With The Rise of Skywalker, the last chapter in the Skywalker saga is now a couple months beyond the horizon, so we’ve decided to tackle the formidable task of covering the entire Star Wars cinematic output! For the sake of this podcast, we’ve decided to cover episodes 1-9, Rogue One, and Solo: A Star Wars Story, while talking about the series’ impact on pop culture and on our lives. While we don’t talk much about extraneous Star Wars material, there’s still ample content to chew on in the 68th episode of the UW Film Club Podcast. Feel the force in this spoiler-filled retrospective of the entire Star Wars cinematic saga! Listen now!
On this episode: Jim Saunders, Levi Bond, and Ajay Rawat
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One of the most anticipated movies of 2019 is finally here for the holiday season. J.J. Abrams’ Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker is the final installment to the sequel trilogy as well as the Skywalker Saga that began all the way back in Episode I. This concluding episode follows the final battle between the Resistance and The First Order, Rey and Kylo Ren, and the Light and the Dark side.
Just like in The Return of the Jedi, there’s a significant time gap between this movie and its previous installment. Even though the classic crawling text intro catches us up, the movie spends a significant amount of time explaining the events that lead to the ultimate showdown. As a result, it feels disconnected from The Last Jedi, instead feeling like a sequel to The Force Awakens, which was coincidentally also directed by J.J. Abrams. Additionally, the pacing of the film is inconsistent. As portrayed in the final trailer, Palpatine is brought back to be the main villain of this movie. The Rebels go from planet to planet searching for him and finding clues that lead them to more clues. This scavenger hunt is too fast and rushed, primarily because the next step or clue is always spelled out for the characters. The pace then abruptly slows down in the last act and the final battle is far too stretched out.
There are a few recurring characters from previous films along with a couple of new characters. Ian McDiarmid reprises his role as Emperor Palpatine. His return is a surprise, but a welcome one nonetheless. Both Daisy Ridley and Adam Driver give amazing performances as Rey and Kylo Ren respectively. Although the movie primarily revolves around these three characters, John Boyega as Finn and Oscar Issac as Poe Dameron are great as supporting characters. However, they had more potential and their overall arc feels incomplete. This is also the last appearance of Carrie Fisher as Princess Leia and her character is given a satisfying end. There are also a few cameos by characters from previous trilogies.
The main criticism of the film is that it is plot-driven. Except for Rey and Kylo, most of the characters aren’t explored further than what they were in The Last Jedi. There aren’t a lot of scenes where we see character conflicts or dramatic decisions that add complexity to characters. The first act would have been interesting, for example, if there had been some emotional conflict between characters instead of a blind chase to find Palpatine. The film also attempts to ignore the previous installment in overriding the themes that were built in The Last Jedi.
One thing that is consistent throughout all the Star Wars movies is the amazing soundtrack. John Williams, the composer for the score, has used themes from across the franchise and also composed new pieces for this movie. Recurring character themes like The Imperial March and The Emperor’s Theme bring back the nostalgia from the original and prequel trilogies, while the newer additions accompany the fight sequences perfectly by making them feel energetic.
This review wouldn’t be complete without mentioning the lightsaber duels. Where the movie lacks in character development, it makes up for with action and visual effects. Dan Mindel, the cinematographer, and Abrams have reaffirmed their prowess with classic, fast-paced action sequences. This movie brings new elements to the classic lightsaber duels along with new force powers that make the duels interesting to watch. In one particular scene, Rey fights a TIE fighter with a lightsaber in what is a visually appealing and exciting scene to watch. The excellent cinematography and soundtrack make the lightsaber fights the most satisfying part of the movie.
Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker seems good as a stand-alone film; however, it doesn’t fit well with the previous installments. The trilogy as a whole feels disjointed and inconsistent. The Skywalker Saga has finally come to an end, but, this is certainly not the end for the franchise. Lucasfilms is now focusing on other media with The Mandalorian and the recently announced Obi-Wan Kenobi TV series. There are still a lot of stories to tell that happened a long time ago in a galaxy far, far away.
“If you thought porgs were gonna be the most divisive part of the film, think again.”
Star Wars is without a doubt one of the most important franchises in cinematic history, creating some of the most iconic moments ever put to film and generating a loyal following spanning all demographics in the process. Through the last 9 theatrical releases, Star Wars has created an image for itself (both bad and good) among these fans, and with The Last Jedi, director Rian Johnson aims to subvert the expectations they have come to know and love with something new, something unique, and something unexpected. However, in that pursuit, Johnson has created a prequel-level division among fans that is so wide and deep that Episode 8 is arguably the most controversial film in the series.
So as if the internet reached out and asked for another hot take on the film, I am here to offer up my review and layout the good, the bad, and the ugly of The Last Jedi, and why it is ultimately a very frustrating movie that ends up crafting a few redeemable moments. This review will be spoiler free, but if you want a further, spoilerific explanation, there will be one at the end.
“Light. Darkness. A balance”
The Last Jedi as a whole is the victim of a thousand cuts: no one particular issue is that bad on its own, but when combined with a flurry of them, they end up degrading the overall experience. The narrative choices, use of humor, and characterizations are what really did the film in, and these flaws linger and brand the film.
Of these problems, the ill-timed and poorly executed humor is the most problematic. When scenes should have weight and meaning, a joke is thrown right in the middle. When a character is conditioned to act a certain way, they say something out of character. A moment like this happens every 15-25 minutes in The Last Jedi, so whenever the film started to earn my trust back, it goes and does something off-putting. Upon second viewing, the humor works a little bit better, but important scenes are still tainted. That is to not say there isn’t humor that works; Chewbacca and BB-8 have great moments based on humor that work within the context of their characters without disrupting the scene or the momentum of the film.
Which leads into the next prevalent problem with The Last Jedi: how it treats its characters. Whether it be problematic characterizations or formless arcs, the way in which the film handles characters ranges from useless to meaningful. All the main characters get their own unique arc, but most feel unrealized and unfulfilled. The ones that work the best are Kylo Ren’s and Luke’s (albeit a very different Luke than we have come to know and love which most people, including Mark Hamil himself, have issue with, but I found to be the best in the entire film), and the ones that fail are Poe’s and Fin’s, while Rey’s is good if not ever so slightly flawed. There is a lot of arcs going on in this film, that Johnson should be commended (even if Fin and Poe’s arcs are subject to a plot hole 12 parsecs wide), but with it, some characters such as Snoke and Captain Phasma get shortchanged in the process, which is also problematic considering how much promise they had coming out of The Force Awakens.
Long Live the Porgs!
With all the problems in the film, it’s safe to say that the final act is great. In fact, it’s downright iconic at times. You will need to accept everything that came before it for what it’s worth, but doing so will yield some extremely redeemable moments. The set piece’s choreography flows so well when it goes unbroken with subplots or character arcs, concluding in a very succinct manner that drives home ideas of identity, purpose, and hope within the narrative. You will be on the edge of your seat, you will be surprised, and perhaps you will even shed a tear. The end provides such a clear path for the future of the franchise and gives hope for the conclusion of the trilogy. It’s just a shame that the first two-thirds are as problematic as they are. Oh, and the porgs are great; ten out of ten on the scale of humor, cuteness, and merchandisability.
Overall, your mileage for The Last Jedi will depend on how well all of these changes jive with you. If you’re on board with all the plot twists, subversions, and narrative choices, then you will enjoy this movie. The film takes risks with an established franchise, and it has undeniable problems because of it, but in conversation I’ve heard people who have had no problem with the criticisms I laid out above. The division that is plaguing the internet stems from whether or not you’re willing to accept these decisions and take them as the new face of the franchise. For those who don’t, prepare to be disappointed. For those that do, get ready to enjoy the ride.
SCORE: 3/5 STARS
SPOILER SECTION
The following section contains spoilers and elaborates on points in the review. You’ve been warned!
