Review: Star Wars – Rise of the Skywalker (Spoiler Free)

Just like the usual Star Wars scroll, we’ll begin with a recap. Supreme Leader Snoke is dead and The First Order has taken a bloody nose. The Republic has once again become a rebellion as Rey, Leia, Poe and others escape. Luke Skywalker has disappeared into the force and no one is sure of the next fight.

We return to learn that an old evil has returned, or perhaps, has never left. And we find them planning and plotting a re-rise of the dark side from the ashes of The Empire and the faltering New Order. The Rebels are hidden away, recouping and rebuilding for the next big battle. But will it be enough, they called out for help before, with only the Millennium Falcon and Luke to answer their dire request.

Poe and Finn work with Leia to lead the troops, while also carrying out missions for information on their enemy. While Rey has pulled herself out of the regular daily war to train and hone her skills and emotions. Her ties to Kylo Ren become stronger, whether she wants them to or not. Sharing pain they grow ever closer together, but is this a good thing for Rey? Can she keep batting away an outstretched hand and the truths Kylo starts doling out about her past? And will she be strong enough to learn more about herself and her place in the force without succumbing to the dark side? These are but a few of the questions that will need to be answered to truly close out this saga.

And closing out this Saga is what this film is about. So many questions that date back well before this last trilogy. As we’ve learned on many occasions, the Star Wars universe is very circular. Family and history repeat themselves, with the pivotal choices and moments of one person set to change the galaxy.

I enjoyed this film with its action, new worlds and new truths about beloved characters. Is it a perfect movie? No. Try as he might, J.J. Abrams worked to round out this final film for audiences, but it unfortunately fell flat in a couple sections. The story itself seems to be pretty solid, but I’ll await true fanboys to pick it apart after release. I already want to watch it again, to perhaps catch some nuances I missed initially.

Perhaps my issue is that The Mandelorian is just so good, that it rose my expectations for the Star Wars universe? This film delivers on many levels, but the artful nature seems to be missing. It is, of course, my personal humble opinion, but perhaps the public will let itself be known on this thought, eventually.

Should you go see the film, of course you should. Any true fan has a date and time already picked out. It’s great for the young and old! And yes, I would recommend watching all of the films, to get true perspective. Luckily, unlike the Marvel universe, you don’t need to watch 12+ films to feel truly caught up. The true nature of Star Wars lives on in Rise of the Skywalker, but if it’s the ending you’ve always hoped for, that answer will have to reside within each fan as they exit the theater.

Grade: B
MPAA Rating: PG-13
Running Time: 2h 21m