Never underestimate a droid...

Rating: 9/10 (19 December 2019)

This 'Sequel Trilogy' has been quite divisive since the beginning. If you're a hater, it's unlikely this movie will change your mind (that was made up before seeing it). Those who felt Last Jedi veered too far off course will be happy to know that J.J. Abrams has course-corrected with Rise of Skywalker. The trio of Poe/Rey/Finn, which were largely separated in TLJ (much to its detriment), thankfully share lots of screentime together here. I've seen criticisms of this movie having 'too much' going on it, but I actually thought it was easier to follow than its predecessor/didn't feel as 'scattered'.
Rey, who's had every criticism/label/insult thrown at her, shows she's not as 'perfect' as some claim. Her main flaw is that she seems determined to do the whole 'lone wolf' thing, wandering off by herself umpteen times throughout the movie which causes problems. She's also struggling with memories of her family she lost, her 'connection' with Kylo Ren (which causes her to lose focus at times) and other issues. It's a lot, and she sometimes doesn't make the best choices, but Rey is a hero, pure and simple (whether some wish to accept it or not). She makes mistakes, but she also makes sacrifices. While we finally get definitive answers regarding her parentage/heritage, the main message of this film is that one can *choose* their family...and that's what Rey's journey has been all about.
Finn, whose character was done a disservice in TLJ, bounces back thanks to spending the majority of his screentime with Rey and Poe. He's not stuck as 'comic relief', but rather shows that he too is a hero. His friendship with Rey and Poe was one of TFA's strengths, and it's good to see that remembered here. Poe and Rey share quite a bit of screentime together (making up for the lack of it we'd gotten previously. They argue quite a bit, but clearly care for/respect each other. The trio was always the 'heart' of this trilogy, and they're treated as such.
Leia is given the respectful send-off she deserves due to the late Carrie Fisher's passing. It's a credit to these movies that she's played such a significant part/left a lasting impression. Her connection to several of the main characters is given the appropriate emotional 'weight' they deserve, and there's at least couple of pleasant surprises regarding her character. Chewie, meanwhile, not only gets significant emotional moments, but also finally something that's been coming his way for a LONG time now. That's one thing this movie has going for it, the fact that it *respects* the franchise (despite what some might think/claim).
C-3PO, who's often been relegated to 'comic relief'/butt of jokes, actually gets some significant emotional moments here, and thus treated 'properly'. R2 isn't given much to do, though. BB-8 has been a welcome addition to the franchise, while a new droid, D-O, feels like one droid too many. Lando's back, and while he mightn't have a 'big' role, it's still important. If there's any 'negatives' to the film, it's the introduction of several new characters that don't really get enough time for us to care about them (the third movie in a trilogy is a bit late to be bringing in so many newbies).
As for the villains, General Hux, surprisingly, proves to be not entirely useless/more than just the universe's buttmonkey he appeared to be in TLJ, while Kylo Ren has rebuilt his mask...and his character is the better for it. He regains some of that 'menace' he had back in TFA before he removed his mask (least it covers his mopey/pouting face). While I've never been a fan of his Darth Vader wannabe character, I'll admit this movie goes to great lengths to give him some actual *depth*/complexity. His 'connection' with Rey also has layers to it. Some choices made regarding their 'relationship' may well prove 'controversial', but in the end it feels like a decent conclusion to their intertwined story.
To the surprise of NO ONE (thanks to the trailers), Emperor Palpatine has returned...and, thankfully, his make-up has him looking more like his old self from RotJ (this movie goes a long way to making up for the WTF-ness that was Palpatine's appearance in RotS. He's also toned down the over-the-topness a bit too). It makes sense that a 'Big Bad' needed to be brought in to replace Snoke after what happened in TLJ, as Ren just wasn't going to cut it.
Whatever you might think of Abrams as a director, one can't deny his eye for iconic shots/scenes in movies. This film has a quite a few. Some are beautiful, others creepily atmospheric, but there's some very memorable ones here. Visually, the film is stunning. The action's exhilarating, but easy to follow/non-chaotic, the film's pace feels much improved from TLJ, and the story feels coherent. Unlike certain earlier films in the franchise, the nods to the 'Original Trilogy' here feel just right/not overdone, and the cameos from certain characters (if not physically, then at least in voice) are just the right amount.
It seems like the debating of what is and isn't considered 'true Star Wars' will be never-ending. There were complaints of TFA being 'too similar' to ANH, then other complaints of TLJ being 'too different'. It seems like certain people don't know WHAT they want; while others have decided the prequel films are 'great' in comparison to these sequels films, conveniently forgetting/ignoring the vast array of problems the prequels had. To that I say (here's an oldie but a goodie): you can't please everyone. If you've made up your minds to hate these new films, nothing's going to change that. For those with open minds, however, hopefully you're able to acknowledge any 'flaws' in the films whilst not blatantly ignoring all the 'good' in them. For my money, I thought Star Wars was in dire straits after the prequels, but this sequel trilogy breathed life into the franchise again and I'm grateful for that.