New Star Wars movie is well received by the critics.

[Aroura]

Although I'm 40 something so I had watched and was well aware of Star Wars previously, I was not a fan. I used to tell people that I loved Star Trek, and was indifferent to Star Wars. They were enjoyable movies, to be sure, but I had no special connection to them.  I owned no action figures, only ever say Phantom Menace prequel in the theater (though I did see them all eventually), etc.

The Force Awakens changed that.  Now I'm a fan.  It actually makes me appreciate the original trilogy and even the prequels more.  

Sor for me at least, the answer to your question is that I think they are superb movies on their own, independant of Star Wars.  And I know I'm not alone.  A large portion (not all of course!) of the people who seem to be big fans of the new movies are indeed, new fans period.  Your continued assertion that people like them because they are Star Wars is just backwards.  It is mostly existing fans that seem peeved by them, and newer movie goers that like them.  If they were bad on their own, that would be reversed, and only Star Wars fans would like them, and it would not be attracting brand new fans.

All that being said, I think your first 2 points are quite correct, though a bit jaded, and your third point is super jaded. Which seems to explain your dislike for the whole new franchise.  Also, there was never anything but friendship between Finn and Rey.  The hinted at relationship was always between Kylo and Rey.  Finn has a thing for Rey, yes, but she friend zoned him immediately.  A lot of people seem to have missed that.

Anyway, I don't mean to go around criticising the critics, but I get a bit tired of all the downers.  Don't like it?  Fine.  You are entitled to your opinion of course.  Don't try and dim the joy of those who are enjoying it, however.  That's just mean.

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Rubbish .... 

It was an awesome movie

Strip away the title, the text crawl, the John Williams score, change the shape of all space crafts, the design of the uniform and armor of all background character, replace the word “force” with “psychic energy”, and call the laser swords (Luke’s words, not mine) with “magic crystal sword”, how awesome would it still be?

True, it did have some sentimental scene that works and would not have worked without the rest of Star Wars, but is that enough to carry a movie?

And also, I'd like to add, that if you stripped all of that out of a New Hope....same outcome?

Most of the new movie has zero to do with the force, laser swords, spaceships, etc, and everything to do with the relationship between Luke, Rey and Kylo Ren. Strip all that other stuff away, and you would STILL have a great drama about these 3 very interesting characters.
Star Wars has always been a character driven story.  The Laser swords and cool monsters were just icing on the cake.  And the reality is, that hasn't changed at all.  Disney has not made movies reliant only on the tech and side stuff.  They made more character driven stories, and damn, a lot of people actually like the new characters!!