I loved the new Characters too
I think they are the strongest assets of the movie, the dynamic and chemestry was just right.

to be honest i think the complete Beginning of the Movie up to the Space Monster Scene on Hans Ship was just perfect in more or less every way.
It was beautiful shot, nicly timed (not to fast not to slow), the interaction between Fin and Rey was just right…
The Beginning in the small Village showed a nice potrait of Poe and the first Order, and told us that evil menacing bad guys are back in Star Wars 😉

I realy liked the Battle visuals on the Ground as well as in the air… the had a nice realistic (sometimes even gritty) Feeling.

I totaly loved the X-Wing battle in the middle… the mix of Dogfight and Ground Battle was totaly awsome (yes I am a big X-Wing geek… sorry 😉 ) and that long “Poe is the best pilot of the Resistance”-Shot WOW!!!

They did a very good job to show where our old Heros stand today… every development of them is believable - they also felt right.