Star Wars VIII: What With All That Negativity?

Rating: 9/10 (19 December 2017)

I was 13 years old when I was totally blown away by "Star Wars". Just "Star Wars". Not Episode IV, Not V... No just "Star Wars". And boy, what a load of negativity when George Lucas came up with Episode V. Five? Are you for real? That couldn't be right. Or could it? And we all know that "Star Wars Episode V: The Empire Strikes Back" was and still is the best movie in the whole franchise.
When I read a lot of criticism about Episodes VII and VIII, there is this thing that echoes in a certain way throughout all the negativity: "Star Wars isn't Star Wars anymore. Disney killed it."
Excuses me? Nonsense!
Things change. Time changes. The world changes. We change. When you see "Star Wars Episode IV: A New Hope" you see the seventies! The hairdo, the set, the costumes, the technology. It"s the seventies! We are now 40 years later and that means you get a movie that's 40 years further in time. It"s now. And in ten years it will be ten years old. It's that simple.
If you go into a cinema and expect "Star Wars", like episodes IV, V or even VI, don't bother. Don't even think about it! Yes, then you will be disappointed. Of course you will. Because you can never expect something to be "identical", "similar" or close to the original 40 years later. No way. Impossible.
If you go to the cinema to expect a spectacular and highly entertaining movie, a movie that will keep you glued to your seats, then "Star Wars VIII: The Last Jedi" will give you that. Two hours and 30 minutes of fantastic entertainment. There were moments when I was watching, so fascinated that I forgot I was holding an empty coffee cup for more than ten minutes.
No it wasn't "Star Wars", duh, but it was certainly in the spirit of Star Wars. As far as I can say, as a lifelong fan: this movie honours Star Wars. It has a high pace, great humour, incredible action, probably the best lightsabre duel ever, the Force light and (very) dark, a wonderful Carrie Fisher, an impressive Mark Hamill, interesting twists and mind-blowing special effects. I wanted to be entertained, and I was. And will be, because I will go back to the cinema to see it again, and probably again. And wondering where the saga will go to in Episode IX...
So to all the critics who bashed the movie: let go! "Star Wars VIII: The Last Jedi" is a Star Wars movie, it isn't "Star Wars"! It's just great fun.
"Thank the Maker".