A Star Wars movie to love - we're in this together!

Rating: Null/10 (19 December 2019)

I saw this movie yesterday as it premiered in Finland, and I'm still not sure in which galaxy I'm at. Well somewhere, writing a review with some spoilers, so be warned.
I've been a Star Wars fan for decades now. The movies, the books, the comics, many games and these newer movies - I have found something to enjoy in every format. Of course there has been not so perfect stuff all along, but the good vastly overwhelmes the bad. Or evil.
With Episode IX, the filmmakers were faced with a mission impossible 3 (when it comes to sequels to the most loved trilogy ever), but luckily there was a right man for THAT job: J.J. Abrams.
"I've never been great at endings. I don't actually think I'm good at anything, but I know how to begin a story. Ending a story is tough."
It IS tough, but you pulled it through this time, with (literally) flying colours, J.J. And thank you so much for that!
When I go to the movies, I hope to get excited and entertained, awed or moved. With Rise of Skywalker, I got everything, and then some. I'm lucky that in the dark cinema, my son and his friend didn't see me sobbing all the time, for grown men don't cry. Except when, well, you know, epic stuff happens to your favorite characters with John Williams' music swelling on the background, and you know this is the end of it all. That emotion is what justifies a perfect score for a great, but not a perfect movie in every sense.
There is so much going on in Episode IX: it starts with a bang, bringing back the Emperor himself (Ian McDiarmid) as the main baddie (awesome), and our protagonists are faced with a time critical task to stop his evil all planet destroing plan.
The first third proceeds with fast paced planet hopping, new force powers, aliens, explosions and character development. Its all good, but not great. Until something Game of Thronesey happens. You'll know when.
Things start to heat up, and oh boy. Its time for Rey (Daisy Ridley) and Kylo Ren (Adam Driver) to shine - they share some really good scenes togeter, both on and off the same space (but in space, of course), great lightsaber battles with a twist or two. It turns out Reys parents might have been "nobodies", but there is a not so distant, rather old relative that makes things really interesting :D
Other sequel characters, Poe and Finn get their share of the action, and they both are doing great in their roles. Some (most) The Last Jedi charaters like Rose are tossed aside for new ones (Jannah), but that's not too bad. Special mention to Anthony Daniels, who shines through the golden mask one final time.
Throughout the movie there is so much fan service this time around (too), but compared to the Force Awakens, the script is way better, and brings surprises and cool details to catch. The "new" characters finally grow together as a force to remember. And old faces appear in the right places saying the right things in a perfect way. Thank you Mark Hamill, Harrison Ford, Carrie Fisher and Billy Dee Williams.
I must say the final battle is EPIC - both in scale and in characters to love or hate. Palpatine has some really unlimited power, but that's matched with all the Jedi's Force. Snoke in a golden bathrobe? No, not here :)
The pacing, the editing, the music and the things that are made to happen fall all together in a beautiful, exciting finale. And the closing montage wraps things nicely together through all the decades.
You haven't seen the movie yet? Go see it. DO IT!

PS. I Loved the Last Jedi too. For diffrent reasons, but nevertheless.
PPS. May the Force be with you. Always.