Rise of Skywalker – Review and Parental Guidelines

They say when one door closes another opens. J.J. Abrams masterfully blends the classic with the new in The Rise of Skywalker to “hand the torch off” to a new generation. Bringing together so many unfinished fragments could not have been an easy task, but as a life-long fan, I can say that it was creatively done with respect and imagination.

Believe me when I say, there will be surprises even if you’ve read every prediction on the internet. The visuals are nothing less than astonishing and when a ship comes out of hyperspace, you certainly feel it. You actually can place yourself inside the ships as they take off, fly through space and land, making the experience feel that much more real. Whether you’ve watched the Star Wars Saga from the beginning, or this is your first experience, The Rise of Skywalker won’t disappoint. All the fascination and wonder will keep you on the edge of your seat. This is a movie you definitely want to see in the theater to really appreciate everything it has to offer.

The run time is two hours and twenty-two minutes, so I would suggest taking younger, more energetic fans out for a quick break to the rest rooms around an hour or so in. Everything begins to escalate and you will be glad you don’t need to leave just as things become more intense. Because of the amount of story and plot line that needed to be conveyed in this episode, there are a few fairly large segments of dialog that may be difficult for a younger audience.  Given the nature of Episode IX, it is incredibly important to the classic fans and I think it’s good to keep that in mind. Some might get awfully upset if they are being disrupted by a loud child who just can’t sit for that long. You may want to go for a matinee, when there are fewer die-hard fans in the audience. May your experience be wondrous and exciting.  This is the way.