Well, I have decided to go back to watching anime just for this. It is filler, true, but it does seem like they are high on it and seems like this is the movie that could have been if Kishi didn't get involve. So why not, it's been a while for me watching anime. I was going to go back when they reach to the point where the latest manga is at.
So after watching the first episode, I thought it was pretty good. Yeah, I was entertained by the action and nice to know the balance they have to create for the heroes to win. Imagine, Itachi, Nagato, etc. That would be overkill. While it may cause holes for the canon, I don't think we should be thinking about that. It's filler and so far, a good one. I like how they are being introduced to the reanimation jutsu. Naruto's reaction is what I expected and like how they make them as a "what's going on" deal in the flashback, because they can't die as they are already dead. The action scenes are fun to watch and nice to see all of them interact.
As for the filler characters, too early to tell, but the story around it can be interesting, so hopefully it can pick up more soon enough. I do like the terrorizing of the village, showing how outmached they were and the fact they're reanimation makes it harder to deal with. Thanks to the animation, it does create the right sense of atmosphere of destruction, so credit to them. The flashback timing reminds me of RvB season 9 and 10, where in that show first half of an episode has comedy and taken place in the present time, whereas the last half is the past showcasing the event that brought to the present.
Overall, I think I will stick to this arc and watch for good fun. So far, it's a pretty good start, hoping perhaps the story can expand more and something fresh from previous filler arc. While I should have get my hopes up for that, the action and others will keep me entertained. Also, I do like that scenery with Naruto and Sakura watching the lake. It's a nice shot. Reminds me of the Wii game, where the game ends the credit of them watching Konoha from the cliff alone. Happy Thanksgiving.