Not perfect, but enjoyable and much needed

Rating: 8/10 (19 December 2019)

I can't imagine being JJ Abrams and dealing with:
1. The backlash from The Last Jedi.
2. The intentional twists from The Last Jedi that basically ignored much of what The Force Awakens established.
3. The burden of ending a 9-movies saga.
4. The expectations after Avengers: Endgame (which set the bar way too high!).
5. The more intolerant society we live on when it comes to movies and pop culture.
If you expect this movie to be perfect, or to have the same level of epicness as Avengers: Endgame, you will be dissappointed. This movie does not reach that. As a matter of fact, some elements from the plot seem to be taken from the MCU's epic conclusion.
However, if you decide to ignore all the negativity and enjoy a very fun ride, you are going to love this movie, as much as I did.
This movie is not perfect, but it takes what The Last Jedi left, still respecting it. It retakes what The Force Awakens wanted to draw, and tries its best to be a predictable, but satisfying conclusion.
SPOILERS AHEAD:
I remember being scared by Palpatine as a child, but this movie took the Emperor to a new, creepy level. I was freaked out. I like the fact that they used the cloned-Palpatine concept from Legends, without giving too much explanation. We just get to know what we need to know. His final confrontation with Rey is a direct homage to The Return Of The Jedi, but creepier and bolder.
Snoke? We finally know who he was: a clone created and manipulated by Palpatine to use Kylo and turn Rey into the Dark Side. I loved it.
Rey Palpatine? To be honest, I did not feel engaged with that. The "Clone Rey" theory would have made more sense. The movie never explains how the Emperor had children, and I think that should have been explained.
Anakin? I would have loved to see him as a Force ghost, but at least we get to hear him when cheering Rey up (that's something). It would have been amazing to see Anakin's ghost next to Luke and Leia in the very last scene... missed opportunity JJ!
Reylo? I did not like it. I never wanted it to happen. I never felt Ben and Rey connected in that way. Finn deserved that kiss! Ben giving up his life to save Rey, though, was a very nice thing to see.
The final battle? Very predictable but very enjoyable and fun to watch. I think the battle itself is not the issue, but how its predecessor (Endgame) managed it - the bar was set too high.
Anyways, I could keep writting but I guess you get my point. Try not to critize it that much because, let's face it: it's a fan service that needed to be done. JJ knew that the stakes were critical, so he played the safe card once again. The key here is to ENJOY it, not to worship it.
As Mark Hamill said in the premiere: "I hope they will ENJOY it. And it they don't... just keep it to yourself."