Kill the Past

Rating: 2/10 (14 December 2017)

Good parts:
(1) Porgs
(2) Some Luke Skywalker scenes, although his character was virtually unrecognisable from the original trilogy
(3) Very good space battles
(4) Luke's reunion with Artoo
(5) I felt Finn and Poe were more likeable in this movie compared to Force Awakens
(6) Most Princess Leia scenes, except where she flies through space
(7) Mark Hamill was exceptional. I never wanted him off screen.
Bad parts:
(1) The dejected feeling I had when the movie finished. As a matter of fact I felt this way about 3/4 into the film. This is obviously subjective but it looks like I'm not alone based on other comments. This is especially the case if you're a fan of the original trilogy. I honestly feel cheated and wonder if the movie was meant to create such emotions in people.
(2) The way Johnson wrote Luke. He has always been optimistic and self sacrificing. He would never have even considered killing Ben. He wouldn't have allowed others to suffer while doing nothing. In the 'legends of Luke skywalker' book he is very inquisitive about the Force and it's origins. Yet he doesn't read original scripts while being stuck on an island with nothing else to do. He is a jedi master but is overpowered by Rey in their stick battle- maybe on purpose? He should have spent more time with Chewbacca to console him about losing Han. He uses no force powers, except at the end, and doesn't 'kick butts' like Kennedy said he would. He projects himself to Crait to stand there? It could have been an epic battle between him and the first order. Just show some development in his character!!! The decision to kill him off was absolutely atrocious and series ending for myself. He could have survived the Force projection. Rey will do it in the next film and I'm sure she will be just fine.
(3) Rey- I don't mind Rey as a concept and Daisy does a half decent job portraying her, but how is she so powerful? It also appears that she can do no wrong!! In this stage in her development Luke hadn't even moved a noodle with the Force yet! She is extremely naive. She finds a jedi master and then viciously confronts him because Kylo told her something. I would have thought shed be reluctant to believe Kylo in relation to anything. I don't like that she's the last Jedi. It is very contrived and cringe worthy. The explanation of her parents was uninspiring. Had she been a skywalker her force powers would have been somewhat understandable.
(4) Artoo- we see him for a brief moment. I wanted to see him and Luke together much longer. Once they're reunited where does Artoo go? Just disappears it seems. BB8, who I like, is conveniently saving the day all over the galaxy. Does Luke understand R2?
(5) Leia using force powers to fly through space...
(6) killing off snoke with no explanation of his origin. He had been built up to be a great villain and match for Luke.
(7) Rey and Kylo scenes together, even though they were apart. Just awful.
I've only just seen this movie being a big fan of Star Wars. I didn't mind TFA due mainly to the ending. I thought the 2 movies would make up for Luke's absence in the TFA. Clearly I was wrong. Even if Luke comes back as a force ghost I still won't be going to see episode 9. My best hope are the stand alone films, provided Johnson goes nowhere near them.