Easily the most ballsy and engaging new thematic material in The Last Jedi involves Williams' handling of the resistance during their evasion of the First Order. While the resistance theme from The Force Awakens returns and is littered throughout the film in numerous guises, Williams offers a resoundingly defiant rhythmic idea paired at times with a bold theme that arguably accompanies purple-haired Vice Admiral Holdo (Laura Dern's fangirl performance is cringe-worthy until her final scenes) as she sacrifices herself in dramatic fashion. The new rhythmic device for the resistance is all over this score, heard extensively in "Escape" (4:35 on the album and at 1:41 and 3:50 on the more faithful FYC version), furiously against Kylo Ren's theme at 1:22 into "The Supremacy," and hinted at the outsets of "Rey's Journey" and "Hondo's Resolve" on the FYC presentation. The motif's muscular brass performances return at 3:19 and 4:56 into "The Battle of Crait" and are featured at 5:35 and 6:25 in the album's "Finale," where they were probably tracked in from earlier placements since they aren't heard in the film's version of the end titles. In between these two occurrences in "Finale" is the main theme for Holdo's heroic actions, its actual place in the score existing late in "Hondo's Resolve" (FYC) and at 0:18 into "Chrome Dome" as she turns the remaining resistance cruiser to ram Snoke's flagship at light speed. This material, in conjunction with the visuals of the scene, is immensely impactful in the film, and some kudos are deserved for the music editor who managed to squeeze the highlight of "Hondo's Resolve" into the "Finale" of the album. As for themes returning from The Force Awakens, there are obvious statements of the Rey and Kylo Ren themes throughout, the latter's five-note primary motif and four-note answering call a frequent guest. Provided promptly at 1:57 into "Escape" on the album, the theme is sometimes joined by its insidious, ascending suspense motif connecting the character to Snoke. The associated Snoke/First Order material is best expressed in "Revisiting Snoke" and "A New Alliance" during The Last Jedi. Ren's theme, meanwhile, bookends the action in "The Supremacy" but remains rather subdued until the character becomes unhinged in "The Last Jedi," his desperate attempt to kill Luke supplied with the theme over massive choral accompaniment. A martial, snare-ripping version of the theme at 1:08 into "Peace and Purpose" is intriguing because it adds a third phrase to the theme that draws connections to the villainous material, including Vader's nascent theme, heard in Williams' prequel scores.

Aside from the final performance of his theme in "Peace and Purpose," there isn't much evolution to Kylo Ren's material in The Last Jedi. For good measure, though, Williams offers the descending Snoke-associated material once again as Ren finds a nugget left for him by his family at the abandoned rebel base on Crait. Similar arguments could be made about Rey's theme, which was the highlight of The Force Awakens and is a faithful servant to her scenes in this film. The first two phrases of her identity are extensively referenced for each of her notable interjections into the story. From "Ahch-To Island" to "The Battle of Crait," the theme's primary bars make significant appearances in the music, and softer variants exist in "Lesson One," "The Cave," and "Rey's Journey" (FYC). The theme shifts into action mode in "A New Alliance" and later exists in counterpoint with the Force theme in "Peace and Purpose" as Rey and Leia converse; the FYC version of that cue ("Old Friends") cuts off the second phrase of the theme. Fuller renditions of the theme are rare, the best of which opening the FYC version of "The Last Jedi;" this is one of the few moments in which you hear the introductory motif to her theme conveyed, though there is seemingly a brass flub at 0:17 into that track. The other complete performance of the theme is, naturally, at the very end of "Finale," where Williams once again chooses to close the end titles on a delicate, Rey-related note. The theme from The Force Awakens associate with Finn and BB-8 is only associated with the latter in The Last Jedi, and fleetingly so even then. It's heard at 4:20 into "Escape" on album and is split into two places during the equivalent track on the FYC edit of that cue. The resistance march is heard prominently in that cue, though the album version contains a fast, rollicking performance of the theme at 3:02 absent from the film's edit. Most of the reprises of the theme are more familiar to The Force Awakens, especially later in "Escape," "The Supremacy," and "The Battle of Crait." It's edited briefly into the album's "Finale" track as well. One notable exception is the idea's rather muted and sad expression late in "Admiral Holdo" (FYC), where its borrowing of progressions from the Force theme become obvious. The rousing theme for Poe Dameron returns twice, once as perhaps a late (but immensely satisfying) insert in place of the resistance theme at 2:40 into the FYC version of "Escape" and again in subdued friendship mode at 1:54 into "Peace and Purpose." Sadly, this theme does not seem to receive much dramatic adaptation as the character conducts a mutiny throughout much of the film.

One of the more fascinating techniques applied by Williams to these sequel trilogy films is the application of ultra-tragic, fragmented strings in slowly descending chords for the concept of death and loss. It was most prevalent in the Starkiller firing and Solo death scenes in The Force Awakens, and while that exact motif is not directly reprised in The Last Jedi, its remnants persist. At 1:58 into "The Cave," the most complete echo of this theme is expressed as Rey experiences the potential death of her dream to find her parents. The technique returns at the start of "Chrome Dome" as Finn and Rose prepare for execution and at 5:50 on lower strings as Finn launches himself on a suicide mission. In the latter cue, the idea segues into a requiem of sorts, maintaining the tragedy with choral accompaniment and even a hint of Rey's theme at the end. Williams revisits the death motif's hints at 0:38 into "The Spark," foreshadowing the inevitable outcome. One might be able to say that the violins at 5:52 into "Escape" are another instance of this technique, though that moment is more obviously punctuated at 6:06 with a nod to the Snoke/dark side calling motif from The Force Awakens. Finally, the theme representing the island and Luke in "The Jedi Steps" returns as necessary in "Ahch-To Island" since the scene is recreated here. Its abrupt end, as Skywalker tosses aside his father's lightsaber, represents the last audiences hear of it, Luke's exile theme replacing it. The absence of additional development for this theme is extremely disappointing and one of this score's true detriments. Williams could have adapted it brilliantly into further minor modes in the place of the new theme for essentially the same concept. Still, for most casual observers, the thematic references from the classic trilogy will be more paramount, and the composer does not disappoint them. The opening scroll and end titles fanfares survive intact, the former likely the recording from The Force Awakens. While the main franchise theme has been associated with Skywalker and the rebels in prior films, Williams now seems content supplying it whenever legacy technology is shown. In action, the theme is typically interspersed into the meat of the score whenever an X-wing fighter or the Millennium Falcon is seen prevailing. Such is the case at 2:41 into "Escape," 2:25 into "Who Are You?," 1:04 into "Chrome Dome," and closing "Peace and Purpose," at which point the Falcon is literally all that is left of the resistance in this plot. At 3:46 into "The Battle of Crait," Williams reprises his classic "Here They Come!" tie fighter attack music from Star Wars: A New Hope nearly wholesale as the Falcon evades pursuing enemy fighters in familiar confines.

The de facto primary theme of the franchise is now that for the Force, the one unshakably constant concept in all of the Star Wars stories thus far. Williams continues its prevalence in The Last Jedi, representing not only the Force but a general longing for family or better times. (Recall that Michael Giacchino did this as well in Rogue One: A Star Wars Story.) From its sadness at 1:47 into "Ahch-To Island" to its victorious conclusion of "The Supremacy" for the film's infamous scene of ridicule, the idea is adapted heavily, taking a softer but troubled stance of curiosity and later fear for the various "connection" scenes between Rey and Kylo Ren. Serenity is lended by the theme in "Old Friends," "Lesson One," and "The Sacred Jedi Texts," the noble horn solos for the theme its most obvious expression of restraint and quiet confidence. The monumental performance at 1:01 into "The Sacred Jedi Texts," as Yoda summons lightning to destroy an ancient tree, is quite impressive, as is the equally robust moment of defiance conveyed with it at 1:16 into "A New Alliance." A brief statement at 0:48 into "The Spark" is a subtle hint by Williams, and a lovely rendition at 0:32 in the otherwise turbulent environment of "The Last Jedi" is appropriately prophetic. Interestingly, as the ruse is exposed later in that cue, the rage of Kylo Ren takes over the music, and the Force theme does not emerge again in the scene. As expected, however, the final Luke scene with binary suns in "Peace and Purpose" is treated to an emotional, largely string-based performance of the theme, and Rey receives a hopeful sendoff to the theme later in the cue. In the film's somewhat tacked-on, feel-good epilogue involving children on the Canto Bight planet, Williams cleverly revisits the underlying instrumentation of the beginning of "The Jedi Steps" from The Force Awakens before punctuating the moment of child's play with the franchise's main theme on harp. As one of the children is revealed to have a connection to the Force and looks up to see the Millennium Falcon go to light speed, Williams builds up to a momentous performance of the Force theme very similar to the one he conjured to close out Revenge of the Sith, albeit using woodwinds rather than brass in the lead-up to the final phrases. Also frequently accessed is Leia's legacy theme, its most prominent applications in "The Supremacy," first as Kylo Ren senses his mother and later in sublime, concert-like glory as Leia launches herself unprotected through space. Multi-phrase reprises on soft woodwinds follow at 1:36 into "Fun With Finn and Rose" and 1:12 into "Old Friends," the latter indeed a cheap trick. A touching piano interlude for the theme is provided in the end titles during a tribute to Fisher.

Among the more surprising aspects of The Last Jedi is Williams' ability to justify the use of all three major themes from The Empire Strikes Back in its narrative. When Darth Vader's name is invoked by Snoke, the Imperial March is generated on resolute, low brass and woodwinds at 1:11 into "Revisiting Snoke," a more impactful performance than the similar cameo heard in The Force Awakens. The Han Solo and the Princess theme is provided somber finality at 2:01 into "The Spark" as Luke hands a memento from the Falcon to Leia. Most obviously, the Yoda theme is utilized in The Last Jedi, heard at two junctures in "The Sacred Jedi Texts" as Yoda's Force ghost revisits Luke to prod him to action. The serenity of the second application of the theme in the cue is comforting but perhaps a little stagnant given the gentle ass-kicking that Yoda needs to wield upon Luke. This passage is reprised in the "Finale" of the album but is not heard in the end titles of the film. Two of the three major themes from Return of the Jedi are heard as well, the more resonating of which being the Luke and Leia family theme from Endor heard during their reunion at 0:56 into "The Spark." The cello performance of this theme here is very satisfyingly faithful to its original context. Not heard on the album and perhaps tracked in to the film from one of the prequel scores is the Emperor's theme, interjecting suddenly near the "A New Alliance" cue as Snoke tortures Rey. Its appearance in the scene is a little odd, associating with Force lightning from a dark lord's hands rather than Palpatine himself. No theme from the prequels is explicitly stated with any purpose, though there is a strange placement of the "Battle of the Heroes" melody from Revenge of the Sith at 6:15 in "Escape" on album (and with an extended opening crescendo at 6:12 on the FYC version of that cue). This scene represents the desperate attempts by one final resistance bombardier to drop a payload on a First Order dreadnaught, though, and it has nothing to do with Jedi infighting. Instrumentally, Williams offers additional connections for the audience, especially in his tendency to punctuate battle sequences with wild flute lines and sixteenth-note blasts on trumpets. More prequel connections exist here in the use of drum rhythms in "A New Alliance" and "Chrome Dome" for hand-to-hand combat. The adult choral moments of saturated drama in "The Battle of Crait" and "The Last Jedi," as well as the deep throat singing for Snoke, all date back to the Palpatine ascension years. A reprise of the battle rhythm from "The Battle of Hoth" in The Empire Strikes Back early in "The Battle of Crait" (0:37 and 1:00 on the album edit) is a nice touch by the composer.

Many of the singular moments of interest in The Last Jedi are tied in some way to Williams' accomplished layering and performance characteristics of the orchestral players. There is no outward electronic presence in the score outside of the Canto Bight source material. The density of the orchestral action in "Escape," "Chrome Dome," and "The Battle of Crait" is astounding, and even the passages of underplayed suspense, like "The Cave," offer woodwind work not heard often in film scores of this age. Williams maintains his mastery of bass-region woodwinds, bassoons and others groaning with fantastic effect throughout several cues. He also uses a cymbal consistently as a tool of nerves, whether it's in the Imperial March reference in "Revisiting Snoke," the revelation at 1:30 into "The Cave," the distrust in the midsection of "Who Are You?," or the crescendo of despair at 0:59 into "A New Alliance." There are several singular moments of exceptional music in The Last Jedi that don't really fall under any thematic analysis, and many of these are driven by smart decisions about instrumentation. The "Canto Bight" sequence, a sideshow casino location that required Williams to write a fair amount of source music, is the most humorously unique music written by the maestro since the Mos Eisley Cantina band. Williams' blend of 1920's jazz, 1950's rock, and 1970's reggae progressions and instrumentation into one bizarre package is highly amusing if not completely intolerable. The steel drums, funky woods, and muted trumpets, as well as the bass processing, are all clear tips of the hat to Mos Eisley, proving that music in that galaxy far, far away is not too different from planet to planet, decade to decade. Adapted into this cue is Ary Barroso's "Aquarela do Brasil" as a reference to the 1985 movie, Brazil, and lost in the equation is a rather impressive "location arrival cue" from Williams for the landing on the planet at its beginning. The source material returns as Finn and Rose chase through the casino in a subsequent scene, and some of this material is heard in "The Master Codebreaker," a FYC track which follows ruminations over Rose's theme with some chasing that includes a lushly lavish interlude straight from Williams' 1973 theme for The Long Goodbye at 0:48 into the cue. The formal chase cue that follows, "The Fathiers" accompanies the film's victorious political statement in favor of animal rights with trademark Williams action zeal, wildly descending violin lines, rapidly blurting horns, and ambitious tambourine combining with a few rousing Rose theme performances to form a highlight of the score. The last minute of "Who Are You?" concludes that scene as the heroes escape with the codebreaker for whom Williams never establishes any musical identity.

The duo of "The Spark" and "The Last Jedi" offer much to debate about in the score for The Last Jedi. The former is the most memorable cue in the film, representing Luke's return to battle in a face-off against Kylo Ren and the First Order alone. After consoling Leia, the cue's remarkable 75-second crescendo of defiance begins with Luke's wink to C-3PO and proceeds to Kylo Ren's order to fire upon him. For this scene, Williams opts not to reprise "The Jedi Steps" or Luke's exile material but instead use their driving, rhythmic resonance on key to develop a new motif explicitly for this scene. Since the entire purpose of the scene is to taunt and delay Kylo Ren, it's fitting that the cue, as with the confrontation in "The Last Jedi," is perhaps scored from that character's perspective. As such, Williams offers an adaptation of his progressions from the Imperial March in the crescendo of "The Spark," repeating the initial notes on key before simply swapping out the famous descending major-third progression with a descending perfect-fourth progression instead. This rhythmic formation persists in building momentum until one massive major-third descending note at 2:50 on brass finally alludes directly to the Imperial March. At the climax of the cue, the main trio of notes in the rhythm change to a straight descending order, valiantly shaking the Vader connection. The supporting instrumentation in this cue, from the bassoons at 2:30 to the xylophone at 2:58, is an intelligent accent to an otherwise brass and timpani-dominated moment of glory. In the following cue, "The Last Jedi," Williams interestingly chooses not to afford non-stop thematic drama to the event, leaving portions of the faux duel stewing with singular brass phrases or subdued suspense tones, including the nervous cymbal technique. Aside from one noble performance of the Force theme, Williams withholds his impact until Kylo Ren madly attempts to slaughter Luke, at which his theme experiences its massive choral moment over the usual timpani and brass. Thereafter, Williams allows the voices and stewing bass rhythms of the ensemble to punctuate Luke's final words and Kylo Ren's subsequent realization. It's important to note that the suspense portions of this cue, while a bit longer in the FYC version as compared to the album edit, remained absent from either presentation, perhaps due to their perceived redundancy. The cue is surprisingly non-descript as Kylo Ren literally exits his vessel to confront Luke, perhaps recognition by Williams that the entire situation is a fraud but still odd given that the rest of the surrounding material seemingly takes Kylo Ren's warped perspective on the matter. The lack of a return to the confrontation motif from "The Spark" at the end of "The Last Jedi," as Luke delivers his final line of sarcasm, is somewhat disappointing.

On album, the initial commercial release of 78 minutes includes most of the pertinent material from the film, but it does so by artificially editing pieces of the work together to ensure that the highlights are all covered. While appreciated in some sense, there's also a lack of purity to the franchise's roots that is conveyed by such presentations. Listeners will recognize this problem dating back to the prequels, and it remains frustrating to contemplate the extensive micro-editing that occurred when assembling this score. Some of the film versions of the cues, as heard in the FYC presentation from Disney, are likely artificially edited themselves, and in many cases, as in the replacement of the excellent resistance march passage early in "Escape" with the full Poe theme instead, both versions are fantastic in their own ways. There is speculation that the major battle cues in these scores are assembled from a significant number of shorter takes, in which case there really exists no original, lengthy ensemble performance exposing Williams' original intent. Regardless, a substantial release of all the music's various alternate recordings is certainly merited, as there is nothing more frustrating that trying to appreciate the combination of album and FYC materials initially available. Given how long it has been without properly expanded releases of the prequel scores, don't hold your breath. The sound quality on the commercial album is commendable, the spread of instruments as dynamic as ever for the Star Wars franchise. The FYC only exists in very lossy MP3 form. Overall, the music for The Last Jedi is not as overwhelmingly impressive an experience as that of The Force Awakens, but when considering the constraints existing in the film's shoddy narrative and the clear lack of major new concepts, Williams succeeds as brilliantly at his task as anyone could expect. Yes, there could have been better handling of Luke's exile and return material as it related to each other and existing motifs. But remember just how many thematic constructs Williams juggled by this entry; his interpolation of so many identities from the classic trilogy into this context is as comforting as it is technically masterful. Without his familiar musical voice, The Last Jedi would be an even more frustratingly nonsensical experience than its script and pacing could alone inflict upon audiences. Shortly after debuting this score, news spread that Williams was signed to provide a new main theme for the forthcoming Han Solo spin-off film, with the bulk of the score still written by John Powell. While some grumbling ensued, fans must remember that hearing any new John Williams music for the Star Wars universe in the late 2010's is something of a miracle in and of itself, and that feeling prevails in The Last Jedi.  *****   @Amazon.com: CD or Download