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

[StevenHarvey1990]

Have to say, I thoroughly enjoyed the film! It hits all the moments you want to hit and gets the 'feels' coursing through your veins right from the first line of the crawl, and what a brilliant crawl it is. Succinct and straight to the point with no mention of tax federations and the like In the most rudimentary sense it's a 'Star Wars' film. It had that intangible magic the prequels lost somewhere so it was so good to get that feeling back.

JJ Abrams had a seemingly insurmountable task in that he had to balance decades of history, the re-introduction of the key characters, the introduction of the new blood and add enough back story for the gaps in between without getting too expository. All in a relatively short film! He did a fantastic job and I say that as someone who thinks the guy is merely a better than average Director. He smashed it! I didn't notice any lens flares either, though I'm sure they were there, I'm comfortable saying there were significantly less than he's used in the past.

Speaking of comfortable, it's a word that sums the film up quite well. We're eased back into Star Wars in a familiar fashion.

[Show spoiler]The Force Awakens is pretty much a soft reboot of A New Hope and to be honest it's not necessarily a bad thing. Like I said, JJ had to do a lot in not a lot of time so I can forgive the economical 'Star Wars Greatest Hits' vibe, but only for this film, if Episode VIII is in the same mould in that it is a plot point, by plot point, beat for beat, retread of Empire Strike Back I'll be pissed and likely hate the film.

For this one however, I get it. Get everyone re-familiarized and settled then wow us in the next instalment. That's fair.

The cast were excellent. Ford wasn't just playing Ford, I saw only Han Solo, and it was glorious. Great to see Carrie Fisher as Leia. The returning cast were good, Ford being the stand out but OMG the new characters were great! That's not hyperbole, they were great. Some were a little undercooked but I got just about enough from everyone. Finn, Kylo and BB8 are brilliant!

There are flaws. The aforementioned economic handling of the plot, character and action was fine, and kinda necessary but won't play as well on repeat viewings (even though I can't wait to watch it again). A tad 'copy and paste-ish' Some of Rey's characterizations left a lot to be desired IMO, and they played fast and loose with

[Show spoiler]her use of the force

and how it was handled annoys me more and more as I think about it. Hey, it's Episode VII there's more to come and more to delve into and explanations to come hopefully.

[Show spoiler]Han's death was not set up well IMO, and comes as no surprise by the time it comes unfortunately and loses some of the drama.

I don't think John Williams score was as good as I hoped it would be, but maybe it's one of those things that will get better over time? Poe Dameron I felt was a little bit under-used and

[Show spoiler]the way in which he disappears for a large chunk of the film

is jarring. Some other stuff felt a bit too rushed, not explained well enough and it perhaps felt a bit too much like a setup but I'm gonna stop now because I really liked the film and this post is getting too long.

3.9/5! Can't wait to see it again!

[banjo!]

This has probably already been mentioned. Is there anything during or after the credits?

[Hellraiserfan]

Originally Posted by banjo!

This has probably already been mentioned. Is there anything during or after the credits?

Just saw it last night and my wife and I stayed through the credits, nothing.

[banjo!]

Originally Posted by Hellraiserfan

Just saw it last night and my wife and I stayed through the credits, nothing.

Thanks for letting me know.

[Geoff D]

I'm gonna sit through the credits just for the music.

[The Lizard King]

Originally Posted by banjo!

This has probably already been mentioned. Is there anything during or after the credits?

There's the Bad Robot logo/short.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W7Brd1F1dQc

[Nightopian]

I was expecting the final scene to be the scene at the end of the credits...either way, I knew something like that was going to happen...

[snobird]

Got a chance to see this for the second time, Imax 3D was awesome. Looking forward to seeing this a few more times.

Got to sit with a friend who built R2-D2:

His site: http://www.nimster.com/index.html





A few more pics from the theater:

[Ernest Rister]

Not intangible magic. Very tangible. Lawrence Mother@#$%ing Kasdan. That's what we've been missing since 1983.

[vjo81]

Originally Posted by Fred Bang

Although I hate that there's basically a 3rd Death Star in the movie i really didnt feel like it's a rehash of Episode IV because the characters are so different and they drive the story. The chemistry is amazing. Rey might just be in my top 5 Star Wars characters of all time.
9/10

Agreed. I saw it yesterday in a packed theater at 9:30 am. I loved the film, its new cast members (Daisy Ridley in particular) and the links to the the original trilogy but they went back to the "big freaking ball ultra-weapon" again and that was unfortunate. Surely Abrams and, especially, Kasden could have come up with something more original. I did like the musical score. It was pretty transparent but still made its presence felt. Overall, the movie wasn't a grand slam but was a long three run homer for for me.

[Himmel]

Lucasfilm President Kathleen Kennedy recently made a statement at the London premiere of the film explaining exactly who was going to return.

So, who’s returning, according to Kathleen Kennedy?

[Show spoiler] EV-ERY-ONE!

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/tvshowbiz...sode-VIII.html

[Bluyoda]

1/5 for me.

I can't believe actual Star Wars fans could even remotely like this cash-in.
There is no magic. Not even John William's score has anything to offer. I think they kidnapped his family and forced him to write a score for this one.
Only the VFX are good.
Never again.

I went with my wife, cousin and my sister, and all of us hated it, and agreed that this was no Star Wars film, and that there is no SW without George Lucas.

I am surprised that J.J. Abrams could even deliver such an abysmal tragedy of a film.

[steel_breeze]

The wife and I enjoyed the flick last night, but in the 12 hours since then, it already hasn't aged well with me. I can't shake the feeling that JJ Abrams is like a cover band: his movies deliver all the required notes -- ALL of which were pioneered by others -- but are ultimately forgettable and fairly empty experiences. If this new movie belongs in any boxed set, I feel like it belongs less with Star Wars and more with "Super-8" and "Star Trek Reboot".

[jayman3]

Quick question, we know that

[Show spoiler]Captain Phasma is returning for Episode VIII, but did we ever see her leave the Starkiller Base before it was destroyed?

[prozacnation1978]

I go tonight cant wait.

Off next tues. Probably will try to catch it in imax too

[tvine2000]

Originally Posted by RickDee

Funny no music stood out in the prequels except Duel of the Fates. Everything else was blah and not up to the standards we came to know in love most of Williams work.

You guys are becoming worse than Star Trek fans. We finally get a great Star Wars film and you and others ***** about the score. My God you need to get a life...

[GorillaGuy]

Originally Posted by tvine2000

You guys are becoming worse than Star Trek fans. We finally get a great Star Wars film and you and others ***** about the score. My God you need to get a life...

The score for star wars is a big deal

[Gamma_Winstead]

Originally Posted by Bluyoda

1/5 for me.

I can't believe actual Star Wars fans could even remotely like this cash-in.
There is no magic. Not even John William's score has anything to offer. I think they kidnapped his family and forced him to write a score for this one.
Only the VFX are good.
Never again.

I went with my wife, cousin and my sister, and all of us hated it, and agreed that this was no Star Wars film, and that there is no SW without George Lucas.

I am surprised that J.J. Abrams could even deliver such an abysmal tragedy of a film.

I hate sand... It's rough... And irritating... And it gets everywhere.

Yup. This movie certainly lacks that... How did you put it? "Magic"? Yup. No Star Wars magic, that's for sure.

[The Lizard King]

Originally Posted by GorillaGuy

The score for star wars is a big deal

[Show spoiler]Finn is a big deal.

[The Lizard King]

Originally Posted by Bluyoda

1/5 for me.

I can't believe actual Star Wars fans could even remotely like this cash-in.
There is no magic. Not even John William's score has anything to offer. I think they kidnapped his family and forced him to write a score for this one.
Only the VFX are good.
Never again.

I went with my wife, cousin and my sister, and all of us hated it, and agreed that this was no Star Wars film, and that there is no SW without George Lucas.

I am surprised that J.J. Abrams could even deliver such an abysmal tragedy of a film.

You, apparently, saw a different film than I did.