• Look guys, there are nit-picks, but just as I predicted in the other thread, you guys went in with so many questions you wanted answered, or story lines you wanted to see played out (e.g., Luke as some invincible badass, Knights of Ren) that you can't even hide your disappointment that they didn't do what you wanted them to, even if other paths were just as valid.
• It is a middle story. Definitely not a standalone movie with the lack of closure on some things, but I think it was a great middle movie without knowing how the 9th will go.
• What is a consistent comment I heard from the prequels? Everything doesn't have to be connected. George, why did you talk about midichlorians and remove the mystery? Why did you feel the need to connect every little detail? Well, TLJ doesn't connect all the dots and leaves a lot of mystery. Now you guys don't like that either.
• I didn't read a ton of extra stuff or spoiler-y stuff. I haven't read any of the novels or watched the cartoon series. I land somewhere between superfan and everyday person.

• Rey / Kylo. Two fantastic acting performances. Loved them. Both of them are still young and raw in the force and love the back-and-forth between them. Two great characters that developed a lot during this movie. Also loved that they addressed Rey's parents and basically said, get over yourself, audience - you don't have to be related to the Skywalkers to be powerful.
• Mark. Hamill. Fantastic acting. Also, another instance of people having their childhood hero and being more invested in him than anything else about the SW Universe. As I predicted in the other thread, people had pre-conceived notions of what they wanted out of Luke. He had a far more noble ending than Han, Obi-Won, or Yoda. He did things so powerful, no Jedi (or Sith) has ever done them before. He triumphantly proclaimed he would not be the Last Jedi and fully punked Kylo. This was fitting for him. No issues with his story line. Did people want him to be some Yoda-level all-knowing master? Did you expect there to have been no personal fallout from the Kylo betrayal?
• Poe getting **** on constantly. The theme of experience and cool-headed decision making / leadership in battle being more important and impactful than just running blindly in trying to be a hero is a great theme. His character learning the lesson by the end of the movie was a great arc. This is going to be a key point when Leia isn't there in IX. He had to be groomed to take a more measured leadership approach in IX.
• Holdo's Light-speed kill shot. How awesome. Loved the ending for a character that your familiarity with Poe actually gets you to hate a bit. She did really well in the scene with Carrie Fischer as well. The several second of silence was fantastic film-making.
• Speaking of which, Carrie Fisher was fantastic in this movie. As wooden as she seemed in TFA, she put in a great performance in this one. You can see how she developed into a true leader.
• Where they went with the force (with one huge exception - outlined later). Luke's initial speech to Rey, that this isn't a power that Jedi have, discussing the arrogance of the Jedi. Discussing it as something to be shared, that unites all life. That's a good theme and give it some significance again instead of the cheapening of it that went on in the prequels.
• The tone. The resistance getting their asses kicked. The true desperation by the end when they can all fit on the Falcon. That's how many people they lost. They have been routed right now and go into IX being truly on the ropes.
• The music. I don't really have to say much here. It was fantastic.
• Yoda's joke / lightning strike. He was back to the quirky OT Yoda and I loved it.

• Snoke. I wish we got a tad more development, but not a lot more. We didn't know much about the Emperor until the Prequels, except that he was a badass. If you expected a full Snoke back story, I don't know what to tell you. Mystery is good in movies sometimes. My only real reason this is neutral is because I wanted to see him do something ultimately badass, except hit Rey in the head with a lightsaber. But even that little effortless tweak showed how powerful he was I guess. Just wanted a bit more action with him in it.
• Del Toro's character. I was hoping he would be something a little more impactful, but he was just kind of meh. I think the acting job was superb and reminded me a bit of him in Snatch for some reason, just not enough weight to his character.
• Humor. I can't decide which way I am going to end up on the humor throughout. Very marvel-like, as I think TCTTS mentioned on another thread a day or two ago. Some of it hit home, some of it was out of place. I have no problems with some of the subtle stuff (like when BB-8 is fixing the electrical circuit), but slapstick comedy like Luke just tossing the lightsaber over his shoulder was ridiculous and cheapened the moment.
• Phasma. Literally is Boba Fett. Don't know why people are so upset. She has basically the same amount of screen time, and is actually much better in battle than Boba Fett as Fett gets his jetpack set off and falls into the Sarlaac.

• Finn / Rose. I actually thought both of their acting performances were decent. Finn showed definite improvement in his acting ability, but the story line hurt them both. Just a bad, bad story line, including their escape. Casino scene was awful. Really wish this wouldn't have been such a drag. I'm struggling to find what I would have done instead, but need some more time to digest. Definitely the weakest part of the movie.
• The Leia's force save from space. Just ridiculous. Not just from a physics standpoint, but from a Force standpoint. I think it was clear she had embraced the Force and become more attuned to her abilities, but this was just a ridiculous leap. Unnecessary way to save her (but you do have to save her for the rest of the movie).
• The Crait battle. Seemed almost like Helm's deep from LOTR at first... Backed into a corner, nowhere to go but fight. Absolutely no military strategy here though. They sent like 13 old, decrepit skimmers out and they basically accomplished nothing. There needed to be a better way to end this.
• The tracking through hyperspace plot device. Ridiculous, with little to no explanation, but is literally the key driving plot device. Along with the Finn/Rose adventure, just a ridiculous plot.

Sq1dvm said:

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For me, it was better than the prequels, but worse than OT, TFA and R1. I could see where a second viewing could make it better and will take the kids to see it after Christmas (my shopping is done; I ain't buying a porg)

It's been said, but I'll say it again, dang it was good to see some Frank Oz era puppet Yoda rapping people on the head with his cane.

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Laser Wolf said:

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Sq1dvm said:

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For me, it was better than the prequels, but worse than OT, TFA and R1. I could see where a second viewing could make it better and will take the kids to see it after Christmas (my shopping is done; I ain't buying a porg)

It's been said, but I'll say it again, dang it was good to see some Frank Oz era puppet Yoda rapping people on the head with his cane.

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I ranked it as the worst SW movie ever. Not even the throwbacks to the OT could save it. This movie was all about pushing Disney's SJW propaganda at the cost of a good plot. The result was that it destroyed everything we loved about SW.

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