I’m going to attempt to make this as spoiler-free as possible but if you haven’t seen it by now then what on earth are you waiting for.. The end of the Skywalker saga is here and it’s super surreal to me. This saga has been 40+ years in the making and one can’t help but get emotional about the end of a truly iconic era. This film has been panned by a lot of people. I’m not one of them and if you don’t agree this review might not be for you.
I have zero problems with the new saga’s casting. Daisy Ridley acts her face off in the newest installment and I’m a hundred percent here for it. I think Ridley has proven to everyone that she is a force and I look forward to seeing even more of what she can do outside of the franchise. Does anyone love Kylo Ren like they do Darth Vader? I know it’s different but Vader is pretty much beloved across the whole fandom. I love Adam Driver and I love his portrayal of Ren.. and Ben. *minor spoiler alert* This movie really tormented me and I’m sure a lot of the people who weren’t huge fans of the villain feel the same way when I say that my heart broke into two when Kylo Ren finally came to his senses and accepted the fact that he did not have to serve the dark side. The Last Jedi does a really good job with Finn’s, played by John Boyega, but Rise of Skywalker squanders his character. I noticed that all he really does is scream people’s name when they’re in danger.. and I hate that for him because he was fantastic in The Force Awakens. Per usual, Kelly Marie Tran is severely underused and we barely get glimpses of her throughout the entirety of the movie. Oscar Isaac is okay but I feel like there’s a lot more he could be giving to his character. Worth noting are the two newcomers Keri Russell and Naomi Ackie. I think both were great but I also feel like their characters didn’t really add anything to the film. Also worth noting is the brilliant work done with Carrie Fisher and that unused footage. I think it was a great way to say goodbye to our beloved Princess. There are so many things that I want to mention but I can’t because I hate movies being spoiled for me and I don’t want to do the same to other people just know that if you’re a huge Star Wars fan then there are several surprises that you’ll be more than emotional about.
I understand why people are complaining about the pacing of the movie and I somewhat agree. The filmmakers tried their hardest to fit in as much as they could in two hours and twenty minutes which can lead to plot holes but I don’t think that distracted from the shear genius of this movie. What Rise of Skywalker lacks in writing it more than makes up for in action sequences and visual effects. The film does nothing to reinvent the genre nor does it really present anything new but I feel like with a movie so widely-anticipated and a franchise so globally adored that the movie doesn’t need to be written perfectly. I think most members of the audiences aren’t really paying attention to the small stuff because the movie is so epic. Every visual from the film is exquisite. I think this movie has one of the best, if not the best, lightsaber duels in the whole Star Wars canon and that’s saying something when you look at that magnificent fight scene in Snoke’s throne room in The Last Jedi. Just like the previously mentioned film Rise has some truly beautiful cinematography. It also takes us to so many different places in the Star Wars universe that it really does make it an adventure film as well as action.
The film’s score. John Williams, as we all know, is a master at what he does. And this film’s score is a testament to his talent. I think it’s some of his best work as of recent, especially in the Star Wars franchise. All the undertones and nods to previous Star Wars’ films’ scores was genius and very emotional. I cry every time I hear “Leia’s Theme.” It does a magnificent job in moving the film along and making the audience feel the way it needs to. It felt more like a Star Wars movie. The music was more orchestral like its predecessors. I think the score of the original trilogy is one of the best parts of the movie and Williams did a phenomenal job in calling back to those original movies and their epic scores.
I’ve seen a lot of reviews that are complaining that it doesn’t pick up where The Last Jedi ended and doesn’t do its job of tying up those loose ends. I do understand that it does sort of come off as a sequel to The Force Awakens but I think it’s more than complimentary to Johnson’s movie. I’ve also seen the reviews from people saying that the ending was too cut and dry for their liking and that the filmmakers gave in to the constant chatter and basically pulled their storylines from them and while I agree to some degree, I’m of the opinion that this was the best ending to the saga we could’ve ever gotten.
I think true Star Wars love this movie because to be quite frank it’s just lots of fanservice and I think that’s absolutely okay. This movie is beautiful and it’s emotional and it’s a movie that definitely should not be missed for any fan. Let me know what you think the comments if you’ve seen it!
Rating: 9.5/10