Not too great but not too bad. The Ending saved it

Rating: 6/10 (28 December 2019)

I'm someone who has been very critical of Disney Star Wars. Force Awakens was decent but The Last Jedi was trash. But what was truly bad was not the film, but how Rian Johnson, Kennedy and Disney handled the criticism.
Honestly, I had no interest in this film, in the new trilogy or in Disney Star Wars. I wasn't even planning to see it, but eventually went anyway JUST to see how badly they made it up.I had zero expectations.
Where to begin? Let's go over the bad parts, then the good parts (because the film ultimately left me on a high note)
The film is messy. Unlike the Last Jedi, which divided fans, Rise of Skywalker has much more fundamental problems. It will be very obvious even to someone who doesn't watch many films or isn't a Star Wars fan that the film is messy. The first half is very, very bad. It's rushed, and barely gives you time to react as it jumps from place to place. I cannot help but feel that everything in the first half was originally supposed to be in The Last Jedi, and JJ Abrams is desperately trying to cover ground. There's a lot of settings and themes that were obviously meant to be explored in more depth, but couldn't be. But still, some of these parts could have been cut, or the films could have been 3 hours long. The way it turned out is just sad.
Secondly, the performances from Adam Driver and Daisy Ridley are bad. When you put them up against legendary actors like Ian McDiarmud and talented people like John Boyega, it's a stark contrast. It's a shame that these two are the protagonists, and the plot hinges on their emotional growth. We STILL never get to see any growth or development in them.
Although people accuse this film of pandering to audiences, it leaves a LOT to be desired. A lot of potential was wasted due to bad storytelling. (No Spoiler) For example, the Sith and their history plays a big role in this film. However, NONE of that is explored. There's an area in the film where we see what I can only assume are statues of all the Sith Lords that came before Palpatine. Wouldn't it have been kind of cool to show their faces? Or drop some references for the fans? But nope, we neither see or hear anything about anything. Or perhaps the Knights of Ren? They're there for like 5 scenes, but set up as these big and important figures. And then waht?
Nothing. They just die, and there isn't even a dialogue of narrative about who or what they are. Why even include them in the film? The Sith Troopers, or Poe's former girl friend. It's like they're props, but key plot points rely on them. Not everyone is following the Disney comics or reading the film novelizations.
Rey is STILL a Mary Sue, and any attempts at giving her pretentious obstacles fail miserably. All in all, watching this film felt like a bunch of different people made it with no unified vision.
I could go on and on, so let me cut it short and move to the good parts.
Except the protagonists, many of the actors do a very good job. Ian McDiarmus practically melts into the character of Palpatinem, and he's one of the best parts of the film.
The film is very visually accomplished. The special effects are stunning, and the design for characters, costumes, props and locations is extremely detailed and well done. Props to every designer and artist who worked on this film.
JJ Abrams does go out of his way to address many of the criticisms of The Last Jedi. There's some comedy in this, and I think it works some times.
There's a lot of very deep and meaningful themes and concepts that I like, especially regarding the political struggle of the Resistance, Unity, Propaganda and the importance of standing together.
The second half is better paced and actually interesting. The ending, which I should point out was written by George Lucas (after 4 failed attempts by Disney), is phenomenal. It's everything Star Wars should be, as Lucas brings the circle to a close and firmly establishes this as the ending of the saga started 40 years ago.
I also like the fact that, thanks to some new lore books about this film, characters like Darth Andeddu, Revan and a few other Sith are now cannon. Finally, they are tying Legends to new Canon. Many aspects of this film are reminiscent of the Dark Empire comics.
Finally, and this is what I like the most, this film is sure to have an impact on kids. In order to be a Star Wars fan, you need to be exposed to it at a very young age. Revenge of the Sith, despite all it's problems, did that for me when I was 6. This second half, particularly the climax and ending, is spectacular enough that it will stay with young children, who will grow up to be the next generation of Star Wars fans. Let's just hope that when THEY grow up, Disney doesn't spit in their face and spend two years screeching about how Star Wars doesn't belong to them. Star Wars is for EVERYONE. It's for ALL 3 generations of fans, and just because they're meant to impact kids doesn't mean you can alienate fans who came before. Let's hope they remember that 10 years later when they make Ep X, XI and XII.