It feels like
The Rise of Skywalker (TRoS) has been a long time coming. But in other ways, it seems like only yesterday
that the sequel trilogy began with The Force Awakens. However you do the math, the end of the Skywalker Saga is an historic event: the final chapter in a nine-film saga spanning over forty-two years of film-making. Fortunately, our local cinema went all-out to mark this auspicious occasion - celebrating the midnight premiere with Star Wars-themed cocktails, a costume competition, and a "cantina band" playing all of the tunes we know and love.
Of course, given the enormity of the task faced by TRoS, there was no way this film was ever going to be all things for all people. Fortunately for my wife and I... it was. Sure, it packs an enormous amount into its 2 hour 22 minute runtime - whisking us from one exotic locale to the next at almost breakneck speed. But, for me, it never feels rushed. In fact, my very first comment to my wife upon leaving the cinema was just how satisfying the pacing was. While The Last Jedi is one of my favourite films of the saga, there's no denying that there were moments when the film seemed to drag. Such is never the case in TRoS, and I was astonished at how quickly the near two-and-a-half hour film flew by.
Fast pacing seems to be par for the course in trilogy-concluding Star Wars films. TRoS, however, is burdened with the task of concluding an entire trilogy of trilogies. But boy does it do this in the most satisfying ways. TRoS not only pays homage and respect to the two preceding sequel films, but also to everything else that has come before - including the prequels, the original trilogy, and even the Expanded Universe of visual media. The film is bursting at the seams with references, head-nods, and - yes - enormous fan service. But honestly, that's the very thing I wanted out of this film. If The Force Awakens was a safe and stable liftoff and The Last Jedi was an acrobatic joyride, then The Rise of Skywalker is the smoothest, most comforting landing you could ever wish for.
That being said, this film doesn't pull any punches. While I'm still uncertain where TRoS will fall in my ranking of Star Wars films, I found it more emotionally resonant than any saga film before. TRoS is - like all of Star Wars - a story of hope and redemption. But at a deeper level, it's about growing beyond your past; be it that which you were born into, or that which you freely chose. It's a theme to which many will easily relate - particularly those in their adult years.
Visually, the film is the prettiest yet, taking us to fantastical locales the likes of which we've only ever really seen in non-filmic Star Wars media. John Williams score - while not as memorable as some of his previous entries - also provides a robust backing to this final chapter with many wonderful callbacks to previous themes. Of course, the best part about this film is that the band is finally together. After two films of disparate storylines occasionally crossing paths, our new heroes have finally come together in force (pun entirely intended). Their chemistry is electric, and brings plenty of warmth and humour to offset the moments of tragedy that this final chapter of the Star Wars saga was always bound to contain.
