I don't know if I'd call it drivel, but it didn't feel like an emotional work in the way that even TFA did. I had no attachment to any of the new characters introduced in this movie like I did with Finn in the previous one.
SpoilerIt didn't help that his "arc" this time around was extremely superfluous and blatant at the same time.
I'm also going to agree with the first "fake-out" death for Leia. That completely took me out of it for the remainder simply because it removed any sense of pathos the scene may have had.
The only time I can recall actually being excited was the Falcon chase through the caves; and even then, it was mostly because it was a callback to the Asteroid field from ESB.
Also, who the actual hell designed those bombers? It's actually somewhat impressive that a vehicle exists now that makes a flipping Y-wing look nimble.