DEFINITELY not as bad as everyone makes it seem.

Rating: 7/10 (15 December 2017)

This movie has its flaws, as do a whole host of other Star Wars movies, but it is not a bad movie.
Tonally, it's pretty different from most of the other films in the franchise, but that doesn't make it bad. Star Wars is about adventure and wonder and amazing characters, all of which are in this film. Rian might not have stuck to the formula, but boy was I refreshed at a fresh take on a property that can so easily fall into telling the same story over and over again in the name of "poetry" (no offense, I love Star Wars more than anyone).
If you liked the characters in The Force Awakens and want to know each of them on a better level and actually grow to care for some of them, see this movie. If you want to know more about the force and explore more of the galaxy than the usual 4 or 5 planets we visit, see this movie. If you like stories that make you think beyond just sitting and consuming mindlessly, see this movie.
If you're reading this review to determine if you should see this movie, you're probably not a die hard Star Wars fan and won't be as insulted as everyone else leaving reviews here if it doesn't turn out like you thought, and if you're a die hard Star Wars fan and you are reading this review to determine if you should see this movie, don't let anyone else's opinions on this sway you. It's what you think that counts.
Watch it for yourself, and if you like it, great, if not, sorry, but let's not forget the wonder that is Star Wars by getting caught up in the little details. Celebrate. Go see it with people you care about. Love the movie together. Hate it together. Star Wars belongs to each of us.
All I ask is that you walk into the theater with an open mind. Try and get rid of expectations, because boy does this movie resist expectations. Have an experience, and don't let a movie make or break your year. There's so much more to life.
Well this got much more serious than I thought. Guess all that's left to say is, "May the Force be with you."