Disclosure: I attended a screening of this film before it debuted in theaters.
Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker is everything I want it to be.
Enjoying this trilogy of Star Wars movies as they come out in the theaters has been unforgettable. The build up leading up to the release. The reveal as I watch with my husband. I’m sad to see it all end. Sitting mesmerized in my theater seat, ruffling through my popcorn as these heroes travel through the stars on an epic journey is one of my favorite moments to have with my husband. He’s a life long fan and I really enjoy the movies. It’s been quite the ride. The boisterous conversations we have after, as I remember little things and he goes deep into nerd knowledge to give me the details and backstory, are just the best.
I wanted a lot from this film. I needed so many answers. I had expectations for characters. Most importantly, a real conclusive ending, sometimes hard to get from director J.J. Abrams, is what had to happen for me. I feel great about it and I can’t wait to see Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker again.
This was the least funny Star Wars movie I’ve seen. There are some laughs to be had but this peak of the saga keeps the tone pressing. Note this movie actually has some pretty scary parts, especially in the beginning. I peeked through squinted eyes a bit. You’ll definitely want to distract the kids a few times or do what you do.
To expect any movie to be the perfect wrap up of a decades long film saga puts a lot of pressure on it. The Rise of Skywalker is an incredible ending to the current trilogy with lots of surprises and tie ins to the other six movies. The story was everything I wanted it to be and more. The sparky battle explosions and lightsaber glows are the riveting visuals I hoped for. The lush and barren, frigid and warm contrasting landscapes were just the settings I expect. The continued and heightened weighing of good and evil within individuals in this film is the intelligent, next level storytelling we need. What The Rise of Skywalker mostly exudes is hope. Especially having a sliver of hope push you to your destiny. Just the way it all began.
