A real mixed bag of a conclusion with much to enjoy and express frustration about

Rating: 7/10 (19 December 2019)

Star Wars: Episode IX - The Rise of Skywalker is the third installment of the Star Wars sequel trilogy and the ninth and final chapter of the "Skywalker saga". Directed by J.J. Abrams, it is a real mixed bag of a conclusion with much to enjoy and express frustration about.
As has been the case for both "The Force Awakens" and "The Last Jedi", I will not be providing any kind of synopsis, as I feel it would give away potential spoilers. The only thing I will say is that it takes place one year after the previous film and leave it at that.
While there is still that trademark Star Wars fun to be had, The Rise Of Skywalker often feels unsure of itself at the most crucial of times. At the very beginning, the audience is shown several different interwoven stories at such a breakneck pace that it becomes overwhelming to take in all this information at once. It seems as though the filmmakers are trying to squeeze in as much material as possible to make up for all this lost time. I believe most of these plot elements would have been better off explored throughout the previous two films, which would have lead to a better structured conclusion than what we ended up with.
Director/co-writer J.J. Abrams, who returns after successfully bringing the sequel trilogy to life with "The Force Awakens", tries his best to conclude the saga on the most enjoyable note possible. However, considering how much this film's predecessor, "The Last Jedi", apparently deviated from his original vision, that appears to have been easier said than done. Several surprises and twists felt like after thoughts and don't inspire awe like those seen in previous entries of the series. In spite of this, Abrams still does manage to provide fanservice to longtime viewers, some of which were clever yet subtle references to other films.
Most of the characters felt relegated to secondary roles, with few standing out as little more than just to help the plot along. This is particularly annoying as we have been treated to their development through each of the previous two films only to have them brushed aside to make way for its lead characters instead. With that said, Daisy Ridley still remains the standout as Rey. It is her convincing acting that holds the audience's attention as we watch Rey work hard to discover who she truly is in this galaxy far, far away.
Overall, even though The Rise Of Skywalker may not be the epic conclusion to this decade long saga that everyone may have anticipated, I'd say it does end things in a satisfactory manner. Since Star Wars is literally a religion to some people, several viewers are going to love this film or hate it no matter what. As long as we steer clear of the toxic animosity shown in the aftermath of "The Last Jedi", this film and the rest of the sequel trilogy could provide an interesting topic of discussion for many years to come.
I rate it 6.5/10