According to some fans, the general tone of “Star Wars: Episode VII” felt a lot different than what they were used to from the previous film. The new installment seemed to focus more on shiny scenes full of eye candy and special effects and put the actual story to the background.
In addition, what was supposed to be a homage to one of the previous films – the famous scene with the destruction of the Death Star – was actually seen by some as a cheap knock-off of the original scene.
A bit harsh, admittedly, since the intent of the scene was obvious, but fans of major franchises tend to get very sensitive when it comes to seeing big changes in their favorite works.
At this point, the people behind “Star Wars: Episode VIII” probably realize that they will need to readjust the balance between old and new if they want to get more fans on board. It would be great if we saw more solid references to the history of the franchise, but at the same time it’s just as important to keep introducing new characters and plot elements to keep the story fresh. After all, there are two whole movies left to go and that’s a lot of time to fill. Certainly not something that can be realized with rehashes of old ideas.