Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker (2019)

Abrams delivers a roaring success with swashbuckling spectacle, emotional core in the Rey-Ren relationship, and a satisfying, heartfelt conclusion that feels precious despite some early pacing issues. The film excels in world-building, set pieces and thematic sense.

It is the most elegant, emotionally rounded and gratifying Star Wars adventure since the original films, with strong performances especially from Daisy Ridley. The film has rousing action and timely resonance despite some length and conveniences.

Abrams brings the series to a satisfying conclusion with a swift, racy, superbusy send-off that confirms his fluency with the material. The film handles the legacy and haunted elements of the franchise well while delivering the expected spectacle.

Abrams delivers a bumpy but ultimately satisfying ride packed with action, emotion, callbacks and fan service. The quiet moments and perfect ending are singled out for praise.

The film is an energetic caper that ties loose ends with dexterity and offers a warm, enjoyable if flawed experience full of fan service and nostalgia. It praises the sense of hope, strong performances especially from Adam Driver, and moments of community and kindness amid its breathless pace and occasional character sidelining.

The film is the send-off the saga deserves but largely the one expected, with epic action and efficient storytelling that ties up loose ends within a coherent if cumbersome narrative. It benefits from momentum, visual flair and mythic grandeur but offers little in the way of surprises or deep character exploration.

Abrams delivers a costly tribute to the franchise that is spectacular yet uninspired, fixated on fan service and expectations while playing into the bottom line. It benefits from strong performances by the core cast and stunning effects but has a hollow core.

The film has its moments with sweet nods to the past and great performances but is ultimately a messy, rushed smorgasbord that backtracks on prior elements and feels like a shrug rather than a satisfying conclusion. It singles out strong acting from Adam Driver and emotional final scenes for praise while complaining about cramped plotting and fan-service overreach.

The film feels like a step backwards from The Last Jedi and makes the trilogy disjointed overall. Strong performances from Ridley and Driver, along with visual craft, stand out amid the mixed execution.

The film is eventful but not entirely satisfactory as it concludes the Skywalker saga. It succeeds as escapist entertainment with stupendous production values and striking images but has nagging problems that have become more pronounced.

The film is one of the best and one of the worst in the series, perfectly middling overall. It is not a great Star Wars movie but enjoyable enough in its familiar, crowd-pleasing way.

The film is a zippy but craven disappointment and an epic failure of nerve, retreating from the boldness of The Last Jedi into safe nostalgia. It remains a swift, vigorous entertainment thanks to strong craft and performances, especially Adam Driver's.

The film is a formulaic, crowd-pleasing cartoon that hits its marks but moves so quickly that little emotion sinks in. It has dazzlingly expensive visuals and gung-ho spirit but feels like a Disney product more than a personal vision.

The film is a little jarring and disjointed in parts but an exhilarating and emotional end to the saga, full of action, delight and visual splendour. It singles out the electrifying chemistry and conflict between Rey and Kylo Ren for praise while complaining about strobe lighting and a screenplay that juggles too many strands without enough focus.

The film delivers every expected plot beat with ruthless efficiency and precision as the saga concludes, but its slick, calculated approach and heavy fan service make it feel ultimately unfulfilling and soulless.

The critic finds it a box-ticking exercise with a flimsy narrative and no distinct point of view, though well-acted and exciting in parts. Praises the performances, especially Adam Driver as Kylo Ren, and some set pieces.

The critic finds the film a defeat, obsessively copying the past in a safe, timid way that feels like an admission of creative defeat, with frantic pacing but little character development or new ideas.

The film is soulless and tethered to the past, a misconceived rehash that diminishes the saga without new ideas or messages.