The crowd was electric, crackling with energy and anticipation, but the film itself was, in a word, underwhelming.
Admittedly, it's REALLY hard to recapture lightning in a bottle. That spark, that momentum, that chemistry, that je ne sais quoi.
We enjoyed it, and, of course, adore the cast and show and setting, but you know how these films are that follow a beloved TV show: Once the momentum is gone, and a moderately-paced telly leaps to big screen, writers seem inclined to wedge a ton of stories into two hours. Very chock-a-block. That's perilous with a cast of 21 characters, as it often feels busy, hasty, messy.
Granted, I'd see it again (and likely will), but I'll lower my expectations a couple points next time.
It's not a 9, and probably not an 8 or high 7, but somewhere between 6.5 and 7.4 I suppose.
I sure do miss some of the central characters from the early seasons, but you know what they say: There's no going home again.
