The Rise of Skywalker was a fun and emotional end to the Skywalker saga, but the latest Star Wars film also featured a number of groan-worthy plot points.
The Rise of Skywalker was an incredibly divisive film. Even as it approaches the one billion line in global earnings, fans and critics have taken time to tear down the film. Every major publication that covers movies or entertainment has taken time to mention how divided the reaction has been among fans and critics of Star Wars.
The media narrative surely oversells the truth, as The Rise of Skywalker has been wildly successful at the box office and liked among the majority of fans. By the end of January it will slip within the top 40 list of highest-grossing films of all time. Disney is still printing money off of this film.
Grading this movie in a number of areas highlights its strengths as a film. The acting performances of the cast are exceptional (shouts to Anthony Daniels), the dialogue is witty and fun, the score is tremendous. Visually the franchise continues to break ground and outdo themselves. While some may quibble with the fast-moving plot, it made for a wild and enjoyable emotional ride.
Yet this is far from a perfect film, and the place where the movie falls short is in its plot, the progress of steps that take Rey and company ultimately to Exegol and the confrontation with Emperor Palpatine and the Final Order. The lack of explanation for many of the film’s revelations is an issue, but one we will set aside for now. More concerning are the gaping, large-enough-to-lightspeed-skip-through holes in the plot.
While some may have groaned out loud when our two main characters locked lips at the end of the movie, the true groan-worthy moments came when a crucial part of the story hinged on the most ridiculous of premises. This problem starts early in the film and continues throughout.
We will walk through the five worst offenders, the plot points that jarred the viewer out of a galaxy far, far away and into a realm of confusion. The way out of that realm can only be found by using a Sith Wayfinder.