Before the review starts: I am going to give my opinion on certain aspects of the film, so if you feel that will spoil your experience, then I encourage you to watch the movie before you read this and come back. If you have already seen the film, read on and enjoy.
First, let me start off by saying that I am a Star Wars fan. I have grown up with the prequels and this new trilogy and have enjoyed watching them over the years. I think Star Wars resonates with so many people because of the themes that are presented: Good versus evil, learning from failure, and having hope even in the darkest times. The characters that have been created are relatable yet also have abilities that people aspire to have. When Star Wars was announced to return in 2012, many people were excited. Plenty of expectations and questions lingered for the start of a new trilogy that would change the saga and fandom for better and worse.
When The Force Awakens (2015) came out, many fans were happy with what they got. Star Wars was back and the majority of people were pleased. A few months passed and some fans claimed that TFA was a retread of a New Hope. This was the start of unrest in the Star Wars fandom.
Then, Last Jedi came out in 2017. A lot of bold choices were made that left many people disappointed with the direction of the new trilogy while others loved it. This created a divisive nature for Star Wars fans on the internet.
Now, The Rise of Skywalker has hit theaters for the final installment of the trilogy and the conclusion of the entire saga. J.J. Abrams returned to direct the third film that stars Daisy Ridley, Adam Driver, John Boyega, and Oscar Isaac.
Let’s start with what I didn’t like: The thing that is disappointing the most to me is that it is clear that Lucasfilm and Kathleen Kennedy had no big plans for this trilogy, that is evident when you’re watching this film. There’s a disconnect between all three of these films and I blame that on Kennedy and her team not having at least an outline of what they wanted to do. I say this because the direction of this film, while having powerful moments is not earned as much as it would have been if some of the things were set up and built upon over the course of the three films. The pacing of the film is also very rapid and fast as there is a lot of information packed in during such a short amount of time. While this is fun as there is usually non-stop action and something going on, I felt that there needed to be some sort of break to slow down the film because there is a lot to take in. There is also a good amount of fan service in the film and while I like a lot of what they did, I feel that some of it wasn’t earned and was put in to try and mend the feuding Star Wars fandom instead of making the best movie possible. Going along with the fan service and pacing, there is a lot that happens in this movie that is not explained, partially because the movie doesn’t have time to since there is so much crammed in. As a movie goer, I would recommend that you just try your best to enjoy what you see and have fun because to me that’s what Star Wars is about.
That being said, there’s a lot in this movie I liked: The first is that the majority of the core cast is together for this adventure. I enjoyed the rapport with Rey, Finn, and Poe along with the droids and Chewie as well. The relationship between Rey and Kylo Ren is some of the strongest moments in the trilogy, and that continues in this film. I thoroughly enjoyed the progression of both of their characters and believe that many young kids and teens will be able to relate with them, just like people my age related with the prequels. I think Daisy Ridley and Adam Driver are the two best actors in this cast and it shows. What they are able to do with these characters is pretty special and they deserve credit where credit is due. Also, Finn and Poe bring comedy moments that break away from the tension of the film at the right moments. This movie had good humor the majority of the time. It was a different kind of comedy than Last Jedi and I think it worked similarly to the dialogue in Force Awakens. The set pieces and fight choreography were stunning to watch as well. This is expected from every Star Wars movie but I like to throw this in here because a lot of people and teams worked on the CGI, stunts, and cinematography and I think they deserved to be recognized for their hard work as it really paid off. I also really enjoyed what they did with the force in this movie. Certain things continued to be explored and there’s a lot of really cool moments that add to the lore of the force as a whole that made me really interested to see how future Star Wars films and shows will build on it. John Williams score is another bright spot. That man is 87 years-old and still cranking out fantastic work.
To be clear, I believe this is the last film in the Skywalker saga but there are still plenty of Star Wars projects to come. It’s crazy to believe that over five years ago this new trilogy started, and now it has come to an end. I think the conclusion to how the movie ends is good, I just had a small gripe with the execution of it, but overall I think it sends a good message and is impactful.
If you are a Star Wars fan, see this movie, finish watching the trilogy and this saga, and even if you’re a casual fan or not a fan at all, I think you should see it. It is a fun time with a lot of great moments and that’s all I really wanted to see. If I were to rank the final three films in this trilogy, I would say: 1. The Force Awakens 2. The Rise of Skywalker 3. Last Jedi. A lot of people are going to ask if this trilogy was necessary? After watching The Rise of Skywalker I would say no, but I’m glad we got these movies anyway. It has given the opportunity to further the story we all love and create characters that audiences can relate to. I enjoy all three of these films, but that’s just my opinion. Don’t let this influence what you think or feel because ultimately, you could love or hate this film. You could also be indifferent, it doesn’t matter, because it’s your view, don’t let anyone tell you different. I am sad that this saga and trilogy is over but I am also happy to enjoy it over the years and can’t wait to see the direction that Star Wars goes next.
Score: 3.8 out of 5