A Solid Ending to a Classic Series

Rating: 8/10 (1 January 2020)

I wouldn't say the Star Wars saga are the best movies ever, except the first one, but it's definitely the best film series of all time. The Rise Of Skywalker is a solid, fun, emotional, exciting conclusion to this wonderful series of movies. Been as fan since I was 10 and it was such a good ride. JJ Abrams had a lot to handle, and he did a fine job ending this great trilogy.
The action is breathtaking and exciting. The characters are (mostly) well written and acted. There are many "Hell yeah!" moments that would make any fan smile. Focuses on nostalgia a lot, but for the final film of the series I think it worked without overwhelming the narrative. The story is slightly derivative but well done. John Williams score is phenomenal. And of course, the humor is on point and doesn't distract from the story. Daisy Ridley proved that she deserves to helm this franchise. And Adam Driver is brilliant as Kylo REN once again.
That all being said, the pacing is at a break neck speed, at least for the first half. It slows down after a while and delivers a powerful ending, but this film moves so fast it's hard to keep up sometimes. I truly feel that this film should have had 20 more minutes or so. It would have been longer, but it also could have helped the audience catch their breath. Also we could have used more explanation on how Palpatine returned.
It should be interesting in ten years how people will look back on these movies. I will look back on them fondly of course and overall be happy. It may not be as revered or as great as the original trilogy, but I think these movies will age well.
I liked The Last Jedi more then this film since it took more risks, this film is much safer but that's not necessarily bad. It's a good way to end an exciting and poignant series. Even in darkness, hope survives.