So, I finally watched The Rise of Skywalker last night...

Rating: 8/10 (5 May 2020)

And...
I LOVED it!
I NEVER thought I would, but I did. This was a really gripping, decent Star Wars movie and it gets about as close to recapturing the magic of the originals as Disney is ever going to get. The pace of the film is perfect and the new characters were all really compelling. The tales of redemption and belonging blend together beautifully and aside from the odd plot-hole and unnecessary kiss, things fitted together perfectly. Unlike the abominable Last Jedi, things didn't feel convoluted and I was never really bored. I was skeptical about the prospect of Luke returning as a force ghost but the X-Wing lift scene was magical! Overall, a really decent movie that gripped and thrilled me. As to the global criticism, all I can say is that Jeremy Jahns and the Honest Trailer group must have been watching a different movie.