The Star Wars Franchise Has Risen...

Rating: 7/10 (14 January 2020)

Continuing on from Star Wars: The Last Jedi (2017), Rey continues her training in becoming a Jedi while living amongt the Resistance with friends Finn, Poe & General Leia. It is obvious that Rey is still coming to terms with not knowing everything about her past including who her mystery parents were. Soon the Resistance is shocked to discover an old enemy on the Dark Side of the Force is still alive- Emperor Palpatine. The most powerful enemy in this galaxy is still somehow alive... The team is sent to find a way to deal with the Emperor, accomplishing multiple objectives along the way and forcing Rey to deal with her own personal conflicts. Rey is also still in contact from time to time with Kylo Ren who continues to give her an invitation to join him. Kylo Ren also hints to Rey that only he knows the complete truth about her parents and her destiny.
Going into this film I was very opened minded. I personally felt for director J.J Abrams as he was tasked with following on from a movie full of really complex plot points. Not only that, actress Carrie Fisher had sadly passed away prior to the making of this film and her role was a critical element to making this film successful.
The opening of this film felt exciting but suddenly I thought to myself that I was watching multiple plots points. Main characters were tasked with one thing only to be tasked with another. Sometimes these tasks were interrupted only to load the characters up with more tasks and more plot points. Not only do some of the elements feel rushed, but some of these plot points weren't required by the core plot or main objective. It's not awful and it's still entertaining as a Star Wars film, it just felt... forgettable. On rethinking about the 1st half of this film again, if I had to explain each and every element to a friend I probably couldn't do it without a second watch.
Once the 1st act of the film passes the film gives a different vibe and feels more like a Star Wars film that fans would be familiar with. Satisfyingly, mysteries that Star Wars fans have been wondering about for years were finally answered. I was personally satisfied with all the plot twists in this instalment but I can also understand why some would be disappointed. In the end, I'm thankful the director has done the challenging task of answering the questions the previous films had lined up.
Key performances were generally what I would expect given the previous two instalments, but must say I'm once again impressed with Adam Driver (Kylo Ryn) as an actor. The director also has a better way of directing humour which I felt the last film really failed to do (just my opinion).
From an audio and visual stand point Star Wars: Rise Of The Skywalker looks and sounds rather incredible. Some CGI effects didn't always convince me but for most part it's enjoyable and it has my praise.
Overall, I found myself really enjoying this film despite the 1st half which does have forgettable moments and plot points. Despite my enjoyment, the first act really hurts my score and the entire film. The questions fans have been asking are finally answered, but granted, not everyone will be pleased with the answers. For me I found the film better than what I expected but I can't help think that some opportunities were missed, particularly during the setup/opening. Regardless, I feel Star Wars fans will find lots to enjoy as they go down memory lane with the greatest sci-fi franchise that ever lived.
7.3/10
Walkden Entertainment