The Unfair Numbers for "The Rise of Skywalker
“The Rise of Skywalker” Earned a Massive 176M, but That’s Disappointing
By: Keaton Marcus
Disney’s The Rise of Skywalker finally opened this weekend, and we were all expecting some massive numbers, and perhaps the biggest debut of all-time. It didn’t happen. Yes, while it did punch up some very considerable numbers, it wasn’t soaring as high as it should have been at all. It beat the lowest of expectations, but it also fell severely behind its two predecessors, and paled in comparison to the mighty Avengers: Endgame earlier this year. So despite easily topping the box office, it also suffered greatly, especially since its the conclusion to a 42-year lasting franchise and a Star Wars movie. So why is it unfair? And what made this happen?
The Mixed Critical Reception
One thing straight out of the gate was the mixed reception from the critics, who lambasted the pic with negative reviews before it even opened. Talk about unfair. Especially since audiences, and Sweet and Sour alike enjoyed the movie. There were some big names that gave it positive reviews, including Rolling Stone and Variety, and the majority gave it 3/5 or more, but it still isn’t great. The Force Awakens had a 93:7 ratio, and The Last Jedi garnered a 91:9 ratio, but RottenTomatoes reported that 43% of critics gave it a rotten rating, making for a 57:43 ratio for The Rise of Skywalker. That’s not only a steep decline, but its also just wrong. Generally, they noted the overuse of fan-service, which is a critical thing in concluding a franchise. Otherwise, the nostalgia, combined with the set-pieces, visual effects and performances made it a solid movie. Critics were harsh on it, and that’s a major factor.
The Fans’ Loyalty
Since the year 1977, usually, fans have given positive reviews to the Star Wars franchise, with a few hiccups along the way. The average audience score for the 1977-1983 trilogy is 95.6/100, which is excellent. The 1999-2005 prequel trilogy seems the weakest, with an average of 60.3/100, but that was quickly followed by The Force Awakens (86%). However, while critics adored The Last Jedi, fans hated it, giving it a terrible 43% on RT, giving a very bad rep for The Rise of Skywalker, despite the latter’s 87% audience approval. Basically, because of the negative fan reception for Jedi, Skywalker didn’t have the box office we were hoping for.
Fatigue
Yes, while The Rise of Skywalker is part of a fairly new trilogy, that little trio is just a fragment of a massive franchise. There’s now nine main films, with two spin-offs, so it get’s a little much. The fan base has been through a lot, starting with the disappointing prequel trilogy, and heading on to Solo: A Star Wars Story and The Last Jedi. But, again, that’s just unfair. You would think audiences would go regardless of the slip-ups, as long as they still love the originals, The Force Awakens, Rogue One, and the beloved Clone Wars show, The Rise of Skywalker should have been bigger.
Compared to “Endgame”, and Predecessors
On April 26th, the top charts were shook by Avengers: Endgame, which debuted to over 357 million dollars domestically. On December 20th, the top charts were dominated, but not destroyed by The Rise of Skywalker which sought out only 175.5M. The latter’s performance is impressive, but it’s a little less than half of the former’s figures. A series that started in 1977 get’s crushed by one founded in 2008, with both being immensely popular, that’s not ok. Otherwise, it even lost badly to its two predecessors. The Force Awakens opened to 247.9M and The Last Jedi to 220M. That’s a notable loss. Sure, expectations were only around 200-220M by Thursday, but the hope was a massive surprise. On Friday, it was lowered to 190-195M, but 175.5M was really not expected. Audiences. Not. Cool.