At least it got the fantasy-theory fanboys worked up.

Rating: 7/10 (27 April 2018)

I hated the Force Awakens. Really, really hated it. It's a copy cat film made to fulfill fanboy expectations. It rips off everything from Episode IV. So, you can forgive an old cynic for reserving judgement on episode VIII. Rian Johnson has alienated the rabid 50 year old fanboys to an amazing degree.
But his job was to suprise to us. To do something a little different. He clearly did not like the set ups JJ Abe put into to episode VII, so he chucked them in the bin! Brave of him. And pretty funny to watch all those blokes who dress up as Princess Leia throw their toys out of the pram on you tube!
This is a decent if very flawed Star Wars adventure. Sure there are plot holes and some very silly moments. There is still far too much stolen from the original trilogy. At least it had some original bits. The Casino planet was an unnecessary addition. But the movie did take some chances by turning Luke into a miserable old git. Mark Hamill was excellent, by the way. Never liked Snoke in ep. VII and I don't like him here. Just smoke and mirrors cooked up by the souless hack JJ Abe. Nothing new here. Palpatine wannabe. Don't expect great revelations about him - there aren't any. Rey's parentage will disappoint many, also. Tough luck. Stop running movies through your head with you as the hero.
Will miss Carrie Fisher, and it will be hard to do Episode IX without her. There are a few things I didn't care for in the movie (such as Leia's Supergirl in space moment) but I can forgive them. On the whole, flawed - and battered though it is by fanboy outrage, this is much better than Force Awakens.