Movie Review: 'Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker'
Originally published December 2019
Die hard fans of the intergalactic western understood the pressure going into “Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker.” For many, the ninth and final film of the series would dictate the legacy of the beloved space opera. The movie would need to fully encapsulate the avidity and emotion from past films, while standing out on its own. And with director J.J. Abrams taking the reins again for the franchise-closer, his intentions were to do just that.
After director-writer Rian Johnson’s “The Last Jedi” broke the conventional lore of the 42-year saga, it was detested by a majority of long-standing zealots of the series. Despite the movie being one of the most revered among critics, and having eclipsed the billion-dollar mark, fans loathed Johnson’s independent take on the Star Wars mythos. In turn, Disney seemed poised to recapture the charm of the first film in the new trilogy, thus prompting Abrams’ return.
And from the opening scene it was clear this film, and the trilogy as a whole, lacked a mapped out narrative. Nearly the first 30-40 minutes of “The Rise of Skywalker” rushed to retcon the direction of characters and other notes from its predecessor. Disney and Abrams were more concerned about undoing the decisions of "The Last Jedi" in hopes of appeasing fans who previously vied for the remake of Johnson's film through an online petition after its release.
The move only placed the dysfunction of the series’ collaborators, Abrams, Johnson and producer Kathleen Kennedy, at the foreground. “The Rise of Skywalker” felt like the movie Abrams intended the second and third one to be, but the rushed and disjointed pace ultimately crippled the film.
Perhaps the biggest red flag was the return of Emperor Palpatine. Even with Ian McDiarmid’s leeringly menacing performance, his presence in the film was unnecessary and indicative of Disney’s futile attempts to unwrite the wrongs of “The Last Jedi” and regain the fans who bashed its perceived shortcomings.
The prequels will never be mistaken for the saga’s best, but at least creator George Lucas established a three-film arch that worked despite the trilogy’s boring political dealings, almost unwatchable acting and overly choreographed lightsaber battles.
But to their credit, Abrams and co-writer Chris Terrio made a few valid adjustments that worked in the context of the film. Eliminating the most unbelievable romance in the saga, outside of sand-hater Anakin and Padmé’s, was the most effective. Focusing on the growth of Rey, the forming of a new trio – Rey, Poe and Finn – and the evolution of Kylo Ren were the best parts of the project. And inserting new and familiar characters like Zorri Bliss (played by Kerri Russel) and Billy Dee Williams’ Lando Calrissian provided the film’s more heart-warming moments.
Abrams attempted to forge viewers’ emotions even further by constantly cramming fan service down their throats. While some call backs made for the movie’s more eminent moments, others were used as an emotional crutch. Moments designed to pull on the audiences’ heart strings, miserably failed due to the film’s glaringly desperate efforts to satisfy fans’ wishes and fill in the holes left from the trilogy’s second installment.
Ten years from now, this trilogy will be remembered for its calculated reveals and safe character choices. It delivered all the ground-breaking visuals and signature plot tropes viewers have been accustomed to seeing. But in doing that, it veered away from what made the previous films uniquely their own. “The Rise of Skywalker” suffered from a lack of cohesion and originality, thus bringing the end of the saga to an unmemorable finish.