Throw 3 scripts worth of ideas at the wall, see what sticks

Rating: 2/10 (24 December 2019)

So much happens during this movie, I remember going a little numb by about an hour and a half in. This movie just can't sit still, like it needs to throw in locations and people and explosions so that you get up and leave. Many will say that this is because the movie needs to dedicate a solid hour to setting itself up, as TLJ left a narrative mess in its wake, but it continues to cram far too many side characters and "stakes raising moments" into its remaining run time.
In fairness, Abrams' The Force Awakens gets many of the same things right and wrong: a frenetic and distracting pace, entertaining sequences, an overload of callbacks, great performances of a mediocre script. However, a first act can get a pass for some loose threads while opening up possibilities for future installments. A third act needs focus, (the only new characters in Return of the Jedi were the Emperor and Lando's friend with the mask), and the Rise of Skywalker does itself no favors by piling more plot contrivances and obstacles onto the monumental task of fixing the holes in the story so far.
I've been a fan of Star Wars since watching the Original Trilogy on VHS as a kid. I don't know all the Expanded Universe lore, I haven't watched Clone Wars or the Mandalorian. I just loved the movies and loved playing like I had the Force as a child, and I wanted this trilogy to give me something else I could love. I just feel sad they didn't plan this story ahead of time and that squandered the only chance we had to see Carrie Fisher as Leia again.