Hello and welcome to Movie Night – I'm your host Jonathan Paula. Well, I'm back from yet
another long break to review a major blockbuster on opening day – so let's get right into
my spoiler-free thoughts on "Star Wars: The Rise Of Skywalker".
An enjoyable and emotional end to a messy trilogy.
Released worldwide on December 20, 2019 - this $200 million film is the purported ninth and
final "episode" in the decades-long "Skywalker Saga". If franchise trends are any indication,
this epic space-opera fantasy will likely earn at least a billion at the box office.
When the evil Emperor Palpatine returns from the dead, the surviving heroes of the intrepid
resistance mount one last mission to stop the Sith once and for all.
In an effort to please everyone, director J.J. Abrams - returning to the "Star Wars"
franchise after directing 2015's "The Force Awakens" - pulls out all the stops. Sometimes,
perhaps, to a detrimental degree. The PG-13 adventure proceeds at a break-neck pace...
with the two-hour and 22-minute runtime barely able to contain all of the characters, locations,
and action. A little breathing room and fewer characters would have gone a long way.
Once again, Daisy Ridley, Adam Driver, John Boyega, and Oscar Issac lead the cast, thankfully
given ample time to shine; and they're finally together for a change - as the previous two
entries kept separating these characters. Ridley and Driver need to be singled out as
the best part of this entire trilogy: strong and multi-faceted performances dripping with
angst, doubt, and conflict. Their shared conflict and duality is the heart of this picture,
and their excellent acting sell that in a big way. They're supported by a massive ensemble
that includes Carrie Fisher, Mark Hamill, Anthony Dsaniels, Naomi Ackie, Domhnall Gleeson,
Richard E. Grant, Lupita Nyong'o, Keri Russell, Joonas Suotamo, Kelly Marie Tran, Ian McDiarmid,
and Billy Dee Williams. Unfortunately, few are really afforded enough screentime to make
a lasting impact, relying on earlier film bolster their bona-fides. And introducing
several new characters halfway through the last movie in a 42-year-old franchise seems
unnecessary. Unfortunately, it's quite impossible to review
this picture in a vacuum, as its relationship with past entries - both recent and original
- is intrinsically woven into its identity. But let's start with the former. For all its
divisiveness, Rian Johnson's "The Last Jedi" was a unique and even challenging film - especially
within the confines of a rigorously controlled blockbuster apparatus. That 2017 entry upended
the franchise's status quo with the central thesis that anyone could tap into The Force
and become a hero. It was an empowering message of hope and optimism in an increasingly darkening
world (both fictional and real). I adored it.
Seemingly kowtowing to the backlash from a vocal and entitled minority, J.J. does an
abrupt about-face... retconning or sidelining nearly everything Rian established, sometimes
even physically (Driver literally rebuilds his smashed helmet 10 minutes into the movie).
This will likely frustrate fans of "Jedi", and appease its detractors. So rather than
follow the bold new direction his predecessor laid out, Abrams quickly re-frames this final
chapter where the saga began: a story about family and lineage.
Taken on its own, it's an effective and familiar tact that franchise fans (especially those
alienated by Johnson's vision) will undoubtedly love. But given what could have been... it's
an unfortunate and constant reminder that a true follow-up to the stirring ideas in
"The Last Jedi" will never exist. And although it doesn't outright ignore the events of that
picture, this definitely feels more like a direct sequel to Episode VII, not VIII. Individually,
all three films in the sequel trilogy are quite excellent - but collectively, they lack
a clear vision. Disney's hodgepodge assembly, and pendulum of directors is disheartening
to see for this lifelong fan. To put it bluntly: the sequel trilogy is a complete mess. It's
amazing it worked at all. Besides the narrative course-correcting, Abrams
also had to navigate around the passing of Carrie Fisher. While declaring her character
dead in the opening space crawl and opening the film on her funeral would have been an
easy (and arguably better) solution... her character remains very much alive; incorporated
sparingly by way of rotoscopped and color-matched outtakes from previous films. The result is...
interesting. Unlike the CGI-trickery that brought Paul Walker back to life for "Furious
7" - this is Carrie's real performance... but all the dialogue around her has been written
to fit years-old leftovers, so it feels a bit clunky; especially if you're aware of
how it had to have been accomplished. It reminds me of how I 'insert' myself into movies for
the opening sketches of "Movie Night". It's nice to have her in the film, but it's more
gimmicky than effective. The many locations here are vibrant and fresh,
even if the crew of the Millennium Falcon find themselves visiting yet another desert
planet. The action and set-pieces are all first-rate blockbuster spectacles, making
appropriate use of the aforementioned backdrops. The music, from legendary composer John Williams,
in what will likely be his final "Star Wars" project, is predictably excellent - incorporating
lietmotifs from the original films alongside darker versions of "Rey's Theme" - perhaps
the most prominent piece from the new trilogy.
The humor, often delivered by everyone's favorite annoying protocol droid, See Threepio and
a new duck-looking robot called D-O, is great at breaking the tension in more serious scenes.
Meanwhile, the narrative is stuffed with callbacks and cameos from films-past; and some of these
surprises work remarkably well. Others are shoe-horned in seemingly for convenient nostalgia.
But if you're a fan, they'll definitely make you smile. And least I forget the visuals,
which blend flawless computer imagery with practical puppet work and realistic sets.
If there's one thing every "Star Wars" movie has consistently nailed... it's production
design. Ultimately, the biggest thing I disliked about
"Episode IX" is how aggressively it ignores nearly everything "Episode VIII" established.
But on its own, this is honestly a wonderful and fulfilling end to the Skywalker Saga.
Many story beats are sadly predictable, but the catharsis of finally seeing it all unfold
is a true delight. The last scene is an emotional return to the series' humble beginnings; a
beautiful capstone to a cinematic institution. I couldn't help but cry. These lasting final
images ensure you'll leave the theater on a bittersweet high, but upon more intellectual
reflection, deeper flaws become apparent. "The Rise Of Skywalker" returns to comfort
and familiarity in a rousing, if unchallenging send-off. This is a really GREAT film, placing
it somewhere in the middle of the eleven-picture franchise.
As this decade, and ten years of Movie Night come to a close – I just want to share my
heartfelt appreciation and thanks for everyone that's ever watched my content. I regret not
being able to upload as often as I'd like – but with my second daughter due any week
now, and a full-time job to attend to, YouTube sadly isn't a priority for me anymore. But
I'm still very active on social media, so if you're curious about what I've been up
to, please follow the links in the description. And if you want to hear more of my thoughts
on film - make sure to visit Letterboxd.com/JonPaula where I've written 20 reviews in just the
last month; including full thoughts on "Gemini Man", "Once Upon A Time... In Hollywood",
"Ad Astra", and more. While I can't promise anything, I'd like to produce a "Best and
Worst Movies Of The Decade" video in January, so please subscribe and hit that bell icon
so you're notified when it's uploaded. My name is Jonathan Paula – have a Merry Christmas,
a Happy New Year, and of course, a good Movie Night!