Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker: Movie Review

"Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker" will be a divisive experience. On one hand, it's a film designed to please its fan base with an all-too-familiar structure and an all-too-dazzling visual style that makes the experience an instant thrill ride. But there's no denying that the narrative takes a huge back seat which means that this saga ender will leave you wondering if they could have done so much more to make the ninth and last film a whole lot more substantial.

Kylo Ren (Adam Driver) obtains a Sith wayfinder that leads him to the planet Exegol - a hidden location that is also hiding a powerful entity. This entity not only reveals the true nature of the First Order but tasks Kylo Ren to kill his adversary for good. Meanwhile, Finn (John Boyega), Poe (Oscar Isaac), and Chewbacca finds out about Kylo's discovery and alerts the rebels. To stop the First Order, Rey (Daisy Ridley) must find another Sith wayfinder - which is easier said than done - to put an end to the First Order once and for all.

The Skywalker saga comes to a close with a lot of bang but with a lot of question marks still in tow. While we wish it could have ended more substantially, the bigger picture was more than good enough to satisfy us. Unlike "The Last Jedi", "The Rise of Skywalker" took a more straightforward approach in terms of plot and like "The Force Awakens", it felt like it was following previous films before it in terms of structure - for better or for worse. Overall though, The narrative was okay. Revelations are finally made but some felt forced and coming out of nowhere. Not only is this an issue with the story, but several elements within the film. Suddenly, there are new Force powers being used without much explanation. Characters pop in into battles without much resistance or back story. There is also a love triangle of sorts being teased throughout its runtime that leads to nowhere. The strongest point for "The Rise of Skywalker", to no surprise, were its visuals and soundtrack. Space battles had a lesser role here but with a heavy concentration on light saber battles, it's a welcome change for the better. "The Rise of Skywalker" was a great experience overall. It's a a big-budget behemoth with all the flash to satisfy - just don't expect a clean-cut end to the decades long saga.

Rating: 4 reels





Why you should watch it:
- the visuals are amazing as usual
- had some poignant moments to truly please fans of the franchise

Why you shouldn't watch it:
- the story was basic and had a lot of logical issues
- it left us feeling a little unsatisfied