So, it finally happened. Six years, two (canon) movies, two (spin-off) movies, and millions of dollars have led to this very moment. Thousands of hours have been spent planning the ending to this grand saga, one that, six years ago, hadn’t been seen for over a decade in the Star Wars universe. It’s definitely been a wild ride, with epic highs and lows (see: The Last Jedi) and leaps and bounds. All that being said, now that it’s finally over, how was it really?
First off, I’d like to say: wow, this movie is not kind to people who have epilepsy. My goodness. Watch at your own risk; my eyes still hurt. By now, I assume you all have a general idea of how the plot will go: Emperor Palpatine (yes, that Palpatine) is back, so buckle up. Rey is growing stronger, but she still is afraid of who she really is. Kylo Ren’s loyalty to the dark side is being tested by the minute, and the Resistance is ready to take a final stand. Amongst tested loyalties and uncertainty, which side will emerge victorious?
Let’s start by listing what I liked about this movie. It’s visually stunning, whether you watch it in 3D or not. The action scenes are intense (if not a bit too fast-paced) and some of the cinematography is downright stunning, which sounds weird when talking about a movie where people fight with giant glowsticks, but it is true. Our main three have some great interactions with one another, which is certainly more than I can say for The Last Jedi, where the main trio was separated for most of the film. Aside from our main trio, the other cast members do a good job as well, with Adam Driver definitely being my favourite new actor from this trilogy. Whether you like Kylo’s ending or not, you have to admit that he’s giving it his all. For old-timey and hardcore fans, there’s plenty of fanservice and cameos, which you will likely enjoy if you’re into that stuff. Overall, there is a lot going on in this movie, but that’s where my problems with it begin.
Due to (I think) the mainly negative response fans had to The Last Jedi, this film feels like JJ Abrams and co. were rushing to undo it by doing pretty much the opposite of what TLJ at least tried to do differently. In short, there’s a bit too much of what hardcore fans like – returning characters, old settings, and epic space battles. Moreover, because the previous story was a bit slow in its plot, this film is trying to cram everything of what I just mentioned above and more into a two-hour and a half runtime. New settings, characters, and plot devices are introduced every moment, and the editing department is trying to finish this story so quickly that you rarely ever get time to breathe before you’re shown the next plot point or chase scene. Aside from a few quiet moments of reflection here and there, the whole film is more or less like this, which left me very confused as to what I was actually supposed to focus on. Personally, although TLJ left me feeling quite conflicted as to how this trilogy would end, it was hard for me to dislike something that honest and ambitious. With this movie, although it doesn’t have the same low points as TLJ, it never hits the same high points as TFA, leaving it feeling bland and watery.
In conclusion: Rise of Skywalker isn’t as terrible as some people make it out to be. On the whole, it’s a serviceable conclusion to this trilogy, and regarding fanboys, there’s a lot for them to enjoy. However, despite the team’s best efforts, its oversaturation of fanservice, action, and story beats leave it feeling lackluster, and I doubt that, ten years from now, people will look back on this finale as fondly as they’ll look back on, say, Avengers: Endgame.
Final score: 6.5/10
The Art Archive 