Lazy and uninspired, J.J. Abrams’ Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker is a pandering regression from the bold new direction established by Rian Johnson’s The Last Jedi. Even worse, it’s the first Star Wars film engineered to please its loudest and most troubled demographic: the toxic fandom. A frantic rush to bring a nine-film saga to a close, The Rise of Skywalker is filled with narrative dead-ends, aborted character arcs, and generic fetch quests, all designed to please as many people as possible. Minor spoilers below…

Rian Johnson's Star Wars: The Last Jedi is the second installment of the modern trilogy of films that started with The Force Awakens. The Last Jedi is an uneven film that has lower lows than its predecessor, but also higher highs. The film is saddled with dull subplots and wheel-spinning, but a rollicking and completely unpredictable third act revives an otherwise limp entry in the Star Wards canon. Minor spoilers ahead...