So nobody wrote about seeing this over the weekend? Guess that mean I will kick off the remarks. So were movies 7, 8 and 9 part of the same series because 8 sure does seem to be a whole different thing. The 2 Abram's fit well enough together but boy, is Skywalker just fan service or what? While there are plenty of nice things, plenty of flaws and stupid things along the roller coaster ride during the movie, it overall truly captures more of the Star Wars "sensation/feeling/tone" in an attempt to please angry fans. It moves along at a fast pace, never really slowing down in attempting to cram as much into the movie as possible. Quite a lot of what passes as "plot" in this one would have been better served if they were actually set up or hinted at in the other movies.

We do finally get to enjoy seeing Rey, Finn and Poe do their best Luke, Leia and Han impersonations (they are actually quite fun and good as a team) and it is a pity their teaming wasn't a stronger portion of all 3 movies because they have some of the best interaction and scenes. Lando really added nothing to the movie other than to note for us fans as to why wasn't he included in Force Awakens and ignored for Last Jedi (along with Ackbar) other than the excuse of not enough time or story idea while wanting to push new characters for this trilogy? There were moments for some real emotional stuff with Threepio and Chewie but just as quickly those moments were all pushed aside. Hux makes a token appearance and is quickly removed and forgotten about (could have and should have been a bit more of a major villain) in the mad rush of the movie. New characters were added that were nothing more than teases and necessary plot contrivances and just as quickly pushed aside.

Soooo could have done without Palpatine again. His reappearance totally cheapens Vader's death and redemption, especially without any set up or context within the movie series, unless you allow for all the written novels and comics which provide background for him in showing his fugly face once more. We get yet more about Rey's parents which proves only that they were more of a black hole in plot and never really as important as the movies made them seem to be, which shows the weakness of Abrams ideas and writing as their entire purpose within the trilogy could just as readily been delivered earlier in Force Awakens and added to the tension and depth of character for Rey, but then I don't think Abrams had a clue where the entire Trilogy was headed or how to pace it. 

Kylo Ren as Supreme Leader of the First Order was totally overlooked and a wasted opportunity. Kylo does have a strong story and his "need" to connect with something in his family even as he struggles to rebel against his family is one of the best parts of the entire trilogy. The Knights of Ren were in the movie for what reason? They did nothing important and were without any real meaning (again, if you read any of the novels or comic books, you might find more but in the movie? Nothing!) while being far less interesting than Captain Phasma. 

Overall this entire final trilogy try's to play into the whole Lucas concept of the old movie serials and emphasizes that Lucas himself derailed everything when he made episodes 1, 2 and 3 and that he was changing and making things up as he went along. At least this one movie has enough entertainment and sense of "fun and thrills" you don't truly notice much of the issues and flaws until you walk away from the movie afterwards. Another in the need to see on the big screen type of movies where so much of the movie is in a spectacular visual experience over substance of story. It will for certain continue the arguments pro and con among fans...