Spoiler-Free Review: STAR WARS: Episode IX - The Rise Of Skywalker

The expectation must have been too great.

I had seen some negative comments, so I was ready to accept a certain level of disappointment, yet I was still hoping. Enough to go see the film on the very first day it opened, both to satisfy my curiosity, and to prevent seeing some spoilery stuff on the web before seeing the film.

George Lucas' STAR WARS has been part of my genetic makeup as a film lover ever since I saw the original in the theaters in 1977 when I was 12 years old. I liked movies before, but this started a lifelong passion with cinema, first in science-fiction, and then, a much broader spectrum as I grew older. While I loved the first two STAR WARS movies, I was however never a fan of RETURN OF THE JEDI, and positively detested the prequels, which I have never dared to revisit after my initial viewing at the theater. Still I was excited yet cautious in 2015 when a concluding trilogy was brought forth by Disney.

It is an ambitious and scary endeavor; to find a satisfactory conclusion to a saga started 42 years ago. I can understand why director J.J. Abrams, who had earned a bad reputation with handling endings after his lackluster denouement to his popular series LOST, finds this task challenging. However, he has an undeniable talent with rebooting movie series like he demonstrated with MISSION IMPOSSIBLE III (almost strangled out of existence by the excesses of John Woo), STAR TREK, and of course STAR WARS: EPISODE VII - THE FORCE AWAKENS.

With STAR WARS: EPISODE IX - THE RISE OF SKYWALKER , Abrams creates a film that suffers the same faults that plagued FORCE AWAKENS; a desire to please the status quo that creates a succession of scenes that are strongly reminiscent of fan-favorites moments in the previous series, trying to capture the lightning of the original trilogy. While in THE FORCE AWAKENS, Abrams managed to circumvent that sense of déja vu with a strong cast that married adroitly members of the classic cast with charming new characters and a streamlined script by Lawrence Kasdan and Abrams himself that managed to make the audience care about those characters and their tribulations.

In RISE, however, we are assaulted with so much action that the characters have little much to do than react, and we are left in the end with the impression that the only ones who have a chance to emote or grow through the story are Rey (Daisy Ridley) and Kylo Ren (Adam Driver). They are in fact given the chance to stare at each other with intensity and duel many times in the film, in often gorgeous set-pieces. The conclusion of their complex relationship won't be a surprise to many, although the big reveal of Rey's origins may be. Surprising. Not great. Just surprising.

The score by John Williams is appropriately composed of a string of greatest hits, which is a pleasure to hear, but accentuates the sense of déja vu. The will to offer the fans ''what they want'' creates awkward moments when characters show up or situation occurs just for the sake of fan service. Such scenes end up being maudlin more than anything, with a floundering sense of false sentimentality. There are moments in the film manufactured to elicit an emotional response. And I am the perfect target for such moments. I am a complete crybaby at movies. I will get choked up and tear up extremely easily. Yet here, the only moment I did was at the very beginning of the film,  in anticipation as the lights went out and I felt a surge of excitement in the capacity crowd in the theater.

I am one of those who actually enjoyed the previous chapter, THE LAST JEDI, where I felt that director Rian Johnson took chances and went into very interesting directions, even putting in a bit of a political statement. After having watched Abrams' last effort, I have to confirm that Johnson's film was a much better film, and had stunningly emotional moments (Laura Dern's sacrifice, Mark Hamill's last moments) that finds no equal in this last installment.

Probably the most telling moment from the projection was the complete silence from the crowd as the end credits appeared onscreen (after probably my favorite scene of the film, which beautifully caps the series with a nostalgic twist). No applause, from a crowd that had shown great enthusiasm at the start of the showing. Just stunned silence.

Still, the film moves along briskly, and the special effects are impressive, but as a conclusion to a flawed, yet beloved saga, this final chapter fails sadly to actually ''rise'' to the occasion (pun shamefully and fully intended).

P.S.: is it just me or is the Force way more powerful in the new movies than in the past? Must be all that midichlorian in the water.