Thank you, JJ - this final ninth chapter in the 42-year-long cinematic saga puts the series firmly back on track after a slight faltering with the erratic The Last Jedi and ably sends off the series. It delivers fan-service in spades - and let's face it, that is exactly what the fans who have been there from the beginning deserve. Rounding off the saga independently of Lucas's original vision for the nine films, interestingly this entry returns the strength of narrative of A New Hope by using classic motifs and structures in the strongest way since perhaps that 1977 first film and probably also feeling most akin to those 1930s serials since then as well. It hits the ground running, with an opening crawl that clearly sets out this movie's stall and a breathless rush of scenes that demand the viewer's attention, but its length also allows moments to breathe. It holds a couple of surprises, a couple of breath-intaking moments, truly stunning visuals and one of John Williams' best scores, with plenty of throwbacks to previous films and characters that please, and - a rarity in moden blockbuster cinema - a proper ending. Although the incorporation of previously-filmed scenes with the great Carrie Fisher to give real closure and emotional impactfulness is nothing short of miraculous, this is the new trilogy characters' last gasp, with Adam Driver and Daisy Ridley giving terrific performances in particular and, by avoiding the penultimate film's mis-step of keeping the core characters apart for the most part, The Rise Of Skywalker is so much more enjoyable with the return to the 'gang on a mission' vibe. So, as nine films come full circle, we bid a fond farewell to this incarnation of the Star Wars universe after all this time - and what a great way to end.
