I posted what I think is my favorite review of this movie earlier, but its author tweeted something that is very relevant to the discussion.
https://twitter.com/mangiotto/status/1207423051404431360
"The thing about giving fans what they want is it holds a mirror up to the sad limits of a fan’s imagination. Not just for possible paths to evolve their objects of veneration, but for their own potential growth as human beings. “Look! Look! This is all you think you deserve.”
That’s an effective description of the creative impulse behind this movie. It really is.
(that review, again, if you missed it: https://www.filmfreakcentral.net/ffc/2019/12/star-wars-the-rise-of-skywalker.html)
I’m not attacking you but this guy’s sanctimony is off the chart. People didn’t reject TLJ because their emotional maturity wasn’t up to the task - they rejected it because they thought it was a badly written mess. Yes, it had some great ideas, but it was a car-crash of a film (for many) in terms of plot, tone, lore, characters etc etc. This whole “you’re just not sophisticated enough to understand it” thing is total nonsense. I really enjoyed TROS because it was to me (a fan since '77) a great SW movie that pretty much exemplified what I wish ROTJ had been. Plus (IMO) it cleaned up the mess Rian Johnson left behind. I don’t need some guy telling me that it it’s because I’m riddled by sad limitations and am happy to stunt my own growth as a human being!