An entertaining Star Wars flick but disappoints to conclude the beloved franchise

Rating: 6/10 (9 January 2020)

Star Wars The Rise of Skywalker, a film that supposedly concludes the beloved Star Wars franchise that made millions of fans fall in love with movies and became a series that redefined the level of Sci-Fi for future films yet to come. The first Star Wars film, A New Hope, was released back in 1977 and blew away audiences with Sci-Fi explosive entertainment that intrigued audiences by giving the viewer a new experience in a galaxy far far away.
Now we are in 2020, and Star Wars continues to blow us away with dazzling special effects, breathtaking cinematography and beautiful matched music. And Star Wars The Rise of Skywalker has plenty of these elements to offer up to you. But... that's about it.
Unfortunately, because of the legacy the original trilogy left us, director J.J. Abrams and Disney had a lot of expectations when it came to finally distributing the newest trilogy for long devoted fans and cinema lovers to view. And while The Force Awakens, 2015, brought Star Wars back into the light of day after a decade of waiting with a stunning new cast and evenly paced plot, the same cannot be said about the disappointing Last Jedi and the recent Rise of Skywalker.
Disney's latest film felt like two movies pulled into one; whether that came from the rushed plot, undeveloped characters and uneven storyline, it can be said that this film suffered from a serious lack of creation. Every scene was forced into the next without letting the viewer indulged the events of the previous sequence. Then following would be a series of short action sequences involving star cruisers, blasters, one liners and flying Stormtroopers! yes, you heard me right; they fly now! It's not that all the action here is a bad thing. In fact, I found it quite enjoyable. I was entertained the entire time, but I never jumped out of my seat with delight. That's the main problem this films has, a lack of dramatic tension. There weren't any moments that made me cling to my seat in anticipation nor was there a time I felt any adrenaline rushing though my mind. I can't say I was ever bored but I also cannot say I was every sucked in. There were a few small scenes that definitely surprised me, such as one involving Rey searching inside an abandoned part of the original Death Star, but besides some key scenes there was no adrenaline rush that Star Wars films usually accompany us with. In all, it felt like something that wasn't meant to conclude something but rather just provide us with eye candy and basic action scenes, something we've all seen before.
Now for the million dollar question; how does this film conclude Star Wars? Well, you might be able to guess by the title that Rise of Skywalker concluded everything with a thud. But I don't entirely blame the film. Because of the divisive response to The last Jedi, Disney tried to wrap everything up as if that film never happened, which is why this film felt so rushed and empty. One might call it a mad dash to the finish line. And while that's not entirely a bad thing, because we all know it's going to make a ton of money, fans of Star Wars will most likely be annoyed with the conclusion and critics will at most feel somewhat fulfilled if not completely satisfied. With that being said. it can be concluding here that while Star Wars The Rise of Skywalker had a few enjoyable moments, the films adds nothing new to the genre and on it's own stands as an average inclusion to the world of Star Wars