Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker

SPOILER ALERT!!!!!!!!! LOOK AWAY NOW!!!!!!!

It. Is. Finished. The Skywalker saga is over. It began in 1977: about 18 years before I was born. I grew up with Star Wars. I don't remember my first time seeing the original trilogy. The first release I remember attending was Attack of the Clones for my seventh birthday. I know that the Star Wars universe has nearly endless possibilities, so it's not over by any means, but it has reached a milestone that it has building toward since well before I was born. That conclusion was eminently satisfying. Some questions were left unanswered and there are still mysteries to be explored related to the saga, but by and large, The Rise of Skywalker brought the saga to a good close. There were things I didn't like, of course, but as usual, my inerrantist convictions regarding the Star Wars Canon dictate that everything unfolded exactly as it should have.

SERIOUSLY!!!!!!!!!! SPOILERS!!!!!!

I can't cover everything, especially since I've only been able to see it once at this point, but I will list a few of the highs and lows of the movie.

Things I loved:

- Visually, the movie was stunning.

- John Williams outdid himself again with the music.

- The redemption of Ben Solo was perfect. Han's return as a memory and Leia's calling were so sweet.

- Costume design for both Rey and Kylo really exemplified their light and darkness in fantastic ways.

- Character development was great, especially regarding Poe's past as a Spice runner.

- Exegol was fascinating. The ancient Sith in canon are mysterious and I want (NEED) more! The Sith statues and mysterious onlookers evoke so many questions that I can't wait to have answered.

- The movie was an emotional roller coaster in the best possible way. Chewie's "Death" almost broke me.

- The sheer amount of lore squeezed into 2.5 hours is impressive.

- The Fan service and Easter eggs were so fun and nostalgic, but never patronizing.

- Carrie Fisher was portrayed wonderfully. Her posthumous portrayal was so endearing for her memory: not to mention the CGI used in her training scene. It was flawless.

- C3-PO's memory schtick was really funny.

- Adam Driver's performance was inspired. I wish that his character had not died, because his portrayal of Ben/Kylo was absolutely extraordinary and I would love to have seen more.

Things that I didn't love:

- The opening crawl seemed a little short,.

-The pace was extremely fast. Nearly every scene in all the trailers took place in the first 10 minutes.

- Palpatine's return was inadequately explained.

- The Knights of Ren are still a mystery in the movies, I wish they had a larger role (check out the new Rise of Kylo Ren comic series for more on them).

- I would have liked more from the Chosen one, Anakin Skywalker. I don't think his legacy was undermined or undone, but I wish he would have had a more explicit role in this movie.

- Rey's Lineage as a Palpatine seemed too easy to me. There were so many ways that sub-plot could go, and that is one of the least interesting in my mind.

- The Emperor died much too easy. 1,000 generations of Sith Lords should not be killed simply by a reflection of their own raw power. Even in his decrepit state, he is the epitome of dark side power. Yet, he went down easier than the apprentice Darth Maul in episode one.

Things I'm not sure about

-REYLO CONFIRMED: That kiss seemed pretty forced. If Ben had lived, I would have loved it, but his sacrificial death makes the kiss seem empty. I wanted it, but then it was immediately taken away.

- General Hux's betrayal was predictable. His animosity for Kylo is so obvious and his weaselly (pun intended) personality as a villain necessitated his insurgence.

- Rey's new lightsaber is neat, but it appears out of nowhere, tell me more! Where did the crystal come from? It looks like the end of her staff, is it? Why not a double bladed saber to match the staff she is obviously more comfortable wielding (and the vision she had of empress Palpatine)?

- I get that it plays in with the title, but Rey taking the Skywalker name felt unnecessary. If she truly is a Palpatine, why not embrace it?

- I was under the impression that the understanding of "Balance" in the force had changed from legends to canon, but it seems that with the Sith's defeat and the light side's victory, that balance has been achieved. I was hoping for a more "Grey" conclusion on this issue.

What a movie! It was not perfect, I don't think any movie can be (maybe it has something to do with Total depravity). I laughed and smiled throughout, and came very close to crying. I will critically give it an 8/10, but I love it 10/10 and can't wait to see it again.