And Not A Trace Of Jar Jar Binks

“You are nothing. A scavenger girl is no match for the power in me. I am all of the Sith!” – Palpatine

“We’re not alone. Good people will fight if we lead them.” ~ Poe Dameron

“Never underestimate a droid.” ~ Leia Organa

“Rey, some things are stronger than blood. Confronting fear is the destiny of a Jedi. Your destiny. If you don’t face Palpatine, it will mean the end of the Jedi. And the war will be lost.” ~ Luke Skywalker

“People keep telling me they know me. I’m afraid no one does.” ~ Rey

The final chapter of the Skywalker saga has come out, as Star Wars ends one era (or until the studio marketing chimps decide to have another go at it). The Rise Of Skywalker answers some questions, poses others, introduces some new faces into the sci fi epic, and brings back some familiar faces along the way. It’s the ending of an era for the franchise, one with some ups and downs along the way, but in the end an entertaining one.

Picking up quite some time after the events of The Last Jedi, the story starts with the revelation that the late Emperor Palpatine (Ian McDiarmid), last seen getting tossed down a shaft on the Death Star, might not be dead, with mysterious broadcasts alluding to his survival. Kylo Ren (Adam Driver), having had killed off his master in the previous film and established himself as the supreme leader of the malevolent First Order, seeks to destroy this interloper from the past, viewing him as a threat to his own place in the galaxy. And so two forces of evil meet, but things take a different route than Kylo might have expected.

Rey (Daisy Ridley), the heroine of these films, is with the rest of the Resistance, hidden away, biding their time. She’s being trained by Leia (Carrie Fisher) in the ways of the Force. Her friends Poe Dameron (Oscar Isaac) and Finn (John Boyega) are making preparations for the fight yet to come. Familiar faces like Chewbacca (Joonas Suotamo), C-3PO, and the other droids are with them. And it’s not long before the dark menace of the First Order makes its threat plain, and our heroes have to undergo a quest to save the galaxy. Lives will be altered, destinies will be met, and good will confront evil. Lots of light hearted material, in other words.

Director J.J. Abrams returns, having a hand in the script, which is also credited to Chris Terrio, while some story concepts were credited to previously attached director Colin Trevorrow and collaborator Derek Connolly. This being the end of a saga, there’s a lot of unfinished business to deal with, and the story reflects that, sprawling well over two hours, spanning the far reaches of a galaxy. It might be unwise, one expects, in presenting new characters into a crowded universe, though the new characters work quite well, on both sides of the conflict.

The story weaves together themes of destiny, of the struggle between good and evil, between anger and purpose, of friendship and loyalty, and of redemption and ambition. This presents itself in different characters in different ways. While the main players of the story get their share of the narrative, and most of the supporting characters get their due in that respect as well, it’s not always shared. The character Rose (Kelly Marie Tran), introduced in the last film to much dismay by fanboys, seems to come up short in screen time, for instance.

Abrams has long had a pretty good handle on action, and on science fiction, and that shows itself here. He handled The Force Awakens well, and his return to the director’s chair here continues that. The story presents both new worlds and familiar places in different ways (the wreckage of the second Death Star is a particularly vivid and terrifying place, awash in angry seas on the familiar moon of Endor). We see a multitude of new creatures, reminding us that the Star Wars universe has always been a wildly diverse place of aliens, planets, ships, and cultures. The set pieces build on what’s come before; First Order destroyers are familiar to long term fans of the franchise, while the locations that we find our characters in, new or old, feel true to the Star Wars continuity.

It’s a large cast, with some surprising returns, either in person or in voice, as happens at two vital moments in the film. One of the big returns of course is the not so dead Emperor Palpatine, played with relishing menace by Ian McDiarmid. There’s nothing in the character, who’s had a way to cheat his own death, remotely capable of redemption of kindness. Instead it’s all malice, ambition, and ruthlessness, which fits in with what we’ve seen of the character before. Palpatine is pure evil, and that’s the way the actor approaches him.

Richard E. Grant, one of those character actors you see in so many films, plays a new character, a First Order general by the apt name of Pryde. He has a similar sort of personality we’ve seen in Imperial officers from films pasts- the ruthless, cutthroat energy, the sneering contempt fitting his role. Domhnall Gleeson returns as General Hux, still as petulant, arrogant, and condescending as ever. And yet there’s a nice twist involving the character that I liked, one whose motivation still very much fits how the actor has played the role.

I mentioned how Kelly Marie Tran has been largely cast aside in terms of screen time from what she did in the second film. She doesn’t get a lot of screen time as Rose, but the character continues to feel true to what’s come before- the steadfast faith in a cause, the rising to the occasion of someone who might otherwise seem ordinary. Two other actresses get new parts this time out. Naomie Ackie plays Jannah, who has something in common with Finn. She too was once a storm trooper in the First Order, and she too defected. The actress gives the character a wary at first approach, before showing her courage as the story goes along, and she winds up getting a fair amount of screen time. Keri Russell appears (though spends her onscreen time masked) as Zorii Bliss, an old acquaintance of Poe, and there’s clearly some history between them. She’s harder edged, cynical, willing to let the troubles of the galaxy pass by, and something of a scoundrel in her approach to things. Yet like another scoundrel of this franchise, she can’t quite back away from trouble when she finds it. I liked the banter and energy between this character and Poe.

Anthony Daniels has played C-3PO in nine films (ten, when you count the cameo in Rogue One). The droid has often been a whiny, worrisome, neurotic source of humour for the audience, baffled as he finds himself in the midst of galactic conflict, rattling off statistics and telling people how many forms of communication he’s fluent in. He remains the source of humour at times in this film, perpetually worried, and yet one of my favourite moments in the film belongs to the character and the actor: a moment of pure selflessness and heroism that makes you admire him.

Joonas Suotamo took over the role of Chewbacca from the late Peter Mayhew. The Wookiee is a veteran of the Rebellion and now the Resistance, a favourite character for many. With the death of Han in the first film of this trilogy, Chewie has had to move beyond that partnership to work with others more extensively, which we see in this film. The character might growl and be incoherent to us, at least in words, but his actions continue to show him to be the fiercely loyal friend willing to step right into the thick of things.

Billy Dee Williams returns to the franchise as the suave charmer and rogue, General Lando Calrissian. He's older and wiser, something more of a sage, but still with that charming streak to him, loyal to his friends and still a natural leader. The actor makes the best of the opportunity, relating well to the newer characters, and even reminding us of the older bonds with characters he doesn't interact with in this film. One of the great treats of the film is watching Lando and Chewie at the controls of the Millennium Falcon, and the expression Williams has with his character on board the ship: a man who's come home.

Adam Driver has been the primary antagonist in the sequel trilogy, but one with divided loyalties and inner conflicts. His Kylo Ren/ Ben Solo is a tortured, wounded soul, broken and distrustful, deep in the Dark Side of the Force. And yet his journey through this film takes him in new directions and new choices. There are times he lashes out in anger, times he seems lost in himself, and times when he finds his purpose. The actor plays to these elements in his performance, making the character compelling to watch, and ultimately even sympathetic as he struggles between the darkness and the light. We can empathize with him in a way we never could with Heyden Christensen's descending into darkness Anakin Skywalker, and that reflects the talent of the actor.

John Boyega was first introduced to the franchise as a storm trooper with doubts. His role as Finn is an engaging one, as the character has progressed over the films from just trying to run away from it all to ultimately investing himself fully in the just cause of the Resistance. That doesn't mean he can't be distracted- there are times he's more concerned about Rey than about what's happening right in front of him. But for the most part he's grown into the role of a believer, both in the Force and in the cause of the Resistance. That character growth makes him more interesting, and someone the audience can appreciate.

Oscar Isaac has had a good role in the sequel trilogy's new characters as Poe Dameron, the brash and devil-may-care Resistance fighter pilot and commander who chafes at authority but finds himself becoming the authority. The actor balances the character's carefree rogue personality with his increasing awareness that the mantle of leadership is on him, something that's been building through all three films. Poe has his moments of doubt and uncertainty, but brings himself back to lead the path forward despite them. 

To say this was a complicated matter bringing the late Carrie Fisher into the film is an understatement, and yet it works. Abrams made use of unused footage from earlier in the sequel trilogy of Leia with other characters, but the dialogue feels written for this film, as though meant for it. Fisher's Leia is still the resolute, principled leader with a will of iron and a heart filled with empathy and purpose. She's ever wise, leading an effort against a rising evil, dispensing advice as needed, and coming to a crossroads of her own. It turns out to be a poignant final performance from the actress, and a fitting way to go out.

Mark Hamill returns, much as Alec Guinness did before him, as a Force spirit version of Luke Skywalker. It's a cameo appearance this time, but a timely one, as he reaches out to his apprentice Rey when she's at a low point, and gives her purpose and strength. His Luke is at peace, capable of admitting his own errors, and at a point where wisdom has long since replaced the young farm boy looking to the horizon. This is almost certainly the last time the actor will play the role, but it's a fitting finale that brings closure to his own journey, and that of others.

Daisy Ridley has been the protagonist of the sequel trilogy as Rey. Starting out her story as a scavenger in search of herself, the character has grown into someone learning of her own abilities and place in the galaxy. Her journey in this film includes revelations, moments of doubt and anger, and ultimately steadfast resolution and courage in the face of pure evil. The actress makes her role a compelling one, someone the audience can empathize with. She's not a perfect person, but that makes her all the more interesting to watch.

Is The Rise Of Skywalker a perfect film? No. At times it feels a bit too rushed, and there's the sense of one or two characters getting marginalized. It could have easily been expanded to three hours to flesh things out. But the film is an entertaining one, keeping you drawn into the story of these characters against a grand backdrop of a galaxy at war. There are surprising returns, fresh humour, and new characters I did like. All in all though, the film is a fitting way to bring an epic saga to a conclusion.

At least until the studio marketing chimps decide to tell the story of an unrevealed Skywalker grandchild running around on Hoth.

And Not A Trace Of Jar Jar Binks

"You changed your hair." ~ Han Solo

"Same jacket." ~ Leia Organa

"Why are you helping me?" ~ Poe Dameron

"Because it's the right thing to do." ~ Finn

"I didn't think there was this much green in the whole galaxy." ~ Rey

"I will fulfill our destiny." ~ Kylo Ren

"There's been an awakening. Have you felt it? The Dark side, and the Light." ~ Snoke

"I was raised to do one thing, but I've got nothing to fight for." ~ Finn

"Hope is not lost today, it's found." ~ Leia

"What are you going to do?" ~ Rey

"Same thing I always do, talk my way out of it." ~ Han

It has been thirty two years since Return Of The Jedi, the last film in the original Star Wars trilogy was released. Since that time a prequel trilogy by creator-writer-director George Lucas came out (complete with a whiny pre-helmet, pre-evil Anakin Skywalker and the most obnoxious comic relief character of all time- Jar Jar, I'm looking at you). Now director J.J. Abrams has helmed a new chapter in the sprawling space saga, catching up with some favourite characters from the original trilogy while bringing us face to face with new heroes and villains. The Force Awakens succeeds, thrills, and entertains, and ends up being a worthy addition to the Star Wars world.

Thirty years after the destruction of the second Death Star and the fall of the Empire, the galaxy has a Republic, but all is not well. A new malevolence has risen up out of the remnants of the Empire, an army calling itself the First Order, seeking to take back the galaxy from the Republic. Leia Organa (Carrie Fisher, reprising her role), leads the Resistance, the front line of the Republic against the First Order. Her brother Luke Skywalker (Mark Hamill), the Jedi knight who was busy trying to rebuild the Jedi, has vanished, and is now the subject of more than one search by interested parties. Leia has sent one of her best pilots, Poe Dameron (Oscar Isaac) on a mission to find him.

Poe's search takes him and his droid BB-8 to a desert world called Jakku. The pilot and his droid are separated during an attack by First Order stormtroopers- Poe is captured while the droid flees into the night. One of the stormtroopers (John Boyega), soon to take on the name Finn, is unable to kill for the First Order, has a crisis of conscience, and frees Poe, helping him escape. The droid, meanwhile, encounters a solitary scavenger on Jakku named Rey (Daisy Ridley), and their paths will draw the characters back together, as well as into a meeting with two familiar old Rebels and smugglers, Han Solo (Harrison Ford) and his sidekick Chewbacca (Peter Mayhew).

George Lucas had sold off Lucasfilm (and the rights to his characters) some years ago to Disney, after the prequel trilogy had been done and over with. He had mused for some time about follow-ups to the original trilogy, though nothing had ever come of it, choosing instead to delve into how Darth Vader became Darth Vader and how the Empire rose up out of the Old Republic. He also spent a good part of the prequel trilogy boring us with things like trade federations, Senate discussions, and tariff disputes. This first chapter of a new trilogy is very much in the spirit of the original trilogy, a sprawling epic across worlds that doesn't get itself bogged down in political machinations. 

Three writers are credited- Abrams and writer-director Lawrence Kasdan appear to have had the bulk of the work in the film, and Kasdan had a hand in a couple of the scripts for the original trilogy, while Michael Arndt is also credited. The story pays homage to the original trilogy in various ways- returning characters, bits of dialogue that nod back to the first trilogy, but also themes. The lone character, restless and seeking destiny on a backwater world, the struggle between good and evil, the dynamics of characters coming together for the right cause- these are themes that play out through the film. The screenplay strongly focuses on characterization and adds a healthy dose of humour along the way.

Abrams, who's had a history of working in television and film on a lot of high profile material, has been also directing that other cosmic franchise (the rebooted Star Trek films, with their excessive lens flare camera techniques, are his work). This doesn't feel like that- the film feels very much set squarely in the Star Wars continuity, not like an unseen corner of the Trek universe. The ships have a familiar look- both X-wings and TIE fighters look like they're upgrades from the earlier films, as do the star destroyers- and it's refreshing once more to see the Millennium Falcon in action. The planets and worlds the film shows feel true to the Star Wars mythos as well- the look of the Starkiller base, for instance, definitely feels like something out of an Imperial nightmare. 

There are creatures and aliens both new and familiar, worlds that seem both familiar and fantastic (the crew filmed on location in many places and added details like ruined Star Destroyers in by CGI. And yet unlike the prequel trilogy, the CGI doesn't feel overwhelming; Abrams' directing technique seems to follow the better strategy of using special effects as a tool rather than let it dominate the story. He chooses instead to emphasize the personalities and relationships of his characters as the bedrock of the film. Wisely he also chooses to have John Williams (still the master of the profession) do the musical score for the film, and Williams gives us a lot of original music that greatly expands his contributions to the Star Wars mythos, while weaving in previous themes.

The casting choices in this case are well made. When I first heard Max Von Sydow was cast in the film, I wondered if he was replacing the late Alec Guinness as the ghost of Obi Wan Kenobi (there is an audio appearance of sorts by the dead Jedi knight, however). That's not the case- the actor plays a new role early on, a wise and enigmatic retired adventurer with connections to Leia and Luke, a resolute sort of man. Lupita Nyong' o appears as a wise alien, a friend of Han and Chewbacca. Her performance is more CGI and stop motion capture, but it's an interesting one, a cantina owner with a sense of humour but an internal wisdom and grace. There's also a priceless cameo featuring a stormtrooper who has a one on one scene with Rey- watch the film before looking up who was beneath the mask.

The villains are many in this whole tale. Andy Serkis, the stop motion capture expert actor who gave us Gollum in the Lord of The Rings films, appears as the First Order's supreme leader Snoke. It's another stop motion capture performance- we see the character as a gigantic hologram, someone with a very distinctive look. The actor brings a suitable malice to the role, a character steeped in the Dark Side of the Force. Gwendoline Christie appears as the stormtrooper Captain Phasma,  strict and disciplinarian in her approach to commanding her troops. General Hux (Domhnall Gleeson) is a ruthless officer, commanding armies of the First Order, coming across as a very young alternative to Peter Cushing's commander from the first film. Nonethless, Gleeson plays the part with authority, acting as a kind of counterweight to the main villain of the film. 

Adam Driver plays Kylo Ren, the masked Sith who follows the lead of Snoke, a dark warrior who thinks what he's doing is morally justifiable. He has connections to other characters, seeks to be righting what he sees as an old wrong, and the way he plays the character has multiple facets- ruthlessness, sorrow, malevolence, and the occasional temper tantrum (the reaction of two Stormtroopers hearing his rage from a nearby hallway is strangely hilarious). It's a compelling performance, even if one thinks the character might well be a mad dog that has to be put down.

There are returning characters. Anthony Daniels returns as C-3P0, still as neurotic as ever any droid has been, living among the Resistance and currently an aide to Leia. Kenny Baker, who like Daniels has been in all of the Star Wars films thus far, returns as the more snarky droid R2-D2, though the two droids don't have as much exposure this time out as in previous outings. Nonetheless, it's good to see them. Hamill returns as Luke Skywalker in what's basically a cameo- we'll see more of him in future movies. He's haggard and worn, and certainly looks like a man who's retreated away from the world when we finally see him, and yet he still carries himself like a Jedi. 

Carrie Fisher's return as Leia is very welcome indeed. The character was always a strong willed, stubborn, principled person (a strong contrast to her mother in the prequel trilogy, in which she ended up falling in love with the galaxy's whiniest Jedi student and dissolved into an emotional puddle). Years have passed for the character, and there are reasons why she and Han are where they are, and yet that inner strength and resolve of the character are right there as always, as is the sense that she's still crazy about Han.

Peter Mayhew returns as the wookie Chewbacca (with a double doing some of the action for him, as it turns out). We the audience can't really understand his growlings, though we can make a guess at some of what he says. And Chewie provides both some of the humour and the heart of the film- there's still that dynamic with Han of partnership, two very different beings who snipe with each other on occasion but have a very basic trust of each other. One must wonder, given that Chewie appeared in the third of the prequel films and still doesn't look in this one like he's getting older... just how long do Wookies live?

Oscar Isaac's been doing a lot of different character roles in recent years, and will be turning to another franchise soon as a villain in an X-Men film. Here he plays the Resistance pilot Poe as capable and courageous, a confident man who doesn't cross the line into swagger and arrogance (that can happen with some pilots). Poe is the sort of person who puts others before himself, and Isaac plays to that, as well as conveying the sense of a natural leader.

John Boyega gets a very interesting role as the stormtrooper who turns away from what he's become. Finn finds himself in battle for the first time, and is horrified by what he sees. His conscience gets to him, leading him to do something reckless (First Order types don't seem the forgiving sort, after all). He spends a good portion of the film trying to conceal truths about himself, preferring to find some place to disappear and hide in. And yet as the film goes on, the character reluctantly moves to do the right thing for the right reasons, to stand up against the building darkness. It's a good character arc for Finn, and another compelling character to add to the story. Boyega interacts well with Isaac, Ridley, and Ford in different ways, and I look forward to more from the character and the actor.

This film pretty much establishes Daisy Ridley as the driving force for what is the third trilogy. We meet her eking out a living scavenging wreckage in a wasteland- and yet we sympathize with her because she offers assistance to a wayward droid- and then refuses to profit by an offer for the droid. It shows integrity in the character. She's alone, seemingly abandoned by her family, entirely self sufficient, but ends up caught up in an epic adventure. Ridley brings out a sense of strength, resilience, resolve, and principle in the character- Rey becomes the touchstone character for the audience. It's a performance that leaves one impressed by the actor and the character. 

Harrison Ford does what we might have never expected of him- return once more as the swashbuckling rogue Han Solo. And it's such a welcome sight to see- the audience cheered wildly when Han and Chewie first appeared on the big screen. Han gets a lot to do through the film, and a lot of the best lines. A lot of the rogue is still there in him after all these years. A former Rebel general, Han's gone back into old habits and still has a way of associating with the wrong people. And yet there's that scoundrel's energy in the character that comes right out in Ford's performance, the sense of a guy who can think quickly on his feet. There's also a wisdom we see in him- he sees right through Finn's cover story. I also like that he's a bit reluctant to get back involved in the cause, so to speak, and yet he still does. And of course the sparks are still there with Leia.   

The Force Awakens starts a new chapter in the Star Wars story in a big way, reviving the spirit of the original trilogy. The film successfully blends the older and new generations in a story that feels very much authentic to the history of these tales- every small detail and large planet feels thoroughly tied to Star Wars as opposed to something else. The story gives us strong heroes and villains, a tale with heart, and a status quo that leaves us wondering where they go from here.

And of course, the film does us a favour and doesn't even mention Jar Jar Binks.