‘The Rise of Skywalker’ is a fittingly messy, entertaining end to the saga

Posted on December 27, 2019

By MARK VIOLA

So, that’s it. Forty-two years after filmmaker George Lucas gave us a little movie called “Star Wars,” the greater Skywalker Saga that started with that film has finally come to an end with the release of “Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker.”

If you thought the last film, 2017’s “The Last Jedi,” was divisive, strap in, because we’re in for a wild ride. There’s a lot I want to say about “The Rise of Skywalker,” and the greater “Stars Wars” universe, so bear with me.

Of course, since this is a review, the first question you probably shoudl ask is “The Rise of Skywalker” a good movie? That’s actually a hard question to answer. A much easier one, and perhaps more helpful to you, would be: is it an enjoyable movie? To that, I can say emphatically, yes. But, there is a third question that must be asked as well to muddy the waters again. Will you enjoy the movie? I honestly have no idea. Opinions are so all over the place, I really don’t know. What I will try to do, however, in this review is set out why I enjoyed this movie, and hopefully that will help you decide whether or not you think you will as well.

Now, the shorthand answer is if you liked “The Last Jedi,” you will likely not enjoy “The Rise of Skywalker.” And, if you didn’t like that film, the chances of you enjoying the new movie increase a lot. But, there’s no guarantee either way, so let’s keep going.

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