Love it or hate it, Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker completes the saga that began and ended with JJ Abrams within a span of 4 years. For some fans, it has left a lot to be desired but for others, it was the perfect ending, and couldn’t have been bettered. In a world where digital platforms are taking over Cinema in no time, to make a Star Wars movie that is relevant is a huge task and JJ Abrams must be commended for reviving the franchise that would have ended with the extremely disappointing Revenge of the Sith. It may have left many questions unanswered but it did give the Star Wars saga an end it so rightfully deserved.

The Plot

The Skywalker saga moves into the final phase as the previously considered dead Emperor Palpatine (Ian McDiarmid) resurfaces, and orders Kylo Ren (Adam Driver) to find and kill Rey (Daisy Ridley), who is turning into a threat to the Empire. However, with the help of Resistance leader Leia Organa (Carrie Fisher) and her friends Finn (John Boyega), Poe (Oscar Issac), Chewbacca (Joonas Suotamo), BB-8, and C-3PO (Anthony Daniels), Rey manages to defy all and not only finds out why she was abandoned as a youngster but also what happened to her parents.

The Good

Just like the first three Star Wars films (IV, V and VI), this one revolved around Rey (Daisy Ridley) who is on the journey of discovery where she is searching answers regarding her parents, why they left her when they did and what makes her so special to the opposition. She as well as the audience gets the answers during the film, however it comes after a lot of twists and turns. Kylo Ren (Adam Driver) still holds the key to everything she wants to know and both the actors rise up to the challenge knowing that their emotions will define this concluding flick, and it did. The rest of the actors had to be relegated to supporting roles as they fought to live around the galaxy, but helping their leader in the process. There is a lot of well-choreographed action be it on the ground or in the air, but the way it has been adjusted makes it worth the audience’s while. Three things that will always go well with the viewers – the way the late Carrie Fisher’s unused footage from the previous films was put to good use; John Williams’s fabulous background score that adds emotions of their own to the entire series; and C-3PO’s memory loss that makes the plot a lot more interesting.

The Bad

The film loses the plot in the second half as if the director was more interested in concluding the saga than the film itself. It rejects most of the ideas that were presented by director Rian Johnson in The Last Jedi and takes off from The Force Awakens, confusing the audience in a huge way. Those who will go into the movie as a new entrant to the Star Wars series will be lost, and the makers should have thought about that. Call it karma or anything but the firing of the original director Colin Trevorrow and JJ Abrams’ decision to oversee a franchise he invested in, might be the biggest reason for the film not hitting the right chords with die-hard fans. After all, The Last Jedi took the franchise forward and should have been acknowledged rather than rejected to end the franchise. And then there was the almost invisible romantic angle between Poe and Zorii Bliss (Keri Russell) that would surely have lifted the second half, or even hinted at a new beginning. But instead of exploring their previous encounter that made her detest him through flashbacks, her role was reduced to a cameo and she makes appearances when you don’t expect her to, mainly to save her ex from getting into trouble, again.

The Verdict 3.5/5

The Rise of Skywalker may have brought an end to the Skywalker saga but there is still a lot to be desired in the Star Wars universe. Watch The Mandalorian and you will know the answer, because if done right anything Star Wars can have a magical effect on the viewers. The keyword remains ‘if done right’ and even if people think that JJ Abrams didn’t do it right, he got most of the stuff right. It was always going to be a difficult task for anyone except George Lucas but with Lucas no more in the right frame to end the saga, JJ was the second-best choice, and he did an amazing job. Try wrapping up three trilogies with one film of nearly 120 minutes, and satisfy those who had their own theories before they went into the theatre. The action sequences here were enough to make your holidays magical and a repeat viewing will surely ease the matters for those viewers who believe that the Force is always with you!