Too Many Hands In The Cookie Jar…

For the second time in my own existence, a conclusion to the Skywalker Saga (as it’s been recently touted) comes to silver-screen in all its sci-fi splendour once again; a finale of which a new and divisive trilogy has been crafted. It only felt like it was yesterday since Disney acquired the shimmering rights of LucasFilm and the Star Wars stories that would subsequently unfold into devotee’s rightly clutching in excitement to see where the story goes forth from the events of Return of the Jedi. What came about was the first of many contemporary Star Wars features – The Force Awakens – that unquestionably unified the fandom of the beloved franchise once again and lead to new and wondrous possibilities that saw old and new characters collide. J.J. Abrams’ first outing promised a grandiose future that fans and general audiences alike were gorging over and delegating over certain theories on the likes of Rey and Snoke. Then came Rian Johnson’s The Last Jedi which although caused an uproar with fans and critics alike sharing varying and contrasting opinions of the said films narrative and characterisation, it equally opened-up small details that previous Star Wars films had never explored before-hand and presented new possibilities that were different from the norm; even despite the film leaving more questions than answers. In safely turning their backs away from the stifling controversies of The Last Jedi that sent ripples across the fandom, Disney and Abrams conjures a mix of crowd-pleasing spectacle and a conservative way of bespeaking adventurous story-telling in the form of The Rise of Skywalker that sticks rather closely with the thematic elements that were established in The Force Awakens. With this said however, Is it a case where Abrams’ filmic patch of The Rise of Skywalker feels as though it’s a step-back (perceived to be a direct sequel of The Force Awakens) rather than a giant leap-forward to projects a grand-finale that is surprising yet satisfying? Imbuing any amount of closure to those fans that hold Star Wars so dearly?…

While the First Order continues to ravage the galaxy, Rey finalises her training as a Jedi. But danger suddenly rises from the ashes as the evil Emperor Palpatine mysteriously returns from the dead. While working with Finn and Poe Dameron to fulfil a new mission, Rey will not only face Kylo Ren once more, but she will also finally discover the truth about her parents as well as a deadly secret that could determine her future and the fate of the ultimate final showdown that is to come.

Considering the unequivocally divisive filmic choices that were inevitably made in Rian Johnson’s The Last Jedi, which incontrovertibly divided audiences and critics alike over the story and character decisions and how it concluded on a note that was rather ambiguous, what we have in the form of J.J. Abrams’ return to the series – in the form of The Rise of Skywalker – is a ‘grand’ finale that hurls its story at light speed in between being inventive yet inevitable at the same time. Whereas Abrams handsomely tries to amend the aforesaid and infamous story choices that were made in the preceding feature, in amalgamating aspects from Johnson’s controversial film and tying-up long narrative threads that really should have addressed way before now, much of what is perceived comes across a safe-projection of a story that doesn’t necessarily take risks; despite being an accomplishment in providing fun and enthusiasm that Star Wars is renowned for. As much as it’s arguable to state that Abrams’ return to the series is a feature recognised as a conclusion of high stakes (compared to the previous endings of Return of the Jedi and Revenge of the Sith) not only because of its attempts to wrap-up a story-arc spanning three trilogies, but also how it follows-on from the frenzied derision of The Last Jedi who many felt ‘betrayed’ by, much of its heightened and clear grandiose spectacle never truly lives-up to its own expectations and much of this resides in the fact that story elements and specific character revelations feel predictable, safe and, more importantly, forced (mind the pun). In returning to the core themes of The Force Awakens, in further exploring Rey’s identity and what her origin means for herself and the rest of buddy-friends whilst continuing her long-distance, combative relationship with Kylo Ren (oddly echoing the star-struck ‘romance’ perceived in Makoto Shinkai’s features), Abrams attempts in crafting a meaningful yet original narrative doesn’t necessarily follow through. You can’t help but think about think about the concluding points once the film enters its third act; which plays out to be a rather predicable outcome that didn’t fulfil me with excitement as I hoped it would have. For sure, one can’t argue Abrams’ efforts in making a conclusion for those who love Stat Wars, since there are inclinations that reference past features and how the structure of the narrative is moving at a hasty yet fun pace that you can easily follow the events that unfold. However, sudden character choices and the story-aspects that are inevitably drawn-out do feel as though they’ve been picked-out from a a wookiee’s back…One aspect that I specific example I want to refer to in relation to this qualm is the re-emergence of Emperor Palpatine. As dismayed as I was that the character of Supreme Leader Snoke fell to his own confidence in the previous venture, much of what I wanted from his death was to see Kylo Ren become a character doesn’t expectedly change, which does so happen to be the case in this film with a beautiful scene involving Harrison Ford, and becomes a crazed leader seeking something further than was what established by both Palpatine and Vader (something which was rumoured to be the case in a leaked script for Episode IX). What we get instead is a hail-Mary return of an infamous villain that is ludicrous even for a series like Star Wars which is celebrated for its farcical happenings. Considering the concluding moments of The Last Jedi, Palpatines return as the ultimate mastermind doesn’t make-sense and rather diminishes the entire story-arc of Anakin Skywalker/Darth Vader; how he was prophesied to bring balance to the Force. As well, with Palpatine returning to the fold, wouldn’t it have made sense from the hierarchy funding/distributing the film to keep this spontaneous return a secret, rather than unveiling his persona in the first teaser trailer? As much as they needed audiences to be re-invigorated in the famed franchise once again, Palpatines return really should have been taken care of with better grace; rather than disclosing him through trailers which give away the central crux of the narrative. For him to be the central mastermind once again feels tiresome to say the least and being that his reveal feels so random and unexplained, it adds fuel to this fire of Disney and the architects of this new trilogy not really knowing where they wanted to go with Star Wars. It’s clear from the onslaught of Star Wars films that Disney have produced/distributed in the past five years has credited to this idea/theory that Kathleen Kennedy never truly had a road-map in terms of how this new trilogy would start and end. As much as the camaraderie evoked through the likes of Rey, Fin and Po are good to see in this last spacey swan-song, and how this idea of Rey and Kylo being connected through the whimsy of the Force is rather appealing, much of what we see feels as though it should have been appropriated for the second film, rather than the last film which is supposed to wrap everything up in a nice and neat bow. In many ways, Rise of Skywalker does feel as though it should have taken place right after The Force Awakens due to the said features call-back to Abrams’ first outing and the stylisation closely links to the first of the trilogy as well. One positive I can commend the film for, is its devotion in projecting a story that is still considerably enjoyable than the previous film which rather neglected its characters…

Speaking of which, what’s abundantly clear to perceive from The Rise of Skywalker’s introduction is how much Abrams is taking note of The Last Jedi’s characterisation and how he wanted to see the likes of Rey, Finn and Poe all band together; just like we see with Luke, Leia and Han in the original films. Much of the disdain I personally had over the preceding feature was due to it’s split narrative structure and how the central characters were rather lacklustre and rather repellent in terms of their likeability. Whereas Po was on the last remaining Resistance ships frantically trying to save the day and uncover if there was a mole within their ranks (a rather dumb and pointless narrative aspect which went nowhere), you had the likes of Fin with Rose trying to find a code-breaker (again which lead to nowhere) and Rey pleading a dispassionate Luke Skywalker. With that film adopting a three-way structure that alternated between different perspectives, there was never any real engagement and reliability that made you care for any of the characters actions. The only ever feasible aspect we cared about was the identity/origin of Rey, which was rather side-swiped and didn’t go anywhere…You can clearly see there was a pattern in the last films can’t you?! Digressing from that however, what’s ultimately pleasing to see is the interactions between these said characters since you can empathise with the companionship that they have for one another; especially seen through Finn and Poe’s quippy bickering. Poe – in full Indiana Jones mode – is loads of fun here, though these capers bear little relation to his learning curve last time. Boyega is strangely under-served: he gets more screen-time than before but less forward motion. While Finn’s bond with Rey is repeatedly said to be important to both, they get no room to actually develop it. As highlighted before, whilst much of the fun aspects of the film come from the arbitrary narrative that makes for sequences that are action packed and visually appealing, much of the same can be said of the central protagonists and how they equally contribute towards Rise of Skywalker being as fun as it should be. One specific facet that was intriguing to fathom over was this continuation of Rey and Kylo’s combative yet mystical entanglement with one another through the Force (one of the only good things to have come out from Rian Johnson’s feature). There are many occasions when the two Force sensitive persona’s interact with one another in very strange ways, as if they’re communicating through space and time which is something that I thought was handled very well in relation to the editing and visual aspects; how the perspectives of the respective characters change from one place to another. While the revelation of Rey’s origin and her fateful encounter with Palpatine, and what subsequently follows-on after that, feel generally forced and a narrative option that feels incredibly safe to the point where the film-makers didn’t want to confuse audiences any further due to the internet meltdown of the last film, it was a construct that was handled with care; whereby it didn’t feel too exaggerated. Both Daisy Ridley and Adam Driver rise to the challenge of their roles, with the former increasingly commanding the screen while the latter exhibits vulnerabilities beneath the cracked face mask. Between them, they carry the burden of the film’s emotional core as Abrams invokes the fractured-family revelations of yore that have always been a Star Wars staple. Much of the same can be said of Carrie Fisher’s Princess Leia who beautifully bows out with an emotional grace.

Stylistically, The Rise of Skywalker returns to the aesthetics of The Force Awakens, juggling rocket-fuelled action sequences – dogfights, desert chases and saber-battles abound – with straight-faced “dark v light” standoffs, retaining the thread of humour that dates back to A New Hope while still taking the unfolding events deadly seriously. While Rian Johnson delighted in wrong-footing viewer expectations (Luke comically ditching a sacred revered object in Episode VIII raised laughs, gasps and shrieks of dismay in equal measure), Abrams keeps things closer to home, reviving that strange sense of quasi-mystical cod-reverence that was the hallmark of Lucas’s original productions. Unlike The Last Jedi, Episode IX takes a leap of faith in providing your gaze with a myriad of different and vibrant locations that, like true Star Wars fashion, offer so little in detail yet impact you enough to the point where you want to see more. One of the better locations is that of Kijimi, a frigid mountainous planet inhabited by the First Order, which visually provides a dark yet steam-punk aesthetic that Star Wars has never really ventured towards before. It’s the place in the film where we’re introduced to an interesting character in the form of Zorii Bliss, an old acquaintance of Poe, and where Rey faces off against Kylo Ren; no matter where the respective characters are in the galaxy.

As I stated all those years ago reviewing The Force Awakens, and how gleeful I was upon the franchises return to the big-screen and what wondrous events lay ahead, Star Wars was and still remains to be a concept that I cherish and love watching over, and over again. Everything about the series had action sequences and relatable and intersting characters that went well with a simple story line that was fun to watch and be mesmerised by. As I grew-up watching the prequels and repeatedly watching the original trilogy, I couldn’t help myself but talk about the different intricacies of the respective Episodes and the characters that resided in them. Abrams’ first-outing of this brand new trilogy initiated those inherent and pure feelings once again, a pleasure where I could once again escape into the realms of the Force and perceive new and familiar faces. While it’s disappointing that certain aspects of this new trilogy didn’t go down a route that was devoid of any Star Wars norms, how instead we ended-up with a series that ultimately didn’t have a road-map, I can’t deny that this new take of Star Wars didn’t completely disconcert me. There are many moments and beautiful sequences which, on repeated viewings, I will admire. Abrams’ saving grace of The Rise of Skywalker is a good example of this, with it possessing a hasty yet fun swan-song that provides devotee’s with the service they’ve been itching for. To put it simply, and to try and elaborate on what I feel about this ending and how I felt when walking out of the cinema, the saga ends with neither a bang nor a whimper, but something in-between…Something which I never would have imagined four-five years ago…And, to put it bluntly, all good things must come to an end at some-point…

On that note, it’s time for me to end this week’s Film Review. As always everyone, thank you for reading my latest Film Review of  Return of the Jedi and if anyone wants to share their thoughts on the film or review itself, then you’re more than welcome to comment down below. For next week, I’ll be discussing Sam Mendes’ 1917, a war-film that adopts a unique and stylistic formality that engages you to a simple yet tense narrative…With that said, thank you once again for reading my latest Film Review and I hope you’re all having a nice weekend! Adieu! 😃🚀 👾☄️🌌⚔️

★ ★ ★ ★ ☆ – Alex Rabbitte