Star Wars Episode VII: The Force Awakens [SPOILERS]

[Alyxx Thorne]

Wow, that's totally not my experience but I respect your opinion...

[Jeb_CC]

@Vappy: Aw cooome oooon... at least say you enjoyed it. Come on, I know you did, at least a little. Coooome ooon~ What if I stare all adorably into your eyes? Will that make you confess your enjoyment towards it? Hehe.

 

I really liked this movie. It was funny, had cute droids, and awesome lightsabre fights. XD That's all that's required to keep ME happy. And that's all I have to say about it, cause I fear I will offend every single SW fan for saying the wrong names or just wrong facts about the series in general. XP

[Pinkie Pie]

My immediate reaction upon seeing the movie was that it was great. My only problem was Carrie Fisher and her false teeth ruining my vision of an older Princess Leia. But all in all, I thoroughly enjoyed the movie and can't wait for sequels.

 

In hindsight, the film has more than a few issues. Our main heroine, Rey, is a total Mary Sue; the New Republic gets wiped out and we have no reason to care; the plot is pretty much a repeat of much of the original trilogy (which I don't have a major problem with but you could argue it's an issue) and it can get a little TOO comedic at times. I laughed at almost every joke but it did seem to get too funny.

 

However, I am firmly of the opinion that the good of the film far outweighs the mediocre. I think it's one of the best Star Wars films to date, right around Empire Strikes Back though probably not surpassing it. Kylo Ren and his Darth Vader fanboy vibe is my favorite character. He's just intriguing to me as to why he would do what he does. Han Solo and Chewie were great and it was great to see them again. All in all, I had a lot of fun with this movie.

 

If I could have fixed a few things, I think I'd tone down Rey's OP-ness. In this, it just seems too sudden for her to be able to do a lot of the stuff she does when she hasn't had any training. They might explain this in the future (a certain familial relation, perhaps) but it's a bit jarring to me and as-is she just seems to be perfect without any real indication as to why. I'd have made Poe more prominent as Oscar Isaac is incredibly likable in this movie and I would have maybe spent a minute to actually, funnily enough, explain the politics of SW. What is the connection between the New Republic and the Resistance? How did the First Order come about and when? We don't even see any of the Knights of Ren outside of a certain quick scene, how exactly did Kylo get wrapped up in all of that?

 

I'm sure much of this will be explained in future movies but as-is, it leaves some gaping holes in the story right now.

 

As it stands for the SW saga, I'd rate it as

 

The Empire Strikes Back - 8.8/10

The Force Awakens - 8.7/10

A New Hope - 8.5/10

Return of the Jedi - 8.3/10

Revenge of the Sith - 6.5/10

The Phantom Menace - 6.0/10

Attack of the Clones - 5.7/10

 

I've seen quite a few people voice their opinions for why this film was as bad as the Prequels but to be honest, I haven't seen a good enough argument to support this. It just comes across as people having contrarian opinions because they want to look 'edgy'. Because not liking one of the most anticipated movies of the year is 'edgy'. I'm not saying it's perfect, but it definitely beats out the Prequels by a large margin.

[Alyxx Thorne]

I didn't mind that it had some humor to it. The Star Wars movies always have.

[Vapymid]

@Jeb: Well, I did enjoy the spectacle, the eye-candy and the 3D - I love stereo vision, you know... But I lost the connection with the movie and the characters quite early into the film this time...

 

@Alyxx: I don't mind humour either, when it's witty and there is a balanced measure of it. I don't like it when it turns the movie into a self-referential fan in-joke fest, though...

 

@Pinkie:

I've seen quite a few people voice their opinions for why this film was as bad as the Prequels

Well, I'm not saying that... I actually think the Prequels are far superior to TFA

the plot is pretty much a repeat of much of the original trilogy

That basically killed it for me outright. I wanted to see a NEW episode, not a hollowed out remake of the original movie. Which is basically what TFA is. Except they couldn't even do it right this time.

 

The main problem is that the movie totally lacks any semblance of a plot. There simply is no reason why finding a retired grumpy old man and reuniting him with his long lost toy, might be so important. Even if it is - there is no reason why the task of sending the said toy to him could not have been given to an Amazon delivery drone... Even with all that - the whole movie tries to build itself around "we need to find Luke" so hard. Yet, to find Luke they pretty much just had to plug R2D2 into a wall socket. Oh, but - oi, look! There's another of dem Deathstars in dem thar space! Nevermind, just shoot the bugger, that's what the public wants...

 

I could have closed my eyes on a lot of plot holes and little inconsistencies. And the bad dialogue and lame jokes and wooden acting - it's Star Wars, after all... But the absence of any cohesive plot and the ripping off of the original's scenes - that proved too much for me to bear, sorry...

 

Regards

[Alyxx Thorne]

I guess your enjoyment of Ep. 7 depends on how much you'll mind the fact it basically borrows the entire plot from the original trilogy.

 

I dunno, for me it was alright. I still loved the movie.

[BTGBullseye]

Yeah, it was a lot like those, but there were some good new things... Like the lockdown ties for the TIE fighters, weapons on the TIE fighters upgraded to turrets, more durable TIE fighters that take more than 1 hit to kill, more realistic impact visuals, sniping, a black guy stormtrooper, even bigger holograms, solid color holograms, a completely different droid type, a black guy stormtrooper, blue lasers, mini sabers on the sides of a real lightsaber... Oh, and did I mention, a black guy as a stormtrooper?

 

Honestly, Fin would be an excellent replacement for Han, provided he learns to fly and repair the Falcon. (he has the attitude down) I also noticed that one of the rebel pilots was Greg Grunberg. (the guy from Heroes who could control minds) I don't recall them killing him, so if he survived, he better become one of the new Jedi. (specializing in mind control)

 

Finally, something that I probly won't remember saying because my mind isn't working right... Carrie Fisher is old and fat... And Mark Hamill has a nice beard going, looks a lot like George Lucas.

[Alyxx Thorne]

Yeah, age hasn't been kind to poor Carrie. But Mark Hamill looks badass.

[Vapymid]

But Mark Hamill looks badass.

Well, he's our only hope then!

 

But, Alyxx, yes - you got the essence of my grudge against that movie captured fairly accurately.

 

Regards

[BTGBullseye]

But Mark Hamill looks badass.

Almost no resemblance at all to Cock Knocker.

[Pinkie Pie]

Well, I'm not saying that... I actually think the Prequels are far superior to TFA

k den

[Descriptor]

Yeah, age hasn't been kind to poor Carrie. But Mark Hamill looks badass.

This may sound weird, but I swear that Leia reminded me of Hilary Clinton. I don't mean that as like some sort of political knock. Just that I got a Hilary Clinton vibe from her. Something about the facial structure and older look and all.

And I actually really enjoyed Finn's character. That whole vaguely incompetent hero thing was actually pretty endearing. Like some normal guy who just keeps getting roped further and further into the insanity.

 

So how long until we find out that he's like Lando Calrissian's son or something? I kinda hope that's not the case, though. I'm tired of the same group of families basically constantly roping the whole galaxy into their chicanery all the time. We need more newcomers. I mean, heck, what are the odds that Rey is Luke's daughter? I definitely got that vibe (although ditching her on a desert planet somehow would make Luke a worse dad than Han was, so that seems odd. But then, maybe he just considers it a family tradition at this point).

 

Also I was so-so on Rey. She was kinda obnoxious some of the time ("Don't take my hand", well what would you he rather do? Shove you away? Let you get exploded. It's a crisis situation for goodness sake. I get that it's meant to be an establishing character moment, but it's still kinda obnoxious). But overall, her character did prove to be fairly interesting.

 

And I can't wait to hear more from Bo Derrick or whatever the pilot guy was called. He definitely had that Han snarkyness to him.

Also Han was great. Not that it even needs to be said. But it does, because he was great.

 

As for the over-reliance on Star Wars pandering, yeah, there was definitely a lot of that there. Sorta like how the 2nd Abrams Star Trek movie literally re-did the ending to Wrath of Khan (but reversed). And yeah, they didn't really explain why Luke is so key to all of this (other than the fact that he's Luke Skywalker and all). I'm honestly surprised that they had him in this movie at all. But at the end of the day, I thought that at the very least, this movie got the tone pretty right. Much closer to the original trilogy than the prequels were. I mean, yeah, that's partially because it basically was a repeat of the original trilogy, but I'd say it still counts for something. It does make me look forward to the sequel at least. And the Rifftrax commentary!

 

And to be fair, it wasn't just another Death Star. It was a bigger, solar-powered Death Star. That looked totally cooler when they blowed up that planet that could be seen from that other planet somehow. Also, it was also a planet. So that seemed cool too.

[ScottD.Betson]

Mark Hamill has a nice beard going, looks a lot like George Lucas.

so he looks like the guy who was apart of Zoetrope Studios and had to have people help him direct his films because they were so goddamned dull that no one could watch them? and thats also the same guy who allowed the cantina band music have its genre be named (I am not kidding you): "Jizz" did Jean Claude Van Damme become best friends with George when he did that? because thats possibly how he prounounces Jazz, and he doesnt instead look like an evil psycho who is locked up by the Batman? he looks like the man who said he was retiring from anything to do with film, the next he freaking sells his soul to Disney!!! soo Mark Hamill looks like that? or did i miss the memo that did not say: LUKE HAS DISAPPEARED FOR 30 GODDAMNED YEARS!!!

[DeWolfeJV]

I saw it at the debut screening in my country and I'm glad I did. I've seen so many people intentionally spoiling the film. It's atrocious. As for the film: I absolutely enjoyed it. It blew all of my expectations and I felt I was watching something magical transpire. I'm going to see it again on the 29th with my stepfather.

[DeWolfeJV]

The Empire Strikes Back - 8.8/10

The Force Awakens - 8.7/10

A New Hope - 8.5/10

Return of the Jedi - 8.3/10

Revenge of the Sith - 6.5/10

The Phantom Menace - 6.0/10

Attack of the Clones - 5.7/10

 

I agree with these ratings.

[BTGBullseye]

Well, if we're rating them...

 

A New Hope: 9.2/10

Empire Strikes Back: 7.6/10

Return of the Jedi: 8.3/10

The Phantom Menace: 6.2/10

Attack of the Clones: 7.0/10

Revenge of the Sith: 5.5/10

The Force Awakens: 8.0/10

 

Mark Hamill has a nice beard going, looks a lot like George Lucas.

so he looks like the guy who was apart of Zoetrope Studios and had to have people help him direct his films because they were so goddamned dull that no one could watch them? and thats also the same guy who allowed the cantina band music have its genre be named (I am not kidding you): "Jizz" did Jean Claude Van Damme become best friends with George when he did that? because thats possibly how he prounounces Jazz, and he doesnt instead look like an evil psycho who is locked up by the Batman? he looks like the man who said he was retiring from anything to do with film, the next he freaking sells his soul to Disney!!! soo Mark Hamill looks like that? or did i miss the memo that did not say: LUKE HAS DISAPPEARED FOR 30 GODDAMNED YEARS!!!

I see you're one of those that likes to flame people that make the work, and not take the work itself into consideration.

[ScottD.Betson]

No, Im the kind of person who has seen some off the uncut work he did when he was younger, and even I had issues with watching some of his work, and im sort of shocked George says Im done then the next goes and sells his goose to Disney, I feel like it may have been better to have it still be used under license at Disneyland and where ever theres a star tours so he could still make money off of it.

and again did I miss the memo on that Mark Hamills character dissappeared for an x amount of years, for all we know after Ben killed everyone he could have very well gone to Dantooine and that is very well where he could have been discovered, we dont know....

 

 

but if we are rating the films, im waiting until the entirity of the films are completed before I rate any of them....

[danielsangeo]

Here's how I would rate Episode 7 (I'm going to call them by numbers to keep them straight):

 

From best to worst:

Episode 4 (10/10)

Episode 5 (9/10)

Episode 6 (9/10)

Episode 7 (8/10)

Episode 3 (6/10)

Episode 2 (5/10)

Episode 1 (3/10)

 

Even my dad, who isn't a Star Wars junkie like me, said that 7 bore a strong resemblance to 4. My biggest complaints about 7 were already laid out in the "Rate the Last Movie you saw." thread.

 

I'd just add that I wish that the camera wasn't too close to the action in 7 and I would've love to see a more grander vista during the firefights, in space and on the ground. I wish that the New Order's stormtroopers would've been more bunched together instead of spread out. I understand that it was probably more realistic for the stormtroopers to spread out, but it didn't feel Star Wars-y enough for me.

 

Still is better than the prequel trilogy by miles, though.

[Vapymid]

Still is better than the prequel trilogy by miles, though.

 

Not, it's not, actually...

 

TFA, or Episode 7, as you call it, is nothing but a bit of Star Wars porn for aficionados - aw! a cude droid! oh! a Death Star! oi, look - a lightsaber, an X-wing, a Tie fighter, a... ahhh...

 

But once you look into it after the initial euphoria wears off - it's actually nothing. A recycled, contrived and disjointed plot, forgettable characters, flat jokes, stupid dialogue.

 

The prequels at least had the grandeur of vision behind them, all the political intrigue, the insight into the Galazy, how it worked, how it lived, how it fought. The prequels made Clone Wars possible and allowed the best and most interesting of the EU books to appear. TFA on the other hand does not show anything about the Galaxy, its whys and wherefores.

 

So, I can easily forgive the faults of the prequels as movies because they have the galactic plot to prop them up. With TFA, once you take away the faults of it as a movie - there's nothing left.

 

Regards

[Blightmare]

Both TFA and the original trilogy are more similar in my eyes, less because TFA is a "copy" but more because it took inspiration from the formula of Ep 4 as well as followed very closely to a storytelling method called "The Heroes Journey", so closely in fact that for a class I took involving storytelling, we had to break down A New Hope into the 12 stages. TFA follows those 12 stages while attempting to capture the feel of the original series.

 

Having seen TFA twice now and episode 4 far more times than I can count, I can definitely see the parallels, but I still wouldn't call it a copy. I happened to very much enjoy TFA, loved the characters, and am glad that I got that "Star Wars" feel I never got from the prequels. Still wouldn't pit it against the original trilogy, most probably due to heavy nostalgia goggles, but I definitely enjoyed it much more than the prequels.