So, yeah. Star Wars episode 8. Saw it at the first opportunity, pretty crowded theater, and I was mildly surprised by how un-disappointed I was. Makes sense?

Well, I figured Disney would screw this up just like the Avengers, which hey had a trailer on before the movie. Just served to remind me of Disney’s dominance and how many of their movies only serve as a huge machine, churning out the same storylines and non-creative ideas (see Force Awakens = A New Hope).

For all of its faults, Star Wars: The Last Jedi was not a bland movie out of a machine. It was interesting, it was funny, and it was emotional. With that being said…

**SPOILERS EVERYWHERE BEWARE**

Good-

• Kylo and Rey Dynamics

Kylo Ren and Rey were the main focus of this storyline, and so, of course, every time they interacted with each other it was a huge deal. There were some funny moments, some sweet moments, and ultimately it set up the next movie with a great showdown. I hope, if everything works out, we get a huge showdown with them at the end, and that’s how this trilogy should really finish. I do wish Luke WAS STILL FREAKING ALIVE AND WE WOULDN’T HAVE TO SEE FORCE GHOSTS EVERY FEW SECONDS JUST BECAUSE DISNEY WANTS TO SELL FORCE GHOST ACTION FIGURES, but anyways Rey and Kylo made this movie very enticing, and very enjoyable.

Also, Poe Dameron.

• Give Me Some Spaceships

Love, love, love the space battles (even if there were quite a lot of them…) and enjoy seeing the different kinds of ships, as well. That kind of belongs in the Tradition section, but whatever. Also, may I just say, Poe Dameron really makes this movie fun for me… and I couldn’t care less if Finn died. Sorry guys. I just like the spaceship dudes, and Poe is the spaceship dude in this one. And Chewie the Bacca.

• Tradition

Obviously, this would have ruined the movie had it not been there, but it was nice to see. The opening scrawl, some Force Ghosts, fantastic spaceships at the beginning. Basically, all of the basics were there for Star Wars. I heard a rumor that there wasn’t as much of that epic music we’ve all come to associate with the franchise, but it seemed to me like there was plenty, so for you music-lovers don’t worry!

Also, it just felt like Star Wars. Something I’m just waiting on… the moment Disney makes one of these and it won’t feel like Star Wars… it’ll feel like a Disney movie. (See how confident I am).

Bad

• Kill Choices……

Why would you kill Luke? Why? Why couldn’t he just stay on that island, and be really old, like Yoda was in Episode 5 and then die a peaceful death somewhere in Episode 9? Why did he have to die? Why does everybody have to be a force ghost? I don’t want a force ghost. I don’t want a force ghost. I want a Luke Skywalker, with Old Man Hamill and his grouchiness. I don’t want force ghosts everywhere.

Why didn’t you kill Rose or Finn, or somebody else of the new characters? Look, killing main characters suck BUT YOU CAN’T KILL OFF EVERY OLD CHARACTER. I WON’T ACCEPT IT.

That’s really my main problem with the movie. While trying to make these new characters “the next big thing,” they’ve gone and taken away all the familiar characters, killing them off piece by piece. Honor them by not killing them, please. Please. PLEASE.

• Next Movie Is A Fog

Where the heck is the series going from here? I guess the rebels find a new base, and since J.J. Abrams (a.k.a. Mr. Make 17 Death Stars) is directing Episode 9, we can expect yet another Death Star, probably blown up the same way.

Seriously, though. We could’ve had some hints… as to what happened next… just to get some fan theories going.

SIDE NOTE… Why was Snoke so easy to kill, if he’s so powerful? Such a failure.

SIDE SIDE NOTE… That was the worst CGI Yoda I’ve ever seen in my life, and it looked like a cartoon Gremlin stuck into the real world. Come on. Whoever was in charge of that… fire him/her.

• So. Many. Battles. So. Little. Plot.

The entire movie plot:

Battle, Escape, Get Help, Battle, Escape, Get Help, Battle, Escape, Movie Ends.

Just saying.

Score

So, yeah, I’ve been harsh because I expect a lot from my Star Wars. So, here is my overall rating.

• If Rey is a Skywalker and they say this in the next episode: 8.3/10
• If she is not: 6/10
• If Episode 9 includes ANYTHING like a Death Star: 0/10 because Disney is the laziest mouse I’ve ever seen.