One of the best in the franchise

Rating: 9/10 (23 January 2018)

There's a reason critics generally praise this film and around half of audience members do not.
Audiences tend to form their opinions based on how a movie made them feel, critics tend to look closer at how the film is made and how far the artist (s) are able achieve their vision. The Last Jedi genuinely makes you feel weird or upset at first viewing, as it does so much to subvert traditional storytelling tropes, and takes the franchise in a bold, new direction, making the tough (but correct) choice to ignore popular fan theories. Writers out there will understand that Johnson makes the right dramatic decisions for the integrity of the story, rather than simply fill the movie with fan-pleasing paint-by-numbers Star Wars moments.
As the middle part of a trilogy, Johnson knows that this is where the characters must be tested and face their hardest truths and greatest failures. While the plot takes several twists and turns, the basic structure, much like The Empire Strikes Back, is simple. The good guys are being hunted by the bad guys and the central hero delves deeper into their personal journey for enlightenment and the secret of their powers. The good guys lose, but key players and the hero survive, having learned hard lessons. What The Last Jedi does, that some struggle to enjoy, is that it allows its heroes to make mistakes, bad mistakes, and, unlike most action adventure (or Star Wars) movies, these errors have significant consequences.
People will point to plot holes based on single viewings that are actually clearly explained in the film, although Johnson treats his audience with a degree of maturity that means he doesn't hit us over the head with exposition (although there's still rather a lot of it, come one guys!). Yes, you do have to 'accept' what you're told sometimes and not question the scientific accuracy of everything (but this is how sci-fi adventures work - it's internally consistent and the logic is all perfectly Star Warsian). Others will point to the bold creative decisions, such as showing a human and vulnerable Luke Skywalker, with actual character growth, or killing off the supposed big-bad Snoke at the start of the third act, as failures to live up to fan expectations or carry on the story of The Force Awakens, but in reality these are intelligent storytelling choices that give Luke an arc to reclaim his legendary status and catapult Kylo Ren into a sudden and dramatic position of power that allows us to explore the full potential of his character. We can learn about Snoke's backstory in the next episode, if it's needed - this episode is all about moving forward, while taking only what you need from the past. Rey learns this lesson, as her parents are revealed to be nobodies. Her past does not hold the answers, for her place in the galaxy, but the Jedi, including Luke's example, still have wisdom to impart, despite their faults, and we see her take the ancient Jedi texts with her in the end. Decisions like these are important to keeping Star Wars fresh and unpredictable, lending it some real dramatic tension and purpose.
The music (Rose's theme is great), effects work (Crait), acting (special mention Adam Driver) and action (the Throne room scene) are all top-notch, and the film features some of the most beautiful cinematography of the series, as well as some truly saga-defining moments (Luke's noble sacrifice).
If you haven't seen it, go in with an open mind and let yourself be transported. If you have seen it and had a hard time with it, I urge you to go back again and allow yourself to go with it, try and understand the dramatic purpose and character development behind the choices and you'll have a much better time. This movie will improve with age and much of this initial backlash will fade. There is so much to love about The Last Jedi.