Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker wraps up the plot that began nine movies ago in a decade (1970s!) far, far away (42 years!). I’ve seen all the Star Wars movies and this latest epic provides plenty of action and adventure. Rey (Daisy Ridley) proves to be a wonderful heroine. Kylo Ren (Adam Driver) almost rules the Galaxy. The cast of characters like Finn (John Boyega), Poe (Oscar Isaac), Chewbacca (Joonas Suatamo), C-3PO (Anthony Daniels), and R2-D2 swing into action as the Final Order is about to destroy any planets that resist their rule. Director J. J. Abrams packs drama, fighting, warfare, and destruction as preludes to a touching ending. This is the end of an era. But…what will come next? Are you a Star Wars fan? GRADE: B+
Not much of a fan but I will probably end up seeing this as the pickings at he theaters get slim in January. I really dislike the casting of John Boyega who I find totally lacking in screen presence.
Steve, I agree with you on John Boyega. They try to arrange Rey and Finn as a romantic couple, but together they have no chemistry on the screen.
I have to confess (pun intended) that I really liked only the first movie – though it was a bit of nonsense as SF it was a nice kind of adventure/fairy tale.
Since then I have got a certain dislike for the series, watched only no2 and 3 with more and more frustration – nothing else.
In German we would say “Kitsch” – like the last sf movie we saw on tv:
Avatar … 🙂
Wolf, like you I’m fond of the first STAR WARS movie. There are rumors that AVATAR 2 is coming out soon.
Although I have seen most of them, few knocked me out. Perhaps the first most.
Patti, the first STAR WARS movie had that “sense of wonder” that is all too rare in SF movies.
I loved the original trilogy but my enthusiasm flamed out during the second trilogy, and I’ve watched the subsequent entries more out of a sense of duty than enthusiasm. I am impressed with Adam Driver, who seems to have taken over the world, and he’s been great in two movies I’ve seen just recently–“Marriage Story” on Netflix and “The Report” on Prime. So I’ll see this new one, but not till it hits DVD or streaming.
Michael, Adam Driver is complicated for a STAR WARS character. And, like you, I saw the movies after the original trilogy out of a sense of duty…hoping they would get better.
I suppose this will permanently cement my old lady credentials, but I’ve only ever seen the first Star Wars and that was on TV many years after its theatrical release. I’ve never really seen the appeal.
O/T: We saw “Knives Out” last night and enjoyed it very much.
Deb, KNIVES OUT! delighted us when we saw it. The original STAR WARS movie had the most “magic” and generated all the fan enthusiasm that has sustained this series for 42 years.
For those who have seen the movie already or are going to see it:
It contains the first Lesbian scene (i e just a kiss between two rebel women) in a Disney movie!
The German media report that Disney cut this scene for Singapore to make the movie allowed for younger people – younger than 21 … 🙂
In Germany the min age is 12 years.
Wolf, some evangelicals in the U.S. are upset about “The Kiss.” It’s hard to believe we’re almost at 2020 and retrograde attitudes still persist.
Yes, I like Star Wars. The film I have watched more than any other is the original one, A NEW HOPE. I stood in line to see it about a week after it was released and loved it. Still do. I saw the next two, THE EMPIRE STRIKES BACK and RETURN OF THE JEDI in the theater as well. Unlike most people, I liked the second trilogy, Episodes I – III also, just as cool SF movies.
I haven’t seen any of the SW movies after that, not SOLO or ROUGUE ONE, nor the rest. I have all but one, and have ordered it, and plan, after the holidays, to do some binge watching, one or two a day until I’m caught up. Then when this one comes out on DVD Blu-ray, I’ll get it and have the set.
Rick, I liked ROGUE ONE (except for the ending) and was very lukewarm about SOLO. George Lucas brought passion to his films. The STAR WARS films directed by others mostly lack the Lucas fire.
I think you’re confused about which ones Lucas directed.
Jeff, the STAR WARS movies can be confusing with the extent of George Lucas’s “influence” on the production.
I wanted to sue George Lucas to get back my money and the 133 minutes of my life I wasted on Episode I, one of the worst abominations I’ve ever suffered through. I swore I would never sit through another Lucas travesty and I haven’t. The new series is OK. I like Rey but the rest, meh. I’m sure we’ll see this as there just isn’t that much to hold our attention in Florida, when we go once a week. Too bad there isn’t another JOHN WICK ready to see.
Jeff, I like the JOHN WICK series more than I like the later STAR WARS movies. More action, more fun. THE PHANTOM MENACE was the low point in the STAR WARS series. Jar Jar Binks! Yikes!