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| Daisy Ridley in "Star Wars: Episode IX - The Rise of Skywalker" Photo Credit: Imdb.com |
It’s hard to believe that four years ago, movie audiences all over the world exhibited intense anticipation for “Star Wars: Episode VII - The Force Awakens,” the first “Star Wars” movie in 10 years, following episode three, “Revenge of the Sith.” Although it reused a lot of the plot from “A New Hope,” it was still an insanely fun moviegoing experience that showed the series was back in prime form, thanks to director J.J. Abrams and his cast and crew. Two years later, writer-director Rian Johnson gave us episode eight, “The Last Jedi,” which brought some surprises to the trilogy in its integral middle chapter that helped set up what was sure to be a breathtaking and emotional finale.
Abrams returns to direct the final installment in the sequel trilogy, “The Rise of Skywalker,” which marks the end of the nine-part “Skywalker” saga. While the movie has some of the thrills and epic feel of the movies that came before, it turns out to be a rather weak conclusion to the saga.
The story follows Rey (Daisy Ridley), Finn (John Boyega), and Poe Dameron (Oscar Isaac), as they work alongside the Resistance to bring down Kylo Ren (Adam Driver) and the First Order once and for all.
Ridley has been one of the strongest aspects of the sequel trilogy, maintaining the strength of her character as Rey marches towards her destiny. Ridley has shown a lot of confidence for being the star of a massive franchise such as this, and that has translated to Rey and displays her as someone whose resilience against the tyranny of the First Order made her journey one that we couldn’t resist taking. Ridley shows a bravery in Rey that has culminated over the course of this trilogy, and when her character presents signs of uncertainty from time to time, that helps us become even more invested in her quest because we’re left wondering which path she’s going to take when on her odyssey to becoming who she was meant to be.
While there isn’t much to Finn and Poe’s characters on an emotional level, Boyega and Isaac bring enough charisma to their roles that helps bring forth the sense of adventure for which these films have become known. They’re both fun to watch, and even if some of the humor that their characters are given might not always land, the way in which they embrace the material that they’re provided helps to make it work a little better.
Driver continues to be a superb choice as this trilogy’s villain. Just as he did in the last two movies, he conveys his character’s emotional pain as he remains conflicted between remaining with the First Order, or letting go of his loyalty to them and finding his humanity. Driver remains as intimidating as ever when portraying Kylo, but he has shown that there’s a lot more to evoke from his character than his maliciousness, and Driver’s work in this film has given this trilogy a villain who has a depth matching that of the main protagonist.
The screenplay by Abrams and Chris Terrio does well in expanding the scope of “Star Wars,” bringing us across the galaxy to several new planets, allowing us to become absorbed in these environments as the characters go on their travels to face the challenges of taking down the First Order. However, despite the story offering new worlds to explore, there are some questionable decisions made in terms of the revelations that it presents. I won’t go into spoilers, but I will say there’s one cheap fake-out, one minor reveal concerning a supporting character that’s disclosed in a cringeworthy way, and a frustrating surprise that will have you thinking, “Of course, they would go that route.” Although “The Force Awakens” was derivative of “A New Hope,” at least Abrams and his co-writers offered a few intriguing setups for the rest of the trilogy amongst the familiarity. In “The Rise of Skywalker,” it doesn’t seem like much thought was put into the plot, with the story going through a lot of the same motions as other installments, while also including an endless stream of nostalgic tidbits.
One of the best aspects of seeing any “Star Wars” movie for the first time is the prospect of meeting new characters. Although Abrams and Terrio’s screenplay adds talented performers, like Richard E. Grant, Keri Russell, and Dominic Monaghan, they aren’t given much to do with their roles.
Although Abrams’ work on the film might not be great from a writing standpoint, he’s still able to bring us exciting action sequences, whether it be a desert chase on the planet of Pasaana, a lightsaber battle between Rey and Kylo on the rough waters on the moon of Kef Bir, or the climactic battle on the dark planet of Exegol. Despite not having a better story, you still have the sci-fi thrills that are paired with some grand visuals, images that come from cinematography by Dan Mindel. Mindel, who worked with Abrams on “The Force Awakens,” his two “Star Trek” movies, and “Mission: Impossible 3,” immerses us in the many locations of the “Star Wars” mythology and continues the franchise’s rich tradition of capturing the wonder of the imaginative worlds to which we’re transported.
While it was fun to have old and new characters come together and travel to majestic places over the course of this sequel trilogy, it may be time for Lucasfilm to put a pause on the “Star Wars” movies for a while until they’re able to return with a story that feels unique from what has come before. Maybe then, the Force will be back in full, well, force.
Grade: C+
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