Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker Movie Review (Spoiler Free)
Nathan Swank
December 19th, 2019
The wait is over! The final Star Wars film in the most recent trilogy is here. So how does STAR WARS: THE RISE OF SKYWALKER all end? Obviously, I can’t tell you that. At the studio’s request and because I’m just a decent human being, this review is spoiler free. I believe all my reviews are spoiler free, but I’m going to avoid any sort of plot synopsis all together and just let you know that I thought it was… Impressive. Most impressive. Okay, that was more of an excuse to use a Darth Vader line, but I thought it was pretty great.
STAR WARS: THE RISE OF SKYWALKER isn’t without fault. It has some cheesy dialogue and attempts to pay a lot of fan service that is sometimes unnecessary and perhaps groan-worthy. A few characters and plot threads are a bit wasted or maybe poorly utilized. But ultimately, THE RISE OF SKYWALKER is a whole lot of fun! And you know what? A lot of that fan service works quite well and some of the lines are dare-I-say, cry-worthy. And many are definitely cheer-worthy. One’s emotions toward the film probably all depends on how well you are able to let yourself get lost into this galaxy far far away.
Rey (Daisy Ridley) and Kylo Ren (Adam Driver) are at the forefront of the story. Their dynamic as conflicted enemies and allies, dueling with some unknown connection in the force, aided by two of the strongest performances in ALL the films, is why they might be two of the greatest characters within the Star Wars universe. Much like Luke Skywalker and Princess Leia inspired so many kids, Rey is that inspiration for a whole new generation.
Some of our other returning characters, Poe (Oscar Isaac), Finn (John Boyega), Chewbacca, C-3PO, R2-D2, Bb-8, and of course, Leia Organa played by the late Carrie Fisher, all have some truly wonderful moments, truly capturing the personality and humor of their characters. Perhaps you’ve seen trailers and posters, but perhaps you’ve avoided those things as well, so while it may not be a secret, I will simply add that there are a few returning players that will delight fans and make an impact.
While the story may have some shortcomings, STAR WARS: THE RISE OF SKYWALKER is a visual masterpiece. Director J.J. Abrams utilizes a powerful color scheme between the blues and reds, playing up the duality of good and evil. The action sequences are a thrilling and visual feast, while the final battle in particular is an incredibly dark and compelling sequence delivering an exciting force of emotion.
If, like me, you have enjoyed the new Star Wars films, including Rian Johnson’s THE LAST JEDI, I think you will be pleasantly satisfied with THE RISE OF SKYWALKER. If you are one of those fans, who believes Lucas and now Disney has ruined your childhood by not following the proper STAR WARS canon, you’re probably gonna have some negative things to say here as well. Do us all a favor, and just calm down. I too have some or at least one very specific complaint about a detail, but my love for the franchise is too great to let it be ruined by minor quibbles. For the record, I teared up more than a couple of times, which I know has a lot to do with the nostalgia of knowing this world for thirty-five years. Grading a movie like this is always arbitrary as I can’t quite get out of the way of my own memories and emotions playing into such an epic series as STAR WARS. But I love that I unashamedly love these movies.
STAR WARS: THE RISE OF SKYWALKER is a thoroughly entertaining and a mostly fulfilling ending to a new trilogy of a world that greatly influenced my childhood and is now joyfully impacting my children.
[fbcomments]
