“That was a GOOD movie.” These were the words my 5 year old said out loud, as we walked out the theater. That little comment immediately set up my thoughts for this Rise of Skywalker review for parents.
After sitting close to him through the entire film, and experiencing his reactions to each scene, I became anxious about writing this review.
The Rise of Skywalker quotes throughout the film were truly awesome, and I heard him repeat a few (which warmed my heart).
But to hear him say the film was good, and have him struggling through it, was perplexing. Let’s break this down, and help you make a decision about taking your small kids.
Rise of Skywalker for Parents – Without Spoilers
One of the biggest issues with sharing a review for parents, especially for The Rise of Skywalker, is not spoiling the film. Some scenes are pretty specific when it comes to how our small kids may react to them, but I refuse to ruin the movie for YOU, the parent.
I’ve done my best to not spoil any of the pivotal plot points, and give you my general advice and opinion.
Tough Scenes For Small Kids – Right At The Beginning
The opening of the The Rise of Skywalker starts off dark. There is a somewhat graphic battle scene, that may be jarring for younger kids.
It does involve Kylo Ren, so if you kiddo has a fear of him, be sure to hold them tight during the beginning. If you don’t mind missing the first scene, you two can skip it all together. Watch the crawl, then go grab a drink of water.
A Storyline For Older Kids and Adults
The biggest issue during our screening were the plot twists and long dialogue. I could immediately see my 5 year old becoming disinterested during these scenes. Since this is the last film in the saga, there was a lot we needed to wrap up.
The storyline was complex, way more than what a small child would be able to handle. Heck, even a newbie to Star Wars would have an issue keeping up with all the information thrown at us during this film.
How Long Is Rise Of Skywalker? – Why This Is Important
The Rise of Skywalker is 2 hours and 22 minutes long. Think about the last thing your child did for 2 hours straight. Can’t think of anything? Exactly. Let me break it to you. Your kid is going to have trouble sitting through this one.
If you are a Star Wars fan, and need to see the film in its entirety to help you say goodbye to the saga, do not take your kids with you to see it the first time.
If you must take the kids with you, bring (or buy) lots of snacks. I had to bribe my 5 year old with snacks to keep him occupied and quiet during some of the scenes, and essential parts of the film.
Rise of Skywalker Parent Review and Recommendations
Here’s my cheat sheet Rise of Skywalker review for parents. If you didn’t have time to read all of my viewpoints above, these are the bullet points you really need to know.
- The movie is long. Bring or buy snacks, if you must take your small kids with you to see it.
- If you can afford it, first see it without your younger kids. The storyline is complex, and you’ll be bummed that you didn’t catch everything because you were busy keeping your kids quiet and engaged.
- The opening scene is a graphic fight scene. Take sensitive kids to get water or a snack (snacks are important) right after the opening crawl.
- During the darker scene with the snow, kids may want to cuddle up with you.
- As a matter of fact, if you kid likes to cuddle, invite them to do so throughout the whole film. It will keep them more focused, and you will be able to comfort them during other tough scenes.
- There are about 6 scenes that may be difficult for young kids to process. My 5 and 9 year old both had strong reactions to 3 of them.
- One hard scene happens close to the end of the film, and involves Rey. If you kiddo is a big Rey fan, hold them close during this scene. *No spoilers needed. You’ll know the scene once it starts.
- Most of the film is shot with darker scenes. If you have a kiddo who struggles with being in the dark, you may want to give them a theater break midway through the film.
I hope this parent review of The Rise of Skywalker was helpful for you. With us being such big fans of Star Wars, we knew we would take our 5 year old, 9 year old, and 14 year old to see the film during opening weekend.
Do I regret taking them before seeing it myself? Somewhat. Do I have to see it again, without kids, to catch everything that happened? Absolutely.
