One of the biggest, most talked about movies of last year is out today on Blu-ray! Star Wars: Rise of Skywalker is now available on all platforms, and we’re breaking down all the details in this Star Wars: Rise of Skywalker Blu-ray review.
The Movie
If you’ve seen the movie, you’ve likely made up your mind on the subject. The final film in a decades long franchise, and it did not go down like anyone expected. Rise of Skywalker is one of the most controversial films in the series, and that’s saying something after The Last Jedi!
So I’m definitely not going to tell you whether or not Rise of Skywalker is good, but I will tell you, if you haven’t seen it yet, and you’re a Star Wars fan, you need to. This movie is quite literally the end of an era, and it is a ride like no other.
Now, for myself, I have mixed feelings. On the one hand, it was on my top 10 list of my favorite films of 2019. On the other hand, it barely made it onto that list, where previous films in the franchise easily made it into my top two or three.
I’m not going to get into the plot here, you likely know it anyway, but the plot is where I have most of my issues. There was so much crammed into this film that it feels like it could have easily been two movies. Not to mention the fact that there is so much that happens that goes completely unexplained in the film. Yes this is technically a fantasy, and yes the explanations aren’t crucial to the plot, but some further explanation on even just a few things would have really gone a long way.
That said, despite everything, this movie looked so cool, it sounded amazing, and had a stellar cast. If I can come around on The Phantom Menace, and still love it despite its many flaws, then I can do the same for Rise of Skywalker.
The Extras
These days it seems like there are fewer and fewer substantial extras included on Blu-rays and DVDs, but that is not the case here. This set is packed with behind the scenes information! That’s not to say it is perfect, because it seems like there are a few obvious inclusions missing. For starters, the most glaring omission is the deleted scenes. Now given this films slightly troubled production history, I guess I shouldn’t be surprised, but still, I love getting to see things that didn’t make it to the final cut, so I was disappointed not to get that here.
And then the other big thing that isn’t included, is a director’s commentary. I can only assume this is being saved for a much bigger set later on, but it still would have been nice to have with this one.
Anyway, that’s enough about what isn’t here. What is included is totally great, and I do not want to minimize that fact, so let’s just get into it.
The Skywalker Legacy
Full transparency, at the time I’m writing this, this is the one extra I haven’t finished watching, but that’s because it’s SO long! This behind the scenes look at the making of the film, is not just another featurette, it’s a full on, feature length documentary! The Skywalker Legacy is not just looking back at Rise of Skywalker, but the entire film series, all the way back to the beginning! It’s over two hours of interviews and footage, and even if you didn’t love Rise of Skywalker, if you’re a Star Wars fan, you are going to want to watch this documentary.
Pasaana Pursuit: Creating the Speeder Chase
If you’re the kind of Star Wars fan who loves the machines, this is your featurette. This is an in-depth look at the creation of the speeders for the chase scenes on Pasaana. From designing them on the computer to modifying real life snowmobiles to create the physical machines, this was a really interesting look into the creation of these vehicles.
Aliens in the Desert
This featurette is a really fascinating look at what it took to turn a desert in Jordan into the desert on Pasaana. You don’t really think much about the logistics while you’re watching the movie, but there is so much more going on behind the scenes of these scenes than I would have ever guessed.
D-O: Key to the Past
This is kind of two featurettes in one. The first part is about Ochi’s ship, the set design, history, etc. But as the characters in the movie discovered the small droid D-O on that ship, he becomes the main focus of the second half.
Warwick and Son
This was a great little featurette, ostensibly focusing on the very brief scene in Rise of Skywalker where we see Wicket the Ewok again, standing with his son at the end of the final battle. However, the making of that scene is really just the base around which they built a wonderful little retrospective on Warwick Davis’s Star Wars career.
Cast of Creatures
One of my favorite things about Star Wars is the creatures, so I loved this behind the scenes look at the making of the creatures. There are SO many creatures in this movie, and while some of them barely have a second or two of screen time, you get a MUCH better look at them in this featurette, and I loved that.
Final Thoughts
Overall, I did have my own issues with this movie, but at the same time, I just can’t help but enjoy it. If you can get past some strange plot elements and script issues, Rise of Skywalker is a blast from start to finish. And if you’re like me, watching the behind the scenes can really enhance the enjoyment of the film itself, and that is totally the case here.
In the end, Rise of Skywalker is just a fun, action-packed, gorgeous looking movie. It may not be perfect story-wise, but it is still a lot of fun.
Purchase Star Wars: Rise of Skywalker
- Amazon: Blu-ray | 4K | Digital | Rent
- iTunes: Digital | Rent
- Target: 4K (Target Exclusive) | Blu-ray
- Shop Disney: Blu-ray
