Wow! This was incredibly different from what I expected. After The Force Awakens was pretty much a scene for scene carbon copy of Star Wars, I totally expected this to be a carbon copy of Empire Strikes Back. It was very much not. This was a very different Star Wars movies from the others. It made everything much more open and bigger than just the Skywalkers. It answered questions about the past and looked to the future. A much different and open future than we are used to with the Star Wars films. I can't really go into too much more details without spoilers. I can just say that there were so many surprises, twists and turns that it made the long running time fly by and I cannot wait to see where this story goes because I honestly have no idea. The one knock I can make against it is that there was too much CGI. Honestly it was borderline prequels at some points and so not necessary. But that was really it.
CORRECTION - there were other issues after thinking more about the movie. I'm not disappointed with a couple of major issues a lot of fans are having but I am bothered by the lack of continuity from The Force Awakens. There is definitely a disconnect in several points throughout the movie. The aura of specialness with certain scenes including cherished characters and special scenes has also been bothering me.
I would still recommend peeps checking this out. It's a Star Wars movie. Those that are too analytical and want big elaborate and connected answers to the big mysteries will likely be disappointed. But those who want to enjoy an awesome ride with great characters both new and old/respected will probably still be able to enjoy it.
