Star Wars Episode IX: The Rise of Skywalker (2019)

Rating: 7/10 (25 December 2019)

Directed by J. J. Abrams. Starring Daisy Ridley, John Boyega, Oscar Isaac, Adam Driver, Anthony Daniels, Billy Dee Williams, Carrie Fisher, Joonas Suotamo, Naomi Ackie, Ian McDiarmid, Richard E. Grant, Kelly Marie Tran, Keri Russell, Domhnall Gleeson, Mark Hamill, Lupita Nyong'o, Dominic Monaghan. (PG-13)
Conclusion of the so-called "Skywalker Saga" in the Star Wars universe opens at a breathless pace and rarely slows down for genuine character interaction or explanation on the way to its massive climax. Sleek and sprawling, well-acted by its diverse cast (particularly Ridley and Driver), studded with small surprises--and a couple of big ones--though the narrative is clearly manufactured inorganically so it can cover all bases and generate familiar, even conventional satisfaction. The action scenes are zippy, though they sometimes lack clarity, and the anticipated lightsaber showdown does not disappoint; logic and physics, meanwhile, are sometimes ignored completely for the sake of emotional cues and high drama. Rather than push the boundaries like "The Last Jedi" did--the filmmakers seem intent on undoing a lot of the good things (and some of the bad) set up by Rian Johnson--Abrams and company prefer playing it safe, and it sometimes feels as much a "greatest hits" effort as John Williams' series-cycling score. Yet the film still provides numerous thrilling moments, touching moments, sequences to celebrate and ones to make eyes pop and jaws drop. Flaws and all, there's a lot to unpack, a lot to debate, a lot to frustrate, and a lot to cherish; a strangely fitting farewell for a franchise as bumpy and rollicking as this one.
70/100