A Flawed Movie, but a Fitting End

Rating: 8/10 (20 December 2019)

Before I begin let me say that I was a fan of Episode VII. It was a very enjoyable film. While The Last Jedi was also a well crafted movie it undid the setup of Episode VII.
The biggest problem with this film is the first act is trying to reintroduce the arcs that were sidelined in TLJ. It really drags the first 40 minutes. That doesn't mean the first 40 minutes aren't bad. I just felt a bit bored until we left Kajimi (forgive me if I misspelled the planets name). There was still a lot to enjoy in the first act:
I loved C-3PO in this film. He was so much fun. Anthony Daniels really brings so much to this film. He should be very proud. The tigers droids as well do a great job. I also enjoyed many new additions like Bliss, Babu Frik, and D-0. All 3 have a stake in the plot and have very rounded personalities.
Speaking of amazing characters, I can safely say Kylo is the best character in these new movies. His arc and story is complete through this trilogy and Adam Driver is as always phenomenal.
Also, I appreciate JJ Abrams for giving Rey a reason for being so gifted. It didn't bother me that she was very powerful but it felt distracting in some parts of the previous two films.
I also love the way they handled Leia. Whenever I see Carrie Fisher on screen my eyes get heavy. I can't give the team enough credit for bringing her into this film.
For any fans upset that we didn't get a backstory for Snoke I can say you won't be disappointed in this film. That's all I can say without spoiling.
One other problem I had with this film was the other unnecessary characters in this film. I wasn't the biggest fan of Jannah because she doesn't bring much to the table. She felt like an unnecessary add-on. The actress Naomi however does such a great job in this film. I can tell she is having so much fun.
I also didn't like the Sith Troopers in this movie. They were easily the most unnecessary add-on in this whole trilogy. They're only in a few scenes and if you replace them with normal stormtroopers, nothing whatsoever changes. Sure they look cool, but it feels like they jus wanted another action figure on the shelves.
I don't want to say anything about Palpatine, Lando, or Luke I'm this movie other than the performances being good. They were a lot of fun and I won't say how they appear, other than they simply do.
Lastly, the devotion this movie took to respectiny all 8 other films is amazing. There are many cameos of past characters in this film so keep your eyes (and ears) open.
I can safely say I'm not alone on this one. My theater was PACKED and they whooped and cheered more times than I can count. Not just mellow applause. I'm talking standing ovation cheering.
Overall, I'm very impressed with this ending. It's an amazing conclusion to the greatest franchise of all time.