"Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker"
- Who: Directed by J.J. Abrams; tarring Carrie Fisher, Mark Hamill, Adam Driver, Daisey Ridley, John Boyega, Oscar Isaac, Domnall Gleason, Richard E. Grant, Lupita Nyong’o, Harrison Ford, and Kerrie Russell
- Rated: PG-13
- Running time: 155 minutes
- When: Opens Dec. 20
- Where: Area theaters
- Grade: B+
There are two kinds of people in this world: Star Wars fans and everybody else.
This is the ninth chapter in this epic, horse-opera-in-outer-space science fiction saga. This final episode (we’ll see) is sure to please the millions of the Star Wars faithful, nerdy nitpicking aside.
For 42 years, Star Wars has been an undeniable cultural juggernaut, and even though these movies do not comprise high art by any stretch, they have captured the imaginations of generations of children who carry fond memories of their childhoods as related to this franchise well into adulthood.
Previous movies gained a second wind in 1983 with Return of the JediI, wherein Luke Skywalker defeated the Evil Empire. It continued in 2005 with Revenge of the Sith, which delineated how Luke’s father Anakin became Darth Vader.
In 2012 Disney, bought Lucasfilm and Star Wars was born again. Three years later, The Force Awakens began this latest trilogy by earning $2 billion in box office. It became the franchise that will never die.
Now to The Rise of Skywalker (watch the trailer below).
In this film the stars are Rey (Daisey Ridley), Poe (Oscar Isaac), and Finn (John Boyega). Chewbacca, C3PO, and R2D2 are brought along for continuity.
As the film opens, the battle between the Empire and the Resistance rages on. Jedi Rey and her pals Po and Finn (Do, Rey, Mi?) find out there is a spy inside the Empire. They must travel to a Sith planet and defeat and destroy Sith leader Emperor Palpatine, who is seeking the dark side domination of the universe.
These movies have a very formulaic nature. The same series events tend to repeat over and over again:
- First, there is a race through space between competing space ships. Rockets are fired back and forth.
- Second, a light sabre duel ensues on one or more the ships.
- Thirdly, humans mingle and attempt to communicate with rubbery-headed foreign speaking aliens. Then there is a technology breakdown and somebody fixes the problem with a paper clip or a banana peel.
Character’s parentage is often being called into question the same way TV soap operas will reveal the discovery of a "evil twin" to movie the plot along.
The Rise of Skywalker succeeds despite its minor plot flaws and cliche-laden dialogue. This ain’t Shakespeare; this is Saturday matinee escapism at it’s finest and probably most expensive. You could do a lot worse when it comes to family entertainment.
Is this the last round-up for story that comes from a galaxy far, far away? Don’t count on it.
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3News' Tiffany Tarpley ventured to Crocker Park on Thursday night to see how Star Wars fans were reacting to The Rise of Skywalker.
