Chasing Rey

Rating: 5/10 (1 January 2020)

I was going to see this movie. In spite of my severe disappointment with episode VIII I was going to see episode IX. I have 40 years invested in this franchise so I had to finish.
This episode boiled down to everybody chasing Rey. Fin was chasing her, Poe was chasing her, Kylo Ren was chasing her, and Palpatine was chasing her. Either someone wanted to help Rey as she wandered away lone wolfing it or someone wanted to convert Rey to the Dark Side--in any case Rey was always being chased.
I understand Kylo and Palpatine chasing Rey because as powerful as she was she would've been a powerful asset. As for her friends... I don't understand. She was clearly stronger and more powerful than they or anything they had ever encountered--what did they really expect to do to "help" her?
We found that Rey was the most powerful being to ever grace the Star Wars franchise. Master Yoda hadn't reached the power level of Rey and he lived 800 years!! Which is weird because she was exhibiting amazing power though she wasn't yet a Jedi. Which makes me realize I have no idea what a Jedi is. I thought once she knew how to use the force she was a Jedi, but apparently she was not.
Jedi or not she was displaying some next level skills in a movie that was far from next level. The Rise of Skywalker was Return of the Jedi 2.0. Don't think so? Let's check the boxes: Emperor Palpatine, a secret planet destroying fleet, a Jedi fighting the urge to succumb to the Dark Side, and an unlikely assist to help defeat Emperor Palpatine. This was nothing more than a soulless rendition of Return of the Jedi.
I hoped that J.J. Abrams could get us from underneath the rubble Rian Johsnon left us buried in. Maybe it was too herculian of a task to right the wrongs committed in episode VIII or maybe J.J. Abrams was locked into following in Johnson's footsteps. The Rise of Skywalker was nothing more than a retread of past themes blindly hoping to stumble upon success. The script and the performances seemed hollow and devoid of any life. Truly, the success of this movie resided in the name.
The Star Wars brand Disney paid so handsomely for has proven to be a cash cow for the company. Regardless of whatever writer and director and their tinkering and experimentation they leave some core remnants intact and bring in the dough. Even if their tinkering mars Star Wars they will never destroy it. Star Wars has no shortage of fans such as myself that will pay to see a film titled "Star Wars," but thank God this series is over.