THE release of Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker, which opens in UK cinemas today, will mark the last chapter in one of the most famous stories ever told.
After 42 years, fans will finally have closure on the saga George Lucas started in 1977 — a battle between the forces of good and evil that has spanned decades, galaxies and Hollywood conglomerates.
But is it possible to wrap up such an iconic story and please fans at the same time? Especially when Disney intends to keep Star Wars around for as long as we’ll tolerate it.
Where does The Rise of Skywalker tie in to the saga?
It is literally the end of an era. The film is the final instalment of both the modern trilogy and the over- arching nine-part Skywalker saga.
Its release is a two-fold watershed moment for the Disney-era of Star Wars. The House of Mouse has had mixed success with the franchise (case in point: Solo’s lukewarm reception at the box office). Plus, if this genuinely is the end of the Skywalker saga, the film will close the door on the heart of the story that we have all known and loved for the past four decades. Will fans still care?
What do the reviews say?
Early reviews have not been particularly kind to the film and, if Rotten Tomato ratings are anything to go by, it is currently the worst-rated Star Wars film of the lot.
No critic has been bursting with praise, although have found some endearing qualities.
“There are effective emotional punches before the end, as we say a final goodbye to Carrie Fisher and her generation of stars and as Kylo and Rey face their demons,” Empire’s Helen O Hara, who gave the film three stars out of five, wrote. “Arguably the story more or less ends up in the right place, despite the threads left hanging.”
Meanwhile CNN reasoned: “Abrams has made a Star Wars movie aimed at the people who love it best. The Rise of Skywalker isn't perfect, but seen that way, it more than rises to the occasion."
Hmm. Is Disney to blame?
When Disney acquired Lucasfilm in 2012, it seemed likely that the studio would try to replicate the success of Marvel and its widely-spanning superhero universe. There was talk of releasing a Star Wars film every year. Journalist Adam Rogers, writing for WIRED magazine in 2015, said: “If everything works out for Disney, and if you are old enough to have been conscious for the first Star Wars film, you will probably not live to see the last one. It’s the forever franchise.”
But it’s not been smooth sailing for Disney and the ultimate sticking point was Solo’s lacklustre box office performance, with the company appearing to twig that there is such a thing as Star Wars fatigue. Disney CEO Bob Iger told the BBC earlier this year: “I think we made and released too many Star Wars films over a short period of time… I just think that there’s something so special about a Star Wars film, and less is more.”
What happens after this?
Putting the Skywalkers into retirement may give room to breathe new life into the franchise. There will be more Star Wars movies – and TV stories, and comics, and books – but they are now longer held down by the weight of Lucas’ original saga. It could be great or it could be a flop. To borrow the advice of Kylo Ren in The Last Jedi: “Let the past die. Kill it, if you have to.”
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