The ninth film in the “Skywalker Saga” finds Rey (Daisy Ridley” finishing her Jedi training and must stop the First Order and the evil Kylo Ren (Adam Driver). Also, Finn (John Boyega) and Poe (Oscar Isaac) lead the Resistance against a seemingly resurrected Emperor Palpatine (Ian McDiarmid).
A year removed from the divisive “final” Star Wars film my opinion on The Rise of Skywalker has not changed. Being one of the few (along with fellow podcaster, James) that believe The Last Jedi is one of the best Star Wars films, Rise of Skywalker had a lot to live up to in my eyes. While it doesn’t give us, the movie going fans, everything we had hoped for it is still great fun.
A couple of the reveals miss the mark,****spoilers**** the most egregious is having Rey be Palpatine’s granddaughter, the film nonetheless is entertaining. The special effects are first class and all the actors are really good.
I was really intrigued on how director/writer J.J. Abrams and company would continue the Rey/Kylo dynamic after Kylo asked Rey to join him in ruling the Galaxy. Rey of course rejected him which set up great tension in every scene they were in. Driver’s Kylo Ren is a great character as Driver’s intensity makes every decision he makes matter. I adore Ridley’s Rey. She is my favorite of all the new characters, a nobody (so it seemed at first) to have incredible Force Powers made her journey special. I loved the idea that someone who came from nothing could be the greatest hero in the Saga.
One of my biggest critiques of the film is ****spoilers x2***** is it seemed at times so focused on course correcting the perceived mistakes in The Last Jedi, and by doing so, The Rise of Skywalker brought unnecessary focus on them. From Luke Skywalker telling Rey not to throw away her lightsaber, to the forced kiss between Rey and Kylo at the end, some moments made me roll my eyes. But, the action is amazing and when Kylo does show up to assist Rey in taking down Palpatine it is pretty great. And unlike fellow Reel Nerd Corinne, yes Kylo Ren had to die. He is responsible for the deaths of billions and he murdered his dad, Han Solo. He is beyond redemption at that point. The best he can hope for is the see the error in his ways and die trying to correct them, which he did, twice. Rey’s unwillingness to let Kylo Ren die after she delivered a fatal blow with his lightsaber in effect did “kill” Ren and made Ben Solo see the light.
The end battle on the Star Destroyer is cool too, if only it did not have the Avengers: Endgame feel to it. I never thought I would want to see a horse run across a spaceship, but Rise of Skywalker gave it to me, and I am glad it did.
Although, The Rise of Skywalker doesn’t totally stick the landing, it is still an entertaining film. One I will continue to watch and enjoy.
The Rise of Skywalker is one of the best-looking films I have seen on 4K. Everything on this disc is eye candy. The colors are bold and striking. The costumes have texture that is unmatched in clarity. One of my favorite things to do in assessing how a movie looks in 4k is to put the standard blu-ray in my Playstation 4 and switch between the two to see if I notice any differences. Trust me there are. Even small things like the blackness of space seem to look better on 4K. That’s not to say the blu-ray is a slouch. It looks great too, but the 4K disc is just that stunning.
Sound is one of the most important aspects of any Star Wars, and The Rise of Skywalker is a beast on 4K. Iconic sounds will punish your system with clarity. Dialogue is crystal clear and the action scenes pack a wallop. John Williams’ score races through the spaceways with lush arrangements that give the adventure real weight.
Although the 4K disc does not have any extras, there is a whole separate blu-ray disc that is packed with them.
The Skywalker Legacy: This more then 2 hour long documentary is not only confined to The Rise of Skywalker but also the Star Wars Saga as a whole. This is an incredible documentary and is worth buying The Rise of Skywalker for. In depth and fun, this is perhaps my favorite extra of the year.
Pasanna Pursuit: A look a one of the biggest action pieces of the film.
Aliens in the Desert: Showing the desert locations for the film.
D-O: Key to the Past: Checking out the new droid.
Warwick and Son: A really cute piece that chronicles Warwick Davis’ return as Wicket and his son Harrison (I know right!) being in the film as well.
Cast of Creatures: A look at the aliens of Star Wars and how they are created.
The Best Buy exclusive Steelbook of The Rise of Skywalker is a stunner. Featuring Kylo Ren on the front and Rey Skywalker (see what I did there) on the back about to face off on the downed Death Star, this is what a exclusive Steelbook should be beautiful and special.
The Rise of Skywalker is a fun movie. It has some minor missteps but it is very entertaining. If you can find it, and that’s a big if as it is sold out online, the Steelbook is first class with some truly terrific bonus features.
Film: A-
Video: A+
Audio: A+
Extras: A
Steelbook: A
Overall: A