Star Wars: Episode IX - The Rise of Skywalker

The end to the trilogy of trilogies. Star Wars: Episode IX – The Rise of Skywalker, was released on December 20, 2019 and is the last Star Wars film in the main saga of 9 films. Starring Daisy Ridley, John Boyega, and Adam Driver, it takes place in the Star Wars universe and is rated PG-13.

The epic battle of light vs. dark and good vs. evil continues as the Resistance is still holding on against the First Order. Rey and Kylo Ren prepare to do all they can to win this war that’s been in motion for generations. Each is trying to turn the other over to their side or eliminate them. It becomes clear that the war will end soon as the First Order has developed new weapon technology. Will Rey turn to the Dark Side? Who are her parents?

Star Wars has been one of the most successful, popular, and critically acclaimed film franchises since its introduction in 1977. As a result, the final chapter has been very hyped. Fans are hoping for better after the disappointment many felt for Star Wars: Episode VIII – The Last Jedi. I had initially written a positive review on it, but I’ve changed my mind since then due to some elements of the storyline not being true to character development. Now, let’s talk about the aspects of The Rise of Skywalker.

The franchise has been known for great action scenes and special effects that originally (1977) were way ahead of their time. This movie has a lot of awesome action, with incredibly realistic effects too. It’s really fun to watch, which is what fans have come to expect with Star Wars. Let’s move on to the actors.

Daisy Ridley continues her performance as Rey, portraying a tough, gritty survivor with the strength to continue to fight for what she believes in. It is also refreshing to see a woman playing a lead Jedi role in Star Wars. John Boyega and Oscar Isaac also give memorable performances as Finn and Poe. They get more dialogue and more action sequences. Adam Driver’s portrayal of Kylo Ren gives us a more independent character, finally left to decide what decisions he will make and how he will affect the war. It was wonderful to watch the actors from the original trilogy together one more time, including Billy Dee Williams as Lando Calrissian. I wish he had a bigger role, but it was great to see the character after all these years. The filmmakers’ biggest achievement is the archive footage used for Carrie Fisher as Princess Leia Organa. Some fans were likely worried that she would not be in the movie after her death in 2016. But they managed to provide an all new performance that I would’ve thought was newly filmed if not for knowledge of the footage. It’s a great honor to her and makes her character the focus of this film, just as Harrison Ford was as Han Solo in The Force Awakens and Mark Hamill was as Luke Skywalker in The Last Jedi.

Although the story received negative feedback from the critics, I think it’s well-done. We really see the characters at their darkest hours making us intensely interested about who will win. This movie finally answers a question that fans have been asking since the release of The Force Awakens—who are Rey’s parents? This movie is very satisfying because we see the characters’ storylines come full circle. In regards to the negative reception of the story, I will admit that some elements of it can cause confusion. Regardless, it’s still one of the best stories in the Star Wars saga.

Overall, I strongly recommend this movie. I would consider it to be the third best Star Wars movie, after Star Wars: Episode IV – A New Hope and Star Wars: Episode V – The Empire Strikes Back. It’s an epic conclusion to a film saga over 40 years old, even if not rated as high as the two movies mentioned above. Go see it.