The Force Awakens - Thoughts and Reactions (SPOILERS WITHIN)

[Caine]

I really don't see why people loved it, the younger of my 2 daughters that went with me fell asleep and the older one watched rogue nation on her phone after the first 25 minutes.

That entire movie accomplished nothing but setting up it's own sequel I gave up a days sleep before working tonight for that rubbish.

A screening for 200 and it had no more then 40 people in the room and not even half that many liked it.

@Jake I'm definitely with you.

 

[Andrewza]

It a. Toss up between second or third best star wars movie. Its not the best though but probaly my favourite movie of the year. What i liked where the dog fights. They just seemed so good far better than any other star wars show or movie. The storm troopers where all so cool. They where no push overs.


The final duel. That rocked on so many levels.

 

[Galad J. Victus]

I think the movie was enjoyable. It had it's certain flaws, but that much can be tolerated. I'm not going to go into detail but it wasn't a disappointment, not for me at least.

Yes, it has a lot of similarities with A New Hope. We all know JJ wanted to take the safer path here and we can't blame him for it. I optimistically believe that the next two films will be legendary. Abrams made a safe landing with the first installment here, we have every reason to believe that things will only improve in the future.

Oh by the way, I cried in the opening. not really

 

[Raydo]

I should say I am a terrible critic of movies. I enjoy watching just about everything the first time (Like when people were dying on the inside about the prequels, I generally enjoyed them). With that being said, I loved this movie. I couldn't find a single character I disliked. I think they did an amazing job bringing together the older and newer generations of Star Wars fans in preparation.

I will go see it again when the movies are less crowded. Something about people clapping in movies sets off just about every nerve I have.

9/10

 

[Jake]

Alright, these are my thoughts. Only read if you want a more negative opinion before going in.

Spoiler

Before I start to dig into Episode VII, I just want to say that overall I think it was a better movie than the prequels, and that the trilogy overall has the potential to be very entertaining and even to redeem Star Wars, perhaps. I went in with pretty much no expectations, having only seen the original trailers when the movie was announced, and only mildly outraged that they were going to disregard the work of dozens of authors who contributed to the expanded universe so they could suck a little (a lot) more cash out of the cow.

However, I felt like we were thrown into a conflict that was literally the exact same as the one in A New Hope. Even the opening crawl made me feel that way. In fact the whole movie felt derivative. Rey is literally Anakin from Ep 1, down to (practically) being a slave to an alien merchant on a desert backwater. The only kind of character development we see for Finn is that he has a problem carrying out his orders... He felt like the token Disney character, because there was nothing realistic about the story arc he's had whatsoever. I know that they teased a little with Rey's past but I really felt like they underdeveloped the protagonists.

In my opinion, the whole thing about Poe's death was really lazily executed... The tie fighter they were in sank into the sand and exploded, Finn looked around to see where he was and couldn't find him, and then he miraculously reappeared in a fighter halfway through a battle on another planet.

The new Death Star seemed like a really arbitrary plot device that didn't even have the dramatic build up of the old one. It felt like JJ Abrams needed an excuse for the current threat of the Imperials and just shoehorned in a bigger, badder Death Star for the sake of having one... I mean, the Republic and a whole system of planets got blown up in a five minute seen and only received a few references about the evil power of the First Order in the rest of the film.

I'm starting to feel bad focusing on all the movie's negative aspects, but I feel like my biggest complaint is that JJ Abrams barely made a Star Wars movie here. If we didn't have the few familiar concepts he left, the old characters and the Jedi and the Force that makes Star Wars what it is, it felt like JJ Abrams made up a new universe for his movie. Scanning the backgrounds I found maybe two or three aliens from the series in the whole thing (a Sullustan and what I thought might be a Gran in one of the cantinas), and considering the hundreds and hundreds of worlds and creatures that he could have chosen from to make the whole thing feel a little more authentic to the fans, he just ignored everything that existed previously to turn out some pretty shoddily designed aliens for the background sets.

But anyway, I really liked the effects, the aliens Han captured for those two rival groups (no idea why there wasn't even an attempt to throw an alien in the crowd there), the one at the watering hole on Jakku, the character design, and I thought Kylo Ren and the other general of the First Order along with the Supreme Leader all have the potential to be very interesting... As does the trilogy, if it stops being so derivative. I'd like to see some more references to the Galaxy I know and love but I'm not expecting many.

@Caine Yeah, I was pretty disappointed. I think the other movies could be better but maybe I am just keeping my hope alive.

 

[Nephill Kilner]

@Jake and @Caine, I join you in what seems to be the minority of disappointed fans.
^This. You hit it on the nail for me.
Very tired but still feeling the raw, very mixed emotions from the film and want to add my 2 cents. I saw the movie 2 hours away from me and used the drive to really reflect and these are the things that ruined the film for me

Spoiler

- Agree with Jake wholeheartedly about the aliens. The only aliens included were recognizable Rebellion leaders. Why ignore the hundreds of species that have been created by the canon films, if not the EU in favor of some random species which have no backstory and offer nothing for us fans to relate to?
- This film is fundamentally a reboot of the trilogy. It repeats the same tropes, except they came off as way rushed without much development (the trapped young person on the desert backwater, the great conflict between Empire and Rebels, and imminent peril by an ultimate weapon). But really out of the millions of potential storylines for a new trilogy, they chose to just rehash A New Hope in a much less put together effort?

I mean, nothing essentially has changed since the trilogy?? Except now the Rebellion is called "the Resistance" a la Terminator and the Empire is now "the First Order?" Hm. Also, how in 30 years are the Jedi now semi-mythical? Surely not enough time has passed that nobody remembers the powers of Luke and Vader and the Emperor.
- I found Finn to be annoying, or at least the way they've used him so far. His humor (as well as a lot of the humor in the film) seemed so forced and outright corny. Constantly using him for comic relief almost makes him this film's Jar Jar, and it just really seemed dissonant for me since this is a man who's been trained to kill since he was small. For example with the humor, Poe's lines with Kylo "who talks first" took away for me profoundly from the severity of a serious scene in which Poe is captured in the midst of trying to avenge someone.
- Actually, Rey too seems very one-dimensional so far...well I guess all the characters. There's so limited character development that I don't feel like I really even know these no characters or relate to them. To be honest, I really only cared about the original cast.
- RIP Han. Became apparent pretty fast since Harrison got so much screen time, but it still hurt to see him die because there's no real meaning in the scene because we don't know anything about this Ben/Kylo Ren. This has to be one of my BIGGEST issues with this new universe is that Han and Leia's son is some Dark Sider - his fall could be a movie in itself and I don't think that exploring it through flashback in this trilogy was the best narrative strategy. Like maybe after the whole trilogy is out the Han death scene will be more meaningful but right now it just seemed like Harrison just finally got the exit he always wanted, lol.
- Both Finn and Rey essentially just picked up a lightsaber and started swinging, and the latter was even able to beat a trained Dark Jedi/Sith? Also, Rey performs a completely untrained Jedi mind trick, which is one of the more advanced Force powers? lolwut?
- THE BLASTERS SOUNDED LIKE PHASERS. WHAT HAPPENED TO THE BLASTER SOUNDS WE ALL KNOW AND LOVE?
- Kylo Ren and Snoke completely differ from the paradigm of antagonists in Star Wars and to me do not resemble Star Wars villains. Kylo does not look like a Sith to me (Darth Maul, Darth Vader, etc.). Snoke seems to derive his power to intimidate from physical size, whereas the villains in SW have always been notable for projecting power beyond just physical size. Sure Darth Vader is tall, but this God-like stature that Snoke has is another level.
- The New Republic is destroyed just like that huh? Also, why do we need a Resistance if we have a New Republic? Once again, this movie exists completely on an island and I have no idea how these gaping continuity issues will be resolved.
- This might be on the more nitpicky side, but I don't buy into Luke running away from things. That seems directly out of character - did he ever run from Vader and the Emperor? He always had Anakin's bullish instincts to run towards the fire, not away. I don't see how an uppity apprentice scares off the greatest Jedi Master of his time.

I mean for me the plot was just weak and full of holes fundamentally and all over the place. Not a good effort, not a compelling story.

There's other things that bothered me, but that's it for now

After the movie was over, I just sat there and felt like the Star Wars I've known and loved all of my life is gone, replaced by this rebooted alternate universe. For me, I'll be holding onto the EU as my canon because it always felt so distinctly Star Wars. After my pre-Force Awakens marathon, I also feel strongly that the prequels also have a distinct Star Wars feel. This new film did not feel like Star Wars to me. It felt like generic scifi. All of my worst fears were essentially realized, and honestly I doubt I'll see this "Episode VIII" (which I think we should all be concerned about, even if you liked "Episode VII" on account of the inexperience of the director).
I also don't mean to put a damper on anyone else's excitement over the film - maybe I'm just too stuck in the past, but this film really just didn't do it for me. I'll be curious to see what others think and have to add to the conversation over the coming days.

 

[Tristyn]

Just watched it a half an hour ago in IMAX 3D and freakin' loved it! Because I hate writing in paragraphs I'll just list my pros and cons for the movie ;)

Spoiler

Pros

• The special effects and CGI made it feel very real and since I was watching in 3D I couldn't help but get goose bumps watching it. The blaster effects, the star fighters, the explosions and that massive star destroyer were epic
• The characters were really likable. Finn was awesome because of how awkward and serious he could be. Rey was also very cool and baddass and when I I saw Han and Chewy I got so excited. Those 4 characters were really awesome
• The storyline was very easy to follow and yet very well done and gripping.
• The lightsaber duel in the end was very exciting and sounded and looked amazing. Especially when Rey was the one kicking ass in the end
• The dogfights were awesome. Enough said.
• The jokes were funny unlike the previous movies.
• The First Order are much deadlier and cooler than the Empire
• Rey is Force-senstive. We have never had a female Jedi lead before. Cannot wait for the next movie to see her as a Jedi

Cons

• The Order Needs more explanation, it felt very rushed and unexplained
• Lack of familiar races, I only remembered seeing one Sullustan and a Mon Calamari and a wookiee. Plus the humans of course. I would've like to see some Twi'leks, Kel Dor, Zabraks, Rodians and all those races we know and love.
• Bares way to much resemblance to the Original Trilogy, the main factions and state of the galaxy is basically the same.
• Han Solo died. Nooooooooo!!!!!!!!!! Seriously? What the hell? I still don't know why Kylo would do that. It makes no sense.
• Captain Phasma was pointless, why was she there? She could've been replaced by a regular trooper. It would make no difference
• Where was the Republic? I'm sure they could've been seen some more.

My verdict: 10/10. I loved it.

 

[Tristyn]

@Jake and @Caine, I join you in what seems to be the minority of disappointed fans.
^This. You hit it on the nail for me.
Very tired but still feeling the raw, very mixed emotions from the film and want to add my 2 cents. I saw the movie 2 hours away from me and used the drive to really reflect and these are the things that ruined the film for me

Spoiler

- Agree with Jake wholeheartedly about the aliens. The only aliens included were recognizable Rebellion leaders. Why ignore the hundreds of species that have been created by the canon films, if not the EU in favor of some random species which have no backstory and offer nothing for us fans to relate to?
- This film is fundamentally a reboot of the trilogy. It repeats the same tropes, except they came off as way rushed without much development (the trapped young person on the desert backwater, the great conflict between Empire and Rebels, and imminent peril by an ultimate weapon). But really out of the millions of potential storylines for a new trilogy, they chose to just rehash A New Hope in a much less put together effort?

I mean, nothing essentially has changed since the trilogy?? Except now the Rebellion is called "the Resistance" a la Terminator and the Empire is now "the First Order?" Hm. Also, how in 30 years are the Jedi now semi-mythical? Surely not enough time has passed that nobody remembers the powers of Luke and Vader and the Emperor.
- I found Finn to be annoying, or at least the way they've used him so far. His humor (as well as a lot of the humor in the film) seemed so forced and outright corny. Constantly using him for comic relief almost makes him this film's Jar Jar, and it just really seemed dissonant for me since this is a man who's been trained to kill since he was small. For example with the humor, Poe's lines with Kylo "who talks first" took away for me profoundly from the severity of a serious scene in which Poe is captured in the midst of trying to avenge someone.
- Actually, Rey too seems very one-dimensional so far...well I guess all the characters. There's so limited character development that I don't feel like I really even know these no characters or relate to them. To be honest, I really only cared about the original cast.
- RIP Han. Became apparent pretty fast since Harrison got so much screen time, but it still hurt to see him die because there's no real meaning in the scene because we don't know anything about this Ben/Kylo Ren. This has to be one of my BIGGEST issues with this new universe is that Han and Leia's son is some Dark Sider - his fall could be a movie in itself and I don't think that exploring it through flashback in this trilogy was the best narrative strategy. Like maybe after the whole trilogy is out the Han death scene will be more meaningful but right now it just seemed like Harrison just finally got the exit he always wanted, lol.
- Both Finn and Rey essentially just picked up a lightsaber and started swinging, and the latter was even able to beat a trained Dark Jedi/Sith? Also, Rey performs a completely untrained Jedi mind trick, which is one of the more advanced Force powers? lolwut?
- THE BLASTERS SOUNDED LIKE PHASERS. WHAT HAPPENED TO THE BLASTER SOUNDS WE ALL KNOW AND LOVE?
- Kylo Ren and Snoke completely differ from the paradigm of antagonists in Star Wars and to me do not resemble Star Wars villains. Kylo does not look like a Sith to me (Darth Maul, Darth Vader, etc.). Snoke seems to derive his power to intimidate from physical size, whereas the villains in SW have always been notable for projecting power beyond just physical size. Sure Darth Vader is tall, but this God-like stature that Snoke has is another level.

I mean for me the plot was just weak and full of holes fundamentally and all over the place. Not a good effort, not a compelling story.

There's other things that bothered me, but that's it for now

After the movie was over, I just sat there and felt like the Star Wars I've known and loved all of my life is gone, replaced by this rebooted alternate universe. For me, I'll be holding onto the EU as my canon because it always felt so distinctly Star Wars. After my pre-Force Awakens marathon, I also feel strongly that the prequels also have a distinct Star Wars feel. This new film did not feel like Star Wars to me. It felt like generic scifi. All of my worst fears were essentially realized, and honestly I doubt I'll see this "Episode VIII" (which I think we should all be concerned about, even if you liked "Episode VII" on account of the inexperience of the director).
I also don't mean to put a damper on anyone else's excitement over the film - maybe I'm just too stuck in the past, but this film really just didn't do it for me. I'll be curious to see what others think and have to add to the conversation over the coming days.

Oh yeah that reminds me. It's an alternate universe. That's very annoying because the EU was awesome. But enjoyed the move none the less.

 

[The Afterman]

Overall, I really enjoyed this movie, although I do have to ride the gripe train that @Jake is conducting; there were way too many similar elements from the original trilogy, seemingly just for the sake of throwing the fans a bone. Which, again, don't get me wrong, I think is cool, but it just felt rehashed.

Still a great movie, however, and I enjoyed seeing it.

 

[Jaime]

Just a small theory on Kylo Ren:

Spoiler

It's a long shot, but ever since the scene where Kylo is communing with Vader's helmet, it had me thinking. It can't be the spirit of our favorite Sith Lord showing him "the power of the darkness". It just seems like Anakin, who was redeemed in the eyes of the Force at the end of RotJ, would logically not attempt to bring anyone to the dark side again.

My theory is that Snoke is using his powers and influence over Kylo to make him believe he is communing with his long lost grandfather, when in actuality, the "spirit" or "energy" within the helmet is Snoke.

 

[Arcangel]

"We think they may be splitting up"

 

[Prudence]

I really don't see why people loved it, the younger of my 2 daughters that went with me fell asleep and the older one watched rogue nation on her phone after the first 25 minutes.

That entire movie accomplished nothing but setting up it's own sequel I gave up a days sleep before working tonight for that rubbish.

A screening for 200 and it had no more then 40 people in the room and not even half that many liked it.

@Jake I'm definitely with you.

Are you certain you didn't go see the Chipmunks 3?

I'll be posting my full review later today.

 

[Tristyn]

I really don't see why people loved it, the younger of my 2 daughters that went with me fell asleep and the older one watched rogue nation on her phone after the first 25 minutes.

That entire movie accomplished nothing but setting up it's own sequel I gave up a days sleep before working tonight for that rubbish.

A screening for 200 and it had no more then 40 people in the room and not even half that many liked it.

@Jake I'm definitely with you.

Like seriously? Just no comment. I can get really bitchy so I'm just gonna say nothing but that our theaters were packed and every one seemed to enjoy it.

 

[EmilyHuene]

This coming from someone who has only watched the movies, can we acknowledge the fact that the blue saber the characters find is the one that Luke lost in Cloud City? He made a new one for The Return, which was green. They made it seem like Luke left his life and his saber behind. Maybe I'm wrong because they didn't say that specifically, it's just the vibe I got. If 2017 comes around and they say "hey where did you find that?" And don't make any recognition of the fact he already has his green one, I'll be upset.

 

[EmilyHuene]

Oh, and one other thing that really annoyed me, for any Heroes fans out there, why did they cast Matt Parkman?! It kept pulling me out of the mood. I kept wanting to scream at the screen, "God damnit Matt Parkman! Go back to Heroes!" LOL. That being said, I love heroes, and I love Greg Grunberg. It was just weird seeing him in another film.

 

[Phil]

I really don't see why people loved it, the younger of my 2 daughters that went with me fell asleep and the older one watched rogue nation on her phone after the first 25 minutes.

Shame on you for being that "that guy" in the theater. Shame on you.

 

[Caine]

Meh we moved to the back so nobody was disturbed by it I'm not that big of a jerk.

 

[Green Ranger]

One thing you have to remember is that the rules have completely changed. When you have gripes that are along the lines of 'this usn't the Star Wars I know' and are disappointed that there aren't more EU elements, then, well, you walked in with bad expectations to begin with.

 

[Caine]

Ehhh I didn't judge it on that, I judged it on the fact that almost every single character from the original trilogy is gone with no explanations, it tells you basically nothing about the new main characters literally all you get is I'm waiting for my family or I was kidnapped as a kid, nothing about the republic, nothing about how the empire fell, almost nothing about the new empire, almost nothing about the older characters or what's happened to them in 30 years, there all just random faces that have been pulled from the original trilogy and given a new paint job.

All it did was set up hundreds of questions and then leave you with no answers to wait for the sequel.

 

[Green Ranger]

Ehhh I didn't judge it on that, I judged it on the fact that almost every single character from the original trilogy is gone with no explanations, it tells you basically nothing about the new main characters literally all you get is I'm waiting for my family or I was kidnapped as a kid, nothing about the republic, nothing about how the empire fell, almost nothing about the new empire, almost nothing about the older characters or what's happened to them in 30 years, there all just random faces that have been pulled from the original trilogy and given a new paint job.

All it did was set up hundreds of questions and then leave you with no answers to wait for the sequel.

I mean, that was never going to be what the sequels were about anyway. This waa always going to be about the next generation, not the continued adventures of the gang. The galaxy's changed (granted, not that much), and so new heroes and new people are needed to step into the fight.

EDIT: Also, just to clarify, I think there are certainly valid criticisms that you can make, I'm just saying some of the ones mentioned here are the product of unrealistic expectations more than anything.