Anthony's Film Review - Star Wars - Episode IX: The Rise of Skywalker (2019)

The Rise of Skywalker provides a very satisfying grand finale to an epic nine-part saga...

Well, it's come down to this. After the last two numerically-labeled episodic movies of the Star Wars saga, Episode VII: The Force Awakens and Episode VIII: The Last Jedi, we now have the last part of the sequel trilogy, Episode IX: The Rise of Skywalker. Honestly, I didn't know what to expect. The previous two movies were good, but nowhere near the best Star Wars movies made. Much of it comes from the fact that I'm much older now than when I first discovered Star Wars. Back then, I was super excited about what those movies provided. Now I'm experiencing the feeling of "been there, done that." Then there's the early reviews of The Rise of Skywalker, many of which suggested that the movie is really bad or otherwise lackluster and dull. So on Saturday, December 21, 2019, during the film's opening weekend, I went into the theater with my friend thinking that we'll just enjoy it as a mindless but fun action movie and nothing more. I figured that if this movie wasn't going to be all that great, at least the original Star Wars trilogy will always remain a classic to me.

And yet, those thoughts quickly went out the window. Now, for this review, I'm not going to provide too many specific details in order to avoid accidental spoilers, but I'll keep it vague to give you an idea of what I experienced. Basically, what happened was that the beginning of this Star Wars movie got me very excited. The first scene is set in a very, VERY dark place, practically the darkest location in the entire galaxy. This is where the audience learns what the heroes of this part of the saga will be up against. It is something that is far more frightening than anything we've ever seen in the previous Star Wars movies. I nodded in approval, because this story is definitely appropriate for a movie that is the final chapter of the nine-part Skywalker saga.

Now the heroes of the third Star Wars trilogy are in a race against time to stop a threat that will be the end of the galaxy once and for all, and they have only one chance to do it. Those heroes include Poe Dameron (Oscar Isaac), Finn (John Boyega), and Rey (Daisy Ridley). The ultimate objective may be to stop the looming threat, but they have to first know where it's coming from, because no star charts have marked the planet they must seek. Hence, there is an effort by Poe, Finn, and Rey to track down the few remaining clues to the location of that planet, all while members of the First Order hunt them down at every opportunity. This is no doubt a very important task. The valuable information they seek will enable members of the Resistance, led by General Leia Organa (Carrie Fisher), to get ready for the battle of their lives.

At one point, the main trio of heroes splits off, as Rey soon finds herself confronting some real tests on her path to becoming a Jedi. She has to face Kylo Ren (Adam Driver), who seems to have fully embraced the Dark Side of the Force and is out to destroy Rey, the last remnant of the Jedi. In addition, we finally get the answers to two lingering questions: where did Rey come from, and how is it possible for Rey and Kylo to communicate with each other telepathically across very long distances? Then there's the dark portion of the film's climax that surrounds Rey. All of this presents us with a rather unsettling question: is it possible that Rey could be seduced by the Dark Side of the Force AND ultimately succumb to it?

Given that The Rise of Skywalker is the final chapter of the Skywalker saga, you may wonder how much this film references the previous eight episodes. Well, there is some of that, but not so much that it's a huge distraction. If anything, most of the references to past Star Wars films pertain to the original Star Wars trilogy. On the other hand, The Rise of Skywalker has obvious nods to The Empire Strikes Back and Return of the Jedi, in terms of certain scenes in this movie that are essentially rehashes of key moments in those two movies. This is something that will be a major factor in one's opinion of this movie. If you want total 100% originality for this movie, you'll be disappointed. But if you're forgiving and able to recognize that some parts are not wholly new, but they're still done in a slightly different way from before, you can enjoy what this movie offers.

Going back to the topic of referencing past Star Wars movies, this one does feature a few returning characters. I'm not just talking about those from Episodes VII and VIII, like Rose Tico (Kelly Marie Tran) and the droid BB-8. There are also two characters from the original Star Wars trilogy reprising their roles here, one a major supporting character and the other a minor character who is still a fan favorite. Then there are two more I won't mention. Best of all, the droids C-3PO (Anthony Daniels) and R2-D2 are now officially the only characters to appear in all nine Star Wars movies. In my opinion, it's cool to see them all again. While some of them aren't hugely vital for the plot in this movie, I enjoyed seeing them as a way to celebrate the end of the Skywalker saga.

So what were my emotions like throughout this 141-minute movie? Well, they were positive all the way through. I was gripped by the first scene, and that made me eager for the rest of the movie. As expected, I loved all of the action scenes, whether they were vehicle chases, dogfights, or lightsaber duels. I also appreciated the moments involving unexpected moments that make the story more intriguing. Therefore, my enjoyment gradually went only upward. Once the climax arrived, I was in for a real thrill ride. The fate of the galaxy and the end of the saga all came down to these final tense scenes. Then, when it was all over, the final scene was something that I thought was beautifully done. In my opinion, it is the perfect way to not only conclude the third Star Wars trilogy, but also to end the nine-part Skywalker saga and come full circle with the very first Star Wars film released a little more than 42 years ago, on May 25, 1977.

Now that it's over, where does The Rise of Skywalker rank compared to the other eight Star Wars episodes? Well, I can immediately say this. It's better than The Force Awakens and The Last Jedi, so it's easily the best of the new trilogy. What about the previous two trilogies in comparison? Here's where it gets interesting. If I look at the prequel trilogy comprising Episode I: The Phantom Menace, Episode II: Attack of the Clones, and Episode III: Revenge of the Sith, my opinions of those movies follows the same pattern as with the new trilogy. After the first of the trilogy, the second one is a step down from the first, and then the third greatly exceeds both of them. Now that I look at it, even the original trilogy of Episode IV: A New Hope, Episode V: The Empire Strikes Back, and Episode VI: Return of the Jedi follows the same pattern, even if each of those three films is a 10 out of 10. So the real question is which end to a Star Wars trilogy is the best. For me, Return of the Jedi ended very nicely, but Revenge of the Sith was really emotional. As for The Rise of Skywalker, you're not going to believe what I'm about the say. I think it's even better than Return of the Jedi and Revenge of the Sith.

That's right, ladies and gentleman. I'm saying it. Episode IX: The Rise of Skywalker is, in my opinion, the best of the nine Star Wars movies.

So there you have it: my review of the final chapter of the Star Wars saga. I want to thank director J.J. Abrams for his work in bringing The Force Awakens to us and then wrapping up the third trilogy and the whole saga with this movie. Also thanks to everyone else in the cast and crew for their work. And lastly, I want to thank George Lucas, the creator of Star Wars. He may no longer be involved with the franchise, having sold Lucasfilm to Disney and gone into retirement, but without his creativity and imagination from the start, this series would not have been made possible. I also don't know what he really thinks of this movie, but whatever his opinion is, at least he could smile knowing that so many people worldwide love the universe that he created.

May the Force be with you. Always.

Anthony's Rating:

For more information about Star Wars - Episode IX: The Rise of Skywalker, visit the Internet Movie Database.

In addition, check out my reviews of the following:

The Main Star Wars Saga

The Star Wars Anthology Series

Other Star Wars Films