I finally watched it and I'm really mixed about this film. The more I think about the movie, the more I'm finding things to hate it. Way too many plotholes and deus ex machina that I can't just ignore them.
First of all, gravity in space? Seriously, wtf. The whole dreadnought bombing sequence was just ridiculous. Slow moving bombers that drop bombs...in space. But I guess it's not as ridiculous as Leia surviving the vacuum of space and magically propelling herself back to the ship. Even if you try to argue that she used the Force it still wouldn't make sense as she has never shown to be capable using the Force to such a degree.
Then we have the casino/codebreaker subplot, which was completely pointless. Flynn and Rose suddenly becomes two very stupid individuals. They understand the importance and urgency of their mission, yet after getting caught, they decided to flee and trust a questionable stranger who also happened to be in their cell and knew how to disable the tracker, despite the fact the viewers are told only 1 person is capable of that task. They also free some animals along the way instead of freeing the children slaves because..reasons. This whole arc was the result of the purple hair admiral (forgot her name) not telling Poe her plans. It's done for the sake of drama. It's lazy writing. And then she sacrifices herself to save everyone, but not before watching more transports get destroyed first. Why wait if you are going to ram the ship anyways? Why does she have to sacrifice herself in the first place? Does autopilot not exist in the universe??
Turns out Snoke was a meaningless villain. Having no backstory and receiving such a quick, cheap death felt like they just want to undo whatever plans they had for him and just sweep him under the rug.
In fact, I felt like this movie tries to undo a lot of things set up by previous films. Luke wanting to murder his own nephew is so out of character. I don't mind that he died as he was able to go out on his own terms but it was a wasted opportunity to be a mentor for Rey. I guess there's no need for Luke since they decided to make Rey have S tier Force abilities even though she never had any training whatsoever, which kinda contradicts previous films. The reveal of her parentage was a big disappointment, and poorly executed. The identity of her parents is supposed to a big moment for her character. It has been her biggest motivation so it's a big let down when it's revealed her parents are nobodies and she was just in denial the whole time. I think they want to present the same level of shock from Vader's reveal to Luke in ESB but they failed miserably.
Overall, the writing and pacing is quite weak. I understand the movie is part of the transition from old characters to new ones, but I felt like there's a lot of flip flopping of ideas for the characters and they didn't want go to the direction that was set up in TFA. The movie is great visually though. ILM always delivers on the VFX.
You actually (understandably) bring up pretty much all the problems people have with the film, so your observation and analysis is at least on point.
They're all the things that kindness of stick out as a bit odd, but personally I was able to come to terms with the little things not because I found some individual explanation for each "plot hole" (which there actually is - but of course there is if you want to make all sorts of head canon), but from taking a step back and realising the more sort of global picture of Star Wars in what it is.
It's a space fantasy movie. Even within the scope of the OT, the rules for the universe were loose. It was never about finer details but rather the overall arc of the characters.
I think we are just much more demanding of little details and aware of movie continuity and realism than before such that everything comes under great scrutiny with very higher bar that has come since.
I've rewatched the OT since the newer movies have come out, and trying to have an objective and "modern day" critical eye, I think I'd be able to level all sorts of minute criticisms at any of them, on par with the kind that happens with the recent ones.
Why do spaceships mimic aerodynamics or have sound in space?
Why does look express more sadness a thing losing Ben than his uncle and aunt?
How does a Death Star get around?
Would an exploding planet really just be a shower of sparks?
Why not just tell Luke Vader is his father on Dagobah? I mean if it's that crucial that Luke not go into a trap to face Vader, why not tell him then? And what's their reasoning? "Not ready for the burden"? Yet he found out anyway? Good job, guys.
Why the hell bring a golden protocol droid and an r2 unit with wheels onto a covert mission onto a forest moon, where everyone else is in camouflage?
I kind of feel that if those movies released today they wouldn't pass the same level of scrutiny.
Now of course, maybe it is fair that a modern movie be put under such a harsh comb. I guess that's up to the individual viewer. But for me, in the same vein as the originals, for most of the little details there's enough of a leve of suspension of disbelief I can go "ok sure".
Am I just pulling a curtain over my eyes making some big excuse to cover for the flaws? Eh, maybe. But hell I did it for the other movies and had a ton of fun with those so why not here too.
Likewise I'm not a huge fan of where the prequels went with the backstory, but I still accept them as Star Wars and just enjoy the ride when I can.
Anyway, people are free to accept what works for them and what doesn't and to feel whether that makes it or breaks it for them, but do realise that a lot of the flaws were probably recognised by the film makers and while not dismissed as such as regarded as unimportant in the scheme of things.
