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Honest Trailer: The Force Awakens
- Thread starter Vault Dweller 111
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Subpar Spatula
Banned
Interchangeable techniques with two different weapons is movie magic. There are arms schools that teach you in tiers, movement speed (swing slowly to get the feel of the pace and techniques and gradually move to fast pace), and stances because they are wildly different.
Backstory is needed and it's going to happen. There's more extrapolation than evidence. Luke was essentially the same so I don't see why we can't categorize them similarly.
What if Rey is Kylo Ren's dad?
Bobby Roberts
Banned
Or Chewie!
On repeat viewing the name "Han Solo" starts to really stand out as a line of dialog that doesn't need to be said all that much. It's approaching "Michael" in the Lost Boys levels.
But yeah, that scene with Han & Leia on the base is probably the worst one in the whole movie. Not as bad as Han & Leia on the rope bridge in Jedi but not any sort of marked improvement, either.
It's probably a good thing they don't get to have any more heart to heart talks for the rest of the series.
For the purpose of film, her being an experienced melee fighter is more than sufficient, especially since she gets utterly dominated by an actual swordsman.
This isn't really a rebuttal, though. No backstory is needed because The Force Awakens told the story of Rey's awakening. We don't need to extrapolate why Rey learns to push back on Ren during the interrogation scene, because we see her doing it. We don't need to speculate about why he doesn't kill her at the end of the duel, because we saw Snoke command him to bring Rey to him. We know how Rey knows to do what she does at the end because Maz explained it. And so on. It's all right there.
Maybe it doesn't do anything INCREDIBLY new but it does it pretty fine.
Also I think the idea of a conflicted villain is pretty good for Star Wars, a nice contrast from the prequels and it's (shitty) conflicted "hero".
JJ Abrams seems to have a problem with trying to do "heart-to-heart" scenes. Star Trek, Into Darkness, and Super 8 all were weak there.
Bobby Roberts
Banned
I don't even know if I can blame JJ for that. Kasdan wrote the Jedi scene I'm talking about, too.
Subpar Spatula
Banned
Then her being proficient at a bostaff means she's proficient at knives, whips, or other weapons. If she appeared with a laser whip at the end you would think, "where'd she learn that?" It's the same with a sword, you're just making the connection because they appear similar. It's why Luke shooting in an X-Wing isn't comparable to shooting rats on a planet.
We also don't know how her power become enough to stop someone who could just put her to sleep at the snap of a finger. You say we understand Kylo's reasons but then we say that's just sloppy. No one wins. They'll explain it in the sequel.
Bobby Roberts
Banned
"you wookiee sack of shit."
The Librarian
Banned
she uses the lightsaber as a staff
QuantumZebra
Member
50% of criticism
"Rey is a Mary Sue... also I am an idiot who shouldn't be opining on movies" (I added the last part)
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Starkiller was a hamfisted weapon though for sure. Should've just supernova'd a systems sun.
Monocle
Member
Starkiller Base was too much, for sure. It falls under the derivative category I mentioned.
Fortunately, it's not liability to the plot in and of itself. The Base centralizes the bad guys, radically impacts the New Republic and First Order and Resistance (the consequences are sure to be important in the next two films), and provides a nice stage with thematically appropriate effects for crucial scenes. For example:
During Kylo's confrontation with Han, notice the interplay of blue and red light as the sun fades. A nice visual that plays into the theme of being "seduced by the light" and externalizes his inner conflict and ultimate decision.
The movie is too derivative, yes, but none of its elements are handled ineptly. There are no jarring tonal issues or leaps of logic of the kind in, say, everything before and during Anakin's turn in ROTS. Palpatine's duel, his confrontation with Windu, the odd staging of Anakin's intervention and betrayal, Palpatine's weird echoey voice, his dubbing Anakin Darth Vader... That's one of several turning points crucial to the entire series that fell flat because they were handled so poorly.
TFA skips over some plot details, that's true enough. It doesn't fill you in on the political structure of the New Republic (as the prequels surely would have), or why the planets that are blown up really matter, but the story works in broad strokes. The emotional logic is there. Star Wars is a pulp action series above anything else. The tone and emotion and moment-to-moment entertainment factor have to be right. TFA achieves that. Audiences and critics are in broad agreement that it's an engaging experience that feels like Star Wars, which makes TFA a successful Star Wars movie on the series' own terms.
If it so happens that you're interested in plot details that lend additional context and weight to movie, all of that info is out there in the extended media. Where, one might argue, it belongs. Look at ANH: the only info we learn about the Republic and the Empire comes from a few throwaway lines from Tarkin, Leia, and a few other characters. ANH works with simple plot that doesn't waste time justifying story beats that make sense on a basic level, and the same is true of TFA. Both movies focus on what matters: characters and the audience's immediate experience.
While this was clumsy, the scene works in a way because while we know that Han Solo has the MacGuffin, Kylo doesn't. It works as a character moment rather than as exposition.
I'm a pretty big Star Wars fan but strangely have never been that passionate about my views on the franchise. I have them, other people disagree, it doesn't bother me at all and I never feel super compelled to argue. For TFA in particular, I liked it about on par with Star Trek 08 which I also enjoyed greatly. I do have some personal complaints with the film, and it did little to address my misgivings about Abrams, but it's still a good time with likable characters.
Bobby Roberts
Banned
Yeah, that was pretty disappointing. You got the Raid guys right fucking there and they basically talk a little shit and then run from the Langoliers for a couple minutes.
Spoilers had that shit pretty wrong, too. We were told there was going to be an involved fight with those guys on the freighter.
Spoilers had that shit pretty wrong, too. We were told there was going to be an involved fight with those guys on the freighter.
SolicitorPirate
Member
I remember reading the Raid guys would also be playing the Knights of Ren. Was that ever confirmed or just wishful thinking?
Wishful thinking sadly. Those Knights Of Ren scene lasted less than 2 seconds.
What a disappointment.
Bobby Roberts
Banned
Nah, was just a guess. I don't remember anything like that being "confirmed" by anyone even semi-reliable.
Right? Man, I would've liked this review way more without all that hokey "special episode" stuff. Then again, wouldn't have gotten the surprise Plinkett cameo that made me shriek in delight. Take the bad with the good I guess
LookAtMeGo
Member
This honest trailer sucked. Honestly.
This Force Awakens backlash is actually legit blowing my mind. It was a fantastic movie. Literally everyone in those first threads had nothing but good things to say
I guess it'll swing back around the other direction once the new movies come out and everybody hates those
Y'all are weird
I guess it'll swing back around the other direction once the new movies come out and everybody hates those
Y'all are weird
Why are all of these being called semi remakes?
5) Snooke saying that Kylo training is "incomplete" 6) Reinforce the fact that Kylo FREAKS OUT BRAINLESS when something doesn't happen like he wants 7) THERE IS NO MORE PEOPLE TO FIGHT IN LIGHT SABER AFTER LUKE'S PUPILS WERE KILLED, so this was likely Kylo Ren's first lightsaber battle in YEARS
Because people have no clue what a remake is and think basic plot similarities=remake. When others point out how stupid that is, the goalposts move to "semi remake".
A similar nonsense term is the always popular "pseudo reboot".
Heavy_D206
Member
I know a few people that have seen this movie.
All of them great SW fans and think they are some of the best movies ever made.
1 of them hates this new one with a passion and the others say it's mediocre.
I'd say that everyone that thinks it's a fantastic movie has their goggles on
Edit - actually 1 of them thinks it's the greatest movie ever made. Seriously, he thinks that. I think we can agree not to include that opinion
All of them great SW fans and think they are some of the best movies ever made.
1 of them hates this new one with a passion and the others say it's mediocre.
I'd say that everyone that thinks it's a fantastic movie has their goggles on
Edit - actually 1 of them thinks it's the greatest movie ever made. Seriously, he thinks that. I think we can agree not to include that opinion
Bobby Roberts
Banned
Pretty scientifically sound.
Bobby Roberts
Banned
It's not a remake.
HiredN00bs
Banned
Revenge of the Shit was absolute sith. It makes me angry that we're even speaking its title in a thread about TFA.
Calm waterfall
Banned
Except that I found it really really smart and funny. You are not the arbiter or what is funny and what is comedic.
People are trying to show off their poor movie critic skills.
A New Hope puts world-building at the front and centre. Force Awakens has, like, 4x the character development that A New Hope does. They aren't even the same kind of movie when you look beyond the shallow stuff they have in common.
Starkiller, for instance, is just a backdrop for the character drama. And that's exactly how the film treats it.
Bobby Roberts
Banned
I'm fairly obviously speaking for myself there, as the post you quoted was a direct question to me as to my opinion of the video.
I'm not gonna start appending the phrase "in my opinion" to every obvious opinion of mine so as to prevent bullshit responses about my standing as The Arbiter of What is Funny and What is Comedic, either.
Fairly enjoyable Honest Trailer for the movie. They generally put out fun videos.
As someone who watched TFA twice in theaters and now owns the bluray (and buying the Rey & BB-8 Hot Toys set for my daughter), I tend to agree with a good deal of the criticisms for the movie. TFA is essentially a soft reboot moreso than a direct sequel. I may dislike new internet terms like Mary Sue, but it pretty much applies to Rey. She basically excels at everything with little struggle, she's on the ultra fast track of being the most badass Jedi ever, and even the new kickass pilot of the Falcon with Chewie and R2D2 as her sidekicks. I thought Finn kept getting jobbed out of having his moment to shine. Poe is nothing but a plot device. Phasma is a total non-character used solely for marketing (cool looking storm trooper) purposes.
Overall, my biggest complaint was that the OT basically meant nothing. There's still an evil empire that's extremely well funded. Small-ish gang of Rebels on the run. No Jedis. A new version of Vader and Emperor. The SW universe is essentially in the same place it was when ANH began.
But with all that said, I still really enjoyed the movie. Bring on Ep 8.
As someone who watched TFA twice in theaters and now owns the bluray (and buying the Rey & BB-8 Hot Toys set for my daughter), I tend to agree with a good deal of the criticisms for the movie. TFA is essentially a soft reboot moreso than a direct sequel. I may dislike new internet terms like Mary Sue, but it pretty much applies to Rey. She basically excels at everything with little struggle, she's on the ultra fast track of being the most badass Jedi ever, and even the new kickass pilot of the Falcon with Chewie and R2D2 as her sidekicks. I thought Finn kept getting jobbed out of having his moment to shine. Poe is nothing but a plot device. Phasma is a total non-character used solely for marketing (cool looking storm trooper) purposes.
Overall, my biggest complaint was that the OT basically meant nothing. There's still an evil empire that's extremely well funded. Small-ish gang of Rebels on the run. No Jedis. A new version of Vader and Emperor. The SW universe is essentially in the same place it was when ANH began.
But with all that said, I still really enjoyed the movie. Bring on Ep 8.
CD'S BAR
Member
Yeah this scene stuck out to me even on first viewing. They each say "we both" like 2 times in a span of 7 seconds. Each is telling the other what the both of them did, as if they don't know. Lazy exposition.
plasmawave
Banned
It's coming out tomorrow.
SolicitorPirate
Member
GAF does this all the time. The people who enjoyed the work post in the initial thread and move on once they're about it come back to shit on the piece in later threads.
Just look at threads for games like Dragon Age Inquisition and Bioshock Infinite; widely beloved games, but if brought up in present day, the only people posting are the ones who think they're trash.
Hell, I did made a thread about Tales of Zestiria a few days ago, and the thread was almost exclusively shitting on the game. Granted, I didn't like it either and my OP probably set the tone, but the thread did not match the generally positive reception the game had when it was more relevant.
ohbaby
oh shit, thanks. i should probably watch the movie now then
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