It’s all over. The final instalment in the Skywalker series, Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker has finally been released.
Below, Media Hype‘s Shahbaz Malik and Genevieve Enright share what they really thought of the concluding chapter.
Did the title ‘Rise of Skywalker’ indicate the direction of the movie?
SHAHBAZ: I think it reflected it quite amazingly as it really embodied the entire Skywalker history and how it shaped this extension chapter of the original series.
GENEVIEVE: At first, it seemed a bit murky. Which Skywalker was being referred to here, because The Last Jedi indicated that Luke had been removed from the picture somewhat, unless lynchpin Anakin was the namesake in this situation. Was Skywalker a bloodline specifically, or was it a legacy of the Jedi themselves? These were questions that remained unanswered to me.
Were there any surprise cameos in the movie and did they add to the story?
SHAHBAZ: It was nice to see some ‘deceased’ characters make a return. Some really surprised me while others were revealed in trailers and promotional material previously.
I quite liked *SPOILER ALERT* that they used multiple voices of the force in the film’s closing. Especially the addition of Hayden Christensen’s Anakin Skywalker (it does reference his surname after all). I just wish they actually showed him somehow on screen…
GENEVIEVE: You couldn’t wrap up an entire series and not feature the beloved characters from yesteryear, some who were stalwarts of the original trilogy. While one character only got a single scene, it was a powerful addition that tied in with the overall narrative compared to others who were there to salute the fans.
How does it compare to the other movies in the series?
SHAHBAZ; Well I had to watch it twice to fully take in what just happened. I felt a bit underwhelmed and lost upon first viewing but after having time to process I actually would consider it one of the better Star Wars films in the franchise.
What really does it for me is the way it incorporates and reflects what has come in the past and made this extension trilogy seem all the more important and not just simply a cash-grabbing after thought. It’s in no means perfect but it was a fitting nostalgia-heavy send off.
GENEVIEVE: It does not have the risk taking spirit of the original trilogy nor the prequels, but it ticks the boxes in terms of a space opera action flick. Fans will recognise the lightsabre duels, the Millenium Falcon hot pursuits and the dynamic of the crew consisting of a rogue pilot, Jedi-in-training and the beloved Wookie. It hints at a darker origin story for Rey’s heritage that aligns with Luke’s shock of having learned Vader is his father, and so exploring that avenue of no absolute good or evil was one of the film’s strong points in the previous instalment. However, it circles back and sticks to the goodie v baddie split in the final offering, oversimplifying the arc somewhat in the process.
Also, the CGI is the big discriminator here. If the screenplay is a little forced and sappy, the visuals more than make up for it.
Do you feel the series has been wrapped up for good?
SHAHBAZ: You can never say never with Star Wars. We thought The Revenge of the Sith was the last time we would see the Skywalker vs. the Sith story but alas here we are.
I think The Rise of Skywalker does wrap up the classic story we know and love but there will no doubt be more stories to be told within the Star Wars universe, whether that be through film or through Disney Plus.
GENEVIEVE: It really should end here. In saying that, there will always be room for a power hungry emperor, a rebel alliance of fighters and a hero whose past is not as it seems. But not with these characters, they’ve had their time in the sky.
Were there any moments that shocked or surprised? (SPOILER HEAVY)
SHAHBAZ: I think the most shocking moment for me was Chewy and Kylo Ren’s death fake-out. They really pulled one on me there! Of course one of them although remained true later on *sobs*
I also wasn’t really expecting the Palpatine family tie either but did hear about it before watching so wasn’t as shocked or blown away by it.
GENEVIEVE: Chewy’s death was the final nail in the coffin for me. He was the last remaining original crew member on the Millenium Falcon. Kylo Ren’s death was equally poignant, if not more. His character was the most troubled, so had the most to lose by questioning his morality.
Also, the Palpatine link was the most ham-fisted moment of the series. Where has he been all this time? What does this say about Anakin?
Fave character?
SHAHBAZ: This is hard. I can’t pick just one as I love both Rey and Kylo Ren. I loved that Rey got to embrace so much Jedi history and to see Kylo finally turn to the good side, as was expected from previous films.
C3PO also gets an additional mention for bringing such amazing humour to the film.
GENEVIEVE: Kylo Ren for sure. He has such an angst about him that’s reminiscent of a moody teen. His bond with Rey is one of the stronger plot lines of the new series and his tortured soul was as compelling as Anakin’s when he was in the same Sith position.
Worst character?
SHAHBAZ: I didn’t really like Finn’s (John Boyega) whole story-line as it often distracted from the major plot at hand. He could have been better utilised instead of throwing a sort of random love triangle with a new random woman (Jannah, played Naomi Ackie to be exact) that is NOT Rose Tisco (Kelly Marie Tran).
GENEVIEVE: Poe (Oscar Isaac) and Finn (John Boyega). They seem too reliant on Rey’s abilities and become a liability themselves when raiding a ship. Poe’s hot headed arrogance costs him lives and Finn is a side character by this movie, whereas in The Force Awakens and The Last Jedi it divulged more into his Stormtrooper past. He has hints of the Force within him, but it ‘s usually a passing comment about him sensing a particular situation. It’s also not clear who the new trio are supposed to emulate. If Rey is the Luke of the group, who is the Leia and smuggler Han Solo? Is the latter shared equally between the two men? Questions beget questions.
Film as a whole and how would you rate?
SHAHBAZ: It’s hard to rank it amongst the rest of the trilogy at this stage but overall I thought it closed the new trilogy as best it could following the differing tone of The Last Jedi. 7.5/10
GENEVIEVE: I think given that it’s still an entertaining romp around space, and that it nods to key moments and characters across al 9 films, that it is still entertaining and worthy of a watch. It does suffer from a lack of clear vision that was established more solidly in the previous trilogies, and usurped the direction of The Last Jedi which I’m daring to say I enjoyed. Perhaps time will tell a different story, and this one will lay dormant like Palpatine until it’s later discovered. 7/10
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