2019 has been a big year for serialized storytelling. Some of the biggest sequels of the year are aiming to bring closure to their respective franchises, and none has been more anticipated than Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker. After the divisive nature of The Last Jedi and the underwhelming box office returns of Solo: A Star Wars Story, a lot is riding on The Rise of Skywalker to close out the eponymous saga in spectacular fashion. Does The Rise of Skywalker top Return of the Jedi as a satisfying conclusion to the Skywalker saga that we’ve been looking for? Let’s find out!
Cover Photo: Lucasfilm/Disney
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The Rise of Skywalker is the type of film that not only gives one a further appreciation for Return of the Jedi but also for Revenge of the Sith. While the latter two entries manage to complete their respective trilogies in a way that feels organic and natural, the former is a pale imitation of what the filmmakers think that fans want to see. In essence, it’s the exact trap that another saga-ending movie, Avengers: Endgame, could have fallen into (but didn’t) – fan service for the sake of fan service. Ultimately, much of the content in The Rise of Skywalker feels not only shoehorned into the plot but also rushed through in a way that makes it one of the weaker entries in the Skywalker saga as a whole.
Overall Winner: Return of the Jedi
Mandatory Movie Battles: The Rise of Skywalker v Return of the Jedi
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Action
The Rise of Skywalker is perhaps the most action-packed movie in the franchise. There are some spectacular action moments in the latest film, with kinetic camera movement that makes every action sequence feel light and fluffy. While the action sequences in Return of the Jedi are far more focused and meaningful, The Rise of Skywalker is so damn loaded with exciting action that it barely wins this round.
Winner: The Rise of Skywalker
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Writing
Penned by J.J. Abrams and Chris Terrio, The Rise of Skywalker features some of the weakest screenwriting since the prequels. There are a lot of things to like in episode nine, but the screenwriting isn’t one of them. Things like story, characterization, internal logic, and consistent thematic through lines are left behind in favor of what can be best described as a series of MacGuffin-driven video game fetch quests that ultimately amounts to a story that feels like fan fiction. Conversely, Lawrence Kasdan and George Lucas’ screenplay for Return of the Jedi actually delivers on closing out the various narrative threads in a meaningful and exciting way. It’s not a perfect screenplay, but at least it’s successful – for the most part.
Winner: Return of the Jedi
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Cinematography
Although the cinematography in Return of the Jedi is arguably the best of the original trilogy, Dan Mindel’s cinematography on The Rise of Skywalker is absolutely outstanding. It’s by far the most vibrant and colorful looking film in the sequel trilogy, offering an intriguing visual palate that also does a great job of using the cinematography to tell the story. While the visuals might not hold the same weight as a movie like The Last Jedi, the cinematography of The Rise of Skywalker is one of the film’s high points.
Winner: The Rise of Skywalker
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Effects
Although The Rise of Skywalker features some robust modern effects, there’s nothing particularly groundbreaking about them other than the sheer amount of stuff on the screen. On the flip side, Return of the Jedi won a Special Achievement Academy Award for the groundbreaking effects work done on the film. In many ways, both the practical and visual effects still hold up to this day – barring the special edition changes, that is. If anything, the ingenuity in bringing the famous speeder bike chase on Endor to life helps Return of the Jedi easily win this round.
Winner: Return of the Jedi
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Direction
Although Richard Marquand is the credited director on Return of the Jedi, it’s well known that George Lucas essentially shadow-directed much of the movie. As a result, much of the film is overacted and hammy, with odd tonal shifts that flip-flop from sequence to sequence. It’s not necessarily a poorly directed movie, but it’s certainly not as cohesive as it should be. Even though The Rise of Skywalker has some issues in terms of closing out the various character arcs, the direction from J.J. Abrams is solid with exciting character interactions and breakneck pacing.
Winner: The Rise of Skywalker
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Cast
Whereas the script for The Rise of Skywalker is quite a mess, the cast nearly saves it. Even though the film includes some of the members of the original trilogy, the camaraderie between Rey, Poe, and Finn is one of its high points. Unfortunately, it’s not enough to top the epic casting and chemistry between the various cast members of Return of the Jedi. With that in mind, Return of the Jedi manages to eke out the win in this category, even if Harrison Ford clearly didn’t want to be there for the finale.
Winner: Return of the Jedi
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Resolution
As the resolution to not only the sequel trilogy but also the entirety of the titular saga, The Rise of Skywalker has a lot of ground to cover. Unfortunately, the conclusion to the film is underwhelming, to say the least. In fact, it undermines the very essence of what makes Star Wars such enduring storytelling. It’s the type of ending that is convoluted at best, while also managing to placate certain sects of the fandom in the worst way possible. Moreover, The Rise of Skywalker provides a resolution that feels completely unearned, and to be honest, entirely out of left field. Conversely, Return of the Jedi – while not perfect by any means – manages to bring the original trilogy to a satisfying and meaningful conclusion.
Winner: Return of the Jedi
