To call the supposedly last Star Wars film in the ‘Skywalker Saga’ one of my most anticipated films of 2019 is a bit of an understatement. Star Wars have been an important part of my life since I was a kid. I watched the original trilogy countless times growing up and enjoyed the expanded universe material with dreams of what that universe had to still explore. When the prequels and later the Disney era films came out, “Star Wars” has continued to hold a special place in my heart.
This review will continue no spoilers, only brief descriptions of events already shared through trailers or plot summaries before the film’s release. The film follows our new generation of heroes Rey, Finn, and Poe as they seek to bring peace to the galaxy from the grips of Kylo Ren (formally Ben Solo). A mysterious force from the past may prove a greater challenge, and danger, to both the Resistance and the First Order than anyone could have imagined.
There was a lot for me to process upon finishing the movie but long story short, I enjoyed this movie quite a bit and I don’t feel the movie deserves the negative reviews it has been getting. That being said, the movie is not without some flaws (some minor, a few major). The film has many moments of jaw dropping visuals and moments fans will discuss for a long time to come but some of those moments will surely divide fans.
The film is paced at a breakneck speed with little time to rest and makes the film feel a bit rushed at times. Some of this was the fault of the last film, “Star Wars Episode VIII: The Last Jedi”, for not building towards a climax in regards to the trilogy. J.J. Abrams was forced to set up a conflict and resolve it in a satisfying way over the course of this single film. For the most part I feel like Abrams has succeeded in his efforts.
Another divisive element this film will face is the same complaint people had against Abrams’ first Star Wars film, “Star Wars Episode VII: The Force Awakens”, in that it feels like a copy of an original trilogy film. Instead of borrowing story elements of ‘A New Hope’, this film borrows elements from ‘Return of the Jedi’. Abrams has always seemed to struggle with originality, regardless if it’s Star Wars or Star Trek.
One interesting note is that this film also seems to borrow quite a bit from the non-cannon expanded universe material from years ago. Parts of this film feels lifted from the pages of “Star Wars: Dark Empire”. Fans who have read that and have seen this film will know what I am referring to but if you haven’t, trust me, it does.
The main complaint people will have about this film is the ending. Of course I can’t really talk about what happens, but for a film that bills itself as ‘the end of the Skywalker saga’, it certainly leaves plenty of obvious doors open to continue. I am not even saying that is necessarily a bad thing, but it will make some fans upset. From Finn’s secret that never gets addressed (though hinted at) to mysteries that are left unsolved, there are plenty to explore in regards to more Star Wars films.
I will say that I love the way this film manages to tie all the episodes together. While most of the fan service is in regards to the original trilogy, this film doesn’t shy away from the prequel trilogy. I also absolutely loved what this film did with the character of Chewbacca.
The cast did an excellent job in this film with the highlights being Daisy Ridley, Adam Driver, Ian McDiarmid, Oscar Isaac, and Billy Dee Williams. Carrie Fisher’s scenes were handled well and very carefully crafted into the movie in an organic way which was a huge concern of mine.
“Star Wars Episode IX: The Rise of Skywalker” isn’t a perfect film but it is still very fun and a step above ‘The Last Jedi’. Like this film or hate it, this was a Star Wars film clearly made for the fans so we have no one to blame but ourselves if we don’t like it. I had a good time personally and while I think most fans will need some time to digest the film, I think they will ultimately look at this film favorably.
Grade: B
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