Saw it twice now - one week apart. Both times the theater cheered out loud and applauded at the end of the movie - both times the theater was packed.
I guess my experiences were different than others here :) I really enjoyed the movie - and the second viewing cleared up alot of questions I had from the first. The real issue (if there is one) is there is *so much* going on that it's easy to miss things.
Discussion of the movie :
The 'huge plot hole' about the small ships being able to catch the big ships or go faster - is explained in the movie - at sublight speed the small ships are faster than the large ships - the empire small ships were 'on top' of the big ships - Kylo Ren even blows up the bridge with Leia on it - but he's told they can't provide cover once the ships change range - so yeah - smaller ships can catch up to or outrun the big ships - all explained in the movie if you paid attention.
Rei training in five minutes.... based on the multiple day/night cycles that are shown - we aren't given a hard timeline as to how long between movie one and two. The stories are told together but they don't mesh up timewise until the end.
The big side mission that had no point - I felt like this was the biggest mistake of the movie the first time I saw it. On second viewing I think it may be the biggest triumph of the new series and what sets us up for the ongoing saga.
Last thoughts: If they don't (planned or not) build on the big middle side mission then it will make this movie less - it's an odd situation and something I personally am willing to hold final judgment on until the last movie is out and how they handle it. If that side mission is as important to the setup of the future story as I *think* it will be it will feel worth it in the end, however I could be very wrong.
To the rest of the movie. Look this series (the first one as well) has been overshadowed by the original characters from the time we see Han show up in the Falcon. I think the main 3 needed to step back - and I'm not sure any way they did that was going to resonate well with fans - I think at this point I would have felt better to see them no longer part of the story and just 'legends'. Such as it is Mark did a fantastic performance - perhaps the best of his life - and carried this movie on his back. I'm very interested to see how the final movie plays out now that they no longer have to work under the 'shadow' of the OT characters. The 'let the past die' is so very apt.
I liked the movie - I had some things I wasn't thrilled with but the second viewing was actually better than the first - and frankly I'm excited to see the series move forward from here - it's only sad that at the end of two movies... I feel like we are only now going to get to really know our 'lead' characters.
/my two cents.
