Star Wars: Rise of Skywalker spoiler-free review: Kylo, Rey save the film

Enlarge / The best new-trilogy actors awaken in Rise of Skywalker. (credit: Lucasfilm)

Ars Technica takes spoilers seriously in film reviews. After this article's opening section, minor plot details are revealed to explain certain opinions, but we otherwise do not include any "major" spoilers. Deeper spoilers will likely appear in the comments section upon the film's launch, usually posted with spoiler tags.

The best thing about Star Wars Episode IX: The Rise of Skywalker is that it concludes the latest trilogy much in the same way it began. This new trilogy has all the trappings you'd expect in a Star Wars film wishlist: droids, Wookiees, blasters, lightsabers, epic space battles, wacky new characters, and on and on.

But 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.

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