Star Wars: The Last Jedi Review for Parents (No Spoilers)

My husband and I had the pleasure of attending a press screening of Star Wars: The Last Jedi (opens in theaters December 15th) yesterday. Don’t worry, we won’t be sharing any spoilers. I highly recommend seeing this movie as soon as possible so nothing is ruined for you. This film answers a few important questions and you don’t want those spoiled. Keep reading to see my (very vague) thoughts from the perspective of a mom and if I think it’s kid appropriate. My husband, a longtime Star Wars fan, also gives his (very vague and non-spoiler) thoughts.

I’ll confess, I’m not a hardcore Star Wars fan that has seen each movie a hundred times. GASP. I didn’t get into the films until I watched Star Wars: The Force Awakens in theaters a couple years ago. I went home and immediately binge watched the rest of the films. We recently introduced the films to our 7 year old and it was so fun experiencing our favorite Star Wars moments though his eyes. I think it’s safe to say that the force is strong with our family.

Star Wars: The Last Jedi lived up to and surpassed my high expectations. It was so (so, so, so) good! If you have never seen a Star Wars film before, I recommend watching in release order. There are so many nods to previous films in The Last Jedi and having that background will make the movie that much more enjoyable. There’s also a special cameo from someone (being vague on purpose here) that you will LOVE. Oh and I just loved all the new creatures and animals in the film. The porgs (the bird/puffin like creatures) are my favorite and kids will love them!

Is the film suitable for kids? Star Wars: The Last Jedi is rated PG-13 for sequences of sci-fi action and violence. There is no foul language (noticeable to us). Be prepared to discuss the consequences of war and death. In my opinion, this film has a similar vibe to The Force Awakens. If they’ve seen that, they should be okay with this. If you have any questions or reservations, my recommendation is always to prescreen the movie first. You’ll want to watch this movie twice (or more) anyway.

Mr. See Vanessa Craft’s review: As a huge Star Wars fan, I found myself trying in vain to avoid even watching a single trailer for the new film. However, every few weeks when I’d go to see a new movie, like Thor: Ragnarok, I’d see a new trailer for The Last Jedi. I wish I was strong enough to look away and plug my ears, but I’m only human, haha! Let me start this review by saying this: the trailers do not spoil a darn thing. You WILL be shocked, surprised, and in awe of the storyline and the visuals/audio. Prepare to feel a full range of emotions, as familiar characters mix with new, and the director toys with fan expectations of what SHOULD happen next.

As The Force Awakens was both a sequel to the original trilogy as well as a sort of retelling of A New Hope, so is The Last Jedi both a sequel and a retelling of portions of The Empire Strikes Back AND Return of the Jedi, which I did not expect. The nostalgia factor runs high here, as well as taking the story forward. While I can’t say I had the privilege of seeing The Empire Strikes Back in 1980 and having to wait the long 3 years to find out what happened next, I can only imagine that the feeling I have now that The Last Jedi’s credits have rolled has to be extremely similar. 2019 can’t come soon enough.