NOTE: In the interest of preserving the theatrical experience for viewers, this review is as spoiler-free as possible. It touches on themes and includes overall impressions, but it does not contain any specific details about the plot aside from what has been shown in trailers.
Star Wars: Episode IX The Rise of Skywalker is the end. Not just of Disney’s sequel trilogy which debuted in 2015, but of the entire Skywalker saga—a nine-film modern myth that generations have grown up with over the last 42 years. There’s a lot riding on this film, and that’s even before taking into account the state of the galaxy after The Last Jedi, in which the Resistance was decimated and Luke Skywalker himself perished. And the unexpected death of Carrie Fisher in 2016 meant that Leia, the last surviving member of the original trilogy’s Big Three, could no longer play a prominent role in the film as originally planned. But despite these challenges, writer/director J.J. Abrams (who previously directed The Force Awakens) and co-writer Chris Terrio managed to craft a fantastic conclusion to this seminal saga.
It’s difficult to discuss The Rise of Skywalker without touching on major spoilers, but suffice to say that the story begins in an unexpected way and never lets up from there. J.J. Abrams managed to pack a lot into the film’s 2-hour 21-minute running time, and while the story moves as a brisk pace it never feels rushed. Every scene is intentional, building up to the epic finale. It has a good balance of action and character development, and the tone is surprisingly dark.
One of the most refreshing aspects of The Rise of Skywalker is that the main cast is finally back together. After having spent most of the last movie apart, it’s a joy to see Rey (Daisy Ridley), Finn (John Boyega), and Poe Dameron (Oscar Isaac) reunited for most of the film. Rey and Finn have fantastic chemistry, as do Finn and Poe, and it’s mind boggling to think that Rey and Poe had never even met each other until the final moments of The Last Jedi. The one year time jump between movies also allows for them to grow and change, becoming much more powerful in a way that feels earned.
The trio are joined by Chewbacca (Joonas Suotamo), C-3PO (Anthony Daniels), BB-8, Rose Tico (Kelly Marie Tran), Maz Kanata (Lupita Nyong’o), and other favorites. Even the legendary Billy Dee Williams returns as the smooth Lando Calrissian after being strangely absent from the last two installments. Seeing him on screen again is sure to bring a smile to viewers. While there’s no way for every character to have equal screen time, they all receive an appropriate amount of time in the spotlight and a fitting goodbye.
In addition to the classic characters, The Rise of Skywalker introduces us to a few newcomers, including the fantastic and mysterious Zorii Bliss (Keri Russell), First Order Allegiant General Pryde (Richard E. Grant), the cute little droid D-O, Jannah (Naomi Ackie), Beaumont Kin (Dominic Monaghan), Babu Frik, and more. It’s impossible to say anything about them without revealing the plot of the movie, but they’re all great additions to the Star Wars universe and add more depth to the story and our beloved characters.
Going into the final act of the sequel trilogy, there are a number of questions on the minds of fans—not the least of which is how Emperor Palpatine (Ian McDiarmid), the personification of evil in the galaxy, could have possibly returned after Darth Vader threw him into the Death Star’s reactor in Return of the Jedi. The Rise of Skywalker handles this with aplomb, and it does so in a way that doesn’t cheapen Vader’s sacrifice and redemption.
The question of Rey’s parentage is handled very well, as is the potential redemption of Kylo Ren / Ben Solo (Adam Driver) and seduction of Rey (the fascinating who-will-turn-the-other-first dynamic introduced in the previous episode), and even the rivalry between Supreme Leader Kylo Ren and General Hux (Domhnal Gleeson) set up at the end of The Last Jedi. While the movie doesn’t answer every single question posed in this trilogy, it answers the ones that matter and fans are sure to walk away satisfied.
The Rise of Skywalker does a remarkable job tying the sequel trilogy—and the entire Star Wars saga—into a nice bow, especially considering how the story wasn’t as planned out from the beginning as the previous two trilogies. And somehow J.J. Abrams manages to give Leia a beautiful send-off by leveraging unused footage of the late Carrie Fisher. John Williams, too, returns to compose his final Star Wars score. As with The Force Awakens and The Last Jedi the music is a bit subdued at times and there isn’t a standout new theme, but it’s a beautiful score nonetheless.
This movie has everything. Epic space battles, thrilling confrontations, shocking revelations, fist-pumping moments, exciting new planets and aliens, intriguing new Force powers, and more. It’s not perfect (few movies are), but it’s a wonderful conclusion to the Skywalker saga that has brought together generations of fans over the decades. You’ll laugh, you’ll cry, and you’ll enjoy every minute of it. Don’t miss The Rise of Skywalker when it hits theaters on Friday, December 20.
For more on Star Wars: Episode IX The Rise of Skywalker, listen to the Ion Cannon Podcast’s spoiler-free review. And stay tuned for their full-spoiler review on Monday after you’ve had a chance to watch the movie on opening weekend. Images courtesy of Lucasfilm.
Update: Our spoiler-filled review is now available!
—William Devereux (Master Devwi)
Author: William Devereux
William Devereux is the Editor-in-Chief of the Star Wars Report and one of the hosts of the Ion Cannon podcast. When he’s not talking about Star Wars, he works at Microsoft as a Product Manager.