Good for what it is - Genre-Rating

Rating: 8/10 (16 December 2015)

Let me start with one of the most important things first. I'm not a big Star Wars fan! I have seen the previous movies, but I would not consider myself as well familiar with all the easter eggs and story lines BUT this is why I represent the casual viewer and will answer the question if you can watch and even enjoy this movie, if you are not that deep into the topic, as a lot of other people.
I just watched the movie for the sake of attending the midnight screening, didn't have high hopes or was looking forward to this in particular as hypes never really get to me. Maybe thats why I was positively surprised!
I watched it with a friend who is a super-crack-fan, so I do understand the criticism I read in some fan reviews, but if you consider the movie for what it is (A mainstream SciFi action movie) you have to say that it's fun to watch. That's why its important to me to point out that this is a genre rating.
I would give it a 7.5.... which I need to round up here to an 8. The first 30mins are exciting and they build up a mystery, which is pretty much explained half way through the movie, after that it gets kinda predictable. Another downside, you do see Disneys influence. Not as bad as I was expecting it, BUT it's there, especially when you pay attention to the musical part and the robot behaviors, could not stop thinking about Wall-E when I saw that bot rolling around!
This movie is funny, a bit more than it should be, its fine with me but I do get that this might annoy the real fans. Especially Chewbacca is very comic, even when he goes amok, after Hans Solo dies.
The movie also fails to create a dark atmosphere and built up some sort of fear. Thanks to Disney I guess. As soon as Kylo Ren takes of his mask, the mystery is gone and you see that almost Justin Bieber kinda boy trying to play the tough guy,
Also the logic in this movie.....hell... Why cant the little robot not stay away and hide a bit better? That would be wise if everyone in the galaxy is looking for him. No...he is always straight on display in the spotlight. Its like Will Smiths character in "Enemy of the state" would just go into a Starbucks and chilling' out, using the Wifi there, doesn't make sense... just stupid!
Don't get me wrong. This movie is fun to watch, despite the things it does wrong. It does not have good acting, or a good plot but still manages to get your attention for 2 hours. So switch off your brain and enjoy these 135mins
I wonder how the next one will be called, I vote for... Star Wars - Chewbaccas redemption
;)