Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker - A Review
- ThisIsRyssa
- Dec 27, 2019
- 7 min read
Updated: Dec 28, 2019
By now I believe most of you have been to the cinema to watch the final chapter of the Skywalker saga of Star Wars. I watched it on the day it premiered mainly because the internet is dark and full of spoilers. And thankfully I did because I don't think I would have been able to process what I watched if I had gotten caught by a spoiler before hand. If you haven't seen TRoS yet, you better turn back now. Spoilers ahead.
Whenever someone asks for my opinion on the film, I simply say that I am suffering some form of PTSD, because, for lack of a better term, I am. It was like riding the most invigorating theme park ride of your life, adrenaline pumping through your veins, eyes wide with wonder and then all of a sudden you're falling into this deep abyss, screaming, begging, pleading with the Universe, "Why did he have to die?!"
Rian Johnson left so much room to move around after The Last Jedi (TLJ). Although that installment was met with a plethora of bad impressions from fans, there were a great deal of us who did very much enjoy it.
There are so many issues with The Rise of Skywalker (TRoS) that I guess we should address and I believe a few fan accounts on social media and I have been discussing back and forth. Disclosure, none of what I'm going to be listing will be in the order that they appeared in the movie (I am writing as it pops into my head).
1. Sorry about that, Rose.
You remember that awkward kiss between Rose and Finn in The Last Jedi? When she kinda of saves him from self sacrifice? Yeah there was a lot of chemistry lacking in that scene, we might all agree and it was quite unnecessary because there is nothing wrong with a man and woman just being platonic friends. So apparently TRoS decides to completely ignore that entirely. Finn and Rose seem a little estranged and it can be safe to say that they did not embark on a relationship after TLJ. Rose played quite a big role in the second sequel installment, teaming up with Finn to find the Master Codebreaker. But in TRoS, she was barely even there! What gives? Rose became a background character all of a sudden.
2. What did Finn want to tell Rey?
Our little troop, consisting of Rey, Finn, Poe, Chewie, C3PO and BB8, were fleeing from Storm Troopers (who can now fly but that excitement was short lived) the planet of Pasaana where they were on the search for the wayfinder that will lead them to Exegol and Palpatine.
After just giving them the slip, the troop find themselves in some kind of quicksand pit and Finn decides to do the whole "I didn't get to tell you" speech because you think you're about to die.
They didn't die. They sank into the sand and fell into a section of tunnels that ran under the desert. Rey asks what it was that he wanted to say but pushes it aside stating that he'll tell her when Poe is not around. RUDE!
This never gets resolve at any point during the movie and we all had to wait till articles were published online to find out what in the world it was that Finn wanted to tell Rey.
3. Rey is a Palpatine
So one of the biggest shockers was when we find out that Rey is the granddaughter of Emperor Palpatine. We all get sent back to one of Rey and Kylo Ren's Force Bond sessions where he says that her parents were nothing. Technically that was true. Only her grandfather was of great danger to the Galaxy.
When you think about it, that was a pretty cool and interesting angle to take with this story but it was also not that great an idea. Sure it would have been an easy way to explain why Rey's connection to the Force was so strong but it also defeated the fact that she could have earned her place in the Force based on merit and character. It also builds on the emphasis on how powerful a name can be. Shall we not forget Shakespeare, "A rose by any other name..."
4. Ben Solo Deserved Better!
This is the part I wanted to talk about the most. Since The Force Awakens (TFA), there have been many of us that took interest in Kylo Ren/Ben Solo and how it was that he got lured to the Dark Side. Miscommunication, neglect and a series of encounters with dodgy characters could possibly be what took Ben Solo away from the Light and into the clutches of Supreme Leader Snoke. Ben Solo represented so many who made bad decisions and wanted redemption. He stood as a beacon for hope that there is resolve after being led astray for so long.
The Force Bond created in TLJ gave a look behind the curtain, it allowed Rey to slowly chip at the wall that separated Kylo Ren from Ben Solo and we were making progress. At the end of TLJ we almost had it but the power lust was still too prominent.
We had a close call when Rey managed to severely injure him with her lightsaber but she saved him by sharing her life force. Binding them even closer together.
Ben turning up at Exegol to help Rey end the Sith and get rid of Palpatine was the redemption story we had been waiting for. I sat in the cinema, in awe, shaking with a wide grin on my face. It's happening!
When Rey passed the lightsaber to Ben through the Force while he faced the Knights of Ren gave me chills and sent my heart racing a million miles a second! It was truly exciting. Then it doubled when Ben defeated the Knights of Ren to stand side by side with Rey to take on Palpatine, lightsabers at the ready. Adrenaline activated. The battle ensues, strong Force ties discovered by the villian between our heroes and he uses it to bring himself back to full strength.
He tosses Ben down a hole in the floor and Rey is left to defeat him (with help from the voices of Jedi that have come before her). And she does it! Rey destroys Palpatine at the cost of her life.
Ben manages to crawl back up, limping and bleeding, to find Rey pale and lifeless on the floor. He pulls her into his arms and holds her close, hoping against hope that she will come alive at his touch. Ben places his hand at her core and calls on the Force for guidance. By the sheer grace of the Galaxy, she lives! They stare at each other for a while. she smiles and calls him Ben. A tiny smile teases at the corner of his mouth. They continue to stare. I wait with bated breath.
And then it happens! They finally kiss! Blessed be the Goddess! I am all spazzy-happy-dance in my seat and beside myself that one of my favourite ships is officially cannon.
They pull a part and Ben Solo is beaming with true happiness for the first time in what feels like eternity for him. Ben Solo is with someone who never gave up on him. Ben Solo is smiling a pure heartfelt smile. And then the other shoe dropped. Ben Solo falls and is no longer.
Ben Solo sacrificed his remaining life force to save Rey.
THE RISE OF SKYWALKER KILLED BEN SOLO!
They killed Ben Solo. I am stunned and I believe I went numb because it didn't hit me till the day after. This made me feel resentful toward Rey and that, in itself, wasn't right.
5. Saying goodbye to Carrie Fisher and General Organa.
Carrie's scenes in TRoS were archive footage from TLJ. But her spirit was strong. When it came for Leia to be one with the Force and for us to say farewell to a legend that was this character and the actress who played her, I couldn't help but feel honored to have been a live during her reign. She was beautiful and graceful, and there isn't anyone who could compare.
6. Post Ben Solo
Reylo shippers and Ben Solo fans are still sore from the heartache and seething from the injustice. But we have managed to rise above the pain to do good for those who needed it the most. Adam Driver's not-for-profit, Arts In The Armed Forced, launched a gofundme page titled The Rise of Ben Solo and we fans rallied faster than a horse at the Melbourne Cup to support this amazing cause and what they stand for. This gofundme page is also for us to show our gratitude and honor Adam Driver and all his hard work during his time on the Star Wars sequel series. Adam Driver brought such a presence to Ben Solo/Kylo Ren and made it impossible for us to look away when he was on screen. No one could have made us invest in Ben Solo they way that Adam did.
Also, please support this amazing adventure and cause that Adam has built for over ten years and make a donation only if you're able.
7. Other things that I can't get over.
- We took a little detour into Poe's past, pre-Resistance, where we meet Zorii Bliss. There is a hint at a romantic-ish past between these two. It felt a bit disjointed and this role could literally have been played by anyone. If they wanted to showcase Keri Russell and her talent, they should have done more with this character.
- I smiled when we met Babu Frik. He is so tiny and cute and I think we need more of him. And it doesn't hurt that he shares his name with my housemate's dog.
- The flying Storm Troopers. Yeah, a lot of good that did them.
- General Hux being the secret spy for the Resistance. This petty little bitch just couldn't leave Ben alone aye?
- How did Ben manage to reach Rey at Exegol?
- Why was there an entire stadium of Sith followers? Where have they been hiding all this time?
- It was fairly obvious that the remaining Skywalker after Leia would be Ben. Seeing as this episode is called The Rise of Skywalker, wouldn't it have made more sense for Ben to bring himself back to the Light, redeem the Skywalker name and probably bring back the way of the Jedi.
But having Rey go to the Skywalker home on Tatooine and take the Skywalker name was quite random and a last minute attempt for all of this to make sense. Like all the artciles are saying, we met Rey alone on a desert planet and that is exactly where we leave her - alone on a desert planet. It's not poetic, it's just a wasted opportunity.
The reviews for this movie are a roller coaster - a lot of highs and a lot of lows. But out of the ashes of this dumpster fire rose an inspirational spark that is going to change lives for the better. And that is our unwavering support for Arts In The Armed Forces.
Please click the link below for more information on AITAF. https://aitaf.org/
Because of my broken heart, I am giving this a 3.8 out of 5.
Scores:
Rotten Tomatoes - 55%
IMDb - 7/10.
#StarWars #TheRiseOfSkywalker #BenSoloDeservedBetter #SaveBenSolo #ArtsInTheArmedForces #AITAF #AdamDriver #InTheLifeOfRyssa #MovieReview
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