The Syndicate

This isn't going to be very coherent. Anyway, the cast WAS great, I agree. They 100% found the three actors they needed to hold together these next 3 films. It is a very common criticism that the film drew too closely to Episode IV, which I will echo here. I do get that they'd rather play is safe with the plot and that doing things this way makes easing into the world easier for old and new fans, but it was unnecessary all told, I think. That said, it did not take away from my enjoyment of the film too much.

The villains in this film were underused completely, across the board. Phasma especially, but I would go so far as to include Snoke and Kylo Ren AND the general guy ("general guy" being a clue as to how fucking underutilized he is lol) This is my one gripe that I think it is excusable to say "they'll fix it in the next films", though. Also, Snoke as a big bad? Not buying it. He's a terrible Sith Lord. Palpatine was hands on, controlling EVERY aspect of his Empire, molding his apprentice to be the perfect weapon. Snoke is basically some guy. "Oh come to the Dark Side. Also do whatever, it's cool." Kylo is unfocused as a result, and his lack of training and discipline make HIS character less imposing as a villain, and serve against him in some key story moments.

Now let's talk about Rey. Get your pitchforks ready internet hate mob. How dare anyone criticize a female character in films, because we rarely get any of them and they are role models for young girls and anyone anywhere who has anything bad to say about them at all, these perfect snowflakes, is a sexist pig and we should fuck them up. Right? Wrong. Rey is a good character, but not without her flaws. I don't want to sound arrogant, but I think I've nailed down the whole crux of the "Mary Sue", Rey-is-too-good-at-things discussion. No, I do not believe she is "too good" a pilot or a mechanic. Why do I not believe that? Because the film presents a set of circumstances that explains her aptitude in those fields. She lives on Jakku, a desert planet, in a junkyard where she gets food rations depending on the value of the scrap she collects for her "boss". LITTERALLY IN ORDER TO SURVIVE she would have to know: The value (and therefore the function) of the scrap she collects AND how to defend herself against people beating her up to take her scrap and sell it as their own. The film EXPERTLY tells us without telling us that this is the case, her life depends on being a good mechanic/pilot AND being a competent fighter.

What the film DOES NOT TELL US is that she is knowledgeable in or competent with the Force in any way. We get hints, but that isn't enough. If the film doesn't present circumstances that show us WHY she is so good at the Force, it is not believable. Small things like tapping into the force to pilot the Falcon work, because the force is largely an intuitive power, and heightened intuition is almost a reflex for Force Sensitives. But it would take practice and understanding for her to do much else. TLDR? No, Rey is not "A Mary Sue". Yes, the film does a poor job of framing her as a viably adept force user.

How the FUCK did the REMNANTS of the Empire build a better super weapon than the Empire had WITHOUT ANYONE IN THE REPUBLIC KNOWING ABOUT IT BEFOREHAND

The movie begins with the question of "Where is Luke Skywalker" and veers wildly into "Here's a third Death Star!", which I agree is a problem. So to fix that, here is my pitch for a "where is luke skywalker" movie.

Start the movie out with a Poe/Rey team up and have Finn not defect right away. Poe is looking for Luke like in the actual movie, crashes on Jakku, loses BB-8, reunites with him when he meets Rey and they are run out of Jakku by Phasma, Finn, and her troopers.

The main plot of my movie is this: Poe and Rey travel from planet to planet on a Luke Skywalker themed treasure hunt. Parallel to that is Phasma, Finn, and the First Order. What I would have done is make the film about exploring the consequences of the first trilogy. The toppling of the Empire, the destruction of their two super weapons, the death of the Emperor, etc. How does this sudden power vacuum affect the galaxy? There are planets that are pro-imperial and Pro-Repbublic, and maybe we see crime bosses or independents who have established their own governments in the wake of the shake up. Tell the story from both angles. Rey and Finn are audience POV. Poe is Rebel POV, Phasma is Empire/First Order POV.

You can still bring Han and Chewie in, and do a slow-burn reveal about what happened to the Big 3, using him as the POV. That "Yeah, I knew Luke." shit was gold, more of that.

Finn defects in the last confrontation of the film, after ACTUALLY seeing the bullshit the Empire is responsible for. He doesn't have to "save" Poe or Rey, but he does defect rather than fight them.

Anyway, That's my pitch. Make Episode VIII a slow, character piece that builds the world back up, and things kick off in IX.

If the next one is a retreading of the originals again, or if everybody is related to everybody I'm going to flip my shit so hard

I would DIE for Rey

If as you alluded to, Rian Johnson had gone all in with the 'join me' moment between Rey/Kylo, it would have been the best moment in Star Wars, possibly cinematic, history.

It may have been a little too deep into Fan Service territory but if that was how they decided to go with it and We got a Gray Jedi type situation for the third film I would have been floored.