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'Star Wars: Last Jedi' gets early raves: 'I'm still shaking'

Rian Johnson's "Jedi" wins early praise for its action and appearance. But the film's got depth, many say, with one viewer noting an "emotional payoff decades in the making."

Headshot of Gael Cooper
Headshot of Gael Cooper
Gael Cooper
CNET editor Gael Fashingbauer Cooper, a journalist and pop-culture junkie, is co-author of "Whatever Happened to Pudding Pops? The Lost Toys, Tastes and Trends of the '70s and '80s," as well as "The Totally Sweet '90s." She's been a journalist since 1989, working at Mpls.St.Paul Magazine, Twin Cities Sidewalk, the Minneapolis Star Tribune, and NBC News Digital. She's Gen X in birthdate, word and deed. If Marathon candy bars ever come back, she'll be first in line.
Expertise Breaking news, entertainment, lifestyle, travel, food, shopping and deals, product reviews, money and finance, video games, pets, history, books, technology history, and generational studies Credentials
  • Co-author of two Gen X pop-culture encyclopedia for Penguin Books. Won "Headline Writer of the Year"​ award for 2017, 2014 and 2013 from the American Copy Editors Society. Won first place in headline writing from the 2013 Society for Features Journalism.
Gael Cooper
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Daisy Ridley returns as Rey in "Star Wars: The Last Jedi."

 Disney

Those lucky enough to see "Star Wars: The Last Jedi" before its official opening next week shared impressions on social media Saturday night after the world premiere in Hollywood.

And Star Wars fans, you can breathe again. First reactions are crazy-good. 

Let's start the roll call with CNET's own Ashley Esqueda, who gets right to the point.

Those who saw the film praised it on multiple levels, with kudos for the action and "gorgeous" shots. But bring some Kleenex, as the excitement reportedly melds with the kind of emotional depth fans expect from such an epic franchise. This is all good news for fans who long to feel the disappointment of the prequels recede further and further into outer space. 

Star John Boyega, who plays Finn, almost didn't make it to the LA premiere due to bad weather in Atlanta. He ended up making it in time (minus his luggage), but the events led to some fun tweets between Boyega and other Star Wars cast and crew.

"The Last Jedi" opens worldwide Dec. 14.

'Star Wars: The Last Jedi' trailer: What you may not have noticed

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