Not as good as Last Jedi, but damned close

Rating: 10/10 (23 December 2019)

My only major complaint about the film is that the first act (especially the first 15-20 minutes) feels hugely rushed. The pacing is jarring. It's like actors run into frame, deliver lines, then find/do whatever they need to advance the story, then run back out.
With that out of the way though it provided a good conclusion to the previous films and some good wrap-ups for some beloved characters. The fan service is nice, but gets to be a little much but it's a very minor complaint.
After Rian Johnson's The Last Jedi, which made such bold choices and really broke from the mold (and the ensuing backlash by the neckbeards) I was afraid that JJ Abrams would make another vague fluffy mess like The Force Awakens, but despite him having a tendency to vastly under-explain things (like George Lucas) it was still a thoroughly enjoyable film once you get past the pacing issues early on.
It doesn't have the stark cinematic beauty of Last Jedi (watch it in black and white. it's a friggin' modern-day Akira Kurosowa film!) it was still very well done and while it might not have the instantly iconic scenes the previous film had (Holdo maneuver and duel on the salt pan anyone?!) it still does Star Wars justice by being visually interesting, moreso than Force Awakens I feel.
It could have been better if they'd let Rian Johnson do it, or at least kept him on as an advisor for the scene composition and cinematography (apparently he's amazing at it) but JJ (mostly) did good by the beloved franchise.
It's a fun ride and in the end that's what matters most with a movie like this.