"Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker" Is An Awkward Story With A Conclusion
5/12 ForReel Score | 2 Stars
I spent a lot of time defending my enjoyment of The Last Jedi against a large segment of fans who hated it. Two years and many re-watches later, I still disagree with that crowd. But I understand what deep frustration with a botched Star Wars narrative feels like now that I’ve experienced The Rise of Skywalker; a film that I simply could not stop rolling my eyes at.
In this final chapter of the Skywalker saga, Emperor Palpatine has returned and he’s amassed an unstoppable force dubbed The Final Order. New and familiar characters have to come together to find the fleet as Rey fights to discover who she is and who she’s meant to be.
The difference between enjoying and disliking The Rise of Skywalker lies within how apt a viewer is to processing the film’s function within this nine movie story arc. It can be highly disappointing to watch as The Rise of Skywalker attempts to both nullify large swaths of established story and try to tell a replacement story at the same time. The film’s backpedaling is awkward at best and most moments of retconning are cringe-worthy.
However, viewers who are solely focused on the movie at hand may find plenty of enjoyment in the action sequences and satisfying conclusion. And just like what I demanded of The Last Jedi haters, I similarly uphold a level of respect for those who appreciate The Rise of Skywalker for what it is rather than what it could’ve been.
Acting and Casting - 1 | Visual Effects and Editing - 1 | Story and Message - 0 | Entertainment Value - 1 | Music Score and Soundtrack - 2 | Reviewer's Preference - 0 | What does this mean?
Want to hear more about my thoughts on Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker? Listen as I discuss the film with LAMB members on The LAMBcast!