The beating heart of this film, and the biggest reason I recommend it, is the evolving and intriguing relationship between Rey (Daisy Ridley) and Kylo Ren (Adam Driver).
Rise of Skywalker is often a turbulent ride, usually to its detriment, but the storytelling conclusion for these eternally linked rivals (and the performances that carry these characters to their most powerful moments in the
Star Wars series) eke this film across the "good enough for fans" line.
Without that quality (an admittedly large percentage of the film),
Rise of Skywalker might otherwise serve as proof that director/co-writer J.J. Abrams was the wrong person to finish the latest trilogy. The film rushes between plot points, overuses certain characters, and wastes others. And whether you loved, tolerated, or hated 2017's
The Last Jedi, it's easy to conclude that the previous film's most intriguing developments and concepts were abandoned—and without any convincing proof that Abrams had better ideas in store.