As the presumed conclusion of the supposedly final “Star Wars” trilogy, “Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker” invokes more than its share of sentimentality and nostalgia. Whether that makes a good movie will depend entirely upon your willingness to be immersed in love of the characters and a galaxy created a long time ago by George Lucas.
Low expectations also are helpful. After all, the first “conclusion,” “Return of the Jedi,” gave us the Ewoks. Could “The Rise of Skywalker” do worse? Well, it could, but it doesn’t.
There’s a lot of ground (and space) to cover in a finale, especially one with a multitude of characters needing resolution. Rey (Daisy Ridley), Finn (John Boyega) and Poe Dameron (Oscar Isaac) have worked hard to win our hearts the way that Mark Hamill, Carrie Fisher and Harrison Ford did seemingly effortlessly. Character development in the final trilogy has been erratic.
Several favorites from the original trilogy also need to be seen and honored – or not, as the case may be.
And then there’s Kylo Ren (Adam Driver), possibly the most complicated character of the nine “Star Wars” films. What to do, what to do, what to do. Having the talented Driver in the role is the best thing the filmmakers could have done. Any gaps on the page are made up for by his presence.
Much of “Skywalker” echoes scenes and themes of the previous eight. It’s the last chance to save the galaxy from an evil order. It’s the last opportunity for a Jedi to defeat the Sith. It’s the last time to work in familiar jokes and tropes.
Director J.J. Abrams and fellow screenwriter Chris Terrio pay homage to a wealth of humorous “Star Wars” lines and scenarios. Many of them are amusing, and some are actually laugh-out-loud funny.
The drama works the same way. Most of it is acceptable, and several scenes are heart-stopping. But there isn’t that all-consuming atmosphere that swept through the theater with the original trilogy.
As for the action scenes, they do not fall short. Whether in close-up or in epic battles, they have the look and feel of the best “Star Wars” movies.
Abrams has a huge responsibility with “Skywalker,” and he tries very hard to check things off the list. That might be one of the film’s weaknesses – a tendency to make sure everything fans love is up on the screen.
There’s a real fondness for the late Fisher that threads through the film. That’s good and bad – bad as in almost creepy. It makes you wonder how much is Fisher and how much is CGI.
The film’s at its best when Rey and Ren are in each other’s heads. The feat is seamless yet unsettling.
“Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker” doesn’t aim for greatness, nor does it achieve it. But it ends on one of the series’ favorite themes without being syrupy, and that’s a credit to the cast and crew.
Rated PG-13 for sci-fi action and violence. Now in theaters.
Betsy Pickle is a veteran entertainment, features and news reporter best known as the longtime film critic for the Knoxville News Sentinel.