Pop Culture Movies and More: Star Wars: Episode IX

While the First Order continues to ravage the galaxy, Rey finalizes 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 to fulfil a new mission, Rey will not only face Kylo Ren but will finally discover the truth about her parents as well as a deadly secret that could determine her future and the fate of the ultimate showdown that is to come. The Rise of Skywalker is the final entry in the sequel trilogy that aims to conclude not only the story of these characters but, essentially, the franchise as a whole. Like the previous entries, I saw this in theatres with my Dad, and it was definitely a mixed bag. In all honesty, this film doesn't truly feel like a rewarding final entry to the greatest sci-fi series of all time. Nor does it seem like a triumphant end to the story of this trilogy, which isn't saying much with how divisive it has been with plenty of ups and downs. Now, this trilogy has suffered from a lack of cohesive narrative planning, and it is just as painfully obvious here as it was in The Last Jedi. Dissecting what plays out in this movie almost felt like watching a fan fiction production with a million-dollar budget. Following the inharmonious Star Wars: Episode VIII - The Last Jedi (2017), Episode IX had a hard time ahead with plenty of hurdles to overcome. There was a requirement to appease and get on board as many fans as possible after the polarising last film, finishing both the story of these characters and the entire franchise whilst further delivering an exciting adventure. It was certainly an uphill battle and with directors being fired and stories getting scrapped, things were looking rough. Finally settling on director J. J. Abrams once again, it was possible for an equal level production to his last, but that was not to be. Some of the choices made are, quite frankly, outlandish, with the grandest being the idea of bringing back Palpatine after his 'presumed' death in Star Wars: Episode VI - Return of the Jedi (1983). I was initially intrigued by the notion when revealed in the trailer but was equally weary as his return would undermine the entire saga and Anakin's redemption arc. His appearance and contribution is ultimately underwhelming, so much so that I wish they had left him dead. They don't even do that good a job of explaining how, although it's implied he is a clone, even though that is practically an idea deemed impossible in all previous content. I wouldn't have had a problem with his inclusion if it wasn't left to the last movie as an afterthought. The remaining cast is equally a mixture. There is obvious effort being provided by the cast, but with little to do or weak material to work with, they continue to fall flat. We spend the majority of our time with Rey, Finn, Poe, Chewie, C-3PO and BB-8 on their mission to uncover a way to the hidden planet Exegol, where Palpatine is supposedly residing alongside a fleet of planet-killing Star Destroyers. Kylo Ren continues to hunt Rey after discovering Palpatine first and learning the truth, temporarily aligning with him with the promise of owning the fleet. Once again, Kylo Ren steals the show with some phenomenal moments, many of which were on an emotional hitting performance. Leia's contribution was handled well under the circumstances of Carrie Fisher's passing, with unused footage being worked well enough into the story. There was plenty of action present throughout even if most was again lacklustre, like the fantastic setting of a fight on the Death Star II ruins, which was treated to clunky choreography. The Exegol sequences were interesting to a degree but could've been so much better. The effects naturally are spectacular, but there needs to be more substance in writing quality than effect quantity. Overall, The Rise of Skywalker is not remotely the successful climactic end to a grand franchise. It sadly delivers a deflated final product to finish off the trilogy that tries too much whilst not trying enough. Like in each movie, there are elements to take from or give some entertainment, but, as a whole, it is still weak. A disappointing end to what should have been a blockbuster hit trilogy. I will personally be sticking to the main six.