IMDB and RT scores cannot really be compared since they're measuring two fundamentally different things. Movie that everybody gave a 7/10 would have an RT score of 100% and an IMDB score of 7.0. Also RT scores are mostly based on reviews written shortly after the release of a movie, while IMDB scores keeps getting updated over time. For movies that come out with a burst of enthusiasm and then lose their luster on repeat viewings and closer analysis, IMDB score tend to drift downwards with time.
On RT the audience score is also lower than the critic score. My point is simply that GP’s statement about fans preferring the film doesn’t match the numbers.
But even those numbers cannot be compared since RT audience score and critic scores are calculated completely differently. Also if you read some of the negative audience reviews many of them are clearly written after the final movie of the trilogy has been released and are judging this movie in the negative light of that whole experience.
Now it may very well be that GP's statement is wrong, but the numbers you are quoting can't really be used as evidence either way.
If these numbers are as problematic as you claim, it wouldn't explain why they don't hold true for Rise of Skywalker which fans overwhelmingly preferred to critics.
Now that I think about it: it's likely that's the film that GP had in mind.
