Finally decided to throw my opinion into the ring.
I've watched it twice now and given it some time.
Didn't really like it.
Even though it's a story about laser swords and mystical things, I still prefer my story/entertainment to have a cohesive story, plot and characters. I don't think that is asking for too much.
I'm glad this trilogy is over, they've killed off all the originals and seem to have soured the new actors into doing anything else SW related (at least John Boyega). So we can now move on onto other SW endeavors. I'm excited to see what other ideas they can come up with, and I hope they get far away from the Skywalkers. Many other stories to be told of other people/time periods.
Just some bullet points:
Music: music is one of the best parts of movies for me. Besides the sith planet screeching, I couldn't name one memorable theme or song from this movie. So that was a miss.
Plot points: what was even happening?? so many different sets/needless characters. An ancient Sith dagger that has a map to one of the wayfinders, that perfectly matches up with the death star wreckage...ok I guess it's not an ancient sith dagger and was made in the last 15 years? I just don't know. Sorry, I guess I'm thinking about it too much. I'll just focus on the explosions and pretty people. I realize that expecting things to make sense is asking too much and I'll get slammed for it.
Planet killers: this is an awfully dangerous galaxy. I wonder if, after a while, no one is even affected by losing planets anymore because it happens so often. I guess the Star Destroyer that killed the Zuri Bliss planet is still out there?
Fake deaths: gets tiresome after a while. Chewie dies! no he didn't. C3P0 makes a huge sacrifice and basically kills himself. Nope, he's back. New character Poe love interest with the coin and cute? little alien who kills (or not) C3P0 are dead! Another planet destroyed. Nope, they're fine. Rey kills Kylo! Nope, she heals him, he's fine. Kylo blasted down a giant hole, he's gone! Nope, he's back.
Leia: most of her lines made no sense. Rey says she is going to fight a big bad evil and Leia says 'no', then just stands there and stares at Rey? ok. They should have redone the ending of the Last Jedi and had Leia be the one to sacrifice herself by lightspeeding kamikazing into the First Order fleet. They already had footage of her on a bridge that was destroyed.
It was painfully obvious none of her scenes were filmed for this movie. Personally, it really took me out of the story.
Poe: he was pretty, yes. but not sure of his overall point.
Finn: He has something important to tell Rey. Comes up numerous times. But hey, why resolve this in the movie? We can give the major plot point from a tweet. Myself, and every other person I talked to, thought he wanted to tell Rey he loved her. Big fail of the movie there. Would have liked it if his arc had been to free the other enslaved children stormtroopers. Instead he didn't do much.
Maz Kanata: was flying around in a jetpack with a blaster fighting in Jedi, this movie doesn't join the fight and stays back watching and then gives Chewie a medal because the internet wants to see Chewie get a medal?
Rey: whatever. I guess falling in love with someone who wipes out all his fellow Jedi students and kills his dad is ok? Very romantic. In all seriousness though, would have appreciated if the movie slowed it's frenetic pace to focus more on Kylo and Rey and dark side and light side.
Why was Dominic Monaghan even in this movie?! Weird stunt casting. Could have given Carrie Fisher's daughter or Rose his lines and been fine.
Why were two new female characters added and Rose ignored?
I'm sure there's more but the movie kind of exhausts me.
It's fine that other people loved it, just wasn't for me.
