Star Wars: The Rise Of Skywalker
Director : JJ Abrams
Cast Headliners: Daisy Ridley, Adam Driver , John Boyega , Oscar Isaac, Carrie Fisher , Chewie, 3PO, R2 , Palpatine etc nearly everyone Star Wars ever
Original Release Date: December 20, 2019
It's hard to believe that so soon already Disney's sequel trilogy is at its end.. Star Wars: Episode IX The Rise Of Skywalker is not just a close for the past 4 years of adventuring for these new heroes but also in a way ends the Skywalker Saga started decades ago by George Lucas. There was once a time he wanted to get this far and most thought we never would...but we have . It's of course hard to pull off a pleasing ending especially amidst a fandom caught up in division . However truly for a fan, despite some critics or otherwise expected , the movie has bright highs which shine just as one would expect, want, and deserve.
It's a bit too quick to the punchline in that about a year after the events of 2017's Episode 8 : The Last Jedi the galaxy already knows of the return of classic Star Wars evil Sith overlord Emperor Palpatine (Ian Mcdiarmid) sending out a threatening message across the stars. Kylo Ren / Ben Solo( Adam Driver) has a quest of his own as he seems answers about this while maintaining control of his imperial First Order as Supreme Leader along the likes of Generals Hux( Domnhall Gleeson) and Pryde( Richard E Grant ) ever followed by the long awaited return of the dark warriors the Knights of Ren .
Elsewhere Rey(Daisy Ridley) is now on her way to be a master Jedi as she trains under General Princess Leia Organa (Carrie Fisher in her final posthumous role). Fellow Resistance members Poe(Oscar Isaac), Finn( John Boyega), Chewbacca (Joonas Suotamo ), C-3PO(Anthony Daniels ) and small droids BB-8 and R2-D2 have a quest of their own to take down the First Order , and possibly Palpatine if he's really what he says, once and for all.
It's a film of of course bombastic spectacle and high stakes that attempts to close out established lore while adding so much new of it's own . This juggling act is evident in director Abrams visual approach . Some things are presented in a slightly more jumpy style than his peers and of course there's a lense flare or too. However he once again , after his last effort in 2015's The Force Awakens , has great skill in wild battles and exciting sequences. Masterful use of scenery occurs and there's actually more variety in color for the alien worlds and various ships / troopers although it's all from the same by now expected pool. It tends towards a bit of the prequels ridiculousness and that's fine and even helps things feel more fitting for the nine part close.
As it has been in the past the shining stars are Rey and Kylo Ren . Their story , carrying on the force bond of the past , reaches it's excitingly dramatic and surprising conclusion as their fate balances between good and evil. It's great to see Ridley take on her most mature , Jedi trained version of Rey yet as she deals with the temptations of the dark side as many heroes before her have. Driver's Kylo, here with the promise of the noble "Ben Solo" side more than ever, brings his character's arc to an exciting if too swift conclusion. Driver / Ridley chemistry is old news but it works.
It's a relief to see that, if too late by the end too, Isaac's Poe, Boyega's Finn, and other such droids and furry creatures get to be one cohesive whole. Poe especially has some of his biggest true involvement after he spent the other films of this period on the sidelines. He brings his charm and humor along with backstory and action set-piece involvement. It's a bit of a shame that , while going to some decent places (especially compared to The Last Jedi), Finn's arc doesn't quite end up what it should be. As an ensemble whole its the funnest family yet but examine some corners with a microscope and cracks show.
These cracks are sometimes news things. There's new characters like the bow-wielding Jannah(Naomi Ackie), bounty hunter Zorri Bliss(Keri Russell), or Resistance soldier Beaumont Kin(Dominic Monaghan) given little more than some shots to fire or expansionary dialogue. It's a bit of a shame that alumni too carry this role at times like heroic Rose Tico(Kelly Marie Tran) and Maz Kanata(Lupita Nyong'o) or villainous side from Hux(at least a bit more to him than a punchline) even upstaged by the new Pryde replacement.
This is what defines the Disney era: a tug of war between the plans of JJ Abrams, who did Episode 7 before 9, and Rian Johnson who did Episode 8. Aside from the mentioned instances there's several times that contradictory characterizations or plot elements happen. Even some quips happen at The Last Jedi's expense. As silly as they were at least the prequels had George Lucas' overall combined vision.
This rapid retconning also happens around how Palpatine becomes involved to play\. Without spoiling too much, some extremely rapid revelations and information happen (which really is par for course compared to the other Disney films..compare The Force Awaken's "Han is Kylo's dad" reveal to The Empire Strikes Back's "No, I am your father' moment for an example). With JJ's jumpy editing style some objective discomfort could be found. However, this also adds to its distinct identity as well and especially the action. Luckily, with assuming that he does say at least a word or two somehow, McDiarmid's Sith Lord is as gloriously evil and the right kind of cheesy as ever if a bit more of a "been there" and darker approach than his last time in the prequels.
On returning characters, it's fortunate that everyone else is as fantastic as ever. It's an impressive technical feat that Leia is even involved in the first place after the tragic passing of Fisher. Her scenes are mostly taken from not just a bit of Episode 8 but moreso reworked content from 7. The contrast can be at times unnaturally jarring but they manage to find a way that it works. Yes a certain groovy Lando Calrissian(Billy Dee Williams) may show up and he's surprisingly, and perfectly, as energetic and suave as ever in in his distinguished age for a bit of a short appearance time. The mystery of if Luke Skywalker(Mark Hamill) has one last thing to say must be seen firsthand as well but is done pretty well if not perfectly.
The action is nicely pulse-pounding in a straightforward way. People get to places, a situation happens in a shiny (if mostly typical, darkness worlds and ruins aside) location, some quips and blasts are traded and so on. It was perhaps best that things were classically iconic for the end. JJ Abrams is good at delivering things people want if maybe not in ways they didn't expect it and for things to look as exactly as they'd expect but not much more. Big kudos to the duels and space combat (especially a bit of an insane finale) however it's all over only just a bit after it gets great with a couple of exceptions. Score by John Williams is as iconic as ever if mostly pulling from what's come before. The Knight Of Ren look cool but don't do much...there's a statement summarizing it all .
That's what ultimately what not just this film is but what the Disney era as a whole is / was (main three films aside, check things like The Mandalorian or Rogue One for how smaller can be better and fresher...or Solo for how it couldn';t be).... enough, but maybe could have been more. It was always going to be hard to end this iconic franchise's main story and we're lucky that it's at least expected. If only just a little bit more was done here or there it could have been perfect. However, the fantastic is undeniably good whether it makes one cheer, laugh, cry, or fear. Star Wars has never been perfect but that's what makes it special. Whether we loved it for being great or being a meme it was sure memorable. This film mixes the great, the bad , the wants and the surprises in a way that it should be even if its just a few inches short of the gold finish line....but what a race it was whether it was in first or last...we had fun. Till next time , and please show us what a new car and tourney looks like, may the force be with us always. 9 out of 10
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