By JASON GUYER
In the history of cinema, there has been nothing quite like Star Wars. The film series that began in 1977 with “Star Wars: A New Hope” has now spanned a total of 43 years. To put it into perspective, the franchise has spanned entire lives and generations.
We will never have another film experience quite like it.
Starting in 1977 and ending in 2019, the Skywalker saga is one of the grandest stories ever told in any format. The story of the Skywalker twins, Luke and Leia, and their evil father is as epic as storytelling gets.
Their story started with their father (Darth Vader/Anakin Skywalker) fighting then becoming a Sith in the prequels and stared, Luke and Leia, in the original trilogy fighting Lord Vader and the Sith. The sequels were made to tell the story of the next Skywalker generation and the fight against the Sith.
“Star Wars: The Force Awakens” introduces the new characters in the best way possible. Kylo Ren/Ben Solo as the villain and Rey as the hero.
J.J. Abrams, who created “Star Wars: The Force Awakens,” puts an air of mystery around its the story’s hero and lineage. That film is/was the most well received of the sequel trilogy.
The next film in the sequel trilogy is “Star Wars: The Last Jedi.” Rian Johnson created “Star Wars: The Last Jedi” and all the controversy that came along with it. The film dives deeper into the minds and feelings of Kylo Ren/Ben Solo and Rey and their relationship towards one another in the fight between good and evil. Kylo Ren, a Sith, and Rey, a Jedi, try to get each to switch sides.
“Star Wars: The Last Jedi” as famously ends many narratives without explanation. Johnson ended the Rey’s parents narrative, the Snoke narrative, and in the worst decision in film history Johnson ended Luke Skywalker’s narrative.
“Star Wars: The Last Jedi” was a well-made film and probably the best made Star Wars film ever in terms of filmmaking, but Johnson made some bad Star Wars universe decisions. The narrative killing of and alive Luke Skywalker is hands down the worst decision in any Star Wars film and, yes, that includes George Lucas giving Anakin Skywalker diatribe on sand in the prequels. Rian Johnson’s decision with the Luke Skywalker character handcuffed the end of the Skywalker saga.
Now this weekend before Christmas we all get to see the conclusion to the Skywalker saga, for better or worse.
One shining light, for me, was that J.J. Abrams was back to man the final chapter, “Star Wars: Rise of Skywalker.” “Star Wars: Rise of Skywalker” has a lot of weight on it to conclude one of human history’s greatest story lines.
Can… or rather, does it live up to such an enormous task? The short answer is no.
The spoiler free long answer is more complicated and the reason for that complication is Rian Johnson. “Star Wars: Rise of Skywalker” was handcuffed from day one by Johnson and probably by Disney by saying the film could not retcon the worst decisions by “Star Wars: The Last Jedi.” This means the story has to be led exclusively by Kylo Ren and Rey.
In act one of “Star Wars: Rise of Skywalker” every actor and major character in it feels soulless. It feels like none of the actors even want to be there playing these characters anymore.
“Star Wars: Rise of Skywalker” was missing the one actor who always enjoyed playing his character, Mark Hamill’s Luke Skywalker. Yet, Luke Skywalker is dead. Rian Johnson’s decision will and does have consequences on “Star Wars: Rise of Skywalker.”
However, to be fair, J.J. Abrams is also at fault for what “Star Wars: Rise of Skywalker” becomes. Abrams ties a bow on the entire Skywalker saga in “Star Wars: Rise of Skywalker” but the problem is that the bow he ties is a standard bow. There is nothing special about what J.J. Abrams does. He ties the original trilogy and the prequels to the new sequels in very predictable ways.
In the entirety of “Star Wars: Rise of Skywalker,” Abrams does reveal one thing and that is Rey’s parents. In “Star Wars: Rise of Skywalker” we do find out who her parents are and their lineage.
However, the revelation is not groundbreaking.
In a full theater I did not hear one person gasp at the revelation of Rey’s parents, not one. Rey’s lineage does just enough to tie “Star Wars: Rise of Skywalker” to other parts of the Skywalker saga.
These ties-ins though are just fan service and often do nothing to compel the story, Rey’s parents being the one exception. Tie-ins are very compelling and can be fun to watch but using too many at the expense of a good story is poor directing by J.J. Abrams.
One thing directors and films should never do is fan service for fan service’s sake. The film makers goal should never be to appease fans, especially at the expense of making a good film. This it seems is what “Star Wars: Rise of Skywalker” does and there are many examples of this in “Star Wars: Rise of Skywalker.”
One of the best fan aspects to the Star Wars universe is world jumping. World jumping is fun and can add depth to a good story and all fans want to see new worlds within the Star Wars universe but there is a such thing as too much and “Star Wars: Rise of Skywalker” hits that mark. The entire first act of the “Star Wars: Rise of Skywalker” is spent world jumping. One world to the next. Some of the scenes on each world last near minutes before you are on to the next. This makes the first act of “Star Wars: Rise of Skywalker” one of the most boring in any of the trilogies.
“Star Wars: Rise of Skywalker” is not all bad though, there are upsides as well.
I know above I state too much fan service is bad, and it is, but in a lacking film like “Star Wars: Rise of Skywalker” sometimes that same fan service can be the best part of the film. In “Star Wars: Rise of Skywalker” this is the case and for all its downsides the fan service paid are often the best parts of the film.
Lando Calrissian brings two of the best moments in “Star Wars: Rise of Skywalker.” Chewie’s and C-3PO’s jokes are great humorous moments. I don’t want to give away all of the fan service moments because part of the fun is finding them. Lando is in the trailer so I don’t feel too bad about letting that one out. There are many and some are better than others.
The best moments of “Star Wars: Rise of Skywalker” come when the film is the most sincere towards its characters. In “Star Wars: Rise of Skywalker,” each character has a moment of sincerity towards their own story or arc. There is a kiss (no one asked for), an attempted admission, a redemptive moment, and the the list goes on.
These moments are the best “Star Wars: Rise of Skywalker” has to offer.
The problem is that the best it has to offer is not offering very much.
There is nothing epic about “Star Wars: Rise of Skywalker.” The characters don’t want to be there, the story is flat and the fights are never epic enough for the final Skywalker film. The story in “Star Wars: Rise of Skywalker” can’t live up to being the final Skywalker film. The reason always comes back to Luke Skywalker.
Disney, Rian Johnson and J.J. Abrams all miss an entire aspect of the Star Wars universe and especially of the Skywalker saga. Luke Skywalker is the heart of the story. There is no one else that brings what he does to the Skywalker saga. There was and forever will be a better way the Skywalker saga could have ended and you don;t even need to change the films all that much.
The only thing that needed to change was “Star Wars: Rise of Skywalker.” The film feels like the rushed version used to tie up the Skywalker saga neatly. All inservice of giving Disney what it wants, and out.
The harsh reactions to “Star Wars: The Last Jedi” and the bombing of “Solo; A Star Wars Story” tell me Disney wanted out of the Skywalker saga so it can do its own thing.
Disney wants storytelling autonomy and to not be held down by previous stories. “Star Wars: Rise of Skywalker” is the neatest and easiest way to that end.
This is sad for the Star Wars universe.
“Star Wars: Rise of Skywalker” probably would have never lived up to the end of a 43 year saga but it is almost like it didn’t even try. “Star Wars: Rise of Skywalker” and J.J. Abrams try to appease fans for sure. The problem is they never appease the characters in “Star Wars: Rise of Skywalker” or of the entire Skywalker saga.
The end deserved and epic Jedi vs Sith battle and that is what “Star Wars: Rise of Skywalker” lacks. Again, there is nothing epic about “Star Wars: Rise of Skywalker” and that is sad for the end of one of the greatest stories in history. One decision affected so much of the Skywalker saga and negatively affected two films, “Star Wars: The Last Jedi” and “Star Wars: Rise of Skywalker.”
So, I blame Rian Johnson.
IRATE SCORE: 2.5/5
Jason Guyer is an avid moviegoer and works in the graphics department at the Eagle Times. For questions or comments he can be emailed at [email protected].
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