Deeply Emotionally Satisfying

Rating: 9/10 (20 December 2019)

I went into this movie with moderate expectations. I liked Episodes VII and VIII, and I was worried this one would undo the best ideas from the previous film. In a way, it did, but insofar as these three movies mirrored the original trilogy, and the way the story of Rey's family drives the story, The Rise of Skywalker succeeded in creating a coherent story with meaningful relationships at its core. The movie had a lot goals, tying in characters from the original trilogy while giving the new cast some great adventures both together and apart. Yes, one could call some of the choices "fan service," and one could argue the movie could have taken more risks, and one could point out that a number of the plot points were predictable. I totally see that perspective. But for me, it worked. I love the old cast, and I think the characters were handled with respect and reverence. And I love the new cast, and I was so happy to see the love and friendship and humor between them. As a conclusion to the new trilogy, and to the most significant movie franchise in history, I am so pleased to say that this came out so well. If this is a polarizing movie, I'm happy to be on the side that enjoyed it.