Star Wars: The Force Awakens

watched the film yesterday, as usual perfect job (from Disney)
as always poignant(piercing) episodes with characters

also like this comment from:
Pastor Lucas Ludewig is the Jedi-loving vicar behind the service, and said the film had elements to it which could be compared to the Bible verse “Don’t let evil conquer you, but conquer evil by doing good”.
“In the decisive scene of Episode VI, Luke Skywalker is being persuaded to join the Emperor's side - the evil side,” he told The Local.
“Luke resists, with the words: I will never turn to the Dark Side.”

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Brilliant,I loved it.
Loads of whooping and cheering in the cinema.
1 million times better than the last 3.

Personally, I agree. They overdid it. But I don't mind it to any significant extent. In my mind, the vast majority of movies are already rehashing something that's already been done a thousand times, and that's not necessarily including sequels. I just try to compare it to similar films and decide for myself if, on it's own terms, it did better or worse in the same regards. This applies to more than just the story.

I think in some ways A New Hope is better. In others, I think The Force Awakens is better.

As far as the story is concerned, to me, I was by far most put off by the unbalanced pacing and righteous plot contrivances.

"Oh, look at who's the very FIRST person we run into as soon as we escape?"

"Oh, look who just HAPPENS to have a plot-critical macguffin in their basement?"

I haven't seen it, so I'm not positive, but isn't that a reboot?

The whole Luke rebuilding the jedi order and descendants drifting off to the dark side plot was one of the more popular spin-off stories in the extended universe. They just decided to hammer it into A New Hope. The new story's there, but...

*spittake* REALLY? Just because of the recycled plot elements? That's pretty weak, dude.

How do you out-charm R2-D2? Make a quicker more reactive droid that comes up to his "knees".

I like R2. I'm not sure how BB8 was supposed to offend me.

This is really a plothole intended to be ignored with suspension of disbelief. Assuming The Force doesn't operate in any sort of limited scope, it's unreasonable to suggest that other creatures (even non-human) wouldn't develop force powers even accidentally. It's better to say Luke is the only jedi "we know about" or "that matters". But those lines carry potentially unwanted subtext.

The prequel trilogy had moments of trash, I couldn't stand the "Are you an angel?" scene and any of the other attempts to develop a romance, but I stay in the popular minority and say they're nowhere near as bad as they're made out to be. I don't like Jar Jar Binks either, but a movie-ruining racist character? Good grief, no.

Is the original trilogy better? Objectively, yes. But there awesome moments in the prequel trilogy too.

We got to see ACTUAL large-scale WARS.
The lightsaber fights were way more elaborate (Qui-Gon & Obi-Wan vs Darth Maul, Anakin vs Obi-Wan).
That speeder chase through Coruscant was epic (huge splash of cyberpunk).
Yoda got to be badass.

Plus, they resulted in Star Wars: Episode 1 Racer and Star Wars: Battlefront 2, and those are awesome games. The movies were far from without merit, and I could definitely point to elements in the prequel trilogy which were done better than they were in this movie.

So how much time has to pass before our discussions start to contain spoilers? After the video comes out? Never? I have my suspicions about the plot going forward, but I don't want to reveal anything.

We waited for years, and it's finally here. At 3 o'clock this morning I entered the cinema wide-eyed, full of hope. As was with many people's childhoods, Star Wars was a staple of mine, and to this day the original trilogy still stand as some of my favourite films. J.J. Abrams famously managed to reignite the Star Trek franchise with two fantastic films, so when tasked with doing similar to Star Wars, some people were sceptical, but nonetheless excited. The main questions is: did he deliver? Yes he damn well did!

You know that tight throat feeling you get when you have a sudden urge of adrenaline, for the last hour of the film, I had that feeling, sitting there on the edge of my seat, heart pounding fast. What I was watching was exhilarating to say the least.

Let's look more at the film (don't worry, there will be no spoilers featured). First off, the opening - the classic text followed by the panning shot to a planet (or death star) with a Star Destroyer emerging into the frame, it all features, as does the use of practical effects and puppets / robots over the extensive use of CGI that was utilised in the prequel trilogy, thus giving fans the old school style of Star Wars they wanted oh so much. The film is fast-paced, with stunning action scenes and spectacles, but not rushed, the shots linger and the camera moves gracefully, giving us a spectacular view of the situation at hand.

The prequel trilogy shunted the franchise on a downward spiral, the overuse of CGI and the introduction of some of the most annoying characters in film (a-hem Jar Jar Binks), but Abrams, the finest choice of a director to reignite the franchise, did nothing more than show pure love for the films and has created a sequel that definitely exceeded my expectations. A film that features endless nostalgia with appearances from Ford (who is beyond fantastic), Fisher, Hamill even Peter Mayhew as Chewbacca and constant references to the original trilogy.

The only partial negative aspect is its somewhat lack of originality, it acts more as an homage to 'A New Hope' than an original tale. But if you overthink points like this when viewing it, you won't enjoy it, so just empty your head of that and watch the film for what it is: a space opera that acts as nothing more than a sheer piece of movie magic!

I disagree with some of your points, respectfully.

Kylo Ren is a chilling bad guy because he clearly isn't in control of his powers or his temper. He's not Darth Vader, he's trying so hard to be, but he's also a mess, psychologically. I found him fascinating, and I can't wait to see more of his story.

BB8 was for the most part, a practical effect. I'm sure there was some CG involved, but he is a real droid that the cast interacted with. I don't think they were scared to use R2D2. It made more sense to introduce a new droid sidekick along with the new characters, it was a smart idea. BB8 is so adorable, I want one. I don't know how he'd offend people who like R2.

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I must really be stupid. I swear that it didn't occur to me that the basic points of this story were similar to "A New Hope". I didn't think about any similarities until I have read some of the reviews.

But then again, I didn't go into this movie to analyze every detail - ready to tear it apart. I just wanted to go see a "Star Wars" movie. That is all I wanted. And that is all I got. I am perfectly satisfied with it.

There is something that I would've preferred to have happened differently but it is what it is now. It isn't a big complaint that would affect the entire film. It isn't even some nit-picky thing. It is just an opinion based on how I wanted the story to go and it didn't go the way that I wanted it to. That's all.

Otherwise, I thought it was a very good movie. Definitely one of the best movies that I have seen in years.

I haven't been overly fond of movies that have come out for quite some time now. So, I could think that this is so good because I haven't been satisfied with my movie-watching lately, but no, this is a very good movie. I have had time to think about it since yesterday afternoon. And giving thought to the other 6, after having watched them again recently, I think that if I would make a new list of order to these films, I would probably place this at number 4.

I will probably go see it again in the theater. Don't know when yet, but I know I will.

And I quite like BB8. Given enough time, I think Kylo Ren could turn out to be an excellent villain. There were little signs of it already.

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Kylo Needs to put the mask on if he is gonna scare anyone in future movies. But wouldnt it be a cruel fate if he becomes like Vader down to his Chared body and he does it thinking he can be better then Vader. And Kylo Ren has to wear a mask too live.

BB8 looks great, but his personality is nearly identical to R2D2. They might of well have just given R2 a new body. Pretty much the whole film looks great, but it's all flash and no substance.

We have to look at the over-all story arc, and ask ourselves how this movie not only compares with the previous films, but what does it add to the saga? Sadly, it adds very little.

I went into this movie thinking "They wouldn't be stupid enough to do a third Death Star." In the words of Obi-Wan Kenobi, "I was wrong".

The movie completely lacks imagination.

I am amazed that people like this movie. It's almost as if Disney, with the millions of dollars they spent on marketing, has everyone brainwashed. I even wouldn't be surprised, with all their power, if they paid-off the media to give good reviews. Hell, I wouldn't be surprised if Disney owns the media.

George Lucas said he was told by the higher-ups to stay away from this movie. It's such a shame, because Lucas is the father of Star Wars, and I'm tired of people trashing the prequels. Are they as good as the original 3? No. I'd give the OT a 10/10; the PT 8/10 - still very respectable. Lucas is a creative genius, and he could've done a far better job than Abrams, imo.

This movie is nostalgia run rampant. People see the Millenium Falcon flying again and go wild.

I don't mind film-makers re-making films, but don't call it a sequel.

For some us it was, hmmm... a desert planet, that's familiar. A cantina, hmmm... how about that. Resistance huh? That sounds an AWFUL LOT like Rebellion...

I think that's the right attitude to go see it in. Course, you're completely entitled to tear it apart if it starts to take you out of the experience with it's problems. I'm inclined to critique it for it's pacing and plot conveniences.

I would have preferred for Finn to get more crap for being a stormtrooper. It could have been more interesting if the other characters upon reveal of his background had difficulty trusting him after that point. Would have made the dynamic relationships involving him way more interesting.

Pfft. Come on. The mask is the silliest thing about his character. He doesn't need it to breath like Vader or anything, it's all show, and we've already seen what he's compensating for. He could easily go for the Episode 3 Anakin though. Goofy dialog and performance aside, he could certainly look intimidating.

By personality, are you referring to the blips and beeps that you could only infer meaning from?

Bear in mind that Finn's whole personality hinges on the fact that he's a coward and a liar, but still struggles to do the right thing when he can't deny it must be done any longer. Personality like that is really difficult to do with robots with less than half a dozen body animations and an impossible to understand language. We're not working with Wall-E, here.

I can't imagine how many people would throw a fit if R2 was changed that dramatically. There's a reason C3-PO's appearance is a joke in the movie.

Considering this is coming directly from your BB-8 complaint, I question your interpretation of "substance".

It's a prologue. Not saying it couldn't have been better.

They were stupid enough to do a SECOND Death Star. It's a running joke now. They literally point that out in the movie.

Omigosh, dude, your hyperbole. It hurts. OKAY! You didn't like it! That's fine! There's no point calling it a holocaust!

Completely lacks imagination... holy hell. You haven't seen very many movies have you?

Disney did a fantastic job marketing the movie, as cynical as that might be. But now you're just insulting people.

YES. Every time there's a new blockbuster, there are some idiots who cannot wait to praise as some sort of new transcendent piece of art. Remember, Star Wars: Episode 1 was the SAME WAY.

Equally as contemptible though, is treating it like utter shite, when a lot of talented people put a profound amount of effort and energy into making something creative.

Why don't you watch Schizophreniac: The Whore Mangler, Pink Flamingos, and The Chumscrubber, and then we'll talk about "overrated".

Some of it, they do. That's partly why the Star Wars brand got everywhere. A lot of it was simply fan speculation.

Star Wars is the biggest fictional franchise on earth. Of course a new movie is going to make waves, whether it's good or bad, Star Wars 7 really could have been the irredeemable trash you describe and Disney still would have made their money back.

You don't know that. All I'll say is it's always annoying to see creators sell their intellectual properties and get frustrated when they lose control of their work. It's their own fault for agreeing to sell in the first place.

This is a crappy remake if that's what you want to call it.

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If there is one film that cannot and will not live up to the hype that surrounds it, it is this one right here. Much like Episode I: The Phantom Menace, there is simply too much riding on it and people will tear it down regardless and there are some people out there doing that right now. Some of their complaints are warranted, others are simply fan boys being idiots.

30 years after the events of Return of the Jedi things haven't been all peachy for our heroes. Luke Skywalker is currently in hiding, being the last remaining Jedi. Everyone is searching for him, the Resistance, led by his sister Leia and the First Order who have a powerful Sith on their side. With word that there is a clue on the planet Jakku leading to his whereabouts, everyone scrambles to find it.

Some of the biggest complaints about this film is how it closely resembles A New Hope. The similarities can be off putting at times and this is no doubt, Abrams and co simply giving us some fan service, but the film holds its own and it one entertaining thrill ride from start to finish. How closely does this film feel? We have secret information being stored in droids, who must find others to relay the information. We have an orphaned junk trader who lives on a desert planet being thrust into something she cannot handle, yet seems destined for greater things. A giant planet destroying death ray that has weaknesses that X-wing fighter pilots try to exploit and destroy. A villain who covers his face with a black mask while using a lightsaber and the force. A plan is set in motion to rescue someone being held on a ship and a few more little things here and there. Some people can chalk this up to an admirable homage to what started this whole thing, others will cry foul about unoriginal writing and rehashed plot points. Me? It didn't bother me too much. A few times I sat there thinking that I've seen this all before, but that did not stop my enjoyment of it.

Abrams has successfully rebooted two sci/fi franchises, some would say duelling franchises, but can't we all just have some fun? As a fan of the films growing up, he put on the screen what he thought we would want to see. For the most part, he succeeds. This is a film for the fans of the series. It sets up new characters well enough to want us to continue this adventure with them. Daisy Ridley's Rey, is a welcomed strong female addition to a series that lacked one. John Boyega plays Finn, a conflicted stormtrooper that just wants to do what is right. Oscar Isaac is the Resistance best pilot and he enjoys nothing more than being up in the sky. Those are our new faces of heroes. Joining them are the familiar faces of Ford's Solo and Fischer's Leia. Ford has the most screen time out of the returning cast members and his sharp tongue hasn't left him. He may be older, but he's still fighting the good fight, even if he doesn't want to. Fischer on the other hand seems stale. Her performance is one note and phoned in. Was she not happy with her lack of screen time? It didn't really feel like the same character to me.

Driver's villainous Kylo Ren is not like Vader. He's younger, more prone to violent mood swings and still hasn't grappled the full powers of the force. Yet he is a dangerous weapon and one to fear. Driver does well enough behind the mask, yet there are moments when I had a hard time taking him seriously when it was removed. I guess it's because I've seen him in too many comedies to fear the likes of his ugly mug.

Yes, the effects are great, this we all know. The story, while familiar is still engaging enough for us to care. I enjoyed the new characters and want to see their arcs progress. I want to know what is going to happen next and they do a good job of leaving us wanting more. The film isn't perfect, but it's a spectacle to see on the big screen for sure. Don't go in expecting the second coming of Chirst, go in being a kid again. See old friends and believing in the magic of movies again.

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Suspect's Reviews

Ugh...

It's incredible what nostalgia marketing can do for a brand.

The film was all over the place in tone and pacing. It was lazy storytelling that relied on a lazy hybridization of the original trilogy. Its success speaks volumes about the infantilization of a generation who can't seem to grow up or simply try something new. Why is sci-fi such such a lauded blockbuster genre? It seems like no one can seriously criticize a director when they make a scifi film. Interstellar, Gravity, etc. They all are abysmal, but get special treatment because they're genre works. The best scifi of the year was The Martian by far.

First of all, the Star Wars series isn't sci-fi. It's actually fantasy in space. It has absolutely nothing to do with science.

Secondly, even if it was sci-fi, I don't see how it deserves a low rating just because you don't like nor, in fact, clearly, understand it the entire genre.

Also: their*

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But Wolfsbane, I bet you praise some worse movies that have some element that attracts you.

It can't be both? I would consider these films sci/fi films. Where is the science in Aliens? Invasion of the Body Snatchers? Countess other films without SCIENCE.

I just assumed he meant that a bit tounge-in-cheek.

It doesn't read like that to me.

Well it's so absurd to say that Star Wars isn't Sci-fi that I figure he must be joking. I certainly can't take him seriously.

Is Star Wars closer to 2001: A Space Odyssey, The Andromeda Strain and Stalker or The Wizard of Oz?

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No, by personality I don't mean exclusively from the blips and bleeps (although other droids and computers can actually understand his "speech"). Mostly, I mean what we can gleam from his behavior. R2D2 was brave (to a fault), more mechanically inclined than other astro-droids (he seemed to excel where other droids - and even humans - failed), and judging by C3PO's reactions, he had a great sense of humour. Now, I do realize that the droids' personalities are simulated (Obi-Wan says in ep. 2 that droids can't "think").


Obi-Wan changed dramatically. Even C-3PO changed from ep. 1-3. Oooh, let's not confuse the children - they might not buy the toy!

The whole movie is a joke.

That sounds pretty cynical to me. I've seen a lot of imaginative movies recently. This definitely wasn't one of them.