Star Wars: Rise of Skywalker (2019)

 

Director: JJ Abrams

Stars: Daisy Ridley, Adam Driver, John Boyega, Oscar Isaac, Carrie Fisher, Luke Skywalker, Harrison Ford

Short Review, no spoilers

Not as bad as The Last Jedi, but that would take some beating. Some nice moments, but ultimately sums up a disappointing return overall that seemed to have so much potential in The Force Awakens and the Rogue One spin-off.

Full Review (spoilers)

What we are told is the absolute last in the Star Wars saga (barring spin-offs), Rise of Skywalker occasionally hits the right notes but suffers from a shortage of inspiration throughout, as if made by someone who’s become bored of the whole damned thing in a way that, after The Force Awakens and the Rogue One spin-off seemed to promise a re-boot both more in line with the spirit of the originals while delivering something new, sadly makes me feel bored of it too. It appears that Disney ultimately got too firm a grip on the lucrative franchise, stifling what was darker, modern and so compelling about the aforementioned earlier films, suited to the adult generation that grew up with the original trilogy whilst not sacrificing the appeal to new and younger audiences.

It takes a while to get going, becomes strangely Indiana Jones-ish, before improving slightly when (deep breath) the gang get to Kijimi to retrieve a Sith translation from C3PO’s memory to find a ‘wayfinder’ to get to Exegol to confront and destroy the Emperor (who they seem to have just dredged up because they ran out of other super-villains and couldn’t be bothered to think up any more). No one seems to care that extracting the message from C3PO, veteran of the series, risks wiping his memory of everything that has gone before, perhaps something that directors wish they could do to fans of the franchise when tasked with delivering a Star Wars film that will please everyone. Nevertheless, without his buddy R2, they get to it with little fanfare, despite 3PO’s heartfelt final address to his ‘friends.’ On the plus side, I really liked the weird little backstreet robot lobotomiser that performs the procedure, and Zorii Bliss, the slinky masked blast from Poe Dameron’s past. Poe’s previous career is dubiously referred to as ‘spicerunner’ although, in response to Finn’s repeated bleatings about his shady past, Poe does rightfully remind Finn that he used to be a Stormtrooper, like comparing a drug dealer with a Nazi I guess. D-0, the little cone-faced robot is also a very likeable addition, nervously but politely rejecting Rey’s advances – “No thank you!” (voiced by director JJ Abrams). D-0’s role is also more akin to that of R2D2, nicely returning to a philosophy that often the most unlikely characters are in fact integral to the fates of everyone in this grand sweeping saga.

With all the relentless planet-hopping, and rushing feverishly from one mission to the next, the desperation to save each member of the group should they stray at any point also belies a regrettable departure from the adventurous spirit of the original films. Formerly, scenes of audacious bravery and loyalty in the face of seemingly insurmountable odds to help each other out were balanced with moments in which key protagonists were left to fight for themselves while the others went on to pursue greater goals, thus producing individuals that fought together but were also resilient and tough enough to get through on their own. I hate to say that, as one of the many beloved original characters, I was almost relieved at Chewie’s ‘death’, released as it seemed he would be from the miserable doofus role assigned to him in these watered-down Disney incarnations. No one would have worried about Chewie’s capture before because he was a tough mother****er, inclined to rip mens arms off if necessary. Likewise, lovestruck Finn frets over Rey’s safety when she’s the most powerful of them all, and is fortunate not to be yet another thing she has to deal with - namely rescuing him – while fighting all of her most formidable adversaries. Here the tension is missing from the first three films - the wonder at how our plucky heroes will find each other again when separated in battle, far apart and vulnerable with so many enemies in this vast and torrid space landscape; and the awe from when they do manage to find their way through individual hardships to be reunited with their comrades. Also missing is the sense of genuine camaraderie between Fisher, Hamill and Ford, with the friendships on screen here feeling forced. In contrast, Adam Driver deserves more plaudits than he is ever likely to get for maintaining a consistently compelling and charismatic performance, appearing to deliver as much dedication to Kylo Ren as any of his ‘serious’ indie roles. As such, unlike others, he betrays no intellectual snobbery at being involved in Star Wars. His role and the acting of it is also the most balanced thing in the film – as the tipping point between light and dark, his position on the dark side is seductively creepy and brooding, increasingly penetrating both Rey’s consciousness and physical reality with whispery but abruptly arresting interventions; and yet his delicately achieved turn to the light side is also believable.

Leia’s death has rightfully more gravitas than the ridiculous one she came back from in The Last Jedi, and Chewie’s fall to his knees on being told of her death did rip a tear from me. However, the delight at seeing old friends reunited has somewhat faded by now, to the extent that we are left with pointless cameos. By the time Lando Calrissien has turned up, it feels like This is Your Life! “Look who’s turned up now! It’s Lando Calrissien!” “Remember me guys?!” Han Solo pops up again as part of Kylo Ren’s dark side/light side rehab in a way that seems to take liberties with now familiar tropes in Star Wars, namely the appearance of a deceased individual to assist the Rebel Alliance in some way at key moments, which I thought was normally reserved for high-ranking Jedis. Still, it’s a nice enough moment, but one which reminds you that each former star has been afforded varying degrees of dignity, most criminally in the case of Mark Hamill, whose Luke Skywalker has been brought back to us in several shamefully ludicrous scenarios.

Quite a good job is done with the Emperor, although it’s worth acknowledging that the character was suitably frightening in the originals without needing a lot of flashing lights as is seen here. The discovery that Rey is the granddaughter of the Emperor is eye-rolling laziness in the form of yet another ‘shocking’ familial revelation. Nevertheless, it could have been interesting if explored in more depth – the possibilities of being related to that, barely human embodiment of all things nasty might have been quite tasty, but is ushered in amongst other plotlines in this tumble-dryer of a round-up.

Despite three long movies worth of sexual tension between Ben/Kylo Ren and Rey, Rey is kept virginal by the Disney-owned franchise, as the minute they finally get together, Ben literally disappears after sacrificing his own life force for hers. In fact, there’s a quite firm denial of any suggestion of sexuality, bar a tokenistic lesbian kiss in the background of the final scene of celebration (a very limp affair by the way, considering they’ve just won the most epic of battles imaginable, as brought to us in the form of a decades-old franchise that has achieved legendary status like no other in film history). This is epitomised perfectly when Zorii Bliss literally shakes her head at Poe Dameron in response to his gesture that suggests: “Shall we?” Although it refreshingly thwarts the cliché of a woman succumbing unequivocally to a bit of an arrogant dick’s attentions, it nevertheless highlights a weirdly prudish summing up of affairs. Finn’s obvious desire for Rey and intentions to tell her of it is hinted at throughout the film but is oddly and completely forgotten about by the end, whereby he seems happy to share a friendly threesome hug with his former love object and sort-of rival, and that’s the end of that. Finn’s affections appear to be misplaced anyway, as Rey and Ben’s shared intensity made more sense. Better for him would have been the excellently spunky Jannah, who fights valiantly by his side in the final battle, but she’s left with a bit of a creepy Lando Calrissien by the end. Otherwise, the desperation to deny any previous hint of desire between the central characters keeps it clean and passionless.

The film also seems to have a peculiar regard towards the past. After his initial horror at discovering that Vader was his father in that iconic scene, Luke works by degrees to reconcile with his heritage, the film engaging with the ethos that facing the past can be important, whereas here is a drive towards denying the past to the point of erasing it. In a move which seems to be the reverse of such soul-searching, Rey ultimately chooses to deny the past by rejecting her real name rather than reclaiming it. Rather than acknowledge the muddy waters of her lineage, she chooses to be called Skywalker and identify only with all that is now considered light and good and pure. Even the costuming reveals the full circle we have come to, whereby exploring complexity is out and strictly good vs bad is back in: where Luke’s innocence-symbolising light-coloured clothing of the first film is later replaced by black and other colours, signifying his emotional growth through internal conflict, Rey remains in whitish colours throughout. This ties in with the fact that her psychological journey appears relatively less troubled, allowing her past to be literally whitewashed. Beware box-ticking apparent inclusivity – beyond the (rightful) casting of non-white actors, and allusions to diverse sexualities, you often don’t have to look too deep to see that ultimately the same old stories are being rolled out time and time again.