The LEGO Star Wars Holiday Special takes place shortly after the events of 2019's divisive Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker, and honestly...it's very nearly everything that movie should have been! Despite primarily being aimed at a younger audience, this animated adventure pays homage to the iconic franchise's history in a special way, and serves as a sequel of sorts to the Skywalker Saga finale. In that respect, it works really well, with Rey training Finn to be a Jedi before embarking on a mission which sees her transported back to key moments from the prequels and original trilogy (we even get to pay a visit to The Mandalorian).
Despite everything being very much tongue in cheek, seeing Rey interact with characters like Darth Vader and a young Luke Skywalker is hugely enjoyable, while the moments she finds herself in - whether it's The Phantom Menace's podrace or the Battle of Hoth - are great fun to revisit. Not quite so strong is the subplot revolving around Poe Dameron attempting to prepare for the Wookiee festival of "Life Day." Alas, just as he was often wasted in the sequels, the same can be said for this tale, but he does provide plenty of laughs so it's not all bad. Director Ken Cunningham and David Shayne clearly love Star Wars, though, and it shows in every frame.
The cast is occasionally a little hit-and-miss, but some returning fan-favourites (Billy Dee Williams and Anthony Daniels, for example) are welcomed, while those filling in for the stars who didn't lend their voices to The LEGO Star Wars Holiday Special do a fine job for the most part. Visually, the movie is a delight, and if you're a LEGO fan, then you'll love everything you see. The John Williams-inspired score nicely compliments the action playing out on screen, and it's just a shame this adventure isn't feature length. At just over forty minutes, it flies by far too quickly, and we can only hope we're given the chance to return to this light-hearted corner of a Galaxy Far, Far Away sooner rather than later; making these holiday specials an annual event would be no bad thing.
While it would be silly to think that this story is by any means "canon," it's hard not to wish it was. If you hated The Rise of Skywalker, you'll no doubt be left wishing that the movie could have perhaps delivered a slightly more serious take on this story because, let's face it, who wouldn't have wanted to see Rey and Kylo Ren cross paths with Darth Vader? However, if you loved Episode IX, rest assured that this does the characters justice and serves as a nice little glimpse at what might have come next for these heroes.
The closest thing we're getting to Episode X, The LEGO Star Wars Holiday Special isn't perfect, but it is a fun, fan-pleasing return to a Galaxy Far, Far Away, and a solid tribute to this storied franchise.