All the Jedi in me... May the Force be with you, always.

Rating: 10/10 (21 December 2019)

The first feeling I've had at the end of the movie, was : "Thank you". Thank you J.J. Abrams for everything you've done. Trying hard to give a beautiful conclusion to this Skywalker saga that means so much to so many people ; you included. And it shows.
The strenght of the movie clearly is the emotional journey that spreads all along this intense & spectacular adventure of epic proportions. It takes place 3 years after the events of "The Last Jedi", thereby all our main protagonists have evolved and now all have to deal with the return of a familiar face : Palpatine.
The struggle between the light & the darkness has never been so vivid. Our bloodline can or can not define who we are, because at the end of the day it always comes to our own choices anyway. And it's never too late to change the course of events ; as long as there is life, there still can be hope.
Keeping alive a strong belief into this hope : that is a central theme of the entire movie. The love, the empathy, and the will to work together for a greater purpose.
Another aspect that is immense and the heartbeat of this final episode, is the deep link between Rey & Kylo/Ben... With the influence of past mentors & parents to bend the destiny in a precise direction. And despite the doubts that litter the story and the destinies of our protagonists, all these connections make this film a wonderful ode to symbiosis/working together for a common benefit. Which always is the key to the development of life itself. And it very much is what the force is meant to be. Because without life : it's nothingness.
The new additions (characters), plot twists, and even the cameos, all play an important part in the progression up until final chapters of the movie ; the "grand finale". And having Ben back to life, thanks to Leia's sacrifice (the life of a bright soul in exchange for another soul to be redeemed), in addition with Han's heartwarming words... Luke giving Rey a nice push, with light side teachings that are as well heartwarming.
Rey facing her dark destiny, but by always staying faithful to what she believes in. And Ben finally back to light in a most epic way. Those are emotional bits that can give you so many chills... The gorgeous space battle brings a grandiose epicness to these last scenes, with all these ships and people unifying for a common goal. All of this in the name of the peace for the galaxy as a whole.
How not to talk about all the Jedi in Rey !... Giving her the only thing that is powerful enough to erase the Sith once and for all, which is : the unity. Which is something that the Sith are incapable of doing. The rule of two is the result of the selfishness that is an inherent trait of what being a Sith is. Each Sith wants the unlimited power, and he wants it all for himself. While the Jedi always consider the benefit common to all... And having Rey, who is a Palpatine by blood, but a Skywalker by heart (as referred at the very end of the movie, btw), being the tip of the "lightsaber" ; it is quite simply a moment of relief.
Then, the moment that divides the audience, which is Ben's death (who btw had an impressive and already very emotional path, when facing the knights of ren in order to save Rey)... This is the scene where everything converges in the most moving way. Rey dead, inert. Ben, doing the greatest generous act that, which is not just a force healing, but a "force resurrecting". To me, there is a logic behind Ben's death. Because again, a life for a life... Rey was not simply injured, but dead. And Ben is very aware he has commited horrors since years (like Vader did). He then meets the greatest redemption that can be, which is offering his life for the woman he has fallen (in love) for. All of this, in the most genuine way... Because Ben is not Kylo, he is the most generous soul that is, and we can see a glimpse of it at this very moment. He knows Rey is the right heir to a more balanced world... Without Jedi & Sith, but a new order, symbolized by a force user that lies in-between. As a descendent of the greatest bloodlines of each side.
Yes, Ben would probably have deserved a funeral and/or a force ghost... I can agree with that, but I don't fall into the hatred bandwagon because of things that I consider as details. Don't get me wrong, I would love to see new/future editions of the movie, including such things. But I also would be fine if it stays this way. Why ?... Because Ben has played his role in all of this, in the best possible way ; and to me that's what matters the most. Plus we have Rey coming back to Tatooine, right in the Lars homestad (which is a truly peaceful moment to witness)... Paying hommage to Leia & Luke, and marking this new era of peace by leaving their two lightsabers at rest. What a soothing symbol it is.
The last scene satisfied me even more, with Rey now having a last name that defines who she truly is... Which is the disciple and in a sense the spiritual daughter of both Leia & Luke, but also the lover of Ben Solo/Skywalker who gave her a new life (resurrection/rebith). And what a sweet feeling to see this yellow/golden-bladed lightsaber which evokes the Jedi Temple Guards, because in a way, Rey now is imbued with the role of Guardian/Protector of the Force itself...
How satisfying and soothing all this movie was to me. All these deep & intense emotions... But also lots of memorable scenes of a visual standpoint ! With new planets, locations & settings...or revisiting places like the Death Star we know so well, but now in ruins... The lightsaber fights were imbued with these emotional vibes that can be felt all along the movie, and looked really cool (I mean, it's Star Wars) ! Also, Finn & Poe of course, but also Chewbacca & C3-PO : all the secondary characters all have a moment to shine and play a pivotal role for the greater story. I don't forget Leia and the wonderful way they seemlessly integrated Carrie Fisher into this movie, by building scenes around her performances. Lando & Palpatine coming back, were a great fun, and hearing all the past Jedi voices was a magical feeling...
I am very much aware that this movie won't please everyone. But I wish people could be able to appreciate this piece of cinematic art for what it is. Because concluding a saga of such a scale (and resonance) is an achievement that automatically is meant to displease lots of people. The Star Wars' fandom feels some sort of ownership and it makes every creative choice (such as killing a character ; which George Lucas however did with Anakin, Qui-Gon, Mace Windu, PadmÃ©...) a burden to carry. Because the audience hardly is able to accept certain specific turns.
Which is sad, because at the end... Only the story & in this case the saga as a whole, with everything that it means and all the messages, the philosophy, the emotions & all the teachings that it spreads... Only this truly matters, because that's what continues to live within us, eventually. And whether a character dies or not, he continues to live on anyway in our memory. Because characters serve the story that is told to us. We are the audience, fans eventually. But even if we consume and spend money, it nonetheless stays a piece of art that naturally is subject to our judgment but that is not for us to tell what the creators behind it must do. I mean, for this there are fan films. You would not have told Picasso how he should have painted this or that painting, just because you personally don't like it. Because even if disagreeing of any component of a movie is a fair thing ; every element participates to the creation of this piece. And in the case of such a saga, it's even more of a complicated structure to build. So, if you call into question many components of this saga, then you have to redo the whole thing.
It is what it is, whether you like it or not. Nothing is perfect (and like normality, perfection only exists in the eye of its bearer), but there are so many things to enjoy from it !...
And in my eyes, I see it as a blessing to have the chance to witness such an achievement on a cinematic art standpoint.
Thank you Star Wars for everything that you have brought to my life. May the Force be with you, always...