LoginSaw 'The Rise of Skywalker' just before Christmas with my sister, but it took me a while to gather my thoughts on it. Being not sure what rating to give it or how to express my opinion on the film. Will admit that when seeing it in the cinema, to me it was enjoyable but had a lot of faults. Since watching 'The Rise of Skywalker' then though, the more it has been thought about the more it has gone down in my estimations. My reservations felt back then still remain the same, as well as what struck me was good, while thinking of more since.
My opinions on the previous 'Stars Wars' films were much more definite, being a fan of the original trilogy and while the prequel trilogy had a lot of flaws to me they weren't that bad. Also thought 'The Force Awakens' and 'The Last Jedi' were better than expected (am aware that possible blasphemy has been committed here), but 'The Last Jedi' certainly had a lot wrong with it. 'Solo' was good fun on its own terms too. Absolutely judging it from an open mind, 'The Rise of Skywalker' left me very conflicted however and ended the trilogy on a whimper rather than a bang, it's not deserving of a 1/10 but it is not near deserving in my opinions of the 10/10s mostly given to counter the negativity in classic critic bashing style. Of the franchise, this was the one in all honesty that left me the most disappointed.
Will start with the good things with 'The Rise of Skywalker'. It is gorgeously shot and designed and the special effects are often a marvel. John Williams delivers yet another rousing score that has its own character but cleverly includes the well-known iconic themes from the previous films.
There are some great performances here, Daisy Ridley carries the film outstandingly, having become more confident with each film, and Adam Driver is menacing and conflicted. Carrie Fisher again brings nostalgic poignancy to Leia, while John Boyega and Oscar Isaac are charismatic and do their best with what they were given (which was quite weak in my view) and how great it was to see Ian McDiarmid again as Palpatine, again his material was not great but he does a good job with it. Chewbacca is as adorable and funny as ever and C-3PO provided a few amusing moments. Babu Frik was a nice new addition and there were a couple of touching and nostalgic moments. Some of the action is thrilling, namely the extended blaster battle and Rey and Kylo's force-based clash.
For all those good things, 'The Rise of Skywalker' has a lot of major flaws. With so little time to breathe in the story, the film feels far too rushed which made it very difficult to digest the more convoluted parts of the story. There is also too much going on so the film feels very cramped by the final act, and also too many characters. Some are fun but too many of them are underused or even pointless and tacked on, such as Lando and Rose Tico. Mark Hamill and Harrison Ford only seemed to be there for nostalgia purposes and are merely walk-ons.
Although the action has its moments, too much of it doesn't rouse like it should do and is in a way forgettable. The big reveal that has been much discussed here made absolutely no sense (the atmosphere felt at that part in the packed auditorium in the cinema was like a uniform "what the heck?") and really convoluted the storytelling later on, leading to a conclusion that felt rather too anti-climactic and made a waste of the characters involved in it. A long way from a bang. Morever, the dialogue is as bad and even downright laughable than the worst of the prequel trilogy's with far too much exposition and unrealistic conveniences.
Overall, have seen far worse but a big disappointment. If some people liked it, good for you. It just didn't work for me and many others, for reasons that are valid, and it is inexplicable as to why people have an inability to accept that, and not just for this film but for almost every film here. 5/10
Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker Reviews
The fall of Skywalker
Posted : 3 months, 2 weeks ago on 27 January 2024 10:18
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Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker review
Posted : 2 years, 1 month ago on 24 March 2022 09:08
Saw 'The Rise of Skywalker' just before Christmas with my sister, but it took me a while to gather my thoughts on it. Being not sure what rating to give it or how to express my opinion on the film. Will admit that when seeing it in the cinema, to me it was enjoyable but had a lot of faults. Since watching 'The Rise of Skywalker' then though, the more it has been thought about the more it has gone down in my estimations. My reservations felt back then still remain the same, as well as what struck me was good, while thinking of more since.
My opinions on the previous 'Stars Wars' films were much more definite, being a fan of the original trilogy and while the prequel trilogy had a lot of flaws to me they weren't that bad. Also thought 'The Force Awakens' and 'The Last Jedi' were better than expected (am aware that possible blasphemy has been committed here), but 'The Last Jedi' certainly had a lot wrong with it. 'Solo' was good fun on its own terms too. Absolutely judging it from an open mind, 'The Rise of Skywalker' left me very conflicted however and ended the trilogy on a whimper rather than a bang, it's not deserving of a 1/10 but it is not near deserving in my opinions of the 10/10s mostly given to counter the negativity in classic critic bashing style. Of the franchise, this was the one in all honesty that left me the most disappointed.
Will start with the good things with 'The Rise of Skywalker'. It is gorgeously shot and designed and the special effects are often a marvel. John Williams delivers yet another rousing score that has its own character but cleverly includes the well-known iconic themes from the previous films.
There are some great performances here, Daisy Ridley carries the film outstandingly, having become more confident with each film, and Adam Driver is menacing and conflicted. Carrie Fisher again brings nostalgic poignancy to Leia, while John Boyega and Oscar Isaac are charismatic and do their best with what they were given (which was quite weak in my view) and how great it was to see Ian McDiarmid again as Palpatine, again his material was not great but he does a good job with it. Chewbacca is as adorable and funny as ever and C-3PO provided a few amusing moments. Babu Frik was a nice new addition and there were a couple of touching and nostalgic moments. Some of the action is thrilling, namely the extended blaster battle and Rey and Kylo's force-based clash.
For all those good things, 'The Rise of Skywalker' has a lot of major flaws. With so little time to breathe in the story, the film feels far too rushed which made it very difficult to digest the more convoluted parts of the story. There is also too much going on so the film feels very cramped by the final act, and also too many characters. Some are fun but too many of them are underused or even pointless and tacked on, such as Lando and Rose Tico. Mark Hamill and Harrison Ford only seemed to be there for nostalgia purposes and are merely walk-ons.
Although the action has its moments, too much of it doesn't rouse like it should do and is in a way forgettable. The big reveal that has been much discussed here made absolutely no sense (the atmosphere felt at that part in the packed auditorium in the cinema was like a uniform "what the heck?") and really convoluted the storytelling later on, leading to a conclusion that felt rather too anti-climactic and made a waste of the characters involved in it. A long way from a bang. Morever, the dialogue is as bad and even downright laughable than the worst of the prequel trilogy's with far too much exposition and unrealistic conveniences.
Overall, have seen far worse but a big disappointment. If some people liked it, good for you. It just didn't work for me and many others, for reasons that are valid, and it is inexplicable as to why people have an inability to accept that, and not just for this film but for almost every film here. 5/10
My opinions on the previous 'Stars Wars' films were much more definite, being a fan of the original trilogy and while the prequel trilogy had a lot of flaws to me they weren't that bad. Also thought 'The Force Awakens' and 'The Last Jedi' were better than expected (am aware that possible blasphemy has been committed here), but 'The Last Jedi' certainly had a lot wrong with it. 'Solo' was good fun on its own terms too. Absolutely judging it from an open mind, 'The Rise of Skywalker' left me very conflicted however and ended the trilogy on a whimper rather than a bang, it's not deserving of a 1/10 but it is not near deserving in my opinions of the 10/10s mostly given to counter the negativity in classic critic bashing style. Of the franchise, this was the one in all honesty that left me the most disappointed.
Will start with the good things with 'The Rise of Skywalker'. It is gorgeously shot and designed and the special effects are often a marvel. John Williams delivers yet another rousing score that has its own character but cleverly includes the well-known iconic themes from the previous films.
There are some great performances here, Daisy Ridley carries the film outstandingly, having become more confident with each film, and Adam Driver is menacing and conflicted. Carrie Fisher again brings nostalgic poignancy to Leia, while John Boyega and Oscar Isaac are charismatic and do their best with what they were given (which was quite weak in my view) and how great it was to see Ian McDiarmid again as Palpatine, again his material was not great but he does a good job with it. Chewbacca is as adorable and funny as ever and C-3PO provided a few amusing moments. Babu Frik was a nice new addition and there were a couple of touching and nostalgic moments. Some of the action is thrilling, namely the extended blaster battle and Rey and Kylo's force-based clash.
For all those good things, 'The Rise of Skywalker' has a lot of major flaws. With so little time to breathe in the story, the film feels far too rushed which made it very difficult to digest the more convoluted parts of the story. There is also too much going on so the film feels very cramped by the final act, and also too many characters. Some are fun but too many of them are underused or even pointless and tacked on, such as Lando and Rose Tico. Mark Hamill and Harrison Ford only seemed to be there for nostalgia purposes and are merely walk-ons.
Although the action has its moments, too much of it doesn't rouse like it should do and is in a way forgettable. The big reveal that has been much discussed here made absolutely no sense (the atmosphere felt at that part in the packed auditorium in the cinema was like a uniform "what the heck?") and really convoluted the storytelling later on, leading to a conclusion that felt rather too anti-climactic and made a waste of the characters involved in it. A long way from a bang. Morever, the dialogue is as bad and even downright laughable than the worst of the prequel trilogy's with far too much exposition and unrealistic conveniences.
Overall, have seen far worse but a big disappointment. If some people liked it, good for you. It just didn't work for me and many others, for reasons that are valid, and it is inexplicable as to why people have an inability to accept that, and not just for this film but for almost every film here. 5/10
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A flawed but spectacular, crowd-pleasing finale
Posted : 4 years, 4 months ago on 1 January 2020 06:53
Arriving 42-and-a-half years after George Lucas' Star Wars changed the face of cinema back in 1977, 2019's Star Wars: Episode IX - The Rise of Skywalker concludes the nine-film Skywalker Saga, with J.J. Abrams (Star Wars: The Force Awakens) returning as co-writer and director. Added to the burden of concluding this culturally significant saga, The Rise of Skywalker also endures the weight of following the most polarising Star Wars film to date: Rian Johnson's Star Wars: The Last Jedi. With the recent increase and popularisation of Star Wars hatred in the shadow of The Last Jedi, objectivity is now borderline impossible. Nevertheless, for my money, The Rise of Skywalker is a spectacular, crowd-pleasing finale which complements the previous two films and successfully ties into the original trilogy. Although messy from a story perspective, Abrams' spirited direction compensates for many of the picture's shortcomings, as the filmmaker packs The Rise of Skywalker with battles, lightsabers, fan service and emotion, sending off the saga on a satisfying high. In spite of its flaws, it works.
Picking up an unspecified amount of time after the events of The Last Jedi, Rey (Daisy Ridley) is close to completing her Jedi training under General Leia Organa (Carrie Fisher), though she is unable to connect with previous generations of Jedi. Meanwhile, Finn (John Boyega) and Poe (Oscar Isaac) receive intel that Emperor Palpatine (Ian McDiarmid) is still alive on the uncharted planet of Exegol, a.k.a. the Sith homeworld. Following a mysterious communication from Palpatine, Kylo Ren (Adam Driver) travels to Exegol where the powerful Sith Lord has secretly amassed an immense fleet of Star Destroyers with planet-destroying canons, which constitute the Final Order. With Palpatine's plan threatening the entire galaxy, and with Kylo closing in on the waning Resistance, Rey sets out with Finn, Poe, Chewbacca (Joonas Suotamo) and C-3PO (Anthony Daniels) to find the Sith Wayfinder device, an ancient navigational tool which will lead them to Exegol.
Before the release of The Force Awakens in 2015, Colin Trevorrow (Jurassic World) was given the reigns of Episode IX, which he began to co-write with Derek Connolly. However, creative differences between Trevorrow and Lucasfilm ended their collaboration, and Abrams was hired a week later to devise this concluding chapter. Abrams is a sublime visual stylist but not a great screenwriter, and The Rise of Skywalker further demonstrates this. Whereas The Force Awakens distinctly benefitted from Lawrence Kasdan's contributions, Abrams co-wrote this saga closer with Chris Terrio, late of the critically mauled Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice and Justice League. (Terrio's Oscar-winning Argo screenplay seems like a fluke at this point.) Therefore, The Rise of Skywalker is undeniably messy, giving Snoke a vague backstory, never adequately clarifying Palpatine's return, leaving unanswered questions about the Knights of Ren, and never revealing the logistics behind the creation of Palpatine's immense fleet. Then again, this is a fantasy franchise which does not necessarily need to perfectly clarify everything. Plus, any unanswered questions or indistinct plot points will surely receive further attention in novelisations, TV shows and comic books within the next five years.
Eschewing a rehash of any previous Star Wars adventure, The Rise of Skywalker's plot involves a MacGuffin hunt across the galaxy, which represents a refreshing change of pace for the long-running series. Additionally, under Abrams' direction, this escapade really moves, evoking the pronounced breathlessness of The Force Awakens as the characters travel from one location to the next, experiencing conflicts at every turn. Narratively, this is the busiest Star Wars movie to date, working through what should have been two film's worth of plot. Consequently, this is the least confident and considered instalment in the new trilogy, and there is not enough narrative breathing room, resulting in glorified cameos for actors like Dominic Monaghan and even Billy Dee Williams, who returns as Lando. Furthermore, The Rise of Skywalker is the only Star Wars film so far to not begin with a proper scene; instead, a battle montage opens the picture, and Abrams scarcely stops to take a breath as he works through the intimidatingly large narrative while preserving a manageable runtime. As a result, Episode IX feels choppy during its opening act in particular, and it takes around half an hour to get in tune with the movie properly. With editors Maryann Brandon and Stefan Grube minimising downtime between the set-pieces, one must wonder how much material did not make the final cut. An extended edition with an Avengers: Endgame-sized runtime is an enticing prospect, though one may never materialise.
The most effective narrative constituent of Episode IX is Rey and Kylo's relationship. Their minds remain bridged due to a dyad in the Force, and they both believe that they can turn the other to their respective side. Compelling, emotionally charged conflicts between the pair pepper the film, including the much-publicised battle atop the Death Star wreckage, while the ultimate dénouement is satisfying and, to an extent, unexpected. Kylo/Ben Solo is the most interesting character in this new trilogy, essentially embodying whiney Star Wars fanboys who yearn for a bygone era, and violently lash out when things do not go their own way. Also, since Kylo could never live up to the unfiltered badassery of Darth Vader (as much as the character tries, in a sly meta touch), his conflicted nature is more pronounced, leading to some genuinely emotional scenes. Additionally, while Abrams does dial back the humour glimpsed in The Last Jedi, there are amusing moments throughout this instalment, serving to augment the film's sense of humanity. However, several beats during the obligatory ending celebration sequence are odd, including an awkward (and somewhat creepy) moment between Lando and Jannah (Naomi Ackie), an out-of-nowhere same-sex kiss, and Maz Kanata (Lupita Nyong'o) giving Chewbacca one of the medals from the last scene of A New Hope, after he legendarily missed out back in 1977.
Perhaps unsurprisingly, there is a sense that Abrams and Terrio desired to "fix" certain facets of The Last Jedi's outside-the-box tampering. This results in a lack of cohesiveness in some respects, reflecting the absence of concrete planning at the outset of this trilogy. But then again, the original Star Wars trilogy was equally spontaneous, leading to the controversial Luke and Leia kiss before the reveal that the pair are siblings. Hell, the twist that Darth Vader is Luke's father retcons much of the background information from A New Hope, leading Obi-Wan Kenobi to simply say that he lied. In this way, The Rise of Skywalker is true to the spirit of the sacred original trilogy. Besides, Fisher's passing would have surely negated any existing road map for Episode IX. Moreover, a thematic through-line does underpin this sequel trilogy: breaking free of the expectations of legacy. For instance, Finn refuses to be a stormtrooper, Kylo rejects being a Jedi and refuses to be a pawn who answers to a higher power, Luke flees in shame after failing to recreate the Jedi Order's legacy, and Poe joins the Resistance to escape his origins as a criminal. Such thematic material ties into this sequel trilogy's underlying meta-narrative about a new generation inheriting Star Wars: the new characters worship the old characters, the First Order tries too hard to replicate the Empire, and Kylo Ren strives to be Darth Vader.
With such a large budget, and considering the production's significance, a level of competency is a perpetual given with each new Star Wars entry, and Episode IX does not disappoint in this respect. Despite doomsday warnings from online forums circulating rumours about substantial reshoots at the eleventh hour, The Rise of Skywalker is a visual stunner beset with exciting set-pieces. Abrams once again harkens back to the original trilogy through a traditional filmmaking approach - cinematographer Dan Mindel (The Force Awakens) shoots on 35mm film, and the movie heavily relies on make-up, animatronics and sets, while CGI augments the fantastical illusions. The use of practical models is evident, as ships like the Millennium Falcon often look tangible, creating a realistic aesthetic as opposed to the phoney digital overload of the prequels. At times, it's genuinely difficult to discern where the CGI takes over from the sets, models, miniatures, and practical effects. In terms of the creatures, the standout here is the endearing Babu Frik (voiced by Shirley Henderson), who is a practical creation. In addition, this is reportedly John Williams' final Star Wars score, and the veteran composer's contributions are invaluable. Reintroducing recognisable cues and composing original material, Williams' score is majestic and exciting.
Working around Fisher's premature death, Abrams dusts off unused footage from the previous two films to integrate General Leia into this concluding instalment, paying tribute to our beloved Princess and saying a poignant goodbye. Fisher appears to interact with her co-stars so naturally, with measured expressions and line delivery. The seams are invisible, resulting in the most successful and cohesive post-mortem performance in film history (which is admittedly a low bar to clear). Additionally, The Rise of Skywalker brings back the always-charismatic Billy Dee Williams for the first time since Return of the Jedi in 1983, while McDiarmid effortlessly slips back into the role of Emperor Palpatine. Abrams minimises Kelly Marie Tran's presence here, which is a benefit since her role of Rose is the least interesting character of this sequel trilogy. Enough characters are competing for screen-time already, with the main quest even involving C-3PO and Chewbacca; therefore, Rose is better-served as a minor part of the ensemble. The main cast again brings their 'A' game to the material, with Ridley and Driver ably handling complex emotional material, while Isaac oozes movie-star charisma in every frame. Richard E. Grant also makes a positive impression as a First Order General, a role which demands exaggerated villainy through a British accent. Another newcomer is Keri Russell (late of Abrams' Felicity), who's a fine addition as a feisty former criminal companion of Poe's. Abrams also brings back several recognisable actors through vocal cameos, in a superb fan service moment. There are other effective cameos to boot, including the return of Denis Lawson as Wedge Antilles (in a blink-and-you'll-miss-it shot), while Abrams himself voices a new droid, as well.
Even though The Rise of Skywalker is more coherent than anticipated (considering the rumours of reshoots and studio meddling), it nevertheless feels as if a chorus line of internet forum users contributed to the screenplay, with Abrams and Terrio trying to tick as many boxes as possible - and more than likely did at least take a cursory glance at online chatter. In comparison, The Last Jedi is undoubtedly a more consistent vision, but the incendiary reaction to that instalment ruined any possibility for a more daring, unexpected finale for the Skywalker Saga. Whereas Johnson favoured a more dramatic tone, The Rise of Skywalker is pure escapism for the fans, delivering a surface-level sugar rush with the benefit of an immense budget, and it hits its mark. It's an imperfect assembly of puzzle pieces, and Abrams deserves credit for keeping the story involving and the energy levels high, creating a highly successful blockbuster under unenviable circumstances. Armchair critics can continue to nitpick, but if the same level of scrutinous analysis was applied to the original Star Wars trilogy, it would also fall apart.
7.7/10
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An average movie
Posted : 4 years, 4 months ago on 21 December 2019 08:18
Of course, like most guys of my age, I have been watching Star Wars my whole life (the first trilogy with my dad, the second trilogy with my buddies and this 3rd trilogy with my step-son) so, obviously, I was really eager to watch this final episode. Unfortunately, it was still the least satisfying installment in a trilogy which turned to out to be not really amazing after all. Eventually, what bothered me the most was how they poorly handled pretty much all the characters just to cater their plot and end this thing. Poe was still a rather boring copy of Han Solo but that was from the very beginning. Finn, who had been really awesome in 'The Force Awakens' was once again really wasted here like he had been in 'The Last Jedi'. They once again tweaked on Rey's origins which was just a chicken sh*t move which cancelled one of the better ideas developed in 'The Last Jedi'. Even though the evolution of Kylo Ren was expected, it wasn't convincing at all and they basically turned the best character into a wimp. Even though they did defend casting Kelly Marie Tran in the previous movie, she eventually ended up playing only in a couple of scenes. Why did they bring back Palpatine to the mix? Why was C-3PO responsible for most of the jokes through the whole duration? There was even a new character played by Keri Russell who wanted to kill Poe and then escape with him within only 5 minutes which was just rather bewildering. I could go on and on with this but I think you got the idea. I guess you might think that I hated the damned thing but, in fact, it was actually not bad though. Indeed, it was great to look at and really spectacular so it was still worth a look but there is no doubt that this whole trilogy turned out to be only a massive cash making machine and I hope they will bring some much needed creativity if they come up with something new in the future.
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Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker review
Posted : 4 years, 4 months ago on 20 December 2019 06:58
Dud, I don´t understand, the critics like the 8 movie but the public don´t, now it happens the oppesite.
This shows the influence of the community.
This shows the influence of the community.
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