I thought it was kind of a let down. The story of Han Solo killed me....
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I saw it last night. It was lots of fun. It looked great, the action was good, the story was decent, the characters were good, the acting was really good, the jokes were great I think.
The only things I wish they changed up a bit was the opera part of space opera. Too many family ties, I was half expecting they'd reveal BB-8 was R2D2's long lost son or something. The movie also bends itself to put Rey in the central spot, which worked at varying levels. A lot of things that happen, happen just so you could have her in the center of things, which didn't always feel organic (so many coincidences, the way they meet Han, the way she finds the lightsaber...). Finn in that regard is much more interesting to me, he feels more genuine and a product of his own actions, not others' like Rey. They also went overboard with all the parallels. I've seen someone describe it as A New Hope 2.0, and that's true. I know it's a huge risk so they had to play it safe, but I hope they stop repeating themselves so much in sequels.
Overall, I'd say it's the third best Star Wars movie. That it's better than the prequel trilogy kinda goes without saying, just on the merit of how it looks, but it's also better then Return imo. Lots of fun, see it.
(holy cow, people, I think I'm not dead!)
I agree. I really was feeling the "New Hope 2" vibe through 60-70% of the movie. That's probably the weakest part of the whole thing. While I really enjoyed it, and I did, I felt like I'd seen it before, like it was trying too hard, etc., etc.
Personally I think we would have had a better movie if Disney had followed the EU. Yes, it's far too late to cast Mark Hammil, Carrie Fisher, & co., if you're doing "Truce at Bakura" for an Episode VII, but I'm sure suitable stand-ins could absolutely be found. Instead, all in the name of fan service, we get to see the EU lose it's canon status and therefore lose some of the best Star-Wars-Movies-that-might-have-been.
There were about three dozen better ways for Disney to do this. But they did okay. The visuals were gorgeous. The plot was fairly well thought out. The cross-guarded lightsaber was a fantastic idea, but Kylo's fighting style did not really take advantage of it. The music was sublime.
In short: damn was it good, damn was it also disappointing.
This movie made me cream/10
I love the new hope vive it had throughout the film. And how kylo ren's personality was a lot like ep.3 Anakin. In a good way, I mean. The overall movie was a lot like a new hope. I can understand why they did that, though. The prequels were almost nothing like the original 3. Besides the vroom vroom pew pew vroom pew vroom.
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The storm troopers weren't actually clones. After the end of the republic almost all clone warriors were hunted down except for the 501st legion and those clones were also given an enzyme that prevented their limbs from rotting. So yes the army of the republic was made up of clones but the army of the Empire and the First Order were all normal soldiers, which is also the reason why Fin was even able to stand up against the First Order
I loved it though I definitely think that it was a LOT like a new hope. But I think episode 8 and 9 will be different from the original trilogy though with this movie they struck a very good balance between the good effects from the newer trilogy and the better story of the old trilogy. However I missed the presence of the presence of the dark side as neither snoke nor Kylo Ren seemed like actually Sith and more like dark jedi. I mean the fact that Kylo Ren was defeated in a lightsaber duell by a woman who wasn't trained in the force or in lightsaber fighting what-so-ever proves that he his definitely not worthy of the title Darth. I hope there will be some actual sith in the next movies. It also disappoints me that the expanded universe is no longer and official part of the star wars universe but that has been known for a while and it helped them make a movie where most star wars fans who read some books don't already know the plot and/or the new characters so I forgive them. Also I love how Kylo Ren had an unstable or corrupted lightsaber crystal which made his light saber look even more awesome (If you've played Star Wars: The Force Unleashed you'll get it)
And forgot to mention that I think neither Snoke nor Kylo Ren were as impressive as Vader, Bane, Sidious, or Vitiate and I hope that the two will develop more in the next movies
I dont mind the older characters getting killed off. But they just threw it in our faces and that was it. But this is the movie after the events of RoTJ. If they were going to kill off anyone, they should have told us what happen 30 years ago. If this was to make us hate Kylo Ren any worse then it is sloppy. I feel that ever since The Walking Dead and Game of Thrones everyone is going for the old lets kill the fan favorites off. The First Order kill trillions of people by blowing up those planets so we already know it was evil. It just feels like a cheap move.
Plot holes. Anakin Skywalkers lightsaber, who retrieved it after if fell from Cloud City? If I recall correctly Bespin was a gas giant and the lightsaber should be destroyed.
What happened to Endor and how did Ren get Vaders helmet?
I would like these questions later on answered in the newest films.
I am down for Ewan Mcgregor returning! =D
@Syanide HA! I too rank it above Jedi, which is saying something, because it was my favorite as a kid. I just don't know if it is on Par with ANH and ESB...... It is up there, nut i don't think it succeeds it. However..... those films are so pure and legendary, the fact that we are comparing them so close at all speaks volumes as to what a relief it is that TFA is as good as it is.
Star wars has been killing family and friends since 1977 :P
MAz knows the answer to the lightsaber, but it did not fall down into the planet. It remained on Cloud city, somewhere.
Well, Ren/Ben was family, being trained at the new Jedi temple. I am sure Luke kept it, and Ren stole it.
As for Endor, they just left. It wasn't their home. Just curious as to what you were expecting.
The plot wasn't supposed to be the same. It was only supposed to pay its respects to the originals.
It did fall down into the planet. If you remember when Luke fell onto that antenna when he went down those tubes. There was a hand falling into the planet as well. Just go back to that scene. So the lightsaber should be destroyed.
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Last year I went through all six of the movies with a buddy that never saw them. It actually kind of surprised me how weak I found Return, and how decent I found Revenge. Revenge could have been even better, if they dialed down on the visual noise and had someone more competent write the characters.
And yeah, Ewan McGregor returning, and having a movie where his character would be used properly would be more than welcome. He was the highlight of the prequels fo' shaw.
The Force Awakens also kind of makes me excited about the spin-off movies. If they keep the quality, and give the filmmakers some freedom (and when you think about it, that's more likely in the spin-offs, because they don't have the burden of expectations and ties to the originals), they could end up with some pretty interesting things.
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I saw it I loved it, and am currently making plans to see it again with some friends.
I had two big Gripes with the movie though.
- Captain Phasma would in no universe let down those shields. She'd die before she would do that. She's a First Order CAPTAIN for gods sake. maybe if she had more character development/backstory I could see that choice making sense but it just did not feel right.
I thought the garbage schute/trash compactor joke was hilarious.
- Holy Deus Ex Machina R2D2?! Awakes at the right time and has the rest of the map. Wayyyy too convenient. I would've loved if there was a short scene where they tried to like manually wake him up, not him saying "Oh it's time to move the plot along"
R2D2 and BB-8 piecing the map together was beautiful seeing two fan favorite droid in one shot was awesome.
The cast and performances were great and the plot was very Star Wars 9/10 for me. If anything Daisy Ridley's performance was the weakest IMO but once she was off Jakku it all changed and she was acting like A-listers.
My only other complaint (nitpik) was how convenient her knowledge about the falcon was, and how cheesy Finn & Rey were together after they fought the TIE fighters on the surface.
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Captain Phasma was a let down. And I know that it's just a case of expectations, and if I had gone in the movie knowing nothing, it would have been fine, but I've seen headlines with J.J. praising working with Gwendoline, and I thought we'd get an interesting character, not just an interesting costume. She was less of a character than Boba Fett, which is saying something. It's minor in the grand scheme of things and it really didn't take anything away from the movie, but I hope they bring her back and use her better in the sequel. Brienne can fight man, give her some motivation and a sword.
Ok apparently I am about to go against general consensus here.
I did NOT like the new Star Wars film.
So to quickly cover the mindset I had before watching the recent film. I watched all the films in order (episode 1 - 6) over two days then saw the film.
If I had just gone and saw it as JUST another film I would have enjoyed it more I imagine but otherwise I was let down. Let me just bullet point a few gripes.
1) Acting - was it just me or did Finn, rye, and Kylo Ren all look like they were about to cry every time they were about to say something? very distracting.
2) Finn - now in general I liked the character and idea behind him however let us breakdown him wielding a Light Saber. Finn vs. generic Storm Trooper with a Lightning Tonka type weapon - gets owned. Finn vs. Kylo Ren - Puts up a decent fight against a TRAINED SITH but eventually loses.
3) Rye - What is it about Jedi chosen ones being found on desert planets? and same thing as Finn, yes she is an awakening force superpower but seriously - casually picks up a Light Saber against a TRAINED SITH and kicks his butt? ok then...
4) Blatant Nazi reference - at least in episode 4-6 the reference was tastefully work in but with this I felt like I was slapped by a Nazi flag. Just a tad distasteful
There is more but that will suffice for now - I think more accurately my opinion is that it wasn't a bad film it was just a bad Star Wars film.
Jar Jar Abrams strikes again.
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I would've loved to see her fight in the beginning of the movie, All of her scenes were her walking with her gun, she never once fired it.
Han & Chewy jumped her and she didn't put up a fight, instantly submitted.
Against your points 2,3,4
2 & 3 Rey and finm are not new to combat, Finn is a trainer from birth stormtrooper and Rey has held her own alone on jakku for years.
Fighting kylo yes they seemed too good but you have to remember that kylo ren is NOT a sith! He'd have the title for 1, second snoke said his training was incomplete. Kylo was also just gut shotted by chewy and is bleeding out. That and he's arrogant and immature from what we've seen from him. Sure he can stop a laser shot but that was when he was calm and in control. In the end he was enraged and furious.
4, this was intentional. Looks up hux's uniform and where it came from. Sure you might think this was distasteful but it drove home the point of what the current empire feels like
Spoilers ahead, of course, for those of you ballsy enough to read this before watching it.
So about your third point, I think it is important to notice several things:
Rey has shown that she is well versed in close combat, having single handedly kicked the butts of like three or four goons chasing her in Jakku.
Kylo is emotionally ruined at this point in the movie. You saw how broken he was, literally asking his father for permission to commit murder.
Kylo is apparently not too far along with his training, since Snoke says "return him to me" after the fight happens.
During his Hamlet "to be or not to be" moment on the platform, when he wasn't focused, Kylo got shot with a freaking bowcaster. This is a weapon that has been shown in episodes 4-6 and also earlier in 7 to be so strong that it knocks over storm troopers two or three at a time.
I think all of these put together make it reasonable that Kylo would at that point be evenly matched with Rey. It's at least as believable as Palpatine being vulnerable to Vader at the end of 6.
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i do not think so. First, the hand landing in the same tube as luke did? highly unlikely.
also, when he slides down, we don't see anything in there. It was either, his blaster, OR most likely, some part of the antenna. didn't look like a hand, nor a lightsaber. Plus, doubt they would both be together anyways. they would have come apart. Rigor Mortis doesn't set in instantly.