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

[ChainsawJedi]

Originally Posted by Al_The_Strange

What? Somebody changed that? You got to be kidding me; I loved the fact that it panned up, it was so different, it actually made me think and realize that it correlated perfectly to the structure of ATOC's story. Why are people becoming OCD over these movies, come on!

There's a place where such edits can be found - obviously, I'm not going to say where it is - and the makers of such things list the various changes they've made and the reasons for them. It is the worst example of fandom I've ever seen and the very thing that Alec Guinness warned about when he told that young boy never to watch Star Wars ever again. I used to laugh at those fans that made fan-edits, you know the type - the fans who don't possess a single original thought and hang on to those awful fan-bashing videos on YouTube - but now, having seen the depths of their obsession, I find them to be quite scary.

[X400]

the storm troops look alright i wouldn't mind if they updated them some more but i guess they want to keep with a general theme/look as well as appease fans

[ChainsawJedi]

Remember the EU books where, for years, they flogged the idea of a resurrected Empire to death just because no-one could think of an original idea (someone even wrote a story about a Hutt trying to create a new Death Star) and then, finally, someone had the balls to come up with a new villain - the Yuzhan Vong - and to kill off one of the good guys? Of course, it was too little too late because fans like me had become bored of the same old same old. Looks like someone hasn't learned their lesson.

I don't want stormtroopers (I actually thought the picture posted earlier was from Rebels) I want something new. Clearly Abrams thinks all Star Wars fans live in the past, though, so we're not getting something bold and daring, we're getting a love letter to the original trilogy.

[aiman04]

The sleek design makes it look a bit prequel-ish.

[simonynwa]

Thing is I don't see how the Empire can fit into a story that takes place 30 years after Jedi. If it was straight after Jedi it would make sense. Unless they are going to have some sort of comeback, but I would prefer something new too.

[simonynwa]

Originally Posted by Moviefan2k4

My point was that while redemption is inherently subjective for us as people, beauty operates under a different standard. There's some things in life which will never be beautiful, period.

Ah ok, disagree. Beauty is subjective too, no matter how abhorrent it may be to you or me.

[ChainsawJedi]

Originally Posted by simonynwa

Thing is I don't see how the Empire can fit into a story that takes place 30 years after Jedi. If it was straight after Jedi it would make sense. Unless they are going to have some sort of comeback, but I would prefer something new too.

See, this is my worry. They're so scared of a backlash that they're playing so safe with the story it's pathetic.

I wouldn't be surprised if the opening scene is Luke awakening in a cold sweat from a nightmare of Gungans and midichlorians. He looks out of the window and sees an AT-AT walk past. Ah, all is well with the universe, everything is as we expected, no surprises, no curveballs, just good old predictability.

[Optimus]

Originally Posted by simonynwa

Thing is I don't see how the Empire can fit into a story that takes place 30 years after Jedi. If it was straight after Jedi it would make sense. Unless they are going to have some sort of comeback, but I would prefer something new too.

They could just be a small force, a remnant.

[ChainsawJedi]

Originally Posted by OptimusL

They could just be a small force, a remnant.

But why? When there are so many things they could do with the story, why go backwards?

[Optimus]

Originally Posted by ChainsawJedi

But why? When there are so many things they could do with the story, why go backwards?

It doesn't necessarily have to mean that they're gonna be a major part of the story, maybe they might show the Republic army picking off the last Imperial remnants in the beginning or something?

[ChainsawJedi]

Originally Posted by OptimusL

It doesn't necessarily have to mean that they're gonna be a major part of the story, maybe they might show the Republic army picking off the last Imperial remnants in the beginning or something?

But if they're not an essential part of the story, why use them at all if not to satisfy a section of the fan community?

You see, I think fan-service is a bad thing. When films are made for a target audience, the tail is wagging the dog. I know we're all supposed to be excited for this new film - and I hate to sound negative just for the sake of it - but so far everything I've heard, read and seen worries me greatly. For one, I don't know how good a Star Wars film can be without the direct involvement of its creator. And then we have the inclusion of the original cast, upon whom this film seems to be over-reliant. And then there's all the hullabaloo about using practical sets instead of CGI, which plays directly into the hands of those who promote the myth that the prequels didn't have practical effects or real sets. Also, they're shooting the movie with film and not digitally.

After all the advances made in the prequels, Abrams is going backwards. And I have to wonder why.

[octagon]

Originally Posted by simonynwa

Thing is I don't see how the Empire can fit into a story that takes place 30 years after Jedi. If it was straight after Jedi it would make sense. Unless they are going to have some sort of comeback, but I would prefer something new too.

These don't necessarily have to be imperial troops. Military units tend to look alike, especially the ground troops. For that matter, today's ground troops don't really look all that different from ground troops in Viet Nam or even WWII.

And at least they're not droids

[octagon]

Originally Posted by ChainsawJedi

But why? When there are so many things they could do with the story, why go backwards?

Well, it does take place a long, long time ago.

[ChainsawJedi]

Originally Posted by octagon

These don't necessarily have to be imperial troops. Military units tend to look alike, especially the ground troops. For that matter, today's ground troops don't really look all that different from ground troops in Viet Nam or even WWII.

And at least they're not droids

Roger, roger.

Whilst they don't necessarily have to be imperial troops, I believe a lot of fans are thinking otherwise. And I suspect they're correct in their assumption. As I said before, I don't think Abrams is intending to surprise his audience; he's giving them exactly what they want.

[aiman04]

I have no idea about the actual story at all. So I can't already dismiss the film based on my own theory about it. Lawrence Kasdan could figure out some clever way to have the troopers in it (time travel, just kidding). Speculating is fun, but don't believe it too much. December 2015, we will know.

[X400]

Im not familiar with the books but couldn't the new film just play Jedi out simply as winning a large battle and not the war?

[Randall Flagg]

Originally Posted by X400

Im not familiar with the books but couldn't the new film just play Jedi out simply as winning a large battle and not the war?

These have nothing to do with the books.

[Geoff D]

I love that design of the helmet, it keeps the flavour of the OT layout whilst giving it a sleek update that, for me, doesn't scream 'prequels', it screams '30 years later'.

[Geoff D]

Originally Posted by ChainsawJedi

I don't want stormtroopers (I actually thought the picture posted earlier was from Rebels) I want something new. Clearly Abrams thinks all Star Wars fans live in the past, though, so we're not getting something bold and daring, we're getting a love letter to the original trilogy.

Heh. I'd rather have a love letter to the OT than an Into Darkness-style **** YOU.

[TylerDurden]

Not really sure what to make of this movie at this point. Hopefully the sum is greater than than the parts we've been shown. The new helmets would look great in a reboot like Star Trek, but really seem to clash with a continuity story line. But I like the idea of arms manufacturers keeping the same armor style. It's like the gun or laser blaster the end of a war does not change their useful quality.