Disappointed

Rating: 1/10 (26 March 2018)

I get the tight rope anyone embarking on rekindling and continuing a franchise must endure. Too much of the same, and people call it lazy. Too different and people call it out of place.
As a movie, I was disappointed that Rian tried to do both...change everything while trying to make everything the same. He failed at doing either well, somehow pandering and veering from the path that had been set for years.
Yes, had he tried to redo Empire or Return of the Jedi, it would have been to obvious but man, changing things just to tell the loyalist 'ha, fooled you, the plot lines you thought you knew I've made into parody" seem more cruel than original.
Twists are exciting when built up or around a central, undefinable theme, but to dislodge from the linneae course of characters, subplots and themes because he thought it would be funny (many examples of this throughout the movie) wasn't innovative or creative, just misplaced and awkward.
I was excited to share this new Star Wars saga with my kids, and now, it's lost it's luster.
Hopefully, Hollywood will see the great potential the storyline could've had and redo this soon and try to stop the titanic from sinking, although, at this point, Disney is focused on $ and nothing else, so no one would have the strength to say, "nope, that's not what anyone wants, let's fix this." Maybe George Lucas could come in and buy the franchise back, or at least the original plot and give it to someone else that doesn't want to spat in the face of the fans that have been following the franchise for a while, but further their love for it by making it whole again.
Wishful thinking, I know. All these movies and characters simply washed away in 3 hours...just a real shame.