Production issues and years of difficulties don't always lead to a disaster.

Rating: 7/10 (20 December 2019)

As a Star Wars fan since I was six years old, I've been anxiously anticipating the arrival of "Star Wars Episode 9: The Rise of Skywalker". While not as hotly anticipated by others as 2015's episode "The Force Awakens"; I was going to go in with an open mind, not ready to hate it like some others were (mentioning this is probably going to get me downvoted into oblivion).
This just turned out to be decent. The massive scope of filmmaking on display from "The Force Awakens" and "The Last Jedi" (both were films that I loved) is present here, along with some incredible and dark imagery.
The cast is fantastic as always, including a new supporting character played by Keri Russell. While Princess Leia's inclusion in this film was made difficult by Carrie Fisher's passing, she is done justice and is a solid supporting presence for protagonist Rey.
There are some satisfactory moments throughout the movie that help give closure to beloved characters like Rey, Finn, Poe Dameron, etc.
Like other reviewers have said; it suffers from some too much familiarity, namely the climax. Whereas "The Force Awakens" integrated classic Star Wars elements into a new and fresh start, there's some treading water here.
"The Rise of Skywalker" is a mostly serviceable conclusion, and if it doesn't do it for you then probably "The Mandalorian" or future projects on Disney+ might restore the hopes of certain fans.
* These are mainly my initial thoughts and feelings, but I'll be seeing it again soon to see how things change for me or not. *

Grade- B