Full of plotholes but visually delivers as promised

Rating: 6/10 (13 December 2017)

There are a number of vexing plotholes in the story and subplots that feel redundant. Emotionally charging scenes are undermined by aforementioned, glaringly obvious plotholes and the abrupt, inappropriate comedic moments.
I can't believe I'm saying this but I wish they'd gone further with imitating the originals and recreated an homage to the awe-inspiringly dark Empire, instead of putting in blatant references to RotJ and trying to look smart by subverting said references. The visually creative feel of the scenes doesn't lend to emotional attachment - I didn't root for or worry about the Resistance or the First Order, because neither entity or their proponents could move me to do so. Sadly, as the highly disappointing Snoke said, Kylo Ren is "no Vader, but a child in a mask", therefore not even a proper villain to juxtapose with Rey the Mary Sue with her inexplicable powers.
It cannot be denied, however, that the film's cinematography rises beyond expectations in several scenes: the lighting, the colours, the transitions, etc.
In short, it's an okay film that falls short of my high expectations (after Rogue One being a pleasant surprise since TFA suffered from similar and at times worse issues though it was superior in other much valued aspects).