The greatest sci-fi saga the galaxy has ever known comes to a thrilling and emotional conclusion in this breathless and hugely entertaining action fantasy blockbuster.
It's an earth-shattering romp packed with cross-generational appeal which is guaranteed to be another box office smash for Disney, and is machine tooled by director JJ Abrams in his typical light speed style to please hardcore fans and casual viewers alike.
And as it explodes out of the screen in a whirl of stunts, special effects and humour, it’s packed with enough spaceships, robots and aliens to keep your kids Christmas list full for a decade.
Daisy Ridley, John Boyega and Oscar Isaac reprise their roles as heroic members of the resistance, whose numbers are considerably reduced after the events of the divisive previous episode, The Last Jedi.
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That film caused vociferous outrage online among hardcore fans when it was revealed Ridley’s character, Rey, wasn’t a member of the Skywalker family, an issue which is returned to here as she takes centre stage.
The villainous Kylo Ren is very much a Skywalker family member, being Luke Skywalker’s nephew, and Darth Vader’s son, and the US marine turned actor, Adam Driver, uses his physical presence to great effect in a pivotal role as the Supreme Leader of the evil First Order.
It’s a great end to the year for the actor who has been picking up award nominations for his brilliant divorce drama, Marriage Story, where he co-stars with Scarlett Johansson.
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Here he has a combative chemistry with Ridley, and brings a meaty gravitas to their scenes as their fates of their characters become ever more closely involved.
Also definitely a Skywalker is the Princess-turned-General Leia, played by the late and sadly missed, Carrie Fisher.
Her appearance has been salvaged from outtakes and unused scenes from the previous film, and has been skilfully and successfully included for maximum emotional impact. Even death can’t stop her remarkable screen presence from providing dignity and gravitas to this film.
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Luke Skywalker himself was killed off in the last adventure and in the manner of Jedi warriors such as Obi Wan Kenobi and Yoda, who in previous films used the magical energy, the Force, to return from the grave as ghosts to guide the living.
Mark Hamill is once again in a mischievous mood as Luke who returns to further harangue Rey as she tries to save the universe, and he does as much as anyone to prevent this from dissolving into a puddle of indulgent, misty-eyed nostalgia.
The return of Billy Dee Williams as scoundrel as Lando Calrissian is the sort of fan servicing stunt I could happily have loved without, though as the film seems intent of giving even minor characters one last curtain call, it would be churlish not to let him in on the act.
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Robot C-3PO provides most of the laughs, and even Chewbacca the Wookiee is given a very emotional moment.
This ninth film the series closes with a far more diverse group of actors than the core characters of the first film, who were mostly white, western and male.
While this shift is undoubtedly driven in part by the need to be a financial success in what’s now a global marketplace, it’s a change in emphasis which should be celebrated.
And it underlines how the film's core message of good triumphing evil is a universal one, and just as necessary now as it was back in 1977.
Although we're promised this is the end of the Skywalker saga and so the last we’ve probably seen of these characters, the franchise itself will carry in future films and TV series such as The Mandalorian.
And so to paraphrase Luke Skywalker, 'The force will be with us, always'.
– Star Wars: The Rise Of Skywalker (12) is out in UK cinemas tomorrow – running time 142mins
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