ReelBob: ‘Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker’ ★★★
By Bob Bloom
“Star Wars” The Rise of Skywalker” wraps up the nine-film saga of the Skywalker family in an untidy bow that is a bit worn and uneven.
The J.J. Abrams finale is, admittedly, very emotionally satisfying. But it also feels rushed, cobbled together and aware of what its fan base expects.
The film moves at a hyperdrive pace; most of the dialogue is loudly shouted. And much of it is pedestrian, B-movie clichés.
Yet, despite its flaws and familiarity, “The Rise of Skywalker” draws you in, mainly because you are ardently invested in the characters — old and new. You want to know and care about their fates.
Will Daisy Ridley’s Rey find the answers she has sought since “The Force Awakens?” Will Adam Driver’s Kylo Ren fulfill his destiny? Will the First Order be victorious? Or will the Resistance win the day?
All is answered in “The Rise of Skywalker.”
The movie offers some surprises, some heartbreaking moments and loads of breathless action.
The film jumps from situation to situation and from character to character at a rate that will make you gasp for air. And that dilutes the poignant gravitas this saga’s conclusion should have attained.
Like most of the other movies in the franchise, “The Rise of Skywalker” offers serial-like exploits and last-minute, hairbreadth escapes. It all feels so recognizable and comfortable.
It’s also about sacrifice, family and legacy — and whether blood is stronger than heart and conscience.
The movie offers some pleasant, but not unexpected, surprises. Some, though, feel as if they were catering to fans by repairing plotlines from “The Last Jedi” that some of the faithful derided.
Basically, “The Rise of Skywalker” is a new-generation remake of “The Return of the Jedi,” echoing situations from that film to move “Skywalker” along.
It’s no secret that the main antagonist behind-the-scenes of this trilogy is the evil Emperor Palpatine (Ian McDiarmid), believed killed by Darth Vader in the final reel of “Return of the Jedi.”
But, like Ming the Merciless in the “Flash Gordon” serial trilogy, death cannot keep a good villain down. Bringing back Palpatine is another connection to close the loop between this latest trilogy and the original.
You feel exhausted at times because the movie covers so much ground and strains to wrap up its loose threads.
And, while it is heartwarming to see the late Carrie Fisher as Princess Leia, it also feels a bit ghoulish and exploitive.
The cast of characters is so huge that many are given little to do. Oscar Isaac’s Poe Dameron and John Boyega’s Finn, along with Ridley and Driver, get most of the screen time.
Getting short shifted is Kelly Marie Tran’s Rose Tico, who was so integral to “The Last Jedi.”
The cast also includes an older and heavier Billy Dee Williams, returning as Lando Calrissian, Lupito Nyong’o reprising her Maz Kanata, Domhnall Gleeson as Gen. Hux and Richard E. Grant, Keri Russell and Naomi Ackie.
Then there are the droids: Antony Daniels C-3PO has some touching moments that nearly make him the most human personality in the film, while R2-D2, BB-8 and D-O add some pleasing droid moments.
“Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker” is definitely entertaining. Some fans of the full series may quibble with some aspects. It is not a perfect movie and may be debated for years to come.
Yet the final scenes are fitting and bring the entire enterprise back to where it began. And, as the suns set on this movie series, we can embrace the enjoyment, thrills and fun it has given us over the decades, while being charitable to its faults and missteps.
I am a founding member of the Indiana Film Journalists Association. My reviews appear at ReelBob (reelbob.com) and Rottentomatoes (www.rottentomatoes.com). I also review Blu-rays and DVDs. I can be reached by email at bobbloomjc@gmail.com or on Twitter @ReelBobBloom. Links to my reviews can be found on Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn.
STAR WARS: THE RISE OF SKYWALKER
3 stars out of 4
(PG-13), science fiction action and violence