As we've already done coverage for The Last Jedi - I'll refer you to that review.
Looking back at the Sequel Trilogy now that it's complete, I can see how and why Rian Johnson - for better or worse - was left to his own devices with this film. While I initially fell in the camp that liked what he did overall and celebrated this entry, I now fall somewhere in the middle with it. I like a lot of what it set out to do. Star Wars as a whole had become too comfortable and it needed some shaking up - but a middle entry in a new trilogy of the Skywalker Saga probably wasn't the best place to do that.
After burning through The Mandalorian - I feel Johnson's time with Star Wars would have been better suited with a side film that allowed him to explore some other worlds and characters. He needed his own sandbox to play in rather than picking up the toys someone else left behind. That said, this entire Sequel Trilogy needed a clearer vision for the entire three-film arc regardless of who directed each entry. There wasn't a shepherd and it shows by the time the major plot holes are filled with The Rise of Skywalker.
Vital Disc Stats: The 4K Ultra HD Blu-ray
Disney delivers Star Wars Episode VIII: The Last Jedi to 4K Ultra HD Blu-ray once again in a three-disc 4K UHD Blu-ray + Blu-ray + Digital set. This release is currently unavailable and only found with the Skywalker Saga box set. Once the current slate of The Last Jedi 4K discs are sold through, this release with a cohesive artwork scheme will go on the market.
As a firm Dolby Vision supporter, I was a bit surprised to see that there really isn't a massive difference between this 4K UHD HDR10 presentation and the previously available Dolby Vision presentation. Since the source is the same 4K digital intermediate - the detail presentation is identical. As the film was shot on a combination of film and digital - there's a terrific film-like presentation to be enjoyed by both releases.
While it may not enjoy the subtleties in shading and lighting that dynamic metadata has to offer, this HDR10 presentation has a lot to offer fans. My favorite sequence of the film is when the resistance is on the salt planet of Crait with the bright bold whites, deep dark shadows, and bold red reds - it's a gorgeous sequence and looks stunning here. Another beautiful moment is the soundless hyperdrive sequence against the pure black background as the ship breaks apart. Say what you will about story, plot, and some of the character development - this is an amazingly shot film that looks incredible. The Dolby Vision presentation may offer some benefits, but this HDR10 disc is no slouch where it counts. I still prefer the original Dolby Vision HDR - so I won't be getting rid of my original disc, but if I didn't own the one I had, I'd be more than happy with this presentation.
This is the same excellent Dolby Atmos audio mix as previously available - again you just need to raise the volume a bit.
No supplements are on the main 4K disc, instead, all bonus features are found on the included Blu-ray discs. All in all, this is an impressive range of bonus features that if you haven't gone through them already - you're in for a nice set of materials to pick through.
Feature Film Blu-ray Disc:
Bonus Features Blu-ray Disc:
Star Wars Episode VIII: The Last Jedi has been a sticking point for fans - to say the least. Many love the film for the bold directions Rian Johnson took the characters while others decry it as a betrayal - but really, it's nothing compared to Attack of the Clones where an entire conversation is dedicated to comparing a woman's skin to sand and the man that would be Vader rides a giant tick-cow thing. That's absolutely the lowest point of the Star Wars franchise outside of Carrie Fisher's singing in the Holiday Special.
Disney dips its toes in The Last Jedi well for the second time re-authoring the 4K UHD Blu-ray to do away with the on-disc Dolby Vision presentation and only support HDR10 offering the same Atmos mix and including all previously available bonus features. As this disc is not yet on the market - the original Dolby Vision HDR release is still widely available. If you're after cohesive artwork, best wait for Disney to eventually release this disc. Even without Dolby Vision, it's still a beauty - Recommended.
