Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker Review

Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker would inevitably find itself in a precarious position. Not only did it need a nostalgic wrap-up over 40 years of storytelling and on-going characters, but it also needed to appeal to a new generation of fans. The result is something of a mixed-bag, delivering an entertaining but tangled adventure to close out the saga.

That’s not to say The Rise of Skywalker lacks the series’ magic. There are some spectacular fight sequences and eye-popping space battles – you know, the things you’ve come to expect from the franchise – and admittedly, the things that the new trilogy has done exceptionally well.

There will undoubtedly be some backlash as to the logic and way things play out in Rise of Skywalker, and the big revelations and conclusion won’t be as jaw-dropping as one would expect, given that its relatively straight-forward to work out as you’re progressing through the movie. That said, while its a little eccentric in its presentation and delivery, and many divided fans believe the new movies don’t live up to the franchise’s quality, the Star Wars series has always been campy. Once the rose-tinted glasses are removed, silly, humourous aliens, ridiculous dialogue, and galaxy-saving McGuffins have always been the meal of the day with Star Wars, and that’s what you get with Rise of Skywalker.

The performances from Daisy Ridley, John Boyega, and the rest of the gang is in line with their past two movies, allowing it to feel like a true continuation, but Oscar Isaac gets far-more screen-time this time around does a great job to carry some emotional weight leading into the finale.

But Rise of Skywalker is one of those films that you can’t really talk about without dodging spoilers, so we won’t unwrap the plot. Just keep your expectations in check and remember what Star Wars is all about: escapism, family battles, archetype characters, and showcasing quirky aliens and locations, and it does that well… along with inducing some eye-rolls along the way.