STELLAR GREATEST HITS ALBUM

MOVIE
Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker
Adam Driver, Daisy Ridley, Mark Hamill
Director JJ Abrams
Review Ray Chan

I'M old enough to have caught the first Star Wars movie back in 1977, when, with three other intrepid souls in a near-empty Cinema City theatre (now defunct), I braved this space opera which no-one had heard of, curious to find out if it was any good.
    Was it ever. Within minutes of the opening crawl and being swept away by the massive Star Destroyer that covered the screen, I was hooked, like millions of others throughout the world were, introduced to the fertile imagination of George Lucas.
   It's almost hard to believe that now, more than 40 years later, the ninth instalment of the franchise brings closure as the Skywalker arc comes to an end, while new chapters unfold on TV streaming services, Baby Yoda and all.
    Even more than the last two entries, this one feels made specifically for the Star Wars diehards, who have long chided the use of complex plot twists to confuse and compound proceedings (as in the poorly-received prequels).
    Heeding their requests, director and Lucas protege JJ Abrams directs with tunnel vision, never wishing to experiment beyond what’s expected in a Star Wars story and running the risk of infuriating the fan boys.
    The result is a nostalgic and sentimental production that isn’t concerned with breaking new ground as much as it is with bidding farewell. It coasts along without portent nor provocation, keeping its eye on the prize, tying up loose ends and giving followers one last chance to say goodbye.
    You know how it begins: a long time ago in a galaxy far, far away. The galactic rebels, in this case the Resistance, are evading the evil forces of the First Order, marshalled by self-declared Supreme Leader Kylo Ren (Adam Driver).
    Leading our heroes are General Leia (the late Carrie Fisher) and commander Poe Dameron (Oscar Isaac), who's given more screen time this time round than his compatriot Finn (John Boyega), who seems to have been shunted into the background.
    Meanwhile Rey (Daisy Ridley) has been secluded and continuing her training in the ways of the Force, on her journey to become a Jedi knight. But she’s pulled back into action by Poe, after a mysterious message of revenge is broadcast by a surprisingly resurrected Emperor Palpatine (Ian McDiarmid), who also threaten's Ren's hold on power.
    For most of the time, this latest chapter does little to expand the story. Oddly, despite running for two hours and 22 minutes, it still has the feeling of being cramped, with Abrams rushing along to finalise destinies, giving us long foreshadowed showdowns and bringing back some cherished favourites who we know we will never see again.
    Many of the plot details are basically updates of old Star Wars elements. Indeed, the opening half-hour is an unapologetic mash-up of previous setpieces, characters and plotlines (the Millennium Falcon at light speed; dogfights around gorges; cute droids; banter over chess; military superiors with hands clasped behind their backs; giant subterranean worms). Palpatine has gathered a fleet of Star Destroyers now all equipped with planet-destroying lasers, able to annihilate planets like the Death Star used to do. And once again, the Resistance has to regroup to launch a massive last-ditch assault to destroy this and other dangers posed by the Order.
     All this is piled atop the key focus of the story, which is Rey’s continuing transformation from scavenger to Jedi, and her evolving clash with Ren, estranged son of Leia and Han Solo - who he killed in Force Awakens - and is tapped by Palpatine to become his new student.
    The special effects are fittingly stellar, CGI bombardment notwithstanding, including a lightsabre duel between Rey and Ren on the wreckage of a familiar landmark as enormous waves of water loom in the background.
    Abrams uses unused footage of Carrie Fisher from Force Awakens to depict the final moments of Leia: and her eventual departure, while abrupt, provides an affectionate exit for the character.
    The Emperor spends his time sitting in a dark chamber and later levitates before a coliseum filled with anonymous, hooded devotees of the Sith, who don’t do anything even as the world around them crumbles before the Rebels' onslaught.
    Like many a final sequel, the last act of The Rise of Skywalker is a mad rush to shut up shop, with a climax comprised of yet another gargantuan space battle, but Abrams finds space to include some hints of romance and drama, including a kiss that is the film’s great shocker.
    On the whole, the movie delivers spectacular sights and moments that will delight those who dearly love this world according to Lucas. And capping off the trip down memory lane is the return of composer-conductor John Williams, to score yet another Star Wars instalment.
    And so it's a fond adieu for Luke, Han, Leia and Chewie, and various allies many of us have grown up with. The ultimate scene in fact serves as a lovely homage to the Star Wars legacy, shot with the kind of nostalgic pleasure missing from the livelier moments.
    All in all, it's been a helluva ride, as this chapter concludes on an emotional high. But while it definitely ends with more than a whimper, it also begs the question of whether further episodes are needed.
    The book is finished. We really don’t have to visit this odyssey again. Although, cynically, when the box-office count comes in, these nine parts of the roster might well be extended to 12.

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