24 replies to this topic

[Dustin]

Please keep spoilers for the film in this thread. 

 

Thank you.

[DamnCoffee]

Spoiler

Darth Vader is Lukes father.

[seawolfnyy]

Spoiler

Luke kissed his sister.

[stromberg]

Spoiler

Darth Vader is Lukes father.

 

Spoiler

Noooooooooo.   

[sharpshooter]

Spoiler

Kylo Ren kills Han Solo.

Going to be a tear-jerking moment. 

[Blofeld's Cat]

Just to clarify...

 

Spoiler

It's a spoiler thread, but we still have to use the spoiler tags?

[seawolfnyy]

48 review in and The Force Awakens has a perfect 100% on rotten tomatoes. Perhaps, the film did not out-hype itself and we can finally let the prequels go.

[seawolfnyy]

Additionally,

Spoiler

many reviewers are saying the film is essentially a remake of the original Star Wars

[SecretAgentFan]

Additionally,

Spoiler

many reviewers are saying the film is essentially a remake of the original Star Wars

 

 

It´s not a remake.  But, of course, it uses familiar elements, mixes them with new ones and puts a new spin on everything.

 

But for some it will be a no win-situation: not using these familiar elements would have resulted in "THIS IS NOT STAR WARS ANYMORE".

 

Rest assured, it is the old and the new in a perfect combination. 

 

IMHO.

[west]

I saw the film today and figured I’ll put down my thoughts. Hopfully they’re not too rambling. Seeing as this is the spoiler thread, I won’t be using spoiler tags, so I suggest not reading ahead if for some reason you’re in the spoiler thread and don’t want the film spoiled.

 

I though the film was fantastic, and as good a sequel to the original trilogy as we could hope for thirty years on, while fantastically giving the reins of the series over to our new hero’s and villains.

Detractors may fairly point out that the film is essentially a re-make of A New Hope:

We have a droid, BB8 (R2), stranded on a desert planet Jakku (Tatooine) carrying a valuable map (plans) that the Resistance (Alliance) need, and with the First Order (Empire) searching for him, he ends up with the force sensitive Rey (Luke) who is dreaming for more that the life she has. Meanwhile the First Order (Empire) has built the massive Starkiller (Death Star) base that can destroy multiple (one) planets and seek to wipe out the Resistance (Alliance) once and for all. The First Order (Alliance) launch a daring raid on the station, during which the old, wise father figure Han (Obi-Wan) is struck down by a former student of the light side turned to the dark side, Kylo Ren (Vader).

 

It is all very familiar, even aesthetically, but it’s not as much of a detraction from the overall experience as it may seem. The new characters are fantastic – the hero’s are likable and the villains are truly evil, the scope of the film is wide, but doesn’t feel bloated like the prequels (galactic politics and unnecessary, pointless character cameos are absent) and watching the film was akin to putting on an old glove- the shiny, distracting visuals and jargon of the prequels was forgotten, instead this just felt like Star Wars again. Which, after the prequels and the expenditure Disney made, was exactly what this Episode needed to be.

 

The big kick-in-the-gut moment of the film is undoubtedly  

Spoiler

 Han’s death. You could see it coming as soon as he confronted Ren, but the scene was so, so well done, that even I started to believe that maybe Ren would join his father again and turn to the light (yep- Ren is Ben Solo, Han and Leia’s son, trained by uncle Luke to be a Jedi, before turning on him after being seduced by the dark side, again, a familiar story). It is an incredible and heartbreaking scene with the draining of a sun in the background, perfectly symbolizing Ren’s apparent total turn to the dark. And Han reaching up and touching his lost son with his last breath  

 will undoubtedly be an emotional high in the saga.

 

What didn’t I particularly like about the film? Perhaps some of the too familiar could have been changed. Did Jakku really need to be another desert planet that may as well have been Tatooine?

I wasn’t overly fond of the idea that Han and Leia didn’t work out, and Han seemingly just turned his back on the New Republic/Alliance/Resistance and went back to just smuggling. It undermines his transformation in the original trilogy.

Also, it feels like such a shame that we wont see a reunion of Han, Luke and Leia together.

The threat of Starkiller base never really came across, and its destruction didn’t have nearly the triumphant impact of the Death Star’s destruction.

There is a great amount of backstory that I feel needs to be filled out (perhaps in stand alone films): Ben Solo’s fall from the light side and his betrayal of Luke, the rise of the First Order (I’ve read Aftermath and Shattered Empire, however their power and the apparent absence of New Republic intervention was not apparent) in particular. A lot seems to have happened in the thirty years between trilogies.

 

But overall there was so much to like. The casting was fantastic. Our new hero’s are fantastic. Poe and Fin was such a fun pairing that I hope we see a lot more of them together. I was surprised at Fin- he was much more of a comic role than the marketing made him out to be. That’s not a bad thing as he is so likable and his reason for abandoning the First Order, because he wanted to do what is right, is exactly what Star Wars should be about- good versus bad.

The entire First Order is so unlikable that they came across more evil and despicable than the Empire did. It will be satisfying to see them fall.

Kylo Ren is a fantastic antagonist, and I’m glad he survived the film. There is a fantastic parallel between his skills in the dark side and Rey’s in the light- both are relative novices and it is an exciting prospect to think of the two growing more and more powerful each time they meet.

Which is another major plus this film has over the prequels. I’m not sure if it’s by design or because the wielders of the lightsabers were relative novices, but gone are the ridiculous, incomprehensible acrobatics of the prequel duels. Instead we again have duels that carry emotional weight that feel so much more powerful. I hope this continues in future episodes.

 

There is a lot to look forward to in Episode 8- how will the finding of Luke play out, who exactly is Rey, how will Fin fit in with the Resistance, who and what is Snoke, how will Rey and Kylo Ren’s training progress?

 

The saga, with our new hero’s and villains is in safe hands. Star Wars feels like Star Wars again, and importantly, it is a lot of fun to watch and get lost in.

[thecasinoroyale]

Not REALLY a spoiler as it's worth knowing I feel - the rumour about Daniel Craig playing a Stormtrooper was very, very real. 

[Tiin007]

 

I wasn’t overly fond of the idea that Han and Leia didn’t work out, and Han seemingly just turned his back on the New Republic/Alliance/Resistance and went back to just smuggling. It undermines his transformation in the original trilogy.

 

 

I originally had the same thought, especially in the first few minutes of Han and Chewie on screen, when TWO groups of people boarded his ship demanding he pay up.

 

But then after that conversation with Leia, where the whole Kylo Ren background was explained, I realized that he did not simply revert to his former ways because "once a smuggler, always a smuggler," but rather because he and Leia each coped with the loss of their son in different ways. It was essentially a coping mechanism, which I was okay with. Also, brilliant acting on Ford's part in both of those scenes-- his conversation with Leia, and his attempt to take home his son. Truly powerful. 

[Hockey Mask]

Just back from seeing TFA and loved it. I have no idea how Lucas missed the marks by so much with the prequels. It seems he got so focused on. Technology that he forgot about the acting and the story and the whole vision. It amazes me how much TFA feels like Star Wars when the creator could never capture it.

I thought TFA was better than Jedi which I was never disappointed with.

I knew I was enjoying TFA but the first time I knew it was carrying its owe as when C3P0 showed up. Wasn't until the second half of the movie and I had completely forgotten about the droids. They are as much a Star Wars film as anything yet TFA had makes its own claim on the universe.

I've always liked J.J.'s work but never been a huge defender of his. He really did this one up right. His detractors have to be eating a little crow.

[billy007]

I want to believe DC did a cameo.

I REALLY want to believe  SPOILER!  

SPOILER!   SPOILER!

 

that he was stormtrooper that Ren used jedi mind trick on

[seawolfnyy]

Finally saw The Force Awakens. I must say that I agree. First and foremost, this film feels like Star Wars. Gone is the over-reliance on CGI, the over-the-top light-saber battles and the dry, political babble. The cast is excellent, whether it's Harrison Ford or Daisy Ridley. The chemistry that was terribly missing from the prequels is here. One major gripe I do have is that, it really does come off as a loose remake of the original Star Wars. There are just too many similarities: another desert planet, droids carrying crucial plans, the Death Star er..Starkiller base, the dark Jedi killing the wise old man, another Star Wars cantina, Anakin's old light saber, the destruction of the evil base. I mean seriously, this film is beat for beat, the original Star Wars. I loved the film, don't get me wrong. But did it really need to be THAT similar?

[Tarl_Cabot]

I thought TFA was just ok. Spectre and Fury Road are vastly superior films.

[Professor Pi]

I'm beginning to think if there are not spherical space weapons and bad Jedi training, then it's not a Star Wars movie.   It's what the franchise is known for--much like gadget cars and world domination plans in Bond movies.  The villains and heroes of Star Wars are invariably related, but it will never match the "I ... am your father" twist from Empire Strikes Back.  This is the cross all Star Wars movies must now bear.

 

The Force Awakens in some ways had to be like A New Hope just to get that prequel taste out of everyone's mouth.  The upcoming Episode VIII, like Episode V, will have the most freedom to expand the story and may be the best of this third trilogy.  The final installments, both Return of the Jedi and Revenge of the Sith, were by their very nature predictable in having to tie up loose ends and conclude story lines begun in the first two installments.  The same fate will most likely befall Episode IX.  

 

Given everything TFA had to do, introduce new characters, update us on old ones, reinvigorate a franchise, all while staying within the Star Wars mythos and expectations of both the largest fanbase and its most insanely dedicated (indeed, the term "fanboys" originates from Star Wars), the creators of Episode VII have done a commendable job.

 

And at the same time, it has also touched on some of society's contemporary issues, perhaps more so than any other Star Wars movie.  It's got a black lead character, who takes a stand against the heartless killing around him, and that resonates with news stories of the past year.  Also, it's got a young adult who can't integrate into his destiny or society, and so instead goes on killing rampages starting with an academic institution (Jedi Academy).  Meanwhile, a seemingly invincible evil armed force has emerged from the ashes of a once defeated foe while the established government is seemingly unaware of its influence.  No one seems to have a functioning nuclear family either.  It's sad how alone each of these characters are, whether having been abandoned by parents, or rejecting parents.  And the older characters seem incapable of living up to their destinies, while the younger new characters are just finding theirs.  The only ones that seem resolute in their purpose are the officers in the employ of the First Order (Captain Phasma, General Hux, etc.) 

 

Yes, there are things to nitpick and questions to answer, but we only have to wait less than a year and a half to answer them (not ten years, not sixteen, not 28.)  So we should rejoice in the fact that it's given us a strong, independent female lead, a diverse supporting cast, and was solidly entertaining as well as critically acclaimed.  I have already seen it twice (3D and 2D), and am still looking forward to a third viewing, this time on IMAX.

[Hockey Mask]

How was the 3D version? Not a big fan of 3D. I find it distracting but am interested how you liked it.

[west]

How was the 3D version? Not a big fan of 3D. I find it distracting but am interested how you liked it.

 

I've seen it in 3D twice. I'm not a fan of 3D, but I didn't didn't find it distracting, however I also don't think it added anything to the experience. The only time I really noticed it was during the opening crawl (which to be fair it does work well for) and in the scene where

Spoiler

Kylo Ren freezes Poe's blaster bolt and the stormtroopers walk Poe behind the frozen bolt. It does work very well there as the depth makes the frozen bolt really stand out.

So on the whole, if you only see the 2D version, I don't think you're missing too much.

[seawolfnyy]

The film did all but confirm the theory I had of Ren and Rey being related, but not as brother and sister. I believed (and I still do) that Rey is Luke's daughter. However, my big question is whether or not Luke will train her after his failure with his nephew.

[Professor Pi]

How was the 3D version? Not a big fan of 3D. I find it distracting but am interested how you liked it.

 

I saw the Real 3D version as IMAX was sold out.  For 2D, we were in the front row despite walking in five minutes after the door opened.  Would have hated 3D from that close!  3D tends to be better if you're farther back and up in the theater.  There weren't any scenes that definitely had to be 3D.  The only movie I found better in 2D was Mad Max Fury Road.  The 3D in that was too much.  But for Star Wars it's not overused.  The only SW scene I wanted to see in 3D was the tie fighter deluge on the Falcon in Return of the Jedi, but that may never happen now.

[The Dove]

Just got back from finally seeing The Force Awakens...OH...MY...GOD!! It was incredible.. So much to process.. Need another viewing ASAP!! Loved Stormtrooper JB-007's cameo in particular..LoL!! Wow.. my mind is blown!! Well done J.J Abrams!!

[S K Y F A L L]

Oh boy, just been in the Star Wars universe for the last two weeks.

Watched all the films, a few specials before seeing Ep. VII and a dozen or so youtube reviews since. Reading all Ep. VIII articles.

 

I've seen it twice and I think it was alot better the second time.

I wasn't really surprised by anything though, probably cause of how derivative it was

and the prequel hating bandwagon is just a joke, omg and everyone has a Jar Jar comment.

 

NEWS is Ep VII FASTEST FILM TO MAKE A BILLION

[Professor Pi]

When Han Solo says, "The Jedi, the dark side ... it's true.  All of it." in the trailer it's sort of a meta-moment about Star Wars.  But knowing what his character has been through, there's such angst to it now, from someone who saw it all first hand (and then some) and wishes he hadn't.  It's not all fun and games for these characters anymore.  There's some serious post mid life crisis moments going on about the loss of innocence.

[sharpshooter]

I thought TFA was just ok. Spectre and Fury Road are vastly superior films.

I'd give TFA about a 7 or 7.5 out of 10. Nothing really groundbreaking but a decent piece of entertainment nonetheless. I liked the characters very much and think this is a promising starting point for the new franchise.