I was not a huge fan ofStar Wars: The Rise of Skywalker, but the Rotten Tomatoes audience score for the finalStar Warssequel trilogy movie has me wondering if I’m in the wrong. The sequel trilogy very quickly became controversial amongStar Warsmovies and TV shows, and many still consider them some ofStar Wars’worst movies.The Rise of Skywalkereasily received the most backlash of all three movies, though, in large part because of unpopular plot twists, such as the minimally explained return of Emperor Palpatine.
There were also a number of complaints aboutThe Rise of Skywalkerthat I did not agree with, including Rey choosing the last name Skywalker, which I found to beperfect payback for Anakin Skywalker. Admittedly, though,The Rise of Skywalkeris my least favorite movie of the nine Skywalker Saga movies. While I’ve always felt confident in that stance, though,the shockingly high Rotten Tomatoes audience score forThe Rise of Skywalkeris making me question if I’m missing something.
Why I Disliked Rise Of Skywalker
My Grievances Go Beyond The Palpatine Twist
Like many (if not most) viewers,I was not pleased with the twist that it was really Palpatine behind the events of the sequel trilogy after all. This seemed like a last-ditch effort to make the sequels ‘work’ after the trilogy exchanging hands multiple times left the narrative feeling jumbled and disconnected. Ultimately, rather than bringing the movies together, this served only to undermine what had come before and reuse old ideas rather than introduce something innovative.
One Subtle Return Of The Jedi Detail Shows The Biggest Problem With Palpatine As Star Wars' Main Villain
This detail from Return of the Jedi proves that Palpatine was never meant to be the main villain of Star Wars, reinforcing what a misstep this was.
Having said that,my issues withThe Rise of Skywalkergo beyond just the revelation that Palpatine had been resurrected. One of the biggest grievances I had with the movie was the handling of Ben Solo/Kylo Ren’s story arc. Kylo Ren was, in my view, the most interesting new character in the sequel movies, not only because he was a Skywalker by blood but also because I found him compelling as a villain, especially with the added context of the canonStar Warscomic bookThe Rise of Kylo Ren, written by Charles Soule.
I was also prepared forThe Rise of Skywalkerto be largely his story, which the title suggested would be the case. This made it all the more disappointing when Ben not only died but also died without anyone appearing for him as a Force ghost—yet Luke and Leia both appeared on Tatooine to watch Rey bury Leia and Anakin’s lightsabers. I would almost have found this excusable had the focus been divided among other characters as well, but that wasn’t the case.Poe Dameron, Finn, and Rose Tico were all sidelined inThe Rise of Skywalker.
A much larger concern I had withThe Rise of Skywalkerwas how it implemented Carrie Fisher.
A much larger concern I had withThe Rise of Skywalkerwas how it implemented Carrie Fisher. Fisher tragically passed beforeThe Rise of Skywalker, and that evidently leftStar Warsstuck in terms of the story they could tell in the final sequel trilogy movie. As a workaround, they incorporated unused footage they had from the previous movies, in addition to some visual and story tricks.It felt morbid and, to me, a bit ethically ambiguous to use Fisher in this way, and I still feel unsettled when I watchThe Rise of Skywalkerand see her on screen.
Rotten Tomatoes' Audience Score For Rise Of Skywalker Is So Much Better Than I Expected
The Rise Of Skywalker’s Audience Score Is Currently Higher Than All The Prequels And Other Sequels
Despite my own grievances and the many complaintsThe Rise of Skywalkerreceived from viewers,The Rise of Skywalker’saudience score on Rotten Tomatoes is shockingly high. Currently,The Rise of Skywalkerhas an 86% audience score on the site. This bewilderingly placesThe Rise of Skywalkerhigher than all three prequel movies and the other two sequel trilogy movies in terms of audience score on Rotten Tomatoes.
59%
56%
66%
96%
97%
Return of the Jedi
94%
84%
41%
86%
87%
Solo: A Star Wars Story
63%
This fairly high score forThe Rise of Skywalkerwould come as enough of a surprise on its own, but the fact thatThe Rise of SkywalkerrivalsRogue One: A Star Wars Story, a very popularStar Warsmovie, in terms of audience score is truly surprising. While I’m not going to entirely change my opinion of the movie based on its Rotten Tomatoes score, this revelation has caused me to re-evaluate both my understanding of the movie’s reception and whether I’m being overly critical.
Am I Being Too Harsh On Rise Of Skywalker?
Audiences Are Clearly Seeing Something Promising In The Rise Of Skywalker
While I do think many of the aforementioned issues inThe Rise of Skywalkerhold true, it is interesting to see what positive reviews of the movie entail. Among the 5-star reviews,audiences pointed to the relationship between Kylo Ren/Ben Solo and Rey, the return of the original three heroes, the action, and the plot twists. Interestingly, these are among the things many viewers complained about.
Notably, many did enjoy the relationship Kylo Ren and Rey had, leading to an entire section of the fanbase referring to themselves as ‘Reylos.’ There were compelling aspects of their dynamic, including the introduction ofthe Force dyad, a brand-new concept inStar Warsthat continues to have plenty of potential. Whether the Reylos are enough to entirely explain this Rotten Tomatoes score is dubious, though.
It’s also worth highlighting that there are plenty of people who will always love whatStar Warsputs out, although again, given thatThe Rise of Skywalker’sscore is high even compared to otherStar Warsmovies, that doesn’t quite explain this audience score. Truthfully, I’m still a bit flummoxed by the revelation thatThe Rise of Skywalkeris the second-highest ratedStar Warsmovie outside the original trilogy in terms of Rotten Tomatoes audience score. While I maintain my opinion ofStar Wars: The Rise of Skywalker, this shocking score does suggest theStar Warsmovie deserves another look.
Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker
Cast
Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker, released in December 2019, follows the surviving Resistance as they confront the First Order. The film continues the journey of Rey, Finn, and Poe Dameron as they harness the power of past generations to engage in a climactic battle against the forces of tyranny.
