Upon 2nd viewing...up from 4 to 8

Rating: 1/10 (31 December 2019)

My initial reaction was not good. I was upset by how the potentially great movie was ruined by bad execution and meaningless first half. The pacing made it impossible to feel anything or process anything before moving on to the next scene. So I felt really cheated of the emotional scenes that should of but didn't land.
But after seeing it again and taking the time to process it, I've come to appreciate it a lot more. Given the toxic fandom he had to work with, and studio up his back I think he did the best he could. We need to remember what it's like to see the originals. Go in with a sense of wonder and let the story unfold and let them tell us the story. Not go in intending to nit pick every detail. Allow yourself to enjoy the story that unfolds before you. That is why you remember the originals as so great. You allowed the story to be told. You allowed yourself to enjoy it.
That is why there is such a disparity in fandom. The younger generation love these movies because they are watching it the same way you watched the originals. Allowing them to tell us the story not vice versus.
I don't want to be part of the fandom that chooses to find the worse and complain about it and choose to hate it. When I let go of my own expectations and watched it from a new perspective then I really loved what JJ was able to do. The ben arc was better then anything I could up with and it was beautifully written. I have racked my brain since TFA on how in the world could they pull off a redemption that we would buy and I honestly couldn't think of anything myself. And this was beautiful. For those last moments alone gave me enough movie magic feels to make me now love this movie. Execution could of been better but they gave me the story. And It's the story that'll stand the rest of time not the techniqualities. So I changed my rating from 4 to an 8