Honestly, my true feeling walking out of the theater was one of frustration. I wanted to love this film, obviously. Had very high expectations and fully anticipated it being great, particularly after the reviews. However, despite enjoying numerous scenes, the misses and WTH moments just kept adding up to the point where I found myself thinking as I watched, "OK, now I'm frustrated."
I'm a pretty forgiving watcher. For context, I may be the only person on Earth who actually liked flying Leia. My brain was saying, "This is kinda weird, maybe even silly" but once her theme music kicked in I found myself giving it a huge pass as I simply allowed myself to enjoy the notion that in the past 30 years she had learned to harness her power and do the remarkable. Would even help to more deeply explain her devoted following and revered status within the Rebellion.
Here are the things I am having trouble getting over (most have been said by many others):
- Finn trying to bail again to start the movie. Really? I'm supposed to care about this guy, right?
- As pretty much everyone else has said, the entire Rose & Finn subplot. Served zero purpose. I can't think of a single thing their actions did that mattered. Forgivable if entertaining, but their high jinx were the weakest parts of the film by far.
- Benicio's codebreaker character. Just plain annoying. His verbal-tick shtick got old fast. Was he the person they were actually sent to find, despite not having the flower on his lapel? If so, they did a terrible job of making it clear. If not, well, that is even worse.
- The casino planet. Everything about it was bad. CGI everywhere. Goofy attempts at animated alien humor falling flat (felt like the worst of The Special Editions). The "race horses" with Finn & Rose riding off... to where? Why?
- Laura Dern, here's an idea. Just tell Poe and the others what you are planning. But hey, who doesn't love a condescending leader who expects everyone to just shut up and trust you despite all evidence saying otherwise.
- Snoke. I actually liked how they offed him. Unique and gutsy. Just would have been nice to know anything about him. Who he was? How did he gain power? Why did he look like that? Why did the galaxy follow him? Was it fear? Security? Other?
Most unforgivable is Luke. I am a child of the 80's. I get that this new trilogy is about the next generation and not our original heroes. No problem. Yet, didn't we all want to see Luke come through for us one more time? To be the badass the galaxy needed, and our new heroes needed, at their most desperate hour? I understand the way the film played out, he was indeed that... from a certain point of view. I don't love the mass Jedi mindtrick idea, but I think with time I can warm up to it. There's something very disconnected about the whole concept. I wanted flesh and blood Luke to be part of the struggle, but ok. It's the death that I can't get over. Why? He's just tired? Had nothing left to give? Runs in the family (Padme)? A cross-galaxy giant mindtrick like none other drains all lifeforce? I just thought he deserved better. Frankly, we the fans deserved better. If it wasn't going to be in a blaze of glory, shouldn't he of at least been surrounded by friends? How about just one? Alone, disconnected from those he loved and had been separated from for so long, it's just not how we wanted him to go out.
I hope to enjoy the film more with time. I really do. Maybe repeat viewings will allow me to enjoy the good without being pulled out by the negatives. Maybe the only way that could happen for me is if Luke still has a role to play in IX. Something that matters, and not just as a ghost. Just don't see that happening.
