Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker, the final film in the latest Star Wars Trilogy, was released in Philippine theaters on December. As a Star Wars fan, I made sure I got to see it on its first day. In fact, I saw it twice on its first two days of showing. I have to say, I don't care what the critics say because I absolutely loved it!
This 9th chapter in the decades-long Star Wars saga hasn't been well-received by critics but, at least based on Rotten Tomatoes, audiences seem to love it (as of this writing, it has a 54% approval rating among critics but an 86% rating among audiences). This is pretty much the opposite of previous film The Last Jedi which was praised by critics (91%) but hated by audiences (43%). Personally, I think there is no pleasing many critics and fans who all seem to have very specific expectations on how the story should go or how the characters should act and/or behave. I think the reason why I enjoyed these movies is that each time, I just went into the theaters waiting to see where the films would take me and I just enjoyed seeing all the characters, new and old, interacting with each other and taking the story forward. Some people have criticized that films for putting forward an overused or cliche story. I guess I can understand that, but there have been so many stories told and so many films made that it's hard to put forward a completely new story (especially in a case like this where the filmmakers had a 3-movie limit to create a story). Also, I've come to realize that what I appreciate most in films are the characters and the conflicts they face. And in this latest Star Wars trilogy, there was a a lot of conflict, both internal and external, especially when it came to Rey and Kylo Ren.
SPOILER ALERT: Please stop reading now if you don't want to know more about the film!!!
I don't get criticisms about the supposed lack of story. If I try to summarize the film, Emperor Palpatine seemingly returns from the dead, threatening to control the galaxy. Kylo Ren searches for the Emperor to eliminate the potential threat to his own power and control. General Leia and her troops learn about the return of Palpatine and they decide that the best way to defeat him is to find him so Rey, Finn, Poe, Chewbacca, C3P0, R2D2, and BB8 go on a galactic quest to find the Sith wayfinder to help them find Exogol where Palpatine supposedly is. While all this is happening, the First Order continue to go after the Resistance to wipe them out. That's a lot going on. I personally don't see a lack of story; I think that the critics just maybe wanted a different one.
I really loved the pace and the intensity of this movie. It is so action-packed. Only in the first half, there were already two major confrontations between Rey and Kylo Ren. I continue to love the "bond" between the two and I think their ability to see each other as if they were actually standing right in front of each other even if they are galaxies apart adds such wonderful and unique flavor to this latest trilogy. Adam Driver continues to really impress me and I really do think he's one of the best actors of his generation. I desperately want him to be recognized and to receive awards and accolades for his immense talent.
I also love how the climax of the film was pretty much a battle between all the Sith and all the Jedi. Naturally, I am happy that the Jedi won. But even if Rey channeled all the Jedi to defeat the Emperor and all the Sith, she herself almost died, which kind of indicated to me that the Jedi and the Sith really are two sides of the same coin. She only survived because Ben Skywalker, who himself teetered between being a Jedi and being a Sith, transferred what was left of his life force to her. That was such a poignant moment and when Kylo Ren disappeared, in the same way that Yoda, Obi-Wan, and Luke did, my heart sank.
People have commented that there was too much fan service and too much nostalgia. I will counter that by saying that for a film saga as large as this that has spanned decades, I don't there is no other way to end it than by looking back. Some of nostalgic highlights for me:
1. The sequence of sad scenes of the original characters
Leia dying (which felt even more moving because Carrie Fisher passed away a few years ago), Chewbacca learning about her death and grieving, and Han Solo returning on-screen as Kylo Ren's memory left a few audience members with tears in their eyes.
2. The sequence of redemption scenes
Ben Solo got help from the image of Han Solo in his memory and found his way back, signaling the demise of Kylo Ren. This was followed by Luke Skywalker telling Rey that he was wrong about hiding in Ahch-To all these years and that Rey needs to face the threat of the Emperor head-on because "confronting fear is the destiny of a Jedi"
3. Han Solo telling Ben Skywalker "I know"
In The Empire Strikes Back, Leia says "I love you" to Han and he responds by saying "I know". They flip these lines towards the end of Return of the Jedi. But pretty much any Star Wars fan knows this iconic line very well. So in The Rise of Skywalker, when Ben struggles to say something to Han and Han says "I know", we all knew that Ben meant to tell his dad that he loves him.
4. The return of many characters, even it was only their voice
Apart from the names I've already mentioned, it was great seeing Lando Calrissian (Billy Dee Williams), Nien Nunb (performed by Mike Quinn and voiced by Kipsang Rotich), and Wicket (Warwick Davis!) and hearing the voices of Darth Vader (James Earl Jones), Anakin Skywalker (Hayden Christensen), Obi-Wan Kenobi (both Alec Guinness and Ewan McGregor), Yoda (Frank Oz), Qui-Gon Jinn (Liam Neeson), and Mace Windu (Samuel L. Jackson). It was also cool seeing the Jawas. Special call-out to Wedge Antilles (Denis Lawson), who is one of the few characters who actually survived galactic dog fights from A New Hope all the way to The Rise of Skywalker. It was also cool seeing John Williams on-screen as a bartender in Kijimi.
5. C3P0 saying "Taking one last look, sir, at my friends"
He thought he was going to lose his memory (and for a while, he did, before R2D2 wired most of it back in) but C3P0 sacrificing himself for the benefit of the Resistance was quite moving.
6. Luke raising the X-Wing from the sea
He does this, including arm and hand position, in practically the same way that Yoda raised that same X-Wing from the swamps of Dagobah in The Empire Strikes Back.
7. Ben Solo and Rey fighting alongside each other again
One of the highlights of The Last Jedi was that incredible battle scene at Snoke's throne room where Rey and Kylo Ren fight on the same side. Unfortunately, Kylo doesn't turn away from the dark side at that point. But once he becomes Ben Solo again, he and Rey reenact that amazing battle scene but with a bit of a twist. I really love how Rey "handed" a light saber to Ben which triggers that amazing fight sequence.
8. Chewbacca getting a medal
One of the biggest issues people had with Episode IV A New Hope was that Luke and Han both got medals while Chewbacca didn't. Chewie doesn't exactly get a new medal in The Rise of Skywalker but after the Resistance end the First (Final) Order, Maz tells him that Leia wanted him to have that medal (which was presumably Han's medal).
9. Return to Tatooine
It all started in Tatooine so it is only fitting to end the saga there. Chronologically, this is where Anakin Skywalker is discovered by Qui-Gon Jinn and Obi-Wan Kenobi. Based on film release, the first movie A New Hope starts off in Tatooine, where Luke is living with his uncle and aunt. Seeing Rey return to where Luke lived, burying his light saber there along with Leia's, then adopting their last name - Skywalker - was the perfect way to pay homage to the original trilogy and provide the right amount of fan service to Star Wars aficionados all over the world.
I was quite emotional at the film's climax and denouement because this was truly the end of an incredible era. Yes, Disney may decide to make more Star Wars films and maybe even another trilogy in the future, but by then we don't know whether any of the original cast will still be around. Too many of the cast from the original Trilogy have already passed on: Carrie Fisher, Peter Mayhew, Kenny Baker, Alec Guiness, Eric Bauersfield (Ackbar), Jason Wingreen (Boba Fett). Any potential Star Wars film in the future may feature even less of the original cast and that somehow saddens me. But, of course, that is life.
I'm really happy with how Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker wrapped everything up. As I mentioned, I watched it twice and I absolutely loved it both times (the second time allowed me to appreciate it even more). I'm not sure if a DVD will be released - I think most films are now released on media streaming services and not necessarily on DVDs - but I definitely want to get a copy of this movie so that I can continue to watch it whenever I want in the future.
This 9th chapter in the decades-long Star Wars saga hasn't been well-received by critics but, at least based on Rotten Tomatoes, audiences seem to love it (as of this writing, it has a 54% approval rating among critics but an 86% rating among audiences). This is pretty much the opposite of previous film The Last Jedi which was praised by critics (91%) but hated by audiences (43%). Personally, I think there is no pleasing many critics and fans who all seem to have very specific expectations on how the story should go or how the characters should act and/or behave. I think the reason why I enjoyed these movies is that each time, I just went into the theaters waiting to see where the films would take me and I just enjoyed seeing all the characters, new and old, interacting with each other and taking the story forward. Some people have criticized that films for putting forward an overused or cliche story. I guess I can understand that, but there have been so many stories told and so many films made that it's hard to put forward a completely new story (especially in a case like this where the filmmakers had a 3-movie limit to create a story). Also, I've come to realize that what I appreciate most in films are the characters and the conflicts they face. And in this latest Star Wars trilogy, there was a a lot of conflict, both internal and external, especially when it came to Rey and Kylo Ren.
SPOILER ALERT: Please stop reading now if you don't want to know more about the film!!!
I don't get criticisms about the supposed lack of story. If I try to summarize the film, Emperor Palpatine seemingly returns from the dead, threatening to control the galaxy. Kylo Ren searches for the Emperor to eliminate the potential threat to his own power and control. General Leia and her troops learn about the return of Palpatine and they decide that the best way to defeat him is to find him so Rey, Finn, Poe, Chewbacca, C3P0, R2D2, and BB8 go on a galactic quest to find the Sith wayfinder to help them find Exogol where Palpatine supposedly is. While all this is happening, the First Order continue to go after the Resistance to wipe them out. That's a lot going on. I personally don't see a lack of story; I think that the critics just maybe wanted a different one.
I really loved the pace and the intensity of this movie. It is so action-packed. Only in the first half, there were already two major confrontations between Rey and Kylo Ren. I continue to love the "bond" between the two and I think their ability to see each other as if they were actually standing right in front of each other even if they are galaxies apart adds such wonderful and unique flavor to this latest trilogy. Adam Driver continues to really impress me and I really do think he's one of the best actors of his generation. I desperately want him to be recognized and to receive awards and accolades for his immense talent.
I also love how the climax of the film was pretty much a battle between all the Sith and all the Jedi. Naturally, I am happy that the Jedi won. But even if Rey channeled all the Jedi to defeat the Emperor and all the Sith, she herself almost died, which kind of indicated to me that the Jedi and the Sith really are two sides of the same coin. She only survived because Ben Skywalker, who himself teetered between being a Jedi and being a Sith, transferred what was left of his life force to her. That was such a poignant moment and when Kylo Ren disappeared, in the same way that Yoda, Obi-Wan, and Luke did, my heart sank.
People have commented that there was too much fan service and too much nostalgia. I will counter that by saying that for a film saga as large as this that has spanned decades, I don't there is no other way to end it than by looking back. Some of nostalgic highlights for me:
1. The sequence of sad scenes of the original characters
Leia dying (which felt even more moving because Carrie Fisher passed away a few years ago), Chewbacca learning about her death and grieving, and Han Solo returning on-screen as Kylo Ren's memory left a few audience members with tears in their eyes.
2. The sequence of redemption scenes
Ben Solo got help from the image of Han Solo in his memory and found his way back, signaling the demise of Kylo Ren. This was followed by Luke Skywalker telling Rey that he was wrong about hiding in Ahch-To all these years and that Rey needs to face the threat of the Emperor head-on because "confronting fear is the destiny of a Jedi"
3. Han Solo telling Ben Skywalker "I know"
In The Empire Strikes Back, Leia says "I love you" to Han and he responds by saying "I know". They flip these lines towards the end of Return of the Jedi. But pretty much any Star Wars fan knows this iconic line very well. So in The Rise of Skywalker, when Ben struggles to say something to Han and Han says "I know", we all knew that Ben meant to tell his dad that he loves him.
4. The return of many characters, even it was only their voice
Apart from the names I've already mentioned, it was great seeing Lando Calrissian (Billy Dee Williams), Nien Nunb (performed by Mike Quinn and voiced by Kipsang Rotich), and Wicket (Warwick Davis!) and hearing the voices of Darth Vader (James Earl Jones), Anakin Skywalker (Hayden Christensen), Obi-Wan Kenobi (both Alec Guinness and Ewan McGregor), Yoda (Frank Oz), Qui-Gon Jinn (Liam Neeson), and Mace Windu (Samuel L. Jackson). It was also cool seeing the Jawas. Special call-out to Wedge Antilles (Denis Lawson), who is one of the few characters who actually survived galactic dog fights from A New Hope all the way to The Rise of Skywalker. It was also cool seeing John Williams on-screen as a bartender in Kijimi.
5. C3P0 saying "Taking one last look, sir, at my friends"
He thought he was going to lose his memory (and for a while, he did, before R2D2 wired most of it back in) but C3P0 sacrificing himself for the benefit of the Resistance was quite moving.
6. Luke raising the X-Wing from the sea
He does this, including arm and hand position, in practically the same way that Yoda raised that same X-Wing from the swamps of Dagobah in The Empire Strikes Back.
7. Ben Solo and Rey fighting alongside each other again
One of the highlights of The Last Jedi was that incredible battle scene at Snoke's throne room where Rey and Kylo Ren fight on the same side. Unfortunately, Kylo doesn't turn away from the dark side at that point. But once he becomes Ben Solo again, he and Rey reenact that amazing battle scene but with a bit of a twist. I really love how Rey "handed" a light saber to Ben which triggers that amazing fight sequence.
8. Chewbacca getting a medal
One of the biggest issues people had with Episode IV A New Hope was that Luke and Han both got medals while Chewbacca didn't. Chewie doesn't exactly get a new medal in The Rise of Skywalker but after the Resistance end the First (Final) Order, Maz tells him that Leia wanted him to have that medal (which was presumably Han's medal).
9. Return to Tatooine
It all started in Tatooine so it is only fitting to end the saga there. Chronologically, this is where Anakin Skywalker is discovered by Qui-Gon Jinn and Obi-Wan Kenobi. Based on film release, the first movie A New Hope starts off in Tatooine, where Luke is living with his uncle and aunt. Seeing Rey return to where Luke lived, burying his light saber there along with Leia's, then adopting their last name - Skywalker - was the perfect way to pay homage to the original trilogy and provide the right amount of fan service to Star Wars aficionados all over the world.
I was quite emotional at the film's climax and denouement because this was truly the end of an incredible era. Yes, Disney may decide to make more Star Wars films and maybe even another trilogy in the future, but by then we don't know whether any of the original cast will still be around. Too many of the cast from the original Trilogy have already passed on: Carrie Fisher, Peter Mayhew, Kenny Baker, Alec Guiness, Eric Bauersfield (Ackbar), Jason Wingreen (Boba Fett). Any potential Star Wars film in the future may feature even less of the original cast and that somehow saddens me. But, of course, that is life.
I'm really happy with how Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker wrapped everything up. As I mentioned, I watched it twice and I absolutely loved it both times (the second time allowed me to appreciate it even more). I'm not sure if a DVD will be released - I think most films are now released on media streaming services and not necessarily on DVDs - but I definitely want to get a copy of this movie so that I can continue to watch it whenever I want in the future.
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