Star Wars: Episode VII - The Force Awakens (USE SPOILER TAGS!)

[brps3]

Originally Posted by Packerfan75

One of my gripes about the film. I would've really appreciated a recap of the past 30 years to explain what happened, where they are now and how they got there. Something to summarize the state of the Republic, First Order and resistance as well as our 3 heroes goings on since then. Just to get up to speed.
I'm not so sure you know who is you know what yet. The way it was done and the follow up, or lack there of, leads me to believe we may see you know who again.

Im sure there will be books coming out to explain it all. Perhaps in the next movie they will get the audience up to speed on some of what has occured in the past 30 years.

[Rodney-2187]

JJ did Star Trek and now Star Wars. What's next? Battlestar Galactica? Im glad he practiced on Trek before doing Wars.

[Samus Aran]

Originally Posted by rodneyfaile

JJ did Star Trek and now Star Wars. What's next? Battlestar Galactica? Im glad he practiced on Trek before doing Wars.

Bryan Singer wanted to make a Galactica movie but I don't think it ever got off the ground.

[dubious]

Originally Posted by Samus Aran

Bryan Singer wanted to make a Galactica movie but I don't think it ever got off the ground.

It's hard material to cover in two hours, at best you're going need a trilogy.

[Bickle76]

Originally Posted by Packerfan75

One of my gripes about the film. I would've really appreciated a recap of the past 30 years to explain what happened, where they are now and how they got there. Something to summarize the state of the Republic, First Order and resistance as well as our 3 heroes goings on since then. Just to get up to speed.
I'm not so sure you know who is you know what yet. The way it was done and the follow up, or lack there of, leads me to believe we may see you know who again.

I felt the same way and still do to an extent, but when ANH came out there was no recap on prior events. It just threw you into it. Thing is we know some of these characters for such a long time now so we feel a bit cheated. All in all though what explanation do I really need. This is a serial- evil is defeated but never dies and so it returns and the battle for freedom rages on. Okay I'm interested.

[Packerfan75]

Originally Posted by Nocturnaloner

Where do you stand on the Prequels? Your quote here could be me, especially for Attack of the Clones.

As far as The Force Awakens is concerned, the reason I liked it so much that the new characters worked for me immediately.

there's no doubt in my mind that The Force Awakens is the better Star Wars movie. For that matter, it's better than muppet infested parts of Return of the Jedi as well. How did you only focus on 2 CGI characters, and miss all the amazing practical effects and costumes that were everywhere throughout the movie?

I have plenty to pick at for the prequels. Overuse of cgi, cartoon characters, romance with no chemistry between the actors etc. I have to give them 2 things that keep them in my collection though. They had some great Star Wars moments (Darth Maul, Yoda fighting, Obi Wan vs Anakin, pod race, light saber fights, space battles, etc) and they felt like Star Wars. There's a feel to these films that makes them different and reminds you it's Star Wars. I can't explain it, but I really missed that with VII. From the moment the camera panned down after the opening crawl to the end credits, I never felt like it was the same universe.
The new characters are fine but they were so rushed.

[Show spoiler]We barely meet Finn and he's defecting from the Order. I would've liked some more time and conflict with him before he did. He's kind of all over the place too. He wants to get away, he wants to be with Rey, he wants to fight and desperately wants to be the comedian. Rey didn't have to reach the level and ability she did in one movie. No one else has ever grasped so much, so quickly with no other knowledge or training. How could she even guess she could do a Jedi mind trick? How could she have a chance against Kylo in a fight when she had never even held a light saber before? It was just too much, too fast. They also all became best friends over such a short time. They barely knew each other and they're embracing like they've known each other their whole lives. Why not spread all of that over the 3 films? Make it believable. It's like they had a check list of all they wanted to accomplish but tried to cram it into one movie and didn't take the time to allow some kind of natural progression.

I'll take a real muppet over bad cgi any day. The practical effects only made the cg characters look that much worse. The worst part of it being that it was unnecessary. Those characters could've been real people in make-up. I don't know why they went cg there.

[poke smot]

my thoughts on the character Rey:

[Show spoiler]I too was a little baffled by the quick force progression of rey. then I remembered there was an awakening. maybe an awakening is for lack of a better term, a quick force progression.

Of course I loved the movie.

[Thomas Guycott]

The Force Awakens turned out exactly what I was hoping for in a Star Wars sequel, though it makes part of me annoyed because I can't help feel that the prequel trilogy could have been the same if Lucas hadn't cut all his creative connections back before Return of the Jedi.

[Norbie]

Originally Posted by Packerfan75

... I need the time to get acquainted before throwing them in conflict...

Did you feel the same when you saw Ep IV?

[Packerfan75]

Originally Posted by Norbie

Did you feel the same when you saw Ep IV?

I was a kid. I watched movies differently then. I know what you're trying to say but this is an established franchise now. IV was the first and didn't move nearly as quickly as this one does.

[Makarov]

If the prequel trilogy was like this one then we'd have 3 versions of A New Hope

I don't agree with some that this movie is soulless and I do think it's better than any of the prequels in most every way... but that those are so hated and this so loved makes me wonder. I wonder if popularity requires the fan service, constant reminders of the nostalgia towards the OT, and redoing what's come before. Not saying that is bad, this was a good point in time to do it, but I appreciate that the prequels aren't that.

[Samus Aran]

Originally Posted by Thomas Guycott

The Force Awakens turned out exactly what I was hoping for in a Star Wars sequel, though it makes part of me annoyed because I can't help feel that the prequel trilogy could have been the same if Lucas hadn't cut all his creative connections back before Return of the Jedi.

I'm not a prequel basher because I liked all three to varying degrees, but I do know fully well the acting, writing and directing are sub-par. The ideas were all there, just not the execution.

[kopitarrulez]

Man the nitpicking is cracking me up I knew these die hards would still hate this film just too much wrong with it. What were these goons expecting you knew it would be a reboot to set up the trilogy it just had to but whatever I loved it regardless saw it twice and never was disappointed.

[Thomas Guycott]

Originally Posted by Samus Aran

I'm not a prequel basher because I liked all three to varying degrees, but I do know fully well the acting, writing and directing are sub-par. The ideas were all there, just not the execution.

The one thing about the prequels which gets to me is that all three of them, TPM to a lesser degree but AOTC and ROTS especially, seem executed from first draft-quality material. If Lucas had taken the same approach with the PT that he did ESB, I imagine all three could have been stellar.

But it doesn't really matter anymore: I finally have what I want now as a Star Wars fan.

[Spirit Zero]

Max Landis didn't like TFA.

Star Wars The Force Awakens: Max Landis is sexist and Rey is a Mary Sue *spoilers* - YouTube

http://comicbook.com/2015/12/21/max-...force-awakens/

[Flexicon9]

Great film and I'd see it in 3-D again even though that's not usually the case... I'm surprised I preferred it that way. Loved the movie.

[Nightopian]

"Hey Cortana, do you like Star Wars?"

[Walts Ghost]

Originally Posted by Spirit Zero

Max Landis didn't like TFA.

Star Wars The Force Awakens: Max Landis is sexist and Rey is a Mary Sue *spoilers* - YouTube

http://comicbook.com/2015/12/21/max-...force-awakens/

That was posted already. Landis doesn't seem to like anything anymore. He's become a cynical and annoying with how he sees movies. He's always trying to "fix" movies by pitching how he would do it, or just attacking films for the sake of it. The guy is talented, I quite like Chronicle, but his personality has made him incredibly unlikable, and honestly, he just seems to be keeping his name out there as much as he can with things like this. His analysis of The Force Awakens is so widely off base it isn't even funny...But I guess if he's right, then Luke is Mary Sue too...Just saying.

Edit: This about sums it up for me...

[Packerfan75]

Originally Posted by Spirit Zero

Max Landis didn't like TFA.

Star Wars The Force Awakens: Max Landis is sexist and Rey is a Mary Sue *spoilers* - YouTube

http://comicbook.com/2015/12/21/max-...force-awakens/

I don't know who he is and I couldn't make it through his F Bomb laden speech but I agree that Rey is

[Show spoiler]overpowered. She can do just a few too many things. A little more weakness would go a long way because we can identify and sympathize with it. I also think there's something to be said for character progression. Luke couldn't do anything with the force in ANH till the very end and that was taking a shot. Rey seemed ready for action from the get go. She pretty much handled every situation she was in, including a fight with Kylo she shouldn't have stood a chance in. It would just be so much more believable if she took a beating, trained with Luke in episode VIII, then came back and put up a fight. She had never even handled a light saber before.

Because I'm a huge Star Wars fan, I feel I can criticize it's mistakes. I don't think it's right to just let things slide because it's Star Wars, acting like it can do no wrong. If I'd take issue with another film doing these things, which I would, I feel I have to call out the same things here. I do the same with my favorite teams and bands. It's because I care about it and hope for the best product possible. I feel some people look at their favorite franchises, directors, actors, etc like some parents do with their children, like they can do no wrong. I prefer to be honest about the things I love. I'm the biggest fan, yet the biggest critic because it matters to me. If it didn't, I wouldn't waste my time talking about it. At least that's how I see it.

[Walts Ghost]

Originally Posted by Packerfan75

I don't know who he is and I couldn't make it through his F Bomb laden speech but I agree that Rey is

[Show spoiler]overpowered. She can do just a few too many things. A little more weakness would go a long way because we can identify and sympathize with it. I also think there's something to be said for character progression. Luke couldn't do anything with the force in ANH till the very end and that was taking a shot. Rey seemed ready for action from the get go. She pretty much handled every situation she was in, including a fight with Kylo she shouldn't have stood a chance in. It would just be so much more believable if she took a beating, trained with Luke in episode VIII, then came back and put up a fight. She had never even handled a light saber before.

Because I'm a huge Star Wars fan, I feel I can criticize it's mistakes. I don't think it's right to just let things slide because it's Star Wars, acting like it can do no wrong. If I'd take issue with another film doing these things, which I would, I feel I have to call out the same things here. I do the same with my favorite teams and bands. It's because I care about it and hope for the best product possible. I feel some people look at their favorite franchises, directors, actors, etc like some parents do with their children, like they can do no wrong. I prefer to be honest about the things I love. I'm the biggest fan, yet the biggest critic because it matters to me. If it didn't, I wouldn't waste my time talking about it. At least that's how I see it.

Well, you may have not seen everything:

[Show spoiler]Rey is clearly already trained in The Force. That's why she picks things up so easily. But it also helps she's been on a scrapyard for years, having to literally fight for survival. Whatever was left of her training, that she clearly doesn't remember, has been actively used by her to survive on Jakku. As the movie goes, and she finds the lightsaber, we see that it unlocks even more, awakening inside her.

As for not handling a lightsaber, it's safe to say she has, because she was being trained in the ways of the Force, at one time. But even if she hadn't, her skills on Jakku came into play, and her survival instincts kicked in. With Kylo already physically hurt, which continues to go overlooked, and the fact he himself isn't fully trained, of course she stands a chance against him. Not to mention he doesn't actually want to hurt her, he wants to turn her to the Dark Side. All these things come into play in how the things played out, so it's not about being overpowered at all. It's just about narrative beats.

We'll learn a lot more about this I'm sure over the next two movies, but that movie was pretty clear in what it was trying to portray in who and what Rey is, and why she is the way she is.