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ENDOR — The time has come. Your patience has finally paid off. The end of the Skywalker saga is now upon us.

But does "Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker" deliver? Did director J.J. Abrams manage to tie up all those loose ends in “Episode IX”? Does Kylo Ren find redemption? Are Rey's parents really nobodies? Do we find out where Finn actually came from?

I'm not going to tell you any of that. You're just going to have to go to the theater to find out — and don't pretend like you haven't already bought your tickets.

While "The Rise of Skywalker" is an entertaining "Star Wars" movie and manages to cap off a nine-film story arc, I still found it wanting. It's hard to explain, but it wasn't quite the finale I was hoping for. To be honest, however, I'm not sure what I was hoping for.

Here is a spoiler-free review of "The Rise of Skywalker" and why it's fine, but not great.

The light side

It's entertaining

At nearly 2 1/2 hours, you'd hope "The Rise of Skywalker" would keep you entertained, and I'm happy to say it does. The run time didn't feel long or forced, but the pacing seemed on point and the action was solid. It's hard not to love some great lightsaber duels and dogfights with X-wings and TIE Fighters.

While I have some issues with the story, it was intriguing and kept me interested, for the most part. There are a few twists and turns, and a few of the reveals will have you guessing about which way the movie is headed next. Even with all the things I didn't like, at the end of the day, I had a pretty good time at the theater and had fun with this movie. And isn't having a good time what Star Wars is really all about?

It pays homage to what came before

This is supposed to be the epic conclusion to a story that has spanned eight movies and more than 40 years. While "Avengers: Endgame" had a hefty weight and responsibility to wrap up nearly 20 films and 10 years, I'd have to say J.J. Abrams was under more pressure here.

“Star Wars” is basically a religion to millions of people, and when you cross them you're going to hear about it — just ask "The Last Jedi" director Rian Johnson. Abrams understood this and managed to pay homage to the films that came before “Episode IX,” and I think he gave the "Star Wars" faithful what they want.

"The Rise of Skywalker" manages to bring back characters we haven't heard from in a long time and takes us back to our roots in "A New Hope," "Return of the Jedi," and every other film as well. While "Rise of Skywalker" is the cap to the epic saga, it is also a love letter to all that paved the way for this moment.

The dark side

It's too safe

While I applaud Abrams and his effort to appease fans and pay due respect to the franchise, I found the film wanting. "The Rise of Skywalker" is a very safe "Star Wars" movie. It follows the same formula, takes us where we ultimately knew we'd end up, and hits all the familiar notes we've seen over and over again to get there.

While I think "The Last Jedi" had some serious issues — and I don't even want to talk about the casino planet — I appreciated Johnson's risks and willingness to challenge audiences.

I also think, visually, he did some stunning work, specifically with the salt planet of Crait, the gorgeous reds that filled the screen, and the lightspeed scene involving Vice Admiral Holdo. We don't get any of those visually memorable scenes here in "Rise of Skywalker." The film will be memorable because it finishes the saga, but not for much else.

There are still too many loose ends

Abrams answers a lot of questions in "The Rise of Skywalker," but even some of those don't really feel wrapped up, at least not to a satisfying end.

I won't get into any specifics because I don't want to give away any spoilers, but when the credits rolled I was not satisfied. There were certain conversations and certain scenes that should have played out and didn’t, or at least I didn’t have the feeling that they were truly resolved. This is tough to cover, considering my attempt to not ruin anything, but I believe some of you will understand exactly what I'm talking about when you see the film.

Is it worth watching?

By now you might think I’m being a little hard on "The Rise of Skywalker," but it wasn't quite the movie I think the franchise deserved as a capping stone. With all of that said, I enjoyed the film. It was entertaining, fun and satisfying in certain ways. I think a lot of fans will lap this up, and casual viewers will at least have some fun at the movies.

Make sure to check KSL.com tomorrow and see Dave Clyde's content guide for parents for "The Rise of Skywalker."

"The Rise of Skywalker" is rated PG-13 for sci-fi violence and action.