Concerning the box office, I recall most of us expecting higher than TLJ but lower than TFA.

My reasoning for liking this movie (and ranking it third in the saga) is simple. It is fun; it is original. TFA is a bit too derivative for my tastes but still a great fun movie, so it gets the fourth place. TLJ is not fun. Yes, TLJ introduces complex themes and I respect RJ as an artist, but the various subplots make it too cringe-worthy for me to enjoy. Keep in mind there is a large gap between the smart/original/fun ANH, TESB, and Mandalorian vs the dumb/original/fun TROS.