I needed a day to digest this movie because I wanted to give a fair assessment of it within the eight Star Wars films.
In general, I am in shock similar to the way I was with Phantom Menace. I will say that it technically (camera, lighting, etc.) is a competent movie and special effects are great, but everything involving characters, writing, and story fell so flat for me. The packed house of fans I watched with was dead silent through almost the whole screening and left like they had just attended a funeral.
The Last Jedi has so many issues it is hard where to begin. It does have amazing scenes that people would point out, but much like pod racing or duel of the fates the frame work around them left me cold. One third of this entire movie is based on two characters behaving in a profoundly stupid fashion instead of being leaders to give us easily the most boring story line I've seen in Star Wars. It is a detour that added nothing and in hindsight makes things worse. If people were simply competent you could have had a desperate chase with a clever solution. Instead we have dumb characters against dumb opposition. I'll also add not a single joke landed and the one time I hear some stifled laugh was a reaction to a bizarre dramatic moment that robbed the previous scene of its dramatic tension, they were laughing at it the way you would "The Room".
As someone who defended the Force Awakens with "wait and see, it'll explain it, there will be payoff" the Last Jedi made me think less of Force Awakens as it is clear there was no plan for this trilogy. Rian Johnson looked at Abrams set up and said "No, none of that matters". Being unpredictable is not a positive on its own if the payoff leaves you hollow. We had this whole "find the map, find Luke" that then disappoints on so many levels. No wonder Mark wasn't thrilled by the direction they took Luke in, but give him credit for giving his best acting in this role.
The Last Jedi fails at being a great film or being fun entertainment for me. I was annoyed and bored and flat out confused by the tonal dissonance (everyone dies...quippy joke...everyone dies...quippy joke). I really don't care anymore and not even sure I'll bother with Han Solo or Episode IX. Maybe I'm old and grandma doesn't get what the kids like, but for me Star Wars ended in 1983. Fine if you enjoyed it just like people enjoyed the prequels, but I've lost hope in this series ever appealing to me again.
