Anticipation was high Thursday night as area “Star Wars” fans took advantage of early screenings of “Episode IX: The Rise of Skywalker” at the Poplar Bluff AMC Classic 8 theater.
The final chapter concludes an epic nine-movie series that began 42 years ago with “Star Wars,” a science-fiction film that most people didn’t expect to do well in terms of popularity or box office.
“The Rise of Skywalker” draws to a close the tale of Luke Skywalker, Han Solo, Princess Leia, Chewbacca the Wookie, and Darth Vader.
The original premise was simple: a naïve farm boy hires a rogue pilot to rescue a princess captured by the evil Galactic Empire.
What grew from that vision, which was the creation of writer and director George Lucas, is a global entertainment empire that has become a worldwide cultural phenomenon now under the banner of the Walt Disney Corporation.
These last three episodes have brought back most of the beloved original characters while adding a full cast of new, younger characters (Rey, Finn, Poe, Kylo Ren, just to name a few) to carry on the story of the fight of good (the Resistance) versus evil (the First Order).
Fans in attendance Thursday night spoke about their love for the series of films and how the stories have affected their lives since childhood.
Chris Berger, 39, from Poplar Bluff, said, “I grew up a ‘Star Wars’ fan.”
“The very first movie I ever saw was ‘Return of the Jedi,’” Berger said. “I was three years old. I saw it in the theater, and I fell in love with ‘Star Wars’ ever since then.”
“I’ve seen every movie in theaters,” Berger said. “Sometimes I go two or three times to see the movies—I love them.”
Cara Sorrell, 29, from Doniphan, talked about what ‘Star Wars’ has meant to her.
“I have always loved science,” Sorrell said. “Science fiction brings about the opportunity for things that can be as well as being able to explore a whole other universe.”
“We’re working toward space travel, and traveling to Mars and other worlds, and that is part of what you see in ‘Star Wars,’” Sorrell said. “It helps to bring to sight what could be reality.”
She sees the films as something that gives us a vision of our own future. “When ‘Star Wars’ began, we would have never even thought about it being a possibility, but now, we’re talking about going to Mars, going back to the moon, going beyond that, and seeing this reinforces that.”
Couple Zach and Rosalie Marion, 29 and 28, from Poplar Bluff, both spoke about the nostalgia of childhood that the ‘Star Wars’ movies evoke each time a new one is released.
“I remember watching the original movie when I was four years old on a recorded videotape my grandmother gave me,” Zach said. “Every time I watch it, I’m looking to recapture that original feeling.”
Rosalie agreed, describing her own experience: “We borrowed VHS from my grandmother as well. I loved them back then, and now as an adult, I really love them because they all have brunette strong female characters.”
Rosalie is, of course, a fellow brunette, as is Princess Leia and Rey.
As far as the expectations of the fans before the movie began, everyone agreed that they wanted answers from the plot points brought up by the two previous films, “The Force Awakens” and “The Last Jedi.”
Were those expectations met? In typical fashion, reviews were mixed. Critics and fans alike seem to either love or hate these most recent installments, if online polling is to be believed. Thursday night’s crowd expressed varied opinions as well.
Sorrell was thrilled with the final film. “I especially enjoyed the ending, how they tied it all together,” she said. “The movie was fantastic.”
Zach Marion’s reaction was a bit more subdued. “It was good,” he said. “It relied very heavily on fan service and exposition. I think they played it safe.”
Cole Bearden, 24, from Poplar Bluff, was more enthusiastic. “After watching it, I am really happy with the way they ended the trilogy,” he said. “I liked this movie better than the other two. There is something to like for everyone, be it the older generation or the younger.”
Berger, as he has done before, plans to see it again. “I’m going to have to see it a few more times before I really know how I feel about it.”
If you want to see for yourself whether the filmmakers created a satisfying end to the Skywalker saga, “Star Wars Episode IX: The Rise of Skywalker” is playing now at theaters everywhere.