I just saw it for the first time yesterday...and I'll admit I haven't gone back and read through all of this, but I was pleasantly surprised. I really enjoyed it. It's an adventure movie, plain and simple, where the stakes aren't "the end of life as we know it," but much more personal. It gave me a similar feeling to the first time I experienced Star Wars through A New Hope - it's one person's story against the backdrop of a much larger universe. Of course, after that it got bigger and bigger and more convoluted and more about the politics of said universe. But this one is just...fun, like ANH was.
Is it the best Star Wars film? No, but it's better than the prequels IMO, feels less "forced" than RO, and surprisingly feels less repetitive than the new trilogy.
Things I especially like:
1. Alden as Han. I thought I would hate him. I thought he didn't look enough like Ford. But he definitely embodies the character with gusto. Loved his performance.
2. While it "crosses Xs off a list" so to speak (meeting Chewie and Lando, winning the Falcon, the Kessel Run, the dice) it all feels very organic and natural and not forced, especially when compared to RO. It's like comparing Avengers to Age of Ultron. Both check items off a list, but one does it well and one...well...feels like they're checking boxes. If that makes sense.
Things I'm indifferent/unsure about:
1. What are the politics of this time period? Because this movie doesn't make it quite clear. There's the Empire, and there's some crime syndicates that are really wealthy and powerful. Where does Maul fit in? Is he *JUST* the head of Crimson Dawn? There are always two, and we assume those two are Palpatine and Vader. So is he working for himself? Like Dooku? How did he get here? (This may be answered by the Clone Wars show. I haven't seen it). Also, are the ragtag marauders really all there is of the Rebellion at this point? They don't set an exact point in time, but I can't see the Rebellion going from a couple dozen to this big organized front in such a short period of time.
2. Qui'ra's arc. She remains a mystery, even at the end, and we don't really understand where she's coming from. I get that they were leaving that for future movies, but considering there likely won't be, it feels like a real loose end that needs a bit more to flesh out to make her feel whole.
3. I know a lot of people dislike L3. And I'd agree that she's completely annoying and unnecessary. But she's not in it long enough for me to really hate her.
Things I don't like:
1. Donald Glover. I know, I'm shocked. He's such a great actor, but while Alden embodied Han, I felt often that Glover was imitating Billy Dee. Which is different than being Lando. Like if Chris Pine had parodied Shatner's manerisms instead of just being Captain Kirk.
2. I was kindof hoping for more from Han's Kessel plan. It's a major point in the story, and they set it up to be something out of an Ocean's movie, but it's very straightforward - dress up, get into certain places, blow stuff up. Kindof hoped for more. The same goes for the end Beckett double-cross. I kindof hoped for more from Han's plan besides let's get in there and...fire your blaster. Very elementary.
Overall, though, again, it's a fun movie that I'm likely to watch again. That puts it above TLJ and RO in my book.
