Despite the Hate, a Great Entry into the Star Wars Saga

Rating: 9/10 (25 December 2017)

Simply put, The Last Jedi is a solid entry into the Star Wars saga that charts a new course for Star Wars. My advice: go see it yourself and go with an open mind.
Many people say they hate this movie because "its not what they expected" or they "didn't respect the OT characters," particularly Luke. As to the first point, Star Wars needs new ideas and opportunities or its going to stagnate and die. I get it: change is hard, it hurts, but Last Jedi charts a new course brilliantly. Rey is not a Skywalker, or a Kenobi, but an unknown who is beyond naturally gifted with the Force and who can rebuild the Jedi without the baggage of the previous Jedi Order. Ben seems to fully embrace the dark while his Grandfather ultimately turned away. (I wouldn't be surprised if his redemption is still coming, and think that to many people have given up on him to early). Even if Ben eventually does return to the Light, retreading old ground every time, in every episode may be comforting, may be what we EXPECT, but it won't challenge us or the characters to change and embrace new ideas or outcomes.
As to Luke's character, I kept thinking throughout Last Jedi about Empire Strikes Back, and Luke's failure to use the Force and get his X-Wing out of the swamp. What did he do in that moment? He went to a corner of the swamp and SULKED. Yoda pulled the X-Wing for him. Luke's hiding on Ahch-to, in my mind, is no different. He failed, and is sulking, hoping someone else will save the Galaxy. Its perfectly in line with his character. Yes, he was a beacon of hope and rose to the occasion during the Galactic Civil War, but when he failed, he was to hard on himself.
And this time, he didn't just fail a lesson in using the Force, he believes he failed as a Jedi Master, an uncle as the legend he was, panicking for a split second - but a second that changed the rest of his life. I think that, while he understood light can redeem the dark, he felt (for that second) he couldn't deal with having to redeem Ben, particularly after feeling how far gone to the dark he already was and not after the energy and loss it took to save his Father. The mistake was only a second long, but it was enough to change him and the Galaxy. He can't face himself, let alone Leia or, later, Rey. In short, he took to his corner and sulked over an epic failure on his part. This is the Luke we know. We just don't want to see him this way. We always want our heroes to be beacons of hope. But our heroes are imperfect, too. I was glad to see Luke's struggle, his wake-up call from Yoda, and his return to help the Resistance in the end, albeit from afar. His end was perfect, at peace, just like Yoda.
Is the movie long? Yes. Is the comedy sometimes forced or out of step with past episodes of the Saga? Yes. Could Johnson have shown Leia's growth in the Force another way than having her survive the vacuum of space and Force-fly back to the ship? Yes. But these blemishes don't overshadow this movie as a strong entry into the Saga, one that humanizes our heroes and blazes an interesting and exciting new trail for Rey and her new Jedi. You now don't need to be a Skywalker to make a difference in the Galaxy far, far away now, and that's awesome!
As for all the negative attention that is surrounding this movie, I believe that it is a derivative from the internet more than the true reflection of the the quality of this movie and how people really feel about it. I've read plenty of reviews where laughter, applause, and people generally enjoying the film was evident in the theater. This was my experience too: a good crowd that laughed and enjoyed the film the entire time. I even overheard people saying they liked this better than "the last one". I agree, and rank it easily in my top three favorites. I'm excited more than ever for Episode IX.
Go see it. You'll love it or hate it, as there appears to be very little middle ground. But don't take anyone else's word for it - be the judge for yourself.