I think I realize why so many people don’t like The Last Jedi.
It smirks.
For all of it’s faults, The Force Awakens doesn’t try to be clever. It doesn’t smirk; it’s earnest.
Of course, The Rise of Skywalker is the worst of both worlds as neither clever nor earnest.
I didn’t get that vibe from TLJ. It’s the only one of the ST I genuinely like.