Recently we brought to a review of the RealD 3D 4DX screening of Star Wars The Rise of Skywalker, now Jim King brings us his thoughts on the movie. – Editor
It’s being touted as the end of The Skywalker Saga and arrives following the most controversial Star Wars film (The Last Jedi) and the series’ first box office flop (Solo), so can JJ Abrams’ latest offering bring balance to the fandom? The answer, of course, depends on a certain point of view.
Firstly, this is an epic adventure that ticks off all of the boxes one would hope for from a Star Wars film. Lightsabre fights? Yes. Speeder chase? Yes. Space battles? Oh yes, the biggest the series has ever seen. Yet there’s also a lot of character work going on here, plus the return of the saga’s biggest bad and of course a redemptive arc for the villain. Add to that a host of cameos (not all of which were expected) and about a dozen new planets and you’ve got a lot squeezed into the relatively lean running time.
It’s quite incredible really that it all works.
The story zips along at an incredible pace but it is not to the detriment of our main characters. Daisy Ridley gives her most assured performance as Rey whose journey of self-discovery and actualisation has been the backbone of the trilogy. Here we get some answers about her past that should satisfy those who took against The Last Jedi’s resolution of that plot thread. As for those who enjoyed Rian Johnson’s take? For me, it is possible to reconcile the two but it takes a bit of a stretch. It’s a bit like accepting that what Obi-Wan told Luke about his father was true, if only from a certain point of view. Ultimately though, it is the journey that Rey goes on that matters and her arc here, firmly establishes her alongside the greatest of Star Wars heroes. Her final scene brings a closure that also feels like a new beginning, hopefully this is not the last we will see of her.
Finn (John Boyega) meanwhile gets a lot more to do this time around, he’s in the thick of the action from the start and spearheads the stunning horseback sequence glimpsed in the trailers. The actor brings a warmth and charisma to Finn that allows him to be an emotional anchor for both his co-stars and the audience. The final part of the triumvirate is Poe Dameron (Oscar Isaac), a character that has been arguably underserved in the previous instalments. Here, he is very much part of a trio with Rey and Finn, and the dialogue between the three often sparkles. We also learn a lot more of his backstory which seems aimed at moulding him into the new Han Solo, an understandable move but one that feels a little late in the game to make a huge difference. Rounding out the good guys are the returning Lando (Billy Dee Williams, clearly relishing his big-screen comeback) and of course the late Carrie Fisher who touchingly receives top billing for the first time in the history of the series. Much has been made of how she would be integrated into the film, with the filmmakers choosing to repurpose unused footage from The Force Awakens rather than recast or write her out. The results are largely excellent with Leia feeling like she actively plays a role in the story rather than being an afterthought. The effects used are convincing with only a hint of CGI at times threatening to ruin the impression that Fisher was on set with the rest of the cast. Ultimately it’s a shame that she was not able to play a larger role, but what we do see of her feels like a fitting tribute.
Over on the dark side, Adam Driver commands the screen as Kylo Ren. The bond established in The Last Jedi, plays out here in ways that will no doubt delight some and infuriate others. What should not be questioned however is the acting prowess he brings to the role. Kylo, among Star Wars villainy, stands apart in that he is more pitiable than anything else. A frightened boy who, like Rey is struggling to define his own identity, every step on this journey is written on Driver’s face, quite a feat given the return of his iconic mask. Joining him are the Knights of Ren who join Boba Fett and Darth Maul in the pantheon of villains who look cool but don’t actually do very much. I suspect their story will be told in comic books or Disney + series in the future, and they do receive a nice new musical cue from the ever-excellent John Williams.
The other main villain is, of course The Emperor himself, with Ian McDiarmid closing out the new trilogy as he did the previous two. Though the details of his return may be somewhat murky, his presence is undoubtedly a welcome one, proving once again that Palpatine is the definitive Star Wars villain. It might be a shorthand way of raising the stakes but the presence of the character does add to the epic feel of the film. No other villain would have felt like a suitable challenge for the resistance at this stage and I don’t mind a bit of narrative sleight of hand if it allows for the menace that Palpatine brings.
Aside from the main cast, there is also a focus here on giving long-standing characters their due, perhaps a bit too literally for Chewbacca who receives a gift that calls right back to the ending of A New Hope. C3PO is the biggest beneficiary as he gets to act as comic relief one last time while also having a few poignant moments. R2D2 fares less well, though I suspect this is more to do with the practicalities of having the cumbersome droid on set as opposed to the more mobile BB8. Sadly, Rose is sidelined for the majority of the film which may please a certain section of the fanbase but is a shame particularly as her budding romance with Finn is not acknowledged at all. Rumours persist that there were scenes filmed that would have seen her conversing with Leia but the producers couldn’t manage to marry up the footage to a satisfactory level. If this is the case, then it may have been unavoidable but still feels like a disservice to the character and to Kelly Marie Tran who deserved better after her treatment online following the release of the last film. Elsewhere we meet a range of new characters, the standout being Babu Frik an animatronic creation that steals every scene he’s in. The trade-off, of course is that some characters, General Hux and newcomer Zori Bliss struggle for screen time. At least one new character, Naomi Ackie’s Jannah feels like she is here solely to set up a possible spin-off.
In terms of story, the film is very familiar with the characters in a race against time to stop a threat that could have dire consequences for the whole galaxy. Yes, it’s a set up we’ve had in numerous other Star Wars films but I would argue that the familiarity is both welcome and reassuring. Each trilogy builds to its own climax and anything less spectacular would be a disappointment particularly if this is truly the end. The sequel trilogy deserved its own Return of the Jedi and in the final act that’s exactly what we get here. The actual progression of the plot however, most closely recalls Rogue One with our heroes rushing from place to place to acquire the next piece of a puzzle that will ultimately lead them to an all-mighty battle. What sets this apart is the way in which Abrams uses this structure to resolve character arcs and tie up plot points from all three films. And yes, I did say all three. Though it is clear that there was no grand plan at the outset, I feel that the trilogy does work as a whole with seeds planted in the previous two instalments bearing fruit here. Some big issues (Snoke) are addressed quickly and efficiently, while others (Luke’s journey) serve to forward plot and add to the richness of Rey’s struggles. To discuss them in more detail would delve too far into spoiler territory but suffice to say there are nods and callbacks to the other instalments that should mend some fences with the fanbase.
When the battles come they are, quite simply the best of their kind ever committed to film. We have finally reached a point where CGI can match what the original trilogy did with models. A shot of the Resistance armada arriving like the civilian fleet at Dunkirk is nothing short of breath-taking and has quickly become one of my favourites ever Star Wars moments. The space battle, of course, takes place alongside a confrontation between the light and dark sides of the force which feels like a satisfying emotional conclusion, for now.
The big question of course is, will this really be the end? I would expect not. Disney clearly has plans to keep the Star Wars brand alive for the foreseeable future and though they have said that this will be the last numbered ‘Episode’ I wouldn’t be surprised to see part X emerge when the series needs a boost. This feeling does cast a pall on the film as it is hard to accept it as an ending, where both Return of the Jedi and Revenge of the Sith, had an air of finality, Rise of Skywalker lacks it simply because Star Wars is now controlled not by a writer/director telling his story but by one of the richest companies in the world looking for a return on their multi-billion dollar investment. This is not, I must stress the fault of the film itself, but of external factors. As a film in its own right, Rise of Skywalker is an exciting action-packed spectacle. As the end of the sequel trilogy it is a satisfying conclusion that makes me wish we had more time with these characters. As an end to the Skywalker Saga it is everything that one could reasonably expect finishing as it does back where we started with a glimmer of a new hope for the future.
The End of the Skywalker Saga
Movie title: Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker
Movie description: After Palpatine mysteriously returns, the Resistance faces the First Order once more in the final chapter of the Skywalker saga.
Date published: January 19, 2020
Country: UK
Duration: 2h 22m
Director(s): J.J. Abrams
Actor(s): Carrie Fisher, Mark Hamill, Adam Driver
Genre: Action, Adventure, Fantasy
Jim King is a lifelong geek who enjoys talking about anything and everything out of the ordinary. He co-hosts a Star Trek podcast and is pretty good at Street Fighter 2.
