Star Wars: The Rise of the Skywalker Review

Star Wars: The Rise of the Skywalker

Dir: J.J. Abrams

Starring: Daisy Ridley, Adam Driver, John Boyega, Oscar Isaac, Carrie Fisher, Domhnall Gleeson, Richard E. Grant, Kelly Marie Tran, Billy Dee Williams, and Mark Hamill

As that iconic text scrolls down the screen with the piercing musical theme from John Williams playing at high volume, it becomes clear that it’s near impossible to fully grasp the cultural effect “Star Wars” has had on cinema and popular culture. And with the 9^th installment, “The Rise of the Skywalker”, positioned as the finale to the saga started in 1977, it’s impossible that a film will be able to live up to the high expectations of so many years of establishing its mythos into the world. 

“The Force Awakens”, released in 2015 and helmed by director J.J. Abrams (“Super 8” and 2009’s “Star Trek), utilized a near-perfect blending of nostalgia in the development of a new story focused on a young girl named Rey (Daisy Ridley) who, in the process of searching for answers to her unknown past, becomes connected to the Skywalker lore. Bringing in familiar faces from the past and mixing new characters into a story that had strong ties and themes to “A New Hope”, “The Force Awakens” was a fitting reintroduction to all the feelings that made fans love “Star Wars” in the first place. 

“The Last Jedi”, released in 2017 and written/directed Rian Johnson (“Looper” and “Knives Out”), made bold and inspiring steps in separating the new story from the past and setting up a version of “Star Wars” for a new generation to claim as their own. In the process of taking the film in fresh, unexpected directions that refused to follow expectations and unnecessary fan service, “The Last Jedi” was met with divisive results amidst its noble attempts to take the myth of the Jedi in different directions. 

“The Rise of the Skywalker”, directed again by J.J. Abrams, has the unenviable task of wrapping up the “Star Wars” saga. But Abrams has a keen understanding of the love fans have for these films, and while the fascinating potential established by Rian Johnson’s “The Last Jedi” is somewhat suppressed for a return to more familiar movements and easy answers to lingering questions, “The Rise of the Skywalker” has some exceptional “Star Wars” moments amidst a struggling narrative that is hampered by unnecessary fan service. 

The story continues following Rey on her quest to find answers about her past but also leading the Resistance in the battle against a dominating First Order lead by a new supreme leader Kylo Ren (Adam Driver). Echoes from the past begin to haunt both Rey and Kylo Ren, pushing them towards an ultimate confrontation between good and evil, the past and the future. 

Abrams does a great job of keeping the focus on the characters established in the “The Force Awakens”; Rey (Daisy Ridley), Finn (John Boyega), and Poe (Oscar Isaac) rejoin to pursue one final journey in defense from the First Order, who are on the verge of striking one final blow to end the Resistance. These characters, played with such conviction and determination from the talented actors, encompass the emotional core of the film. Their strong friendship and undaunted comradery keep hope alive even as Kylo Ren continues to find the upper hand in battle and with his new ‘Force’ connection/bond to Rey. 

Kylo and Rey are provided with some odd, a few times interesting, story setups this time around. Unfortunately, their newfound connection doesn’t make full use of the opportunity to portray the complex relationship between the power of the Force and the Darkside, the proverbial ‘good versus evil’ that gives every single “Star Wars” film its conflict. Abrams instead uses these characters to compose fight scenes, one of which is a highlight of the entire film, and story bridges attempting to connect the messy plot in a cohesive way. 

The composition of the film, with its jumps from space to different planets, from land to water to air, is strikingly rendered. One scene involving glowing lightsabers and crashing waves is completely stunning. Abrams excels in finding ways to blend the past with the present, introducing new characters that have traits of old familiar characters and sometimes allowing the old characters, like Carrie Fisher’s Leia, moments to lovingly shine bright. 

J.J. Abrams understands what fans want and tries his best to accommodate expectations with a new exploration of familiar “Star Wars” themes. While there are moments when this doesn’t always work nicely, creating conflicting emotional tones, unnecessary and unearned callbacks, and story imbalances that make the 2 hour and 20-minute run time feel every bit as long, “The Rise of the Skywalker” will still render smiles from those who love the franchise. While it may not be the most fitting finale for this beloved space odyssey, it doesn’t feel like “Star Wars” is ending either. As the title suggests, “Star Wars” will continue to rise.

Monte’s Rating

3.25 out of 5.00

Solo: A Star Wars Story Review

Solo: A Star Wars Story

Dir: Ron Howard

Starring: Alden Ehrenreich, Woody Harrelson, Emilia Clarke, Donald Glover, Thandie Newton, Phoebe Waller-Bridge, Jonas Suotamo, and Paul Bettany

“You know, sometimes I amaze even myself.” The epitome of cool, the tough guy, the rebel in the original Star Wars universe has always been Han Solo. The character is an icon of pop culture, a science fiction superstar that brought charisma and attitude into the cockpit of the Millennium Falcon alongside a furry companion named Chewbacca. Han Solo’s journey into the Star Wars universe was always one of mythic proportions; a history only partly introduced with off topic remarks or unexpected meet-ups with past foes/friends. Amidst battles between galactic forces and duels with light saber wielding Jedi’s, Han Solo was consistently one of the most intriguing and appealing characters.

“Solo: A Star Wars Story”, directed by Ron Howard and written by Jonathan Kasdan and Lawrence Kasdan amidst a troubled production, takes the viewer back to the beginning of the journey; back to understand how Han Solo became a pilot, how he won the Millennium Falcon, and how Chewie became his partner in crime. Unlike other films in the “Star Wars” canon, the stakes aren’t world or life threatening, the mythology doesn’t boast a battle between light and dark forces, but instead the film focuses on a young man wrapped up in a world of loners, thieves, backstabbers and smugglers. 

Han (Alden Ehrenreich) is a juvenile delinquent, stealing speeders and running scams for bad guys who don’t like failure. Han is trying to escape his life of crime, leave the planet Corellia, and start a new path with his girlfriend Qi’ra (Emilia Clarke). Things don’t go as planned and Han is separated from Qi’ra; he promises to return for her one day. This leads Han to enlist in the military only to leave and join the gang fronted by a thief named Beckett (Woody Harrelson). Qi’ra finds her own path, secured in service to a scarred gangster named Dryden Vos (Paul Bettany).

Director Ron Howard handles the material here with delicate hands, perhaps a little too delicate considering the film struggles to make the wild stories of Han Solo resonate with the kind charisma and coolness associated with the savvy star pilot seen in “Star Wars: A New Hope”. It’s the bits of forced nostalgia, the intentional callbacks to the past (or future depending on how you look at the timeline), which create a rift in the tone of the story. Han’s character has always had the benefit of the doubt; his stories about winning spaceships and accomplishing challenging feats in 12 parsecs were legends told through word of mouth, many times the mouth of Han Solo himself. Still, they were stories given the bare minimum of information and told through the vessel of a character that oozes confidence. When these stories come to life it’s amusing yet altogether unnecessary and somewhat insignificant.

Still, Mr. Howard populates the film with some interesting characters. Woody Harrelson is good as Beckett, the lifetime thief whose sage words of advice are “Assume everyone will betray you”. Mr. Harrelson’s calm and natural demeanor fits this particular universe of loners. But the scene-stealer here is Donald Glover playing Lando Calrissian. Mr. Glover has a suaveness that shines through even when the character may not handle all the situations with the same kind of self-assured personality one might expect. Unfortunately Alden Ehrenreich, and this is no fault the talented actor’s ability, just doesn’t evoke the same quality of the character Harrison Ford composed. Trying to emulate the nostalgic sentiments of a character like Han Solo is nearly impossible considering the stranglehold that time and the ever growing grasp of pop culture hold over these beloved characters. Mr. Ehrenreich’s choices feel out of sync considering the character that will eventually come to the aid of the Resistance and Luke Skywalker in a few years to come. 

“Solo: A Star Wars Story” is mixed with moments that want to have fun, want to provide fan service, and want to prepare for the eventual return of the character for another adventure. It doesn’t always work. Still, in some places everything just fits so nicely that it’s impossible not to enjoy yourself. When Chewie and Han meet in a muddy pit during a chaotic war scene everything clicks for a moment, everything feels right knowing the future progression of these character’s intermingled storyline. It’s when the film actually resonates most like a Star Wars story. 

Monte’s Rating

3.25 out of 5.00

Star Wars: The Last Jedi Review

Star Wars: The Last Jedi

Dir: Rian Johnson

Starring: Daisy Ridley, John Boyega, Mark Hamill, Carrie Fisher, Adam Driver, Gwendoline Christie, Domhnall Gleason, Laura Dern, Oscar Isaac, Andy Serkis, Kelly Marie Tran, and Benicio Del Toro

The battle between good and evil continues in the newest “Star Wars” film. 40 years ago the franchise, which shows no sign of slowing down under Disney’s guidance, created a science fiction opera that pitted a rebellious young boy with astounding hidden skills against an evil empire lead by a masked villain that would become one of cinema’s most iconic characters. “Star Wars: The Last Jedi” continues the latest saga, which restarted two years ago with a scavenger named Rey (Daisy Ridley) and rogue stormtrooper named Finn (John Boyega) leading the charge, with an immersive tale that is an impressive visual spectacle but also a story that has humor and heart.

The story picks up nearly immediately after the events of “The Force Awakens”. The Resistance, embattled and suffering heavy casualties in their fight for freedom, are being chased by the First Order. Leia (Carrie Fisher) clings to the hope of finding her brother Luke (Mark Hamill), who has gone into hiding due to his failure with prodigy Kylo Ren (Adam Driver). Rey is struggling with her new role with the Resistance, but more specifically with motivating Luke to help her hone her new found skills with the Force. Finn is on a journey of his own, this time with help from an ally named Rose (Kelly Marie Tran); the two are tasked with a dangerous mission to help provide safe escape for the Resistance from the First Order’s clutches. 

Writer and director Rian Johnson has the difficult task of following J.J. Abrams’ “The Force Awakens”, which was trip down nostalgia avenue that worked in making fans remember why they fell in love with ”Star Wars” in the first place. Mr. Johnson, who has already amassed a quality resume with films like “Brick” and “Looper”, crafts the “The Last Jedi” with all the subtle and purposeful touches one would expect from a “Star Wars” film. These films are manufactured machines that resist the individuality a filmmaker may want to influence, especially a talent like Rian Johnson. So, surprisingly, it’s interesting when Mr. Johnson’s influence successfully peeks through. It’s felt most noticeable with the humor brought into the film, which works in crafting a nice balance at times with the serious tone that is established early on.

Loss is an emotional focus that lingers throughout a majority of the “Star Wars” universe. Whether the loss of life, the loss of freedom, or the loss of self, these films have a tendency to be somewhat downtrodden at times. That’s what makes the journey against the odds so meaningful many times throughout the franchise run. “The Last Jedi” has this quality too, it utilizes the final events of “The Force Awakens” to create an atmosphere that feels anxious and desperate; this makes an early space fight have so much more tension because it feels like no one is safe. But it also allows new characters opportunity to make strong impacts, in particular Finn who is provided more opportunities to delve into the merits of his character. 

This quality of loss and redemption is most obvious with the return of Luke Skywalker. The journey for Luke is tragic, the character has lived a life defined by loss. Mark Hamill reprises the role and confidently portrays Luke as a heroic figure who understands the sadness that comes with conflict and the price that comes with victory. Carrie Fisher brings a subtle emotional quality to a character that is throughout the film steadfast and tough. Ms. Fisher’s portrayal of Leia has always been a shining light throughout the “Star Wars” series, her untimely death earlier this year adds a somber sentiment to these scenes. Adam Driver, who plays the big bad Kylo Ren, is one of the more interesting characters in this new installment. Mr. Driver does a nice job of making the petulant and emotionally conflicted character have a genuine human quality that makes the performance so much meaningful when Kylo Ren is given more critical choices to make. That's what ultimately makes Kylo Ren so fascinating as a villain, the fact that choice plays the most prominent role in his creation.

At two and half hours in length, the film has moments that feel long and a little over convoluted. While some characters are provided nice spotlights others are trolled along, given small moments to make an appearance when a narrative shift is needed. Also the structure of the story, which jumps around within three stories lead by Rey, Finn, and Poe (Oscar Isaac) as they two-step with Luke, Leia, and Kylo, has a tendency to create some issues concerning the tone from scene to scene. However, when director Rian Johnson takes control, the film moves in really unique ways, embracing elements that are playful and crafting images that are truly powerful.

“Star Wars: The Last Jedi” continues the journey of good versus evil in satisfying ways. Rian Johnson does a good job of further solidifying the new characters into the epic mythology that has come before but also provides a place for the original characters to still influence everything in memorable ways. Where “Star Wars: The Force Awakens” employed a return to the past to craft their introduction, “Star Wars: The Last Jedi” composes a film that is trying to look towards the future, a film that is trying to create its own path. And for the most part, it succeeds.

Monte’s Rating

3.75 out of 5.00

Rogue One: A Star Wars Story Review

Rogue One: A Star Wars Story

Dir: Gareth Edwards

Starring: Felicity Jones, Diego Luna, Alan Tudyk, Donnie Yen, Forest Whitaker, Wen Jiang, Ben Mendelsohn, Riz Ahmed, and Mads Mikkelsen

Last December one of the most anticipated movie events took place, “Star Wars: The Force Awakens” was released into theaters. People waited in lines, online ticket sales broke websites, it shattered box office records; it was a film that provided Star Wars fans with every emotion they wanted to feel from a new film. It was an invitation back to safe/familiar territory for fans worried that the results would echo the sentiments felt after “Star Wars: Episode I - The Phantom Menace”, but also a new story for newcomers to invest themselves in like so many did back in 1977.

“Rogue One: A Star Wars Story” is not a continuation of the events seen in “The Force Awakens”, it’s a new story that takes place somewhere in the saga that is the Star Wars universe. Introducing new characters into the familiar stomping grounds of Darth Vader, Luke Skywalker, and Rey is ingenious, it offers an opportunity to explore different elements not directly related to the heroes everyone knows. The characters here are lesser heroes, a group of individuals doing the groundwork with smaller victories that eventually lead to bigger victories.

To explain the details of the story may spoil the fun for some fans, the quick details are that a group of rebels lead by a woman named Jyn Erso (Felicity Jones) are tasked with stealing secret plans to provide an upper hand against forces threatening to conquer the galaxy. Change a few key words in this description and the story could easily describe a western or a war film; though it shouldn’t surprise anyone familiar with Star Wars that both of these specific genres have played significant influence in the development of the universe with this franchise.

The films have always functioned as tales of good versus evil, war versus peace, and it isn’t much different with “Rogue One”. While these story components have been told in imaginative, provocative ways in the past, this Star Wars story feels content with providing safe and simple moments to keep fans happy. While some will say that “The Force Awakens” did the same thing, which would be true, “Rogue One” doesn’t have the luxury of having familiar characters with rich histories to accompany the new characters. This unfortunately makes the film feel somewhat mediocre rather than completely memorable. Still, there are many moments here that will make any fan of “Star Wars” feel excited, one in particular is something this fan has been waiting for since seeing the first film.  

It’s a shame that more emphasis wasn’t provided to developing the characters in this film in which there are some very talented actors who give very good performances, specifically Felicity Jones and Ben Mendelsohn. There are good pieces introduced that look to provide direction towards some great conflict with some of the characters, Jyn and her father Galen have an interesting dynamic that could have been explored to provide more emotional substance, even the ambition of making a “Star Wars” influenced film actually feel like a war movie has potential to display so many aspects associated with purpose and reason why people make the decision to fight or take a side. There is also a blind martial artist and a militant extremist rebel who aren’t offered much more than a quick setup and then quickly thrown into the mix. While each of these characters have their moments to shine, they still feel underutilized. Again, this is a film about war and the sacrifice that these rebels are making to change the state of the world they are living in. The potential for some of the characters in this Star Wars tale to become truly memorable is there but the script only hints at these directions, instead it lingers in a space that never combines the heart and heroics of the situation in an effective way.

Still, the moments when this story connects with the past and the moments just after the end credits rolled left me happy and excited about what I saw. It wasn’t until some contemplation that the holes in the script and the deficiencies of the characters became glaringly obvious. Whether this happens to you will probably depend on what your expectations are and how passionate of a Star Wars fan you are. “Rogue One: A Star Wars Story” is a suitable film that plays just an okay supporting role to the much bigger primary Star Wars story.

Monte’s Rating

3.25 out of 5.00

Star Wars: The Force Awakens Review

Star Wars: The Force Awakens

Dir: J.J. Abrams

Starring: Harrison Ford, Mark Hamill, Carrie Fisher, Adam Driver, Daisy Ridley, Jon Boyega, Oscar Isaac, Lupita Nyong’o, Andy Serkis, Domhnall Gleeson, Peter Mayhew, Gwendoline Christie and Max von Sydow

The moment the iconic John Williams theme erupts and the words begin to scroll it will be impossible for any “Star Wars” fan to not be a little excited. No spoilers allowed in this review because “Star Wars: The Force Awakens” is a film experience that should not be ruined by too much information. Director J.J. Abrams tackles the monumental feat of rejuvenating the “Star Wars” franchise, mixing nostalgia with new characters on a new adventure with skill and confidence while also remaining loyal to the fanbase that will be waiting in long lines for the opportunity to remember why they fell in love with “Star Wars” in the first place. To the achievement of “Star Wars: The Force Awakens”, it excels and satisfies at nearly every turn.

Episode VII takes place thirty years after the destruction of the Death Star and the demise of the Galactic Empire. Peace has thrived throughout the galaxy but a new dark threat is rising to disrupt order. Supreme Leader Snoke (Andy Serkis) commands the First Order with the help of Kylo Ren (Adam Driver), a masked villain who wields a lightsaber. The Resistance is fighting this new evil foe with the help of a rebel pilot named Poe Dameron (Oscar Isaac), a young scavenger living alone on a desert planet named Rey (Daisy Ridley), and a soldier named Finn; the group will do all they can to keep peace in the galaxy.

At the very minimum that’s all you need to know. Mr. Abrams and company have crafted a narrative that delivers a bit of everything for both fanatics and those unfamiliar with the universe. There are numerous moments in the film that seem handcrafted for “Star Wars” superfans. All of the best and memorable aspects of the past six films are utilized in effective and meaningful ways here, offering many nods to the past and establishing small steps that will lead into the future of the continued saga. Still, even though it utilizes Shakespearian influences familiar throughout all the films and follows the Joseph Campbell storytelling blueprint described in “The Hero with a Thousand Faces”, the film never forgets what George Lucas created in the beginning and what, at its core, it achieves, which is producing that sense of childlike wonder and consistently remaining adventurous and fun.

The film centers around two new cast members, Daisy Ridley and Jon Boyega who both give especially genuine performances. This is an accommodation to their ability as actors but also to the script, which allows the characters both heartfelt and playful moments, each of which are charming and comedic. It is a difficult task for two new actors to remain shining when the shadow of their iconic counterparts loom so intimidatingly. Harrison Ford returns as Han Solo and upon his first moment on screen immediately fits comfortably back into the role, which he hasn’t played for nearly three decades. Add the back and fourth repartee with Chewbacca and, similarly to what Han Solo says in the trailer, you’re home.

The “Star Wars” prequels in some ways tarnished what the original films established. It’s safe to say that J.J. Abrams has given fans new hope with “The Force Awakens”. While the film reintroduces the audience to the world of the past, both the characters and myth left behind, the future isn’t given much exploration, which leaves many obvious questions for subsequent films to answer. But you won’t notice this aspect until you leave the theater and give the film some further thought. That’s an attribute to “Star Wars: The Force Awakens” because it is such an experience. It’s a film that gives older audiences the joyous nostalgic feelings from when they saw “Star Wars” for the first time and, even more approvingly, a way to give a new generation of fans the memorable experience of why going to the movies is such a special and magical thing.

Monte’s Rating

4.25 out of 5.00