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PEOPLE & ARTS Tuesday 19 december 2017
'The Last Jedi' is a hit but how much did audiences like it?

By JAKE COYLE estimates "The Last Jedi"
AP Film Writer will have legs through the
NEW YORK (AP) — With holiday season similar or
glowing reviews from crit- close to those of "The Force
ics and $450.8 million of Awakens," which ultimately
worldwide box office in the grossed more than $2 bil-
first three days of release lion worldwide. "The Last
of "The Last Jedi," all would Jedi" is likely to eventually
seem to be right in the "Star rank among the highest
Wars" universe. grossing films of all time,
But some audience reac- but it will depend on strong
tion metrics suggest not all word-of-mouth and repeat
Star Wars fans are so thrilled viewings to sniff the realm
with Rian Johnson's eighth of "The Force Awakens"
episode in the franchise. or "Titanic." Yet regardless
While "The Last Jedi" sports of any user scores, "The
a sterling 93 percent fresh Last Jedi" has proved to
Rotten Tomatoes score, the be easily the most divisive
website's users give it only a "Star Wars" film. (Lucas'
56 percent score . A similar second trilogy was too
dichotomy is also found on universally panned to be
the movie review aggre- much argued over.) Even
gation website Metacritic This image released by Lucasfilm shows Mark Hamill as Luke Skywalker in "Star Wars: The Last many fans who generally
, where the movie has a Jedi." applauded the film have
score of 86 out of 100 from Associated Press taken issue with its comic
critics but earned a woeful a nefarious plot is at play, cas has said he wrote it as jive with other, more scien- flashes, a Princess Leia mo-
4.9 out of 10 from users. The a theory backed up by the a Nixon-era parable for the tific data. Like "The Force ment roundly compared to
role reversal between crit- boasts of a few on social Vietnam War, about how Awakens," ''The Last Jedi" Mary Poppins, and of the
ics and fans has caused media . Similar ploys , after democracies turn into dic- won an A CinemaScore, film's treatment of Hamill's
consternation through- all, were used against the tatorships. But in carrying which polls audiences Skywalker. (Cantankerous
out the Star Wars galaxy. female-led "Ghostbusters." those themes forward to coming out of theaters. and ornery, he spends most
Could "The Last Jedi" be a But why would anyone today, "The Last Jedi" has CinemaScore counted of the film on an isolated is-
critical smash and a dud want to sabotage "The Last — like virtually everything feedback as 89 percent land.) And by shifting the
with audiences? Is "The Jedi"? Well, there have else — been fed into Amer- positive. ComScore's Post- parameters for how the
Last Jedi" more "Attack of been growing signs of re- ica's combustible politics. Trak audience survey re- Force works, some have
the Clones" than "The Em- bellion against the galaxy Even Luke Skywalker (Mark corded an average five- said "The Last Jedi" is, as Va-
pire Strikes Back"? What in far, far away. Some con- Hamill) has volleyed with out-five star rating from riety claimed, "making stuff
the name of midi-chlorians servative moviegoers have Texas Senator Ted Cruz on moviegoers, with 80 per- up as it goes along." For its
is going on here? For start- taken issue with the current Twitter over net neutrality. cent saying they would part, Disney has sensed the
ers, the responses on Rot- trilogy's embrace of mul- "Similar to other movie sites, definitely recommend the tremors of backlash. "Rian
ten Tomatoes and Meta- ticulturalism. Claiming an we're currently experienc- film. And then there's the Johnson, the cast, Lucas-
critic are to be taken with anti-Donald Trump agen- ing a high volume of fan mammoth box office. With film, they've delivered an
a Death Star-sized grain da, some called for a boy- activity around 'Star Wars: $220 million in domestic experience that is totally
of salt. They're supplied by cott of last year's spinoff The Last Jedi,'" said Rotten ticket sales, "The Last Jedi" 'Star Wars' but at the same
users to the website who "Rogue One." Writer Chris Tomaotes spokesman Tiy- now ranks as the second time is filled with things that
can, by creating numerous Weitz noted the Empire "is son Reynolds. "We're close- highest grossing opening are unexpected and new,"
accounts, vote limitlessly, a white supremacist (hu- ly monitoring all user review weekend of all time, af- said Hollis. "And in that un-
and need offer no proof man) organization." Politics activity to make sure it's ter J.J. Abrams' "The Force expected and new, it's go-
of having actually seen have always played a role valid." Awakens." Disney's distri- ing to have people really
the movie. Some believe in "Star Wars." George Lu- But their low ratings don't bution chief Dave Hollis talking."q

‘Insidious Intent’ is an incisive British police procedural

By OLINE H. COGDILL “Insidious Intent” delivers each other, but they also that the dismissal of her
Associated Press an incisive British police depend on one another in drunk-driving arrest result-
A highlight of Val McDer- procedural that illustrates ways they can barely ver- ed in cases against other
mid’s novels is the tight how a tight-knit squad balize. drivers being dropped,
control she maintains works together and how a ReMIT — the Major Inci- and one of those drivers
over her complex plots behavior profiler can add dent Team that Jordan then killed several people
that are enhanced by to the investigations. now heads — investigates in an accident while drunk.
believable and compli- The case is always para- its most unusual case. Sin- The intense plot moves
cated characters. The mount in this series but gle women are being killed briskly.
same can be said about equally important is the re- and then placed in their McDermid keeps each
other top crime writers, lationship between Carol cars, which are set on fire. twist believable while
but McDermid brings and Tony that has devel- The only link seems to be delving into the personal
something special to the oped over the years. Not that each woman attend- lives of other ReMIT squad
table as she shows in her only are they close friends ed a wedding where she members. This cover image released by
latest novel about detec- who care deeply about met a man who seemed The author’s expert explo- Atlantic Monthly Press shows
tive Chief Inspector Carol each other, but, in their too good to be true. ration of the human ex- “Insidious Intent,” by Val
Jordan and psychologist- own way, they love each While the team investi- perience has never been McDermid. Associated Press
profiler Tony Hill. other. Yes, they irritate gates, Carol still feels guilty better.q