I wouldn't call myself a Star Wars fan. I was definitely late to the party, only getting into the series a few months back, and I don't have the all-consuming passion for these films that so many other people seem to have. That said, I do really enjoy them, and I enjoyed this one the most.

Everything worked for me. There's great humor, action, and genuinely emotional and compelling moments of character development. Don't let the runtime scare you -- it's long, but I still wanted more. There are multiple storylines following different characters in the large ensemble, and I wish we couldn't seen a little more of all of them (or at least most of them). Nothing felt underdeveloped, but I did want to see some elements taken further or be fleshed out more. The characters are really what make this work, and more than ever before did I find myself invested in all of their struggles. I was really rooting for these guys, even the newest additions.

I'm already seeing a lot of negativity around this, and like I said before, I'm not really enough of a fan to have a voice here, but here's what I gotta say: Rian Johnson directed the shit out of this. A complete visual spectacle and a fully realized world at once. Everything was so big and glorious yet still intimate. He made this feel accessible for me, like it was just a character drama in space. Everyone involved with the production of this killed it -- incredible creature design, visual effects, sound work, and so much more. I'm often hypercritical of blockbusters, but I really thought this was incredible filmmaking. There was so much heart behind it, but it was still a hell of a ride. I got out of the theater past 2AM and I was wide awake.

Rating: 83/100