First of all, I absolutely loved The Last Jedi--- I have seen it 3 times and it keeps getting better with each subsequent viewing. So, I think what I'll do is address some of the most common complaints from the 'haters' out there.
1. The film drags in the middle
This is probably the most legitimate complaint; at a full two and a half hours, this is the longest Star Wars movie ever--- and it feels like it. And, in all honesty, some fat could have been trimmed. Unlike others, I do not think entire sequences or plotlines should be cut, it's more a matter of a few minutes here and there--- 15 minutes could have made a significant difference. This complaint is usually coupled with ....
2. The Canto Bight storyline is pointless
True. The reasoning for going requires a diagram BUT that's not important; this is a 'McGuffin'--- it is just an excuse to do a few other things:
1. Give us another fun, new locale to explore--- as the best Star Wars movies have always done.
2. Give Finn the opportunity to interact with characters other than Rey or Poe
3. Give Finn an opportunity to further develop (more on this later)
4. Allow us to learn more about Rose's character
5. To learn more about the universe outside of the war between the First Order and the Resistance
6. To introduce DJ--- which leads to ...
3. DJ is pointless...
Nope. He plays a key role in Finn's evolution as a character. Finn's temptation is not 'to join the darkside' but to just stay out of the fray altogether. DJ embodies that .
4. Finn doesn't grow as a character.
Yes, he does. At the beginning of the film, Finn is still running away. He fights for the resistance not because he believes in their cause because they are convenient for him. He is willing to fight for Rey, his friend, but is not willing to sacrifice for a larger cause. After his Canto Bight adventure with Rose, he sees more of what the First Order has done and who the resistance is fighting for so, by the end, he is willing to sacrifice (until Rose stops him) himself for the larger cause.
5. Plot lines don't from The Force Awakens don't pay off
No, they just don't pay off in ways that we were expecting--- which I personally find refreshing. Think about the alternative theories that were bandied about regarding Rey's parentage:
- She is Luke's daughter (boring and predictable)
- Han and Leia's daughter who was somehow forgotten/hidden (still kinda predictable)
- Luke's clone (from his severed hand)--- kinda dumb
- a clone of the Palpatine or Anakin --- silly.
- A Kenobi --- One of the more interesting ideas but one that would require far too much explanation.
Also, I urge you to re-watch The Force Awakens; knowing what we know now about Rey's parents, what we learn in The Last Jedi is the only thing that makes sense. There were as many, if not more, clues to her parents being nobody than to them being somebody. It also gives new meaning to certain moments--- when Han offers her a job he, he doesn't do it because of who she is but rather what she is capable of.... He is legitimately impressed with her abilities as a pilot/mechanic, not to mention being pretty good in a fight. His respect from him is earned based on merit--- not given because of heritage. Also, it's still possible that Kylo Ren was lying and there is a truth still hidden somewhere... we didn't know about Luke & Leia (or even for certain the Vader was Luke's father) until Return of the Jedi.
As for those complaining about Snoke not being explained/fleshed out; how much did we know about the Emperor in Return of the Jedi? Was learning about his rise to power in the prequels really crucial? Did it make his role in the original trilogy any more important? If you're really curious, you can buy the book/comic/whatever that ultimately explains his origin.
6. Admiral Holdo is unneccessary
In hindsight, it would be easy to say it would have been better to have Leia fill this role and thus give Carrie Fisher a fitting exit to the franchise, however, they didn't know she was going to die when they were making the movie. And, presumably, they had plans to use the character prominently in Episode IX (in fact, if this had been the plan, each of the original three would have been the most prominent 'elder' character in the reverse of the order they were introduced in the original Star Wars).
However, as the film stands, she is a crucial plot of Poe's storyline. When Leia is incapacitated, Poe seems to be under the impression that he will take over leadership of the resistance--- so it is an affront to him that Holdo is chosen to lead instead. Some have said a 'known' character like Admiral Ackbar would have been better used in this capacity rather than introducing a new character but, remember, to most movie goers, Admiral Ackbar isn't really that well known--- or, even worse, he's a meme. It would be harder to take his sacrifice seriously... or it would at least lack the weight that it needed.
7. Rey doesn't really grow as a character
True, but, to an extent, her own story kind of takes a backseat to Luke's in this film. Also, most of her story this time around is her search for answers about her parents. When the truth is finally revealed (or, rather, when she finally accepts the truth), she doesn't have time to process this yet and we will only see how this will ultimately affect her in the final film.
8. The humor feels 'out of place' for a Star Wars film
Usually the complaint isn't that the jokes aren't funny but that they are too 'meta' and thus do not fit with the tone of a Star Wars movie. Maybe, but the prequels already burst that bubble. Phantom Menance had fart jokes and Jar Jar Binks. Oh, and let's not forget Greg Proop's announcer for the Pod Race; nothing has ever ruined the tone of a Star Wars film more than this. Attack of the Clones funniest moment was Obi-Wan's abuse of the 'Jedi Mind Trick' ("You don't want to sell me death sticks"). If that wasn't a 'meta' joke I don't know what is. And, if given the choice between farts and Jar Jar and things being a bit meta, I'm afraid I'll have to go with the latter.
Look, there are now two whole generations that grew up with this movies. We watched them over and over and these jokes are not all that different than the jokes we came up with ourselves --- many times bringing levity to subjects that the movies themselves were a bit too precious with. This is, I think, one of the more positive developments in the latest evolution of the franchise.
8. The humor feels 'out of place' for a Star Wars film
Usually the complaint isn't that the jokes aren't funny but that they are too 'meta' and thus do not fit with the tone of a Star Wars movie. Maybe, but the prequels already burst that bubble. Phantom Menance had fart jokes and Jar Jar Binks. Oh, and let's not forget Greg Proop's announcer for the Pod Race; nothing has ever ruined the tone of a Star Wars film more than this. Attack of the Clones funniest moment was Obi-Wan's abuse of the 'Jedi Mind Trick' ("You don't want to sell me death sticks"). If that wasn't a 'meta' joke I don't know what is. And, if given the choice between farts and Jar Jar and things being a bit meta, I'm afraid I'll have to go with the latter.
Look, there are now two whole generations that grew up with this movies. We watched them over and over and these jokes are not all that different than the jokes we came up with ourselves --- many times bringing levity to subjects that the movies themselves were a bit too precious with. This is, I think, one of the more positive developments in the latest evolution of the franchise.
8. They 'ruined' Luke Skywalker
I think this complaint mostly relies on those who have either built up the stature of Luke Skywalker in their own minds or who have read the continued adventures of the character in various spin-off media where he, presumably, becomes the bravest, wisest, most powerful Jedi ever--- to paraphrase Mark Hamill, "that was never my Luke Skywalker." For many of us who wanted to be Luke Skywalker when we were kids, there came a point were we sort of... well.... we outgrew the character. We decided Han Solo was cooler. Luke became a whiny douche who, granted, whined a lot less in Return of the Jedi but, by no means was he what one of my students would refer to as 'a typical badass'. So, for me, it isn't a stretch that he might be living as a hermit who has walked away from the world. Also, it's important to point out, just for the sake of storytelling, Luke needs to be reluctant to train Rey. It's far more interesting than: "Please train me" "Ok, I will train you."
As for those who say Luke would never be tempted to murder his own nephew in his sleep--- on the one hand, perhaps you're right; the Luke Skywalker from dozens of books and comics over the years may have developed into a perfect zen person who never has a bad thought. The Luke of the films is a little more flawed than that. His entire story arc through Empire Strikes Back and Return of the Jedi deals, at least in part, with his own temptations to join the dark side.
Another argument I heard was that Luke was the one man who believed that Darth Vader, the worst person in the galaxy, could be returned to the light and he never gave up on him and, ultimately, redeemed him would never be tempted to murder someone--- even to save others. Once again, go back and watch Return of the Jedi; sure, he believed his father could be redeemed but, as soon as his father threatened his sister, he goes at him lightsaber blazing and doesn't let up until Vader is down a hand. Sure, he ultimately spares his life... but he shows that he is just as capable of taking it.
As for him being a badass, that final stand off is the most badass thing any Jedi has done in an Star Wars movie as far as I'm concerned. That completely and fully redeems him and shows his total transformation from the whiny kid who just wanted "to go into Toshi station to pick up some power converters".
