Let's stop taking this so seriously.

Rating: 6/10 (20 December 2019)

Look, every Star Wars movie has problems. This one isn't an exception. The first act drags, some of the twists and retcons seem forced (get it?). Some of the dialogue is expository nonsense.
And yet...
It's hard to not be swept up in the fantasy. Star Wars (for how seriously some people take it) has always been about one thing: fun. It's a ridiculous space wizard saga with creatures, robots, superpowers, space battles and sword fights.
This movie is FUN. It brings back the best of the OT and blends it with the best of the sequels. It leans into the crazier corners of this sci fi universe and delivers payoff after glorious payoff. The characters have great interplay and the emotional beats hit hard, even when they're a tad nonsensical.
Star Wars has always aped the goofy Saturday morning serials of old and Rise of Skywalker acts as a love letter to them and the saga They inspired. It may not be the best Star Wars film, but it's certainly the MOST Star Wars-y flick ever made.
Just lean in and enjoy the ride.