I wasn’t around when Star Wars originally came out, but I was introduced to the franchise in the early 90s as a kid thanks to the beloved and missed Blockbuster. I was fascinated by all the countless creatures and species in the Star Wars universe along with the different landscapes and modes of transportation. Even though Yoda, Chewbacca and the Ewoks were my favorite the dark side got a hold of me one year for Halloween as I dressed up as Darth Vader. Even my toy chest was filled with Star Wars figures and playsets from the Kenner re-release which I still wish I had today.
The Force Awakens by J.J. Abrams was a nice beginning into the newest Star Wars trilogy but The Last Jedi took this franchise into a major dive due to a new director taking the reins and shifting the story but Abrams is back for The Rise of Skywalker to conclude a trilogy he should have piloted himself the entire time.
I went into this movie with a list of items I needed to be addressed in Episode IX to walk away satisfied and I will say that all the major questions that we were left hanging with will be answered throughout the movie. As the iconic Star Wars logo theme played on the screen the entire theater cheered, which is no surprise since Star Wars is life for us fans, but as the traditional scrolling plot came on, I couldn’t help but notice that it seemed a little off to me in it’s writing style and tone compared to the previous installments.
As promised, there are tons of Carrie Fisher as General Leia which should excite fans and I am interested to know how much was filmed before her untimely death because her role in the movie is very prominent as she is given a fantastic tribute and proper send off.
The main trio Rey, Finn, and Poe all become a better version of themselves in this installment as we dive deeper into their characters. We get a lot of screen time of all three of them together which we did not get in the last installment which was unfortunate because their chemistry is undeniable. There are tons of great surprises from beginning to end with a couple of cute and memorable characters being introduced to us for the first time. Even Lando Calrissian’s return as seen in the trailers is an absolute gem and brings back a feeling of nostalgia.
When it comes to action there are zero complaints in that department. The movie jumps right into it and every scene from thereon out is action-packed. Throughout this trilogy, I did wish the light-saber fights were more polished and stylish but I guess there is a reason behind why they are not but all the CGI/special effects were amazing and the humor that accompanied the movie was placed methodically throughout and gave us a handful of laugh out loud moments.
It is difficult to go on any further without spoiling the movie but I urge all of you to find time to watch Episode IX as soon as you can.
I give Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker a 9.5/10 as the Saga comes full circle. I left the movie theater with a big smile on my face and a couple of tears. It is truly the end of a Saga but the story will live forever.
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