Star Wars: Episode IX - The Rise of Skywalker Review & Comments

Casimir Harlow

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So many boxes to be ticked in this film. I actually rolled my eyes on a couple of occasions too due to the fan service, but that’s probably my age. 6/10
 
Great review Cas. Echoes my thoughts and my score of 7 perfectly.

I know there's gonna be some that hate it, and obviously some that will love it; for me it's the middle ground and just about does the job of wrapping things up.

And I said similar in the main thread about what might have been had Abrams kept at the helm for the duration. And of course I think some things may have been different here had Carrie Fisher not passed away when she did.

Will be digesting my own thoughts the next few days and writing something up over the weekend.
 
Great review, thanks for not giving anything away.

How did they think it would be a good idea to launch a trilogy with no predefined plot for the 3? Is this common practice? You'd think Star Wars would be too big a trilogy to risk on a per film basis.
 
Thanks for the review Cas, sounds exactly like predicted, a lot of fan service but not a complete disaster.
 
Thanks for the review cass. Tickets booked Monday!
 
So boring but the main problem is that I just didn't care about any of the main characters.
 
Great review Cas. But how does 7/10 equate to unmissable? :)
 
Not sure how a film that had a very definitive and Canon setting ending 40 years.... Needed another ending with utterly Bland and poor Characters... Cash grab no thanks I'll keep my memories
 
What's interesting is that this is the first major franchise film where we knew most of the plot about 5 months ago, had a pretty good idea of changes being made and up to a month ago we knew about how the film ends. Plus for the first time ever, George Lucas wasn't at the Premier.
 
Great review Cas. But how does 7/10 equate to unmissable? :)

Nothing to do with the score really. It may not be highly recommended, or even recommended, but it's pretty damn unmissable. For good or bad.
 
Just back from seeing it and a very fair review Cas - not the best but not the worst. I expected a bit more from one bad guy and another’s fate made me laugh. We’ve left the cinema as a family having enjoyed but it’s not going to be too big a deal waiting to see it again on home release.
 
My mini review which I posted on FB after watching it atMidnight.

No spoilers but it was meh 😕

Looks and sounds amazing..but found the story unimaginative, apart from Poe I didn’t really care about any of the characters..!
Even Rey..☹
Found it very hollow film..very strange feeling when I let the cinema.

Glad this trilogy is over overall it’s been a letdown.. in hindsight think they should given it to one director and let him or her run with it.
Like Peter Jackson with the Lord of the Rings.

Had so much promise with The Force Awakens but Rian Johnson took the story arc somewhere that even a course correction from JJ Abrams could save the Skywalker saga.

Think this trilogy will be like the old Clint Eastwood western The good the bad and the ugly.

Episode 7 - Good
Episode 9 - Bad
Episode 8 - Ugly.

6/10.😔

p.s had the 3D showing to myself when image was taken.
 

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Just back from seeing it and although there is probably an element of looking through Star Wars tinted glasses, I honestly don’t get all these mediocre scores. I absolutely loved it. Yeah there’s some dodgy dialogue, some plot holes and a bit of this and a bit of that but thats Star Wars. The original trilogy was not perfect. I think JJ has done a pretty fantastic job of pulling it all together after Johnson decided he was making his own film and sticking two fingers up to the fact it was a trilogy.

At one point it was fashionable to love Star Wars no matter what, now it appears to be the exact opposite, with people ready to bash it at every turn. The Last Jedi deserved it’s criticism, I don’t think this one does.

I would give it a solid 8.5, pushing a 9 and I am going back to see it again tomorrow.
 
I enjoyed rogue one, and the force awakens was decent but not really any of the other films that weren't part of the original trilogy. I won't go see this.
 
With any luck I'm going with my Star Wars buddy between Christmas and New Year's, and if you're giving at a 7/10 I'm hopeful. Thanks Cas!
 
Has Daisy Ridley learned any fencing skills since last time?

Her lightsaber use has been very poor IMO compared to others.
 
I’ll never forgive the bastard for the mega lazy ending to Lost.

And I can’t be the only one tired to the bone of Star Wars by now?

Yet I’ll still presumably contribute to Abrams’ bank balance when it’s Bluray time.

I’ll be compelled to by the fans in the gang.
 
I enjoyed it at the time but did feel strangely empty at the end. The penny dropped that in my mid 40s now maybe this film isn't for me and my age group. I liked a lot about it but did find a few things really cringe.

Ultimately it seems like an unnecessary trilogy that overall didn't really have anything to say or add other than a little bit of additional 'force' mythos. Seeing it again next week with my daughter - I think she'll love it and remind me it's more for her than me. Even though there are some genuinely scary, creepy bits which I worry might freak her out a bit!
 
Good read however after getting to the end of the review I was a little surprised it wasn't a 6/10 tops tbh.

What a wasted opportunity the Disney era movies have been so far and it's pretty sad that what has gone on behind the camera has wound up being far more interesting than what is in front of the camera - and that's just going by official releases and interviews from Disney never mind the rumours and the now proven to be accurate plot leaks.

From the moment I heard the Emperor's voice in the early trailer (such a cheap fix after the abysmal second act) I thought this could very likely be the first Star Wars film I don't go to see in the cinema. If I do go now it'll probably be more out morbid curiosity than wanting to see how they end this rudderless trilogy.

Never mind, Kennedy has said no more trilogies... only for Iger to contradict her a day or so later. At least we have the Mandalorian to keep us entertained while they make up their minds...
 
Just back and I'm one seriously happy SW geek. Yes, it was overstuffed. Yes, it was overkill. And it was damn glorious! Couldn't stop smiling (as well as being a rollercoaster of emotions) I wish more cinema experiences were that much fun!

8.5/10
 
Enjoyed a lot, other elements not so much. I think this is the best conclusion to this trilogy that we could’ve expected. Looking forward to seeing it again Xmas eve. I’ll give it a score then.
 
I’ll never forgive the bastard for the mega lazy ending to Lost.

And I can’t be the only one tired to the bone of Star Wars by now?

Yet I’ll still presumably contribute to Abrams’ bank balance when it’s Bluray time.

I’ll be compelled to by the fans in the gang.

Let's face it, it's been a rollercoaster right from the original Trilogy with people loving Episodes IV and V and VI dividing opinion.

I've seen I and hated it. I didn't think II was much better and I still haven't watched III!

That leaves VII, VIII and IX. VII felt like a fan service and I still haven't watched VIII. I enjoyed both "Rogue One" and "Solo" as offshoots.

The trouble is, you get on board with a franchise you almost feel compelled to get to the end. And ever since Lucas took up the reins again, I've just regarded them as technical exercises meant to show off your Home Cinema that very much reflected the style of the time.

I mean, if you go back and watch the original Trilogy again, they are much more focused on character building and story telling, with the lightsabers and space battles being used relatively sparingly. This balance started to shift during the middle Trilogy, and now it feels almost the complete opposite and very much in the vein of modern blockbusters.

I write this as a 55-year-old who went to see Episode IV six times during the Summer holidays of 1977. If I were 14 now, I think I would probably love the last three films, wouldn't be too sure about the first three and maybe find the middle three laughably slow and antiquated!

And yes, like you I will add it to the Blu-Ray collection. I've got the cream-coloured Box with the first six films, plus VII and VIII as individual releases, I'll probably add this as an individual release (when it's dropped in price heavily) to finish off the collection. There'll probably be one mega Box with all nine films and, no doubt, a stupidly expensive 4K release too to get suckers - sorry, fans - to update YET AGAIN what they've already got too (no thanks).

It feels like it's mostly about generating income now, that the films are just vehicles for that rather than artistic statements in their own right, but maybe opinion will soften as time passes, including my own!
 
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Thanks Cas and agree with your rating. Must admit my first thoughts after seeing the film yesterday afternoon was that it was okay, but somewhat underwhelming bearing in mind the history and length of the story over 9 films. Can't wait for the team review next month.
 
I absolutely loved it. I think it’s by far the strongest of this trilogy and I don’t understand much of the criticism. Having said that as a Star Wars fan I need time to absorb as I really liked the last film walking out the cinema but have grown cold on it since. The best criticism I’ve read about this film said that this was for fanboys - suits me just fine 😁
 

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