The Star Wars Saga is a long-running franchise that began in 1977 with the release of
Star Wars Episode IV: A New Hope. Since then, the movies, and the world that they created,
have evolved and the Star Wars fanbase has expanded.
The first films were directed and produced by George Lucas. That was, until, 2005
when he sold the company to Disney for over four billion dollars. Therefore, on Dec. 20 when
the latest film, Star Wars Episode IX: The Rise of Skywalker, was released it was the work of
Disney.
“I liked the movie, I saw it with my family. We are obsessed with Star Wars,” said
sophomore grader Mia Perulli.
Followed by The Last Jedi, the most recent film of the 4-decade movie series focuses
on Emperor Palpatine, who was thought to have been killed by Darth Vader. It is up to the
rebels to find where the seemingly dead Emperor Palpatine has been hiding. Characters Finn
(John Boyega), Rey (Daisy Ridley), and Poe (Oscar Isaac), along with the rest of the resistance
must now try to halt Kylo Ren (Adam Driver), and the First Order’s plot to create a new empire
with the aid of the notorious Emperor Palpatine.
“I thought the movie was ok, I hated the ending though,” said sophomore grader Kiera
Darnell.
In this film, the world of science fiction is taken to a new level due to the intense space
battles, lightsaber fights, spaceship chases, futuristic robots, technology, and more. In contrast
to the other movies, specifically the original Star Wars trilogy, it is a bit darker due to unsettling
looking villains, locations, and heart-wrenching deaths.
The film also displayed wondrous set designs and visual effects which proved to be
worth the large budget of about 250-300 million dollars.
John William’s background score is another addition to the film, as it adds to the
emotional depth and tear-jerking scenes. Ultimately, these emotional scenes contributed
greatly to the character development, which offset the more confusing, and worse aspects of the
film.
Some of the most notable actors of the film are Daisy Ridley and Adam Driver who
excel at their roles. The scenes between them prove to be some of the most entertaining in the
movie. Additionally, actors John Boyega and Oscar Isaac have important comedic roles
throughout the film that diffuse the tension in certain scenes.
Other original characters are also featured in Star Wars Episode IX: The Rise of
Skywalker, such as Chewbacca and R2-D2. However, many fans feel that these characters
were under appreciated in this final film.
“My favorite characters are Kylo Ren and Rey. They were the most interesting to me
when I was watching the movie and I love their dynamic,” said sophomore Ella Cohn.
One of the major difficulties of the film was it had to bring a sense of closure to the
beloved franchise. While paying tribute to the original characters, such as Luke Skywalker
(Mark Hamill), Han Solo (Harrison Ford), and Leia Organa (Carrie Fisher), the film also included
a variety of new characters to carry out the legacy.
Despite this, many fans found the plot to be confusing. A lot of the questions that were
proposed in previous movies failed to be answered in this series final. Some believe the
confusion of the film may have been due to excessive studio cuts beyond the director’s control.
The disappointment with the lack of a compelling narrative also contributed to the
downfall of the film. Due to these factors, the film is considered inferior to many of its
predecessors in the saga.
While the film has its imperfections, it is worth seeing in theaters if you are a true Star
Wars fan. May the force be with you.