Star Wars: The Force Awakens reviews *SPOILERS*

[Fanatical Meat]

It depends on what type of crystals were dropping when you were farming Krayt Dragons. I used to have a cabinet full of different ones before they ruined SWG, but that is just a bygone time.



()

The dark side manufactures their crystals that is why they're all red

 

[slugg]

I liked it, it was cool. A couple of the parts were nearly tear-inducing from the nostalgia, especially some of the scenes in the Millenium Falcon.

The music score was a bit more subdued than all six other movies; none of it was "in your face" to make memorable scenes. As much as we all love to hate The Phantom Menace, nobody can deny that the fight scene with Duel of Fates blaring is one to remember. Or what about The Battle of Hoth in The Empire Strikes Back? Don't get me wrong, John Williams did some ingenious things with the music, but it seems like JJ Abrams didn't let the score take a front row seat. This is something George Lucas did very, very well.

I'm disappointed that the story is basically A New Hope 2.0: formulaic. I also think Kylo Ren's light saber was an uncivilized spin on the galaxy's most civilized weapon. Also, Rey's all-of-a-sudden aptitude with The Force just seemed way too convenient. Fin was also unexpectedly good with a light saber - why?

Overall, I'm glad I saw it, but it doesn't meet the level of the original trilogy. It absolutely blows away episodes 1 through 3, though. That's without a doubt.

 

[sactoking]

Just got home from watching. Would watch again. On first viewing I'd say 8/10. Taking off the rose-colored glasses of nostalgia it was the second best of the seven, behind only Empire. Yes, there were some hokey moments but fewer than in the original. Infinitely better than any of the prequels. Better than Jedi solely on the basis of no Ewok-like toy drivers. I really wanted to dislike this movie going in and I was sorely disappointed on that front.

 

[Fire&Blood]

Am I the only one who wants to see it but is perfectly fine waiting til it hits DVD/BR?

 

[MongGrel]

The dark side manufactures their crystals that is why they're all red

Was a bit of a SOE joke I guess.

I used to have red crystals, and green, purple, blue, yellow I forget them all.

Kinda liked the purple ones myself.

Nuff of that, the reviews coming in.

 

[slugg]

So what's with Luke not having a single line in the movie?

 

[ghost recon88]

So what's with Luke not having a single line in the movie?

Spoiler

Wonder how much he got paid for his 2 minutes of airtime

Spoiler

Also, I wonder of Han's death was part of the original plot, or if Harrison Ford didn't want to make another whole trilogy and only agreed to be in this one if they would put his character to rest?

 

[Gooberlx2]

Loved it. Between the nostalgia delivered, the great action sequences and great cast and characters, the movie was tremendous. Easily second best Starwars movie, behind Empire.

That my expectations were initially lowered due to PTSD from The Phantom Menace's opening night 16 years ago didn't hurt either.

 

[Gooberlx2]

Fin was also unexpectedly good with a light saber - why?

No he wasn't. He hacked and slashed and got a couple lucky shots in, but he ultimately got his ass beat each time.

 

[Sonikku]

Spoiler

Wow, where to begin. To start, I think this movie has a TON of deleted content. Scenes from the trailers like the first one with ren walking a distance into the forest to ignite his lightsaber didn't even make it into the final product, instead conveyed with different shots in the third act. The scene in the first trailer where chewbacca "speaks" after han says "we're home" sees him silent at that part in the final product. The "Who are you?" "I'm no one" from the trailer wasn't heard by me in the movie. Those fallowing the development closely will note the Dagobah flashback scene with Luke was cut altogether. (Though we still have a figure for it in the toy line, most curious) In short, it feels like this easily could have been two movies but had a solid hour of content cut and reshot/shortened/consolidated to make it a leaner, brisker fast paced movie.

And then there's my take.

Villains. Kinda weak. The First Order general has little presence. He's no Tarkin. The jury is still out on supreme commander, it remains to be seen if he'll be able to reach the levels of Palpatine. But nothing really lept out at me. (In V you KNEW the Emperor meant business in his very first scene, even Vader didn't give him any crap and bent the knee even in the presence of just his hologram) I'm really disappointed with Captain Phasma. She's never seen doing anything badass. She's subdued with easy, makes the entire rebel assault possible by lowering the shields with little resistance and is then played up for laughs before being tossed down the garbage shoot. A poor use of an actor we know for bringing the pain in Game of Thrones. Maybe she'll fare better in VIII?

Then there's Kylo Ren. I REALLY wanted to like this guy, but god damn. What a wuss. The best thing I can say about him is he has more depth and more lines than Darth Maul. Aside from that, he's no Vader. Even Finn managed to injure him with a lightsaber. And Finn got his ass kicked by a Stormtrooper with that thing! I don't know if that's more a knock to Kylo or props to competent Stormtroopers for once, but either way it felt really out of place. Being non sensitive with no force barrier, Kylo should have been able to snap his neck with a flick of the finger. Instead he manages a narrow edge against someone with no swordsmanship training. Disgraceful. I'm also intrigued that were we where shown the knights of ren in the trailers, but you barely get a glimpse of them. I suppose it's foreshadowing for 8 when we'll surely get to see them in action. At least most of the villains will get another chance if nothing else, none of the core villains die in Force Awakens.

Then there's the heroes. Harison Ford seemed kind of tired in this one. It feels like he was kind of done with Star Wars. I applaud Abrams with giving me an actual shock moment I couldn't predict with killing him off, though I wonder if he would have had the guts on his own or if Ford forced his hand.

Rey is a great character and carries the movie. What a windfall for Daisy Ridely. Natalie Portman must be envious for the launching pad this woman will surely get from this movie, compared to the tar pit she was left with. But what bothers me is how she becomes super jedi so fast with no training. If she's kicking Kylo's whinny ass now completely untrained, than I can't even imagine the kind of ass whooping she has in store for him when Luke actually trains her. Supreme Commander has his work cut out for him if he hopes to make Kylo into something vaguely resembling a credible threat. I'm also not entirely sure I quite understand her backstory, what with her being abandoned by her parents or something. But it is what it is.

Finn in contrast doesn't really work. He has second thoughts of killing for poorly explained reasons. I don't see how you have regret after a LIFETIME of conditioning. And what in the hell is up with this guy telling the rebels a bald faced lie about being able to shut down the shields? I can appreciate a man having to allocate blood either to their brain or their dick. But his seemingly casualness in telling the rebels whatever they want to hear so he can have a shot at rescuing Rey and with it a shot at some poon seems almost outright callous considering how high the stakes are and how a move like this for all practical purposes would have resulted in the deaths of billions of people.

More the come after I get some sleep.

 

[Gooberlx2]

Fixed. This is a spoiler thread after all.

Fixed. He chose not to post as spoilers.
admin allisolm

Fair enough, sorry.

 

[EvilYoda]

A lot to absorb (especially considering I flew back from Paris 4 hours before my showtime)...I think my next viewing next week will help solidify my thoughts.

Fun to see what fan theories ended up being true and how much they did and didn't draw from the EU.

 

[DAGTA]

I agree with all of your points, Sonikku.

 

[Newbian]

On a side note there are topless pictures of Daisy out there and although it's of a scene she did where she is on a morgue table dead but it's still boobies so it counts.

 

[A Casual Fitz]

Fixed. This is a spoiler thread after all.

Still an unnecessary douchebag move.

 

[TXHokie]

i can't believe they hired the same damn contractors to build a new star base 30 yrs later. That second time was unforgivable already but come on man.

 

[Newbian]

i can't believe they hired the same damn contractors to build a new star base 30 yrs later. That second time was unforgivable already but come on man.

Blame the unions.

 

[MongGrel]

Still an unnecessary douchebag move.

Not really, it does say *SPOILERS* in the thread heading.

 

[tynopik]

i can't believe they hired the same damn contractors to build a new star base 30 yrs later. That second time was unforgivable already but come on man.

case study in defense industry consolidation

 

[AznAnarchy99]

I liked the movie a lot but I'm not sure if it was because I was drinking but it felt waaaay to short. When she met Luke I really thought there was a second half of the movie.

 

[NikolaeVarius]

Movie was fun but 90% nostalgia and 10% everything else. Plot and writing were pretty meh in general.

 

[GTaudiophile]

-Blows away EP 1-3 easily.
-The baton has been passed. Quite literally.
-Everything is different...yet completely the same. Plot been recycled too much?
-I think JJ invited ALL of the extras from 30 years ago to re-join this cast. Props to that!
-The movie feels rushed to me. Could have been 2-3 movies (LOTR?)
-A few too many plot jumps: How does Rey know how to pilot and fix the MF so fast after being stranded her entire life? Why does R2 come back to life when he does and not earlier? Han & Chewy happen about their old lost ship two seconds after they escape???
-If you know EP 4-6 well, you can predict EVERYTHING! Lightsaber lands in ice and you know it's HER reaching for it.
-Rey is a great heroine. Adam Driver does a great job as Ren but gives the character a degree of weakness. None of the villians were dark enough. The movie doesn't benefit much from Finn. Makes you wonder what SW would be like with an R rating and not kidified. Empire is a dark movie. None of them have been since.
-Sound and FX phenomenal of course. No doubt there.
-Will see again. Soon.

 

[GTaudiophile]

I liked it, it was cool. A couple of the parts were nearly tear-inducing from the nostalgia, especially some of the scenes in the Millenium Falcon.

The music score was a bit more subdued than all six other movies; none of it was "in your face" to make memorable scenes. As much as we all love to hate The Phantom Menace, nobody can deny that the fight scene with Duel of Fates blaring is one to remember. Or what about The Battle of Hoth in The Empire Strikes Back? Don't get me wrong, John Williams did some ingenious things with the music, but it seems like JJ Abrams didn't let the score take a front row seat. This is something George Lucas did very, very well.

I'm disappointed that the story is basically A New Hope 2.0: formulaic. I also think Kylo Ren's light saber was an uncivilized spin on the galaxy's most civilized weapon. Also, Rey's all-of-a-sudden aptitude with The Force just seemed way too convenient. Fin was also unexpectedly good with a light saber - why?

Overall, I'm glad I saw it, but it doesn't meet the level of the original trilogy. It absolutely blows away episodes 1 through 3, though. That's without a doubt.

Very much agree. Everyone needs force training but Rey? It was too convenient.

 

[Fanatical Meat]

Very much agree. Everyone needs force training but Rey? It was too convenient.

Admittedly its a stretch but her being exposed to force powers is what started it (I think) Ren even said something about she's very dangerous to everyone while she's learning.
Maybe its a throwback to episode 4 how at the beginning Vader seemed tired and people joked about his hoaky religion but after his fight with Obiwan he seem reinvigorated.

 

[jaha2000]

Admittedly its a stretch but her being exposed to force powers is what started it (I think) Ren even said something about she's very dangerous to everyone while she's learning.
Maybe its a throwback to episode 4 how at the beginning Vader seemed tired and people joked about his hoaky religion but after his fight with Obiwan he seem reinvigorated.

I think we are going to learn more about Rey in the next movie in terms of the force power. I get the feeling she has the training and lost her memory.
When she picked up the lightsabre for the first time she had that flashback to the planet in th end. I think she was training with Ren and something happened that she lost her memory.