Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker
Edwin Arnaudin: After nine films spanning 42 years, we arrive at the (alleged) end of the episodic Star Wars saga. Is The Rise of Skywalker a fitting finale?
Bruce Steele: It's entirely fitting for the arc of this final trilogy. It's entertaining, full of action, and hits the same beats as its two predecessors with regard to scope (always bigger!) and character development (never give up hope). I'm not sure it can be judged as a conclusion to the nine-film series, since each trilogy seems to me to be self-contained in terms of its storytelling approach. Do you see a clearer 42-year cohesion than I do?
Edwin: Apparently. Considering the degree to which the repercussions of Anakin Skywalker's narrative remain unresolved this far into the series and how characters from both previous trilogies are still a, uh, force in Episode IX, J.J. Abrams' concluding chapter ties up about every proverbial bow I could imagine. I'm as satisfied with his film as I was with The Return of the King way back in December 2003.
Bruce: I'm satisfied, but only as it applies to this trilogy. While I've enjoyed this arc, starting with The Force Awakens, it seems to me more of a spin-off from the original trilogy than a nine-episode climax. It's a completion of itself, with some cameos of characters from the original trilogy, and told within the same universe. But we're splitting hairs, I think. Bottom line, this is a worthy entry into the Star Wars canon.
Edwin: Agreed. Following the narrative clunkiness of The Last Jedi, Abrams and co-writer Chris Terrio keep the plot active, peppering it with thrilling set pieces, plenty of humor, and engaging visuals both old and new. Most importantly, they further enhance this trilogy's key dynamic, that of mysterious Jedi-to-be Rey (Daisy Ridley, who hasn't received proper praise for her work in these films) and Kylo Ren (2019 entertainer of the year Adam Driver). Were you firmly invested in their fates?
Bruce: I was happy to see Rey really connect with her abilities and explore her mysterious parentage in this one, and even though the Kylo Ren story didn't go where I expected, it swept me along nicely. Finn (John Boyega) gets to connect with some new allies he can really relate to, and Poe comes into his own as a general, so that was fun to watch as well. Rose (Kelly Marie Tran), introduced in The Last Jedi, is essentially sidelined, but I think that's because Abrams and Terrio had a different agenda for Finn. Where else did you see Skywalker sort of burying the mixed-bag legacy of Last Jedi?
Edwin: Other critics keep crowing about how the previous installment takes all these amazing risks while Abrams' entries play things safe, and that take perplexes me. I see little evidence to the former — unless you consider poorly-developed story lines to be daring — and only agree with the latter in regard to The Force Awakens following the beats of Star Wars, albeit with fresh players and far more humor.
Still, I suppose an argument can be made that the Luke Skywalker (Mark Hamill) we see here is "Classic Luke" instead of the salty, disillusioned loner from Last Jedi. But as with many turns and resolutions in Skywalker, I see his shift as an intelligent depiction of people's ability to change and evolve, colored by late-breaking prophecies and revelations that have been rattling around in the old guard's heads, waiting for the next generation to see them through.
Bruce: I'm sure Hamill was happier with his cameo here than his story line in Jedi. The original Star Wars characters get to play crucial roles in Skywalker without being trotted out too often, and the Leia Organa thread worked out despite Carrie Fisher's death three years ago. A couple of those scenes are a bit disconcerting, but they're early on, so it doesn't disrupt the main flow. I was worried a bit that the plot was going to follow an interplanetary trail of bread crumbs — you know, clue, new planet, clue, new planet, etc. — but the story gets more complicated about halfway through and stays intense to the end.
Edwin: Those bread crumbs are also pretty conveniently found, but each escapade is fortified by the Rey-Kylo bond and ramps up the intensity and urgency of each subsequent leg of the mission. As a result, I got hit pretty hard on an emotional level at several key junctures. Were you similarly moved by this Grade A experience?
Bruce: I was moderately moved but thoroughly entertained. I like Rey and Poe and Finn just fine, but to me they're not as vibrant and iconic as the original trio. These days I typically absorb Lucasfilm and Marvel movies with similar bemused detachment, which is why when a Rogue One or Captain Marvel comes along, or Woody Harrelson in Solo, I'm so enormously pleased to be more emotionally engaged. But that may be more about me than about The Rise of Skywalker. It strains credibility with some regularity, but it's got some good twists and really bracing moments, and it ties a nice — and yes, moving — bow on the trilogy, so I'll give it a B-plus.
Grade: A-minus. Rated PG-13. Now playing at AMC Classic, Biltmore Grande, Carolina Cinemark, and Grail Moviehouse
(Photos: Walt Disney Pictures)
