Disclaimer: If you don't care a lick for Star Wars, just breeze on by.
I just don't get the "well done story" part. It doesn't even stand up to the very propositions it puts forth.
-Am I supposed to sacrifice myself to save my friends or not? If not, is it a good idea to try and kill both of us in my effort to stop you? Holdo? Sure. Luke? Why not. Finn? No way!
-Should I let the past die or keep holding onto it? I'm gonna burn those silly texts with my force ghost lightning bolt! Just kidding. Rey has them on the Falcon. But that old tree had to go.
-Should I clarify my intentions to my crew to at least ease their concerns or just pull the rank trope and deepen the misunderstanding?
-Should I call back the bombers myself or just let them go and blame my subordinate for the failure?
-Should I hyperspace my ship into this bigger ship and make everyone who has ever seen a Star Wars movie wonder why they never tried that before (and force future filmmakers into retconning this decision)?
-Should we use shuttles to get more shuttles and everyone can fly off in different directions, or should we go to a casino and let out the animals that will just be recaptured while ignoring the slave children who work around the very same pens? Well, our friends are screwed, but we had a pretty good laugh that we ruined someone's morning rounding up their race camels.
-Do lasers arc in space? I know it's a Star Wars movie, and they always take liberties with things like this, but I just didn't understand the point of this one.
And your favorite:
Should I save my nephew since I'm his teacher and uncle and responsible for his well-being? And I know he's not completely turned yet, but I'm not going to bother trying to get him back despite the entirety of episode VII where he's still trying to convince himself he's "all bad" (which is later on in the story). I'm also going to ignore the part where in the first three movies of the franchise I establish that I'll gladly risk my life to save loved ones, friends, allies, people I barely know, somebody that asked for help from someone else, my estranged father who killed children and spent most of his career hunting down and killing Jedi, and anyone else who might happen by. But my nephew? Screw that guy. Also screw those guys I helped in the first three movies. They can get impaled and fall in a hole for all I care.
If someone enjoyed it as a popcorn flick, that's fine. It's got plot holes, franchise holes, and even holes in the very themes it puts forth. It's visually pretty good, but I really don't get the argument that it's well done.
