The Last Jedi feels more like a Star Wars parady

Rating: 2/10 (27 December 2017)

As some of the other reviews have already stated, this film feels like a big disappointment considering how it was set up at the end of Episode VII. Who are Rey's parents? Who is Snoke? What will Luke do now he has his light sabre back?
The answer to all of those questions is "meh". Wait and see what Luke does with his light sabre. This to me sums up the film. They threw away everything that was set up so well from the last film.
There were some very well visualised space battles, a great fight between Snoke's guards and Rey/Kylo (albeit they used no force powers at all), and a lovable cameo from our favourite Degoba exile. That's about it though for the plus points.
Issues I have comprise of the following:
1) Too many gags. Honestly, they are painful and unnecessary in places. The scene where Hux is talking to Poe at the beginning went on too long and was awkward to watch. I felt like I was watching SNL.
2) So, short-range fighters can't be too far from their mother ship eh? Lets remember Luke travelling between systems in his X Wing, and the tie fighter from Episode IV being quite far out from the Death Star before being tracked by the Millennium Falcon. Seems like this is some new bulltish claptrap made up to suit the story line to me.
3) Poe's X Wing - on it's own - can get through a Dreadnought's shields without being hit by their lasers or intercepted by fighters? The First Order were made to look completely inept...
4) In Episode VII Poe was built as a solid leader, intelligent and skilled in the cockpit. In Episode VIII he's painted out to be a rookie who doesn't even understand the basics of minimising losses in battle.
5) The casino. It's almost as painful as being back on Naboo again...
6) Snoke. We get the big reveal! Oh, my mistake, he's cut in half before we get to know anything about him. He's also powerful enough with the force to hook two people up from opposite sides of the galaxy, but not powerful enough to notice a lightsabre moving around next to his body. Just STUPID.
7) The Porks. Oh Disney, you did a great job there inserting a cuddly toy that all the kids will want for Christmas. It's just a shame that you had to keep showing them over and over again for no reason whatsoever. They add nothing to the story save to annoy any viewers over 10 years of age.
8) Honestly, whoever dreamed up this character deserves never to work in film again. She's introduced to us as one half of a sisterhood that was ripped apart when her sibling was killed in the opening space battle. I won't go into too much detail but she works in maintenance, yet is brought in to the story in a ridiculous sub plot that takes her and Finn off to the Casio. We're meant to see her as a brave freedom fighter but she comes across as a dopey sad sack. I wanted her to die. Horribly. The moment where she speeds into the side of Finn to save him in the final battle (which would be physically impossible btw judging by the speeds and direction of travel beforehand), just comes across as unnecessary and ridiculous.
I feel myself ranting now, so I'll sum up with the worst of it all. They ruined Luke Skywalker. I avoided all interviews and TV specials before seeing the film as I wanted to go in fresh, but after I saw an interview with Mark Hamill who clearly stated that he disagreed with how Luke was bring portrayed. Let me tell you, this guy was correct. They had so many opportunities and skipped them all. He came across as a joke, a laughing stock and comedy-fodder as opposed to a beacon of light as he was in the original trilogy and for that, I am bitterly disappointed.
Sorry guys but it's a 2 from me.
Rian Johnson and Disney, hang your heads in shame.