A long time ago in a galaxy far, far away… Those are the words that launched a film franchise unlike any other. Now forty-two years and nine films later, we say goodbye to the saga that is Star Wars. This review contains minor spoilers…
The Rise of Skywalker is being billed as the final chapter of the Skywalker Saga. And given the Walt Disney Company’s position to move the Star Wars franchise in a new direction, I would say so. With that said, I would add that ROS is a course correction from The Last Jedi. Director J.J. Abrams took back the reins from Rian Johnson who directed the critically well received The Last Jedi but failed to win the all-important fan base. As the film starts, it doesn’t take Abrams too long to debunk some of the questionable choices made from the previous installment. In fact by the end, it’s as if ROS is more of a direct sequel to a Force Awakens than the completion of a trilogy.
The biggest obstacle Abrams faced wasn’t so much rewriting what was perceived to be wrong with the sequels or dealing with missed opportunities. No, it was to bring proper closure to this film series without feeling rushed or overwhelming its audience. The pacing here is very good given the 150+ minute running time. The visuals are both stunning and lavish. The action is top notch as one would expect and the music by John Williams is magic on its own. What I didn’t expect was how much tighter the dialogue delivery would be, especially from characters like C-3PO who had some of the better lines. This was a nice departure from past films that suffered at times from bad dialogue.
As for the storyline, we open with Poe (Oscar Issac), Finn (John Boyega) and Chewbacca (Joonas Suotamo) tracing the whereabouts of a mole within the First Order. Next we see Rey (Daisy Ridley) continuing her Jedi training under the tutor ledge of Leia (the late Carrie Fisher). We soon learn that Emperor Palpatine (Ian McDiarmid) is the puppet master behind all the events surrounding the rise of the First Order and the fall of Kylo Ren (Adam Driver) over to the dark side. Kylo continues his pursuit of Rey to convince her to join him. But both will struggle with internal and external conflicts regarding their past, their present and their future.
As I look back at the nine films, I do so fondly. Yes there were some misses. But the overall theme and strength remains something special. It is something that is often imitated and rarely achieved. Neither the prequels nor the sequels could ever match the magic of original. That’s an impossible task. However, in the end, The Rise of Skywalker was able to recapture some of it. It recaptured it with both nostalgia through its musical score and the feeling of hope that good will always triumph over evil no matter the odds. It brought me back to my 8 year old self and rekindled my imagination. For that I am forever grateful. This is what makes it a worthy conclusion to a saga that no only help change an industry but shape the lives of so many of us who wish to harness the power of the Force.
Directed by: J.J. Abrams
Starring: Carrie Fisher, Mark Hamill, Adam Driver, Daisy Ridley, John Boyega, Oscar Issac, Anthony Daniels, Joonas Suotamo, Naomi Ackie, Domhnall Gleeson, Richard E. Grant, Lupita Nyong’o, Keri Russell, Kelly Marie Tran, Ian McDiarmid and Billy Dee Williams
PG-13 155 MINS
STAR WARS: THE RISE OF SKYWALKER **** (out of 5 stars)
May the Dork (and the Force) be with you,
JPB
The Dork Knight
