I loved it. It really did feel like the spiritual successor to the OT in almost every single way that the PT failed miserably. It has its issues, some of them typical for Star Wars, some of them typical for a JJ Abrams film, and some of them typical for a reboot of a multi-billion dollar franchise with expectations and a fanbase built in, but I think the overall package can't be considered anything less than a rousing success.
Might as well tackle the negatives first - chief among them is John Williams' (sadly predictably) limp noodle of a score. I cannot think of a film series in which the original score is as integral to the film as Star Wars. And in that regard, the film lays an egg. The few briefs moments where the score evoked something in me was when old themes (like the godly Force theme, which never fails to give me chills) were trotted out. Otherwise the score was basically unmemorable noise. As tends to be the case for most Abrams films, this sucker needed another pass or two in the writer's room. It's quite messy at times, jumps around a lot, and certain events and character motivations are foggy. It's nowhere near the mess his ST2009 was on a writing level, but it still is clunky at times and occasionally delved a bit too far into fanservice. As far as fanservice goes, I can't put all the blame on Abrams. Clearly this was designed to be a safe film from the get go. This is both a negative and a positive. The negative being that the movie doesn't really do anything original or take any risks, and hews closely to the structure of A New Hope. The positive being that it delivers pretty much exactly what fans have been clamoring for the past 30 years. My last minor complaint is that, while I loved Daisy Ridley and her performance, I thought her acting got really dodgy whenever she had to express pain or anguish.
Other than that, I really, truly loved it. It's gorgeously shot. It looks and feels like what this world would look like 30 years after the OT. The dirt and lived in feel that was sadly lacking in Lucas' second trilogy returns here in spades. Abrams' direction and the editing always keep the film moving and exciting. The marriage of CG to prosthetics and real sets and locations was amazing and evoked the OT perfectly. The movie was hilarious and the cast was impeccable and all the new leads had great chemistry. Despite mentioning her above as a negative, 95% of the time I absolutely loved Daisy Ridley - what a discovery. Boyega and Isaac feel like they were both born to be in a Star Wars movie. Harrison Ford appeared to give a shit again here, and his performance brought a smile to my face. What the film really nailed for me was the snappy banter between characters(very OT-esque) and the "moments". It nailed them. Things like Solo's return or the Force theme swelling when Rey uses the force to pull Luke's lightsaber out of the snow. Or the Luke reveal. That stuff was perfect (even if Luke was a big fat tease).
Nothing is knocking Fury Road down off the pedestal for top blockbuster of 2015, but The Force Awakens is a close second for me. A great, if too safe, resurrection of the OT spirit. Can't wait to see Episode VIII.
1. The Empire Strikes Back
2. A New Hope
3. The Force Awakens
4. Return of the Jedi
5. The Phantom Menace
6. Revenge of the Sith
7. Attack of the Clones
I think the problem is that it's not a map "to Luke." It's a map to the old jedi temple, where Luke was also going.
Because apparently it's a feature to leave out information, not a defect. It makes things streamlined and that's always a positive.
And if I must accept them not using Luke in that moment (which I have to haha) then I kind wish they didn't show us Luke at all until Episode VIII. I loved seeing Luke, and Hamill looks wonderfully Kenobi-esque now, but in thinking about it, I wish we didn't see him until Episode VIII instead of a wordless cameo. What a waste of 30 years of build up.
That's real disappointing...They honestly have no faith in their audience. I mean they flat out say Return of the Jedi style fleet Battle was axed because too many ship types would confuse people.
Because apparently it's a feature to leave out information, not a defect. It makes things streamlined and that's always a positive.
They didn't explain enough and yet they did too much
I mean, the capital planet is already destroyed.
The Resistance pretty much lost already
What's Luke gonna do
"Too safe" is the criticism of the year. What does it even mean?
Now that sucks to hear. From all the little things I could complain about, the Resistance only using X-Wings is the one thing I can't just overlook. That really annoyed the crap out of me. I hope they don't stick to that.
Is it weird I'm half expecting Phasma to join the good team in VIII?
"Too safe" is the criticism of the year. What does it even mean?
Saw it again and I'm now almost certain that Rey was around for when Ben turned. In her vision she clearly remembers her fellow Jedi knights being slaughtered and is crying and pleading for Ben to stop.
They heavily hint that everyone else (Maz, Leia, Han and Ren) all know who Rey is too. When Ren first hears that a girl has BB-8 he is extraordinarily angry.
It has been explained several times in this thread.
Remaking the beats of ANH isn't exactly groundbreaking, risk taking filmmaking
I have no problem with the Rey Kylo fight but Luke's situation was a hell of a different coinsidering he received training from an actual Jedi. You are really underselling the remote training sequence with Obi-wan. A lot of Force knowledge is dropped on Luke. Obi-wan tells him he can essentially control the remote. And Luke shows that he can. That's pretty significant.
Is it weird I'm half expecting Phasma to join the good team in VIII?
Hope not. We need a pissed off female villian on the screen. Her suit is too awesome for her not to teach Fin how the true terror of the galaxy is not The First Order but an angry woman. A lesson in life if you will.
so how come sith weapons aren't called darksabers.
They didn't explain enough and yet they did too much
I mean, the capital planet is already destroyed.
The Resistance pretty much lost already
What's Luke gonna do
so how come sith weapons aren't called darksabers.
Because the Darksaber is already a thing and it isn't a red lightsaber.so how come sith weapons aren't called darksabers.
Except it's really not a remake of the original at all. Callbacks sure. But this movie is it's own beast and stands on it's own.
Except it's really not a remake of the original at all. Callbacks sure. But this movie is it's own beast and stands on it's own.
It means that between corporate and creative they essentially came up with a generic Star Wars checklist of all the things that must be in Star Wars because reasons, and then proceeded to write a script that ticked every box. It's not inherently a bad thing, it just means the film isn't taking chances.
I think Sculli said it best - Luke's appearance felt very Marvel Studios-esque. Like, "hey, here's this thing that as it turned out had very little to do with this particular film, but it'll be a focus of a latter film, so we are going to throw it in your face now". It's a trend I dislike as it takes away from the film you're currently watching and removes the self contained feeling.
To be fair, the First Order probably poured a large amount of their resources into the base that went boom at the end of TFA. They were running out there with just one star destroyer, after all. Just from his...blase kinda attitude throughout the movie (oh you lost the droid? whatever, as long as you're OK Kylo), I don't think Snoke actually really cares all that much about the FO/Resistance thing. He just wants Luke's head.
lmao that would have worked perfectlySomeone's post on that R2D2 explanation regarding the novel:
Why in fuck did they cut all this crucial shit from the novel? I don't get it. This is like the 3rd or 4th really needed piece of information that should have been in the movie...
It means that between corporate and creative they essentially came up with a generic Star Wars checklist of all the things that must be in Star Wars because reasons, and then proceeded to write a script that ticked every box. It's not inherently a bad thing, it just means the film isn't taking chances.
Is it weird I'm half expecting Phasma to join the good team in VIII?
It really doesn't stand on its own that well. It has one crutch of heavy nostalgia and another of retreaded plot.
How long has Ben been with the Knights of Ren? He's still a young dude, looks to be in his late twenties-early thirties, and if Rey was there when this happened, Ben/Kylo would have had to had his uprising in his mid teens then?
Better be Williams. If he's still healthy then why not? He's already lined up to work on BFG.Are we still expecting John Williams to score VIII? Or is Giachinno going to come in next?
MakingStarWars said:◾Interior Day Rosess Pub There is a secret underground chamber and Rose begins her tale to Han, Rey, and Finn. They hold hands.
◾Flashback: Interior Night at Academy Dead bodies are on the ground. Luke turns up.
◾Flashback: Exterior Dusk at the Afkcademy It is noted it is peaceful now. Artoo-Detoo is saddened as his master departs.
◾Flashback: Exterior Day at the Savannah A hand that takes the sword at the start of the film is revealed to be Nakas hand.
◾Flashback: Exterior on the Savannah A peasants hovel where the peasant drops the sword, starts a fire, panics and then returns.
◾Flashback: Exterior Desert Local trader is seen leaving. (I believe it then cuts to Finn and Reys faces as the story unfolds).
◾Flashback: Exterior Day Desert Local trader makes a sale to a wealthy man.
◾Flashback: Exterior Night Battlefield Fierce battle! Sword is being use by the CLAN against THE SEVEN.
◾Flashback: Exterior Night: the last man is down and Kylo Renn approaches Rey!
◾Flashback: THE SEVEN are looting and we see Rose in the foreground taking the object.
◾Interior Day Rosess Pub: In the underground chamber, Rose presents the saber and Rey is revolted by it while Finn is attracted to it.
◾Interior Day Rosess Pub: Rey moves past aliens in an uproar as she leaves the establishment.
◾Interior Day Rosess Pub: Courtyard: Rey runs away from the castle.
◾Exterior Day: Woods near Rosess pub Rey runs into the woods.
◾Interior Day Rosess Pub: Rose now knows why the saber came to her.
◾Exterior Day: Woods near Rosess pub BB-8 finds Rey but suddenly the villains are overhead.
◾Interior Day Rosess Pub: In the corridors undernearth the pub they notice Rey and BB-8 are missing as massive shaking begins.
◾Exterior Roses Pub Plate Shot: From Reys point of view we see the destruction of the Castle.
◾Exterior Day Roses Pub From Reys Point of view we see Roses pub is chaotic.
◾Exterior Day Woods Near Roses Pub From Reys perspective we see Roses Pub ruined. Kylo Ren arrives with Stormtroopers in tow.
◾Note: This pertains: Interior Day: Roses Pub hallways beneath the pub, Rose users her special skills to defeat Stormtroopers.
MillenniumFalcon said:EXT DAY - 190 - LANDING PAD JOURNEY Plates as required for Maz Kanata journey to Maz Kanta's Castle
EXT DAY - 192 - SAVANNAH Reprise Hand takes sword, we reveal Naka
EXT NIGHT - 193 - SAVANNAH - PEASANT'S HOVEL Peasant is using the sword as a firestarter
EXT DAY - 194 - SAVANNAH - PEASANT'S HOVEL Local trader buys sword off of Naka
EXT NIGHT - 195 - SAVANNAH Local trader already has sold the sword on
EXT NIGHT - 196 - BATTLEFIELD A battle rages. The sword is being used.
EXT DAY - 198 - ACADEMY Leia and Han Solo hand over Young Kylo Ren to his Uncle for training
EXT DAWN - 200 - ACADEMY Young Kylo Ren being trained by his Uncle
INT NIGHT - 202 - ACADEMY Bodies left behind - Young Kylo Ren is gone
EXT DAY - 203 - JAGGED TERRAIN/PALACE Kylo Ren joins The Knights Of Ren
EXT DUSK - 204 - ACADEMY R2-D2 upset as his master leaves
EXT NIGHT - 205 - JAGGED TERRAIN/PALACE Kylo Ren joins The Knights Of Ren
EXT DAY - 207 - CASTLE Reveal Maz Kanata's spectacular Castle
INT DAY - 208 - CASTLE Maz Kanata walks the group through the Castle interiour
EXT NIGHT - 209 - CASTLE Kylo Ren and his Knights at campfire. Maz Kanata steals sword
INT DAY - 210 - CASTLE STAIRCASE Walking down stairs, Maz Kanata reveals she stole it.
EXT NIGHT - 211 - MOUNTAIN SIDE Reveal Maz Kanata on Speeder, she has the sword
INT DAY - 212 - CASTLE - UNDERGROUND CHAMBER Finn is drawn toward the object, Rey repelled by it. She bolts
INT DAY - 213 - CASTLE - STAIRCASE Rey climbs the stairs in need of escape
EXT DAY - 214 - CASTLE Rey exits castle, head for the woods
INT DAY - 215 - CASTLE - UNDERGROUND CHAMBER Maz Kanata explains her journey through many lives
EXT DAY - 216 - WOODS - NEAR THE CASTLE BB-8 finds Rey in the woods. Suddenly bad guys overhead
Are we still expecting John Williams to score VIII? Or is Giachinno going to come in next?
Not really, IMO.
Solo summed it up better than I:
That's what I thought was going to happen as well, but it also would have made no sense. I wish Luke had a bigger role in the film but by then it was too late to drop him in.
I'd have been pretty disappointed had they done so, would have short circuited Rey's arc.
as for the film being a checklist of things, i think that this is the one star wars movie that really needed to be that. it needed to get new people on board, and also reassure fans of the old that this was really actually star wars that they knew. the prequels could have gotten away with trying new things (and succeeded if they were any better), but this one had to be familiar.
Someone's post on that R2D2 explanation regarding the novel:
Why in fuck did they cut all this crucial shit from the novel? I don't get it. This is like the 3rd or 4th really needed piece of information that should have been in the movie...
I know this is a pun but there actually is a weapon called the Darksaber, which was an ancient lightsaber with a black blade stolen from the Jedi Temple by the Mandalorians.
I love the movie dearly, but what 'arc'?
The only character with s discernible arc is Fin.
-Rey goes from Badass Normal to Badass Jedi
-Poe just disappears...because...because...
-Kylo tells us that he is conflicted by the light, but we never actually see jack shit
-Han is to old for this shit, he gets a pass