We’ve all heard the stories of the backlash against The Last Jedi, and the increasingly heated discourse around Disney’s recent Star Wars movies. Right now I’m just in the mood to tune much of the noise out and judge Star Wars Episode IX: The Rise of Skywalker for what it’s trying to accomplish- being an exciting and emotionally engrossing sci-fi fantasy.
I’ll gladly admit that I’ve been kinder than most people to this series. And considering how divisive this film seems to be across the fandom at large, I figure it’ll be controversial to say “I liked the way this trilogy wraps up,” which I did.
Kylo Ren (Adam Driver) is more determined than ever to exert his will across the galaxy as the First Order’s supreme leader, going so far as to strike a deal with a resurrected Emperor Palpatine (Ian McDiarmid). The Sith lord offers Ren a fleet of “Final Order” spaceships capable of destroying planets in one shot- that is, if he can eliminate Rey (Daisy Ridley) and her friends before she stops them.
Alongside Finn (John Boyega), Poe (Oscar Isaac), Chewbacca (Joonas Suotamo), C-3PO (Anthony Daniels) and R2-D2 (Lee Towersey and Hassan Taj), the Jedi-in-training tries to get to the hidden Sith world of Exegol before the First Order’s assassins foil their efforts.
Now there are a number of storyline choices in TROS that are obviously causing a lot of debate, and they’ll likely continue to do so long after it’s out of theaters. I can understand why one might not like some of the decisions if they were a fan of TLJ, or why another could be a bit more pleased, or whatever. And don’t’ get me wrong, there was definitely one scene towards the end (you’ll know when you see it) that made my jaw legit drop.
But sometimes I feel Star Wars fans- and I’m speaking as one myself- can become so isolated within their opinions that they don’t realize there’s never been any sort of monolithic consensus among the fandom.
The Empire Strikes Back sparked a ton of arguments regarding the direction of the series, as have Disney’s recent pictures. And I’m not going to pretend that any of these films (or any SW product for that matter) are 100% flawless, but all I’m saying is that I’d wait a while before we can truly learn where the legacy of this movies lies among the rest of the franchise.
Much like Force Awakens, Abrams moves TROS along at a brisk pace. But one difference this time is how we finally get some significant screentime with Finn, Rey and Poe working together not just as a trio, but as genuine friends. They’ll argue with each other in a way where it’s obvious how much they care about one another. Individually they all have nice character arcs, but Rey’s evolution is especially notable for how it emphasizes kindness and compassion (don’t worry, she still gets to kick plenty of ass).
Visually, what can I possibly tell you? The space dogfights, desert chases on hovercrafts and lightsaber battles are among the best in the series yet, especially Rey’s encounter with Kylo’s tie fighter. Lucasfilm obviously uses a ton of CGI work for this movie, but they blend it with their trademark practical effects and makeup, which adds to the feel of the movie being more “plausible” than some Marvel films. And I say this as a huge MCU fan, but their effects are often more on the cartoony side.
At points it does feel like Abrams is trying to pack too many characters and events, even going two hours and twenty minutes. You can expect plenty of enjoyable cameos, including Mark Hamill as Luke, Carrie Fisher’s final outing as General Leia, and Billy Dee Williams’ Lando Calrissian is as dashing as ever. Some of the newer characters like crook-turned-Resistance fighter Zorii (Keri Russell) who has back story with Poe and a rebel fighter named Jannah (Naomi Ackie) have some enjoyable moments but not to the expense of the three main heroes, who Kylo refuses to give a rest.
Ren/Ben Solo’s development through this chapter will likely be among the more heated debates between fans. Throughout all of it, Adam Driver turns in an impressive performance that I have always enjoyed throughout these movies. Even though his character is supposed to be in Vader’s shadow, he has gradually become a fascinating and intimidating character on his own.
So as the dust settles on this Star Wars trilogy, I can easily recognize its faults, but all three times I did walk out of the theater in at least a generally good mood. However you feel about The Rise of Skywalker and how it measures up to the other material is up to you, but personally I wouldn’t mind buying the Blu-Ray at some point. If you’ve blasted off to your local theater to see it, as always stop by Official_FAN on Twitter and share your thoughts!