Lazy, clunky, hectic

Rating: 5/10 (19 December 2019)

It was never going to be easy to finish off such a beloved franchise, and we only have to look at the final season of GOT to know that. In a similar turn of events, The Rise of Skywalker is ultimately let down by trying to cram too much content into the story. J.J. Abrams quickly jumps from idea to idea without giving enough time to reflect or be able to emotionally attach yourself to what's going on.
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I'm no diehard Star Wars fan. I have always enjoyed the films, but they aren't religion. So this is where my point of view comes from. I really liked The Force Awakens (8/10) and LOVED Rogue One (9/10). The Last Jedi wasn't bad, but left me slightly underwhelmed (7/10). The Rise of Skywalker is the worst of the new films. The runtime of 2hrs 21 is no longer than the last two, but it feels it. It really feels long, and I put this down to hectic and clunky story telling.
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In terms of performances, Daisy Ridley gives her best to date and Adam Driver is great! There's also some great action pieces, and a wonderful array of weird and interesting creatures to be seen, which you would expect.
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I think the biggest thing to take away is there is nothing new here. It feels like the same story. It didn't have any wow moments. It really does feel like a Disney film. One that takes no risks, and tries to play to the crowd. The fan fare is so in your face, that it almost feels insulting. It just feels the same as Disney has been doing all year. Rehashing old favourites because they know people will pay to see them, good or bad. Unfortunately, in terms of quality this year, Disney seems to be having the Netflix effect. Quantity over quality.