Saw it twice over the weekend finally.
Everyone combed through the details, and how that ending might be top 3 cinematic all-time, but if it hasn't been touched on yet, let's speak on how the importance of Luke Skywalker is full-on critical after this film, and why the title "A New Hope" means that much more.
Desperate. The alliance had push, were out there doing anything and everything that they could do to push back, but this movie shows just how critical the Alliance needed Luke Skywalker to join the fray. Especially after you saw how Lord Vader was the unopposed boogeyman of the Empire, they needed SOMETHING to be able to step to that. He straight up ATE nikkas at will, and there isn't a rebel, droid, or anything that was going to stand up to him when he was staring down at you.
Mostly, because of how he was strong with the Force (context of that is now truly realized) and used that to guide him through the battle at Yavin, along with other skirmishes along the way, Luke became the symbol of all symbols of hope. The Force being with him made everyone running with him stronger with the Force themselves, and put everyone in better positions to win. Some of the dumb luck shyt, like Storm Troopers missing like crazy, or the Millennium Falcon dodging the fukk out of space debris like it ain't no thing feels oddly explained by the Force finally being on their sides.
It sounds ridiculous when trying to describe movie silliness as being part of a bigger picture, but it's hard not to attribute all the convenient circumstances that happened on-screen since Luke's arrival to the Force truly reawakening for the light.
It's not only top 3 easily in the franchise, but I wouldn't beef with any opinion on this being the best. Empire is easily one of my favorite flicks, but it's nowhere near teflon perfect. If it didn't have the long-lasting place in my soul, I'd find it very easy for Rogue One to be my new favorite.
Not everyone one of these flicks is gonna be a homerun out the gate, like this one is to me, but I feel like we got another stand-alone flick that doesn't feel hampered by a poor prequel or an underwhelming sequel. It's just piff, and a potential GOAT war film set in the Star Wars universe.
Torrent and Blu-Ray day 1, 5/5