The Force falters in Star Wars finale The Rise Of Skywalker
It’s time to put what was once the fastest hunk of junk in the universe on blocks, writes Vicky Roach, as she reviews one of the most anticipated movies this year — Star Wars: Rise of the Skywalker.
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STAR WARS: RISE OF SKYWALKER
Three stars
Director: JJ Abrams
Stars: Daisy Ridley, Oscar Isaacs, John Boyega
Rating: M
Running time: 142 minutes
Verdict: Force of habit
Like the Millennium Falcon, George Lucas’s groundbreaking space opera is showing signs of age. The multibillion-dollar franchise makes it home under JJ Abrams’ able stewardship, but there are a few hairy moments.
The final instalment in the Rebel Alliance’s 40-odd year war against the evil Galactic Empire is weighed down by a cargo hold full of past baggage.
Clunky dialogue and patchy performances don’t help. Nor do the stiff, holographic representations of characters such as Princess Leia (the late Carrie Fisher) and Luke Skywalker (Mark Hamill).
The take home message from Star Wars: Rise Of Skywalker?
Lucas’s original vision wasn’t nearly complex enough to carry nine films (the two anthologies should be judged on their own terms).
That can be seen more clearly now that the dust has settled on the early films’ game changing visual effects.
Episode IX gets the job done, but it’s not very nimble or inventive.
Abrams does, however, deliver one especially memorable set piece, in which Rey (Daisy Ridley) locks lightsabers with Kylo Ren (Adam Driver) on the battered wreck of the Death Star as both are clobbered by ginormous waves.
Rise Of Skywalker also makes the most of its opportunity to right a few past wrongs and farewell some old, dear friends
Having wept her way through most of The Last Jedi, Rey is now ready to get on with the job of leading the vastly outnumbered rebels in their final showdown against the imperialist First Order which is under the leadership of a familiar villain (it’s mighty hard to die in one of these movies. Key characters just keep coming back).
The single-mindedness of the novice Jedi and galaxy’s only hope is the driving force behind Rise Of Skywalker. A game and photogenic Ridley meets that challenge with clear eyes and fierce determination, but as a narrative strategy, it pretty much sidelines her fellow travellers.
Former Stormtrooper Finn (John Boyega), fighter pilot Poe (Oscar Isaac) and Wookie First Mate Chewbacca (Joonas Suotamo) are merely bit players.
Only Driver’s arch nemesis Kylo Ren has a similarly substantial character arc.
Maz Kanata (Lupita Nyong’o) and a bunch of other cute critters make cameo appearances in the interests of intergalactic diversity and C-3PO and R2D2 are joined by another adorable gadget, which resembles a megaphone on wheels.
Having successfully reconditioned the Falcon’s engine for The Force Awakens (2015), Abrams has earned the right to take the old space freighter out for one last spin.
But now it’s time to put what was once the fastest hunk of junk in the universe on blocks.
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