OT: Star Wars: The Force Awakens reaction thread WITH SPOILERS
A long time ago, in a thread very, very off-topic:
I just got back from seeing The Force Awakens. It was fantastic, absolutely wonderful. JJ Abrams is to Star Wars what Jim Harbaugh is to Michigan. It's entirely possible that Jim Hackett helped assemble the cast and crew for the film.
We're going to discuss the movie, with spoilers. If you haven't seen it, turn away immediately and go watch it so that you can get the full experience.
What did you think? How could George Lucas make such abominable prequels when someone is capable of making something as amazing as The Force Awakens?
May the force be with Blue.
December 18th, 2015 at 6:06 AM ^
December 18th, 2015 at 7:14 AM ^
December 18th, 2015 at 7:20 AM ^
December 18th, 2015 at 7:56 AM ^
You are right. The film could have definitely use a song and dance number. Maybe JJ will add it in on the Blu-Ray super special edition re-re-release.
December 18th, 2015 at 7:53 PM ^
December 18th, 2015 at 6:56 AM ^
December 18th, 2015 at 7:42 AM ^
December 18th, 2015 at 7:58 AM ^
I mean, it's a movie franchise that has lasted almost 40 years and is now part of our culture. Of course it belongs to the fans. If it doesn't, whom does it belong to? A few suits in a board room?
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December 18th, 2015 at 8:10 AM ^
Most of the naysayers are just mad that the EU material got scrapped, and absolutely killed off in this film. They wanted to see Thrawn, Jacen Solo, The one sith, and Luke skywalker becoming the apprentice of the reborn palpatine.
December 18th, 2015 at 8:33 AM ^
December 18th, 2015 at 8:42 AM ^
You're talking about legal ownership rights. I'm talking about something different. Using your example or art, you can go to the Louvre and see the Mona Lisa. Someone up has a legal ownership right to that painting. But it 'belongs' to the world. Which is why it's on public display for the world to see. Same with Star Wars at this point. It's no longer a pet project a film maker is passionate about. It's a cultural phenomenon unlike anything in entertainment the past half century. Sure, Disney has ownership rights and can legally do what they want with it, but it still belongs to the fans. Saying 'fuck you fans, we'll do whatever we want' is not a wise move. The movie is for the people who want to see it.
December 18th, 2015 at 9:17 AM ^
December 18th, 2015 at 12:37 PM ^
Okay, so Sofia Coppola was bad.
But at least the movie gave us something.
December 18th, 2015 at 12:49 PM ^
December 18th, 2015 at 1:03 PM ^
There was no Godfather III. There were two, and no one ever made a third one. It did NOT happen. LALALALALALALA
December 19th, 2015 at 8:43 AM ^
I feel the same way about Star Wars. There was no episodes 1-3. The 4th Star Wars movie that just came out was pretty good.
December 18th, 2015 at 8:08 AM ^
Sometimes you have to use someone elses words, and idea's as inspiration for your own. This film was the ground work for the next two. As are any first films in a planned trilogy.
More than that JJ wanted the film to feel familiar for fan's. If everything was new and different I don't think many fan's of the films would have recieved it well at all. Episode 8 is where the real divergance will occur. Which is also one of the reasons why JJ is not directing either of the next two films.
December 18th, 2015 at 7:39 AM ^
December 18th, 2015 at 7:52 AM ^
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December 18th, 2015 at 8:54 AM ^
The forest light sabre duel was awesome. Several times they chopped through trees like butter. Well done.
December 18th, 2015 at 8:11 AM ^
Han or Chewy? I hate surprises and like to know everything in advance. stupid MSU game.
December 18th, 2015 at 7:47 AM ^
Yeah, they played it safe incorperating so much of ANH's plot but whatever, I loved it. History repeats itself blah blah.
The coolest thing for me though is that after what, 32 years, Han Solo was back. Ford stuck the fucking landing. I read a review that I couldnt agree with more. It said that after all the SW/Solo bashing Ford has done over the years, he's likely realized that ultimatly this is the role he'll be remembered for. For the first time in quite a few films, Ford put it all on the line and gave a hell of a performance.
December 18th, 2015 at 7:53 AM ^
There seems to be a lot of assumptions as to how much training Ren as had. Especially with a light saber. Finn and Ray are the only two we see him fight with.
For all we know all the training he's had with a saber is reading the quick-start guide.
December 18th, 2015 at 8:02 AM ^
Yeah, exactly. They don't explain this in the movie, but Ren's lightsaber is an 'ancient' design. The quillons are energy vents to to keep the blade stable. That's why it's not a 'clean' blade either. Constructing a lighsaber is a rite of passage for Jedi, and yet he did not construct a proper modern lightsaber. We'll find out in the future, but to me, that means Ren hasn't been highly trained. He found some ancient schematics in empire archives and cobbled together his lightsaber. He has some major gaps in his education/training.
December 18th, 2015 at 8:14 AM ^
of how I complain about gaps or mistakes in the Walking Dead and my husband says; "It's a show about Zombies, and THIS is what you have a problem with??!!"
December 18th, 2015 at 8:07 AM ^
It was great. I rarely see movies again in the theater (or even go to the movies in theaters), and I'm going to see it again.
Negatives: Few, but I felt they put too many throw backs from the original trilogy in. To go along with that, they tried to get the sarcastic witty banter back, and stuffed a little to many jokes into the movie especially when the overall themes seemed to have a lot of gravitas to it.
Positives: Even with the above, it was fantastic to actually have humor and a sense of fun the prequels were missing. Loved it. My favorite thing was probably the casting and the charachters they set up. I think Kylo Ren will be one of the most complex and deep charachters the Star Wars saga has seen. Reminds me of what I think Lucas was trying to go for with Anakin, but didn't pull it off in the prequels. The threads for the charachter arcs look great. Luke looked tortured at the end. Didn't even have a line, but was probably the best acting Mark Hamill has ever done. Everyone will love Rey because she's shoruded in mystrey, yet I think most people will be able to identify with her. Smart writing, fast paced, good action, and seems to set up for a really good plot. Can't wait until May 2017.
December 18th, 2015 at 8:49 AM ^
I was thinking the same thing. Adam Driver would have made an outstanding Anakin.
Hayden Christensen and Jake Lloyd in a competition to see who could act their way out of a wet paper bag is a PPV I'd pay to watch.
December 18th, 2015 at 8:02 PM ^
December 18th, 2015 at 8:18 AM ^
One, this is the last Death Star type thing I'm giving them. It's time to get creative for once.
Two, the commander in charge of the fleet, the red headed kid, looked exactly that, like he was 22 at most. Too young to instill any real fear.
Things I loved: Han and Chewie, the scene where the resistance saves them on that forest planet, and the fact that Kylo Ren is a screw up. It gives his character depth.
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December 18th, 2015 at 9:07 AM ^
Driver delivered a magnificent performance. The depth already displayed in Kylo is amazing
December 18th, 2015 at 9:23 AM ^
December 18th, 2015 at 9:28 AM ^
December 18th, 2015 at 10:11 AM ^
December 18th, 2015 at 10:21 AM ^
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December 18th, 2015 at 10:29 AM ^
December 18th, 2015 at 12:49 PM ^
December 18th, 2015 at 6:09 PM ^
Great catch. I hate it though. Why?
I hate the prequels and refuse to acknowledge their existence. They are just bad cinema. I just thought up this theory: the prequels are really Luke or Leia's dreams because they're so nonsensical (more likely Leia because of the politics and she's a princess). Snoke being Plagueis is interesting, but it undermines my theory/attempt to reconcile the existence of the prequels. One small detail in either's dreams probably wouldn't hint at a character whose existence the dreamer isn't even aware of, but hey, the Force.
December 18th, 2015 at 9:34 AM ^
December 18th, 2015 at 10:00 AM ^
Well he is a trained soldier who we can presume has had training in some non-blaster type weapons (think that riot stick fight he had with the storm trooper). But my real thoughts are that this will be explored more in the future films. I have to think that 'The Force Awakens' would imply the force awakening in more than just Rey.
December 18th, 2015 at 10:06 AM ^
December 18th, 2015 at 10:08 AM ^
My wife and I were also part of the first night audience, and incidentally, if you were one of the people at the MJR in Westland trying to start a rousing rendition of the main theme about 20 minutes before the 7 PM show, my wife was trying to help you guys out in the back of the theatre but no one would cooperate.
Anyway, I enjoyed it - I am not nearly the Star Wars fan that my wife is (I am a staunch Star Trek person), but I thought that this was a very nice continuation of the franchise. It kind of reminded me of A New Hope on a lot of levels, and I think that was probably the intent, at least to some extent - to take that same basic story and move it ahead a generation.
December 18th, 2015 at 10:27 AM ^
Who is Snoak?... In theory he's probably a character we've either seen or heard of in the past. Possibly the Sith Lord Palpatine tells Anakin about in Episode III. Is there anyone else he could be? He had pretty distinctive facial scars that would imply he was in a battle of some kind and suffered significant wounds at the hands of the Jedi or Rebels.
Where is Lando?
What are your thoughts guys?
December 18th, 2015 at 11:19 AM ^
Next film opens with a memorial for Han and you will be see Lando and Luke there.
December 18th, 2015 at 12:47 PM ^
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December 18th, 2015 at 11:22 AM ^
December 18th, 2015 at 12:48 PM ^
I loved it, the fact that it was basically a retelling of New Hope aside. Glad Han died (because storytelling demanded it, not because I hate Han), it would have been kinda lame if they let him escape just to appease fanboys. I question how Finn was able to wield a lightsaber since, you know, no demonstrable force attunement, but I feel like that'll be answered in next movie(s). I like the arc for Kylo Ren - they've done hero falling to dark side twice now, I think the idea of a sworn villain trying to resist the light side is an interesting dynamic. Overall, worlds better than the prequels, and really really good in and of itself.
December 18th, 2015 at 12:57 PM ^
a film that was much better than any of the prequels, not as good as SW or Empire, but about as good as or a little better than Jedi. It wasn't brilliant, but it was worthy. Some better writing could have pushed it into the category with IV/V.
The derivative nature of the plotting, though, as others have mentioned, was a real downer. Bad guys, please stop building planet-destroying superweapons that can be destroyed by (1) lowering the shields with a crew of scrappy sappers and (2) second team flying through narrow trenches to hit a smallish target with a team of X/Y wings.
Baddies, please.
Also, a couple others pointed this out also, but as much as I liked the casting, you still need to follow this rule of moviemaking: WHEN YOU HAVE MAX VON SYDOW IN YOUR MOVIE, RIDE HIM. He is a great, great actor every bit as accomplished as Alec Guinness was by the time Star Wars rolled around. Missed opportunity to make him more integral.
Love the two young leads. Never seen either of them before.
December 18th, 2015 at 2:11 PM ^
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December 18th, 2015 at 3:56 PM ^
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