The song is a mid tempo pop track which lyrically deals about self-empowerment and draws attention to gun violence in the United States, and contains a sample from a speech by American activist X González.

The video features footage of Stoneman Douglas High School shooting survivors, LGBTQ supporters, and women's rights protesters, among other social justice movements.

[7] It has been described as a mid tempo pop song that lyrically deals about self-empowerment and draws attention to gun violence in the United States,[8][9][10] but can also be seen as "an allegory for the highs and lows" of Madonna's career, according to HuffPost's Daniel Welsh.

[11] The song begins with a sample from Stoneman Douglas High School shooting survivor and activist X González's speech, in which they declare, "They say us kids don't know what we're talking about, that we're too young to understand how the government works.

[13] Louise Bruton of The Irish Times opined that it was a "gimmick-free, uplifting ballad", and noted that "Madonna knows the power she wields, and as a long-time advocate for the LGBTQ+ community and people living with HIV, she plays that card very well" on the song.

[15] Wren Graves from Consequence of Sound wrote that the track was "rousing stuff",[16] while Hot Press' Paul Nolan called it "stirring".

[10] According to Victoria Segal from Q magazine, "I Rise" "keep[s] pace with a world out of joint",[21] while Michael Arceneaux of NBC News commented that it was one of the songs that "do deserve airplay".

[24] Daniel Megarry from Gay Times opined that while the track "isn't top tier" with other Madonna songs such as "Live To Tell" (1986) and "Take a Bow" (1994), "it's still a pleasant listen", and praised its lyrical message.

[26] According to NME's El Hunt, the song's Sartre quote "can border on inspirational fridge magnet territory, too broad to establish real connection".

[27] A more critical review came from Milenio's Ernesto Sanchez, who complimented the production, but was not impressed with the song's chorus and level of creativity, and said it sounded like an outtake from Rebel Heart.

[41] Madonna herself does not appear in the video, but it instead shows footage of the Stoneman Douglas High School shooting survivors, LGBTQ supporters, women's rights protesters, Olympic gymnast Aly Raisman's testimony about sexual abuse, Filipino journalist Maria Ressa's arrest, among other social justice movements.

[42][43] Mike Wass from Idolator commented that the clip "conveys the song's powerful message in a striking way",[44] while according to Alexander Kacala from The Advocate, "Madonna has never shied away from making bold statements with her work", and the video was "a testament to that".

The backdrops depicted imagery of the students who spearheaded the March for Our Lives movement, along with the word "resist"; Madonna wore an eye-patch over her left eye, while her background dancers were dressed as police officers that wielded.