It is just not a very well made movie. From a directing standpoint, from a cinematography standpoint (there basically isn’t any), from a screenwriting standpoint, from an acting standpoint, from an editing standpoint (cut, cut, cut, even in the middle of a death scene), from an anything standpoint. It is a poorly made film.

Contrary to what Adywan says, criticizing these films would not be an annual thing if Disney actually did one thing: make a good film! Or at least a film well-made.

Remember those wonderful RLM videos about the prequels? Remember their filmmaking criticisms? Those apply to these poorly made sequels as well. These newer movies are perhaps not as bad, and they perhaps have some redeeming qualities in comparison, but they are still poorly made films. It’s easy to say they are just movies, they are just fun, Star Wars doesn’t have to be great cinema, etc.

But the truth is that the original Star Wars changed filmmmaking forever. It won 7 Academy Awards and was nominated for best picture. The Empire Strikes Back is objectively one of the very best films ever made. Return of the Jedi is not quite as good, but the filmmaking talent is still considerably better than what we got from JJ and Edwards/Gilroy.

If you cannot see these things as anything more than cartoons, I feel sorry for you. But to each their own.