I really liked it but I agree the first half had flaws.

They could definitely have streamlined the first half of the movie. The characters were whatever, K was almost too bitchy. Honestly, I didn't even think you needed the whole father/daughter angle (and thus losing that entire lab planet trip.) Would have rather seen Jin more of a bad ass, Han Solo type (basically, what they tried to establish Diego Luna's character as.)

Vader's "Don't choke on your aspirations"... Was telling a Dad joke in there to foreshadow the "I am your father" moment?

Still, I thought the film looked amazing. One of the better looking Star Wars films. While I didn't love the first half, I was never bored. I was hoping the heist would be a little more involved but there was so much going on in those battles that it's hard to complain about that.

Ultimately, it is what it is. It's an entertaining popcorn flick. It lacked any single timeless or even memorable moment for me (the blind Jedi was cool.)


HOT TAKE: Diego Luna's speech is what I kind of think terrorists think when they go down with the beliefs they realize might be flawed.