franchise, tying it with The Force Awakens. The highest score in the saga is The Empire Strikes Back, which sits at 94% positive.

Our own review of the film claims it “is what the franchise should be in a post-George Lucas world. Instead of following the expectations of fans who grew up with the saga, The Last Jedi forges new ground with head-spinning plot twists and endearing characters.”

Of the many commonalities the positive reviews share, one is the unexpected nature of the film, taking many twists and turns throughout its runtime.

IGN claims that, in the film, “Luke Skywalker (Mark Hamill) tells Rey (Daisy Ridley), ‘This is not going to go the way you think.’ That line proves to be true for just about every plot thread, every scene, every moment in the entire movie. Writer/director Rian Johnson packs the eighth episode in the Skywalker saga with genuine surprises of all kinds, which all amount to a thrilling, emotional, and funny film that is easily the best Star Wars movie since The Empire Strikes Back.”

The praise for the film isn’t universal, with CNN claiming, “The film feels like a significant letdown, one that does far less than its predecessor to stoke enthusiasm for the next leg in the trilogy.”

Regardless of the rating of the film, The Last Jedi is sure to be a box office success, currently on track to score a more than $400 million opening weekend worldwide, ensuring this is far from the last Jedi.

The Last Jedi lands in theaters this Friday.

[H/T Twitter, RottenTomatoes]