Audiences traveled to a galaxy far, far away this holiday season as “Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker” premiered on Friday, Dec. 20, 2019. The film offered an emotional farewell to the original Skywalker saga through an ending that was over 40 years in the making.

Both old and new fans of the “Star Wars” franchise can enjoy the film knowing that “The Rise of Skywalker” has something for everyone, whether it be a reference to the previous trilogies or the conclusion to the sequel trilogy that started with “The Force Awakens.”

Daisy Ridley, John Boyega and Oscar Issac all reprise their roles of the film’s Resistance members Rey, Finn and Poe Dameron respectively. Adam Driver also reprised his role of Kylo Ren, the Supreme Leader of the First Order.

J.J. Abrams, who previously directed “The Force Awakens,” returned to direct “The Rise of Skywalker.”

The Force is Strong With This One

The beauty of “The Rise of Skywalker” was the emotional factor woven throughout the plot. The plot itself was very fast paced and action-driven, but the emotion and nostalgia that dominated a few scenes throughout the film let the action slow down for a moment, allowing audiences to connect with the characters on-screen.

Abrams is no stranger to using nostalgia in his films. The director also employed nostalgia and emotion as a plot point in “The Force Awakens” by bringing old and new characters from the “Star Wars” franchise together.

However, the use of nostalgia in “The Rise of Skywalker” differs from the use of nostalgia in “The Force Awakens.” In a way, the feeling of nostalgia is stronger in “The Rise of Skywalker.” This makes total sense considering “The Rise of Skywalker” is the end of an era in the “Star Wars” franchise that spans multiple generations. 

Abrams used this to his advantage by throwing in the classic “Star Wars” attributes that audiences know and love — recognizable characters, lightsaber duels, space battles and unique spacecrafts were aplenty in the film.

I Have a Bad Feeling About This

There were multiple aspects of “The Rise of Skywalker” that were not as enjoyable as the nostalgia. The plot seemed purely focused on tying up every single possible loose end. While this was meant to be satisfying, in a way it was more stressful than anything else. 

The film seemed to merely focus on continuing the story that Abrams created in “The Force Awakens” rather than continue the events of “The Last Jedi” that were created by director Rian Johnson. 

While this is understandable, it felt like the groundwork for big plot points was not set up very well in lieu of wrapping up the story that Abrams imagined. 

The pacing of the film was another issue that can be tied back to fulfilling loose ends. The film moved entirely too fast towards multiple plot points and events that ultimately ended up feeling rushed and, quite honestly, out of place.

May the Force Be With You

Overall, “The Rise of Skywalker” was a good ending to both the sequel trilogy and the Skywalker saga. The film had several moments where it wavered, but it had its strong points as well.

“The Rise of Skywalker” is a must-see for any fan of the “Star Wars” franchise. Even if fans did not enjoy the sequel trilogy, it is still worth seeing “The Rise of Skywalker” to witness the end of an era.