Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker is a 2019 action fantasy film about the surviving Resistance facing the First Order once more.
Directed by J.J. Abrams (Star Wars: Episode VII – The Force Awakens; Star Trek and Star Trek Into Darkness; Super 8) from a screenplay co-written with Derek Connolly (Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom; Kong: Skull Island; Monster Trucks), Chris Terrio (Justice League; Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice) and Colin Trevorrow (Jurassic World franchise).
The Lucasfilm-Bad Robot-Walt Disney Pictures production stars Daisy Ridley, Adam Driver, Billie Lourd, Lupita Nyong’o and Mark Hamill.
Reviews:
” …the film is well-acted, it looks so good that there is bound to be a fabulous tie-in coffee-table book of concept art, and it has a positive message about never giving up hope. But the main feeling it instils in the viewer is a renewed respect for the imagination of Lucas. The Rise of Skywalker has been lovingly crafted by a host of talented people, and yet the best they can do is pay tribute to everything he did several decades ago.” BBC
“It looks gorgeous and offers strong performances from Driver and Ridley in particular, but ultimately the saga ends with neither a bang nor a whimper but something inbetween.” Empire
“Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker is a gorgeous and action-packed intergalactic extravaganza sure to provide excitement, but we shouldn’t be settling for the bare minimum, let alone begging for it. A better movie would further explore the importance of identity and hate rather than dole out the expected reveals and safe conclusions.” Flickering Myth
“Bumpy as the ride sometimes is, though, no one can accuse Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker of stinting on action, emotion, planet-hopping, callbacks, fan-servicing, or, well, anything Star Wars, as Abrams goes for maximalism laced with classicism.” Games Radar
“Without a doubt, Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker has something for everyone. It force-feeds you so much Star Wars you’ll probably want to go back for seconds. Sadly, it suffers mightily from being more focused on excess instead of resonance. For some people, that will be more than enough—but for us, it’s not.” Gizmodo
” …the good news is, The Rise of Skywalker is the send-off the saga deserves. The bad news is, it is largely the send-off we expected. Of course, there is epic action to savour and surprises and spoilers to spill, but given the long, long build-up, some of the saga’s big revelations and developments might be a little unsatisfying on reflection.” The Guardian
“Ultimately it’s Ridley’s film. She works wonders with the eventual revelation and consequences of Rey’s identity while enjoying her transformation into a one-woman Jedi army. But Driver also does excellent work; rarely has seething rage dissipated in such a fittingly beautiful way.” iNews
“This ninth film the series closes with a far more diverse group of actors than the core characters of the first film, who were mostly white, western and male. While this shift is undoubtedly driven in part by the need to be a financial success in what’s now a global marketplace, it’s a change in emphasis which should be celebrated.” The Mirror
“The emotional arcs start to satisfyingly coalesce in the second half, with most of this material falling on the able shoulders of Daisy Ridley, who really ups her acting game here. Her story feels just as important as that of Luke and Anakin’s, and Ridley does an impressive job of channelling her character’s dramatic heft.” New Zealand Herald
“No one ever said that pleasing everyone would be easy, but with The Rise of Skywalker, the director pretty much nails it. That is to say, this film […] is, aside from everything else and the kitchen sink, an entirely, deliberately, innocuously, agreeable film.” Screen Anarchy
” …The Rise of Skywalker really does provide a satisfying and memorable conclusion, with epic battles, big surprises, humour, heart and some tear-jerking scenes. The finale to a tale that has defined the childhoods of millions has plenty of crowd-pleasing moments, and, although there is a lot to take in, it should leave fans happy.” Sky News
“There’s plenty of spectacle and space-fighting to keep The Rise of Skywalker entertaining. Minute to minute, it’s an enjoyable movie, and at its brightest points, it captures Star Wars at its best. But Abrams just hasn’t pared down the bombast enough to keep his story grounded — and with the trilogy at its end, it’s strange to be left with as many new questions as resolutions.” The Verge
Release:
Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker is released worldwide on 18th, 19th and 20th of December in various regions.
Cast and characters:
- Daisy Ridley … Rey
- Billie Lourd … Lieutenant Connix
- Lupita Nyong’o … Maz Kanata
- Adam Driver … Kylo Ren
- Mark Hamill … Luke Skywalker
- Billy Dee Williams … Lando Calrissian
- Oscar Isaac … Poe Dameron
- Domhnall Gleeson … General Hux
- Keri Russell … Zorii Bliss
- Carrie Fisher … Leia Organa (archive footage)
- Ian McDiarmid … Palpatine
- Richard E. Grant … Allegiant General Pryde
- Kelly Marie Tran … Rose Tico
- Dominic Monaghan
- Greg Grunberg … Snap Wexley
Filming locations:
- Los Angeles, California
- New York City, New York
- Pinewood Studios, Iver Heath, Slough, England
Technical details:
- 155 minutes
- Aspect ratio: 2.39: 1
- Audio: DTS (DTS: X)| Dolby Atmos | Auro 11.1 | Dolby Digital | IMAX 6-Track | Dolby Surround 7.1 | Sonics-DDP | 12-Track Digital Sound
Film Facts:
With a running time of 141 minutes, Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker is the third-longest Star Wars film so far.
Here is a list of the previous running times:
- Star Wars: Episode IV – A New Hope – 121 Minutes
- Star Wars: Episode V – The Empire Strikes Back – 124 Minutes
- Star Wars: Episode VI – Return of the Jedi – 131 Minutes
- Star Wars: Episode I – The Phantom Menace – 136 Minutes
- Star Wars: Episode II – Attack of the Clones – 142 Minutes
- Star Wars: Episode III – Revenge of the Sith – 140 Minutes
- Star Wars: The Clone Wars – 98 Minutes
- Star Wars: Episode VII – The Force Awakens – 138 Minutes
- Rogue One: A Star Wars Story – 133 Minutes
- Star Wars: Episode VIII – The Last Jedi – 152 Minutes
- Solo: A Star Wars Story – 135 Minutes
Image credits: All Lucasfilm Ltd.
