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Star Wars VII Spoiler alerts.

Apple fanboy

Apple fanboy

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Feb 21, 2012
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Behind the Lens, UK
Hi all
Thought it might be a good idea to create a thread for those who have seen the film, who can discuss the plot without spoilers for those that haven't!

So what I liked.
Movie had the right feel. Not too much CGI.
New characters. I thought both of them had good chemistry together on screen.
Han (so sad!), Chewie and Leia. So good to see them back. Didn't see enough of Luke to comment (anyone else think he is starting to look like George Lucas?).

What I didn't like.
Need more information for what happened between VI and VII.
Think it's weird that Luke clears off to some Scottish island whilst the Galaxy goes to pot! Again need to know more about what happens.
Rey learns she has the force, then learns the Jedi mind trick on her own in an hour or two.
Both Fin and Rey are able to fight a Sith aprentice with no training.
Also how do they have that lightsaber? Wasn't it lost on Cloud City with Luke's hand?
Who decided Chewie's bowcaster should shoot red bolts? It's always been green!
Discuss!
 
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The movie was, in my opinion, full of problems. You've covered a lot of them (learning the force on your own in a couple of hours with no prior training?!) but there's a lot more that doesn't make sense.

The Falcon is sitting there, unflown, yet still powers up and flies first time despite the technical problems that plagued it over the previous three movies.

The First Order is able to seize power right under the New Republic's nose and apparently nobody questions it until 30 years have passed. For that matter, 30 years is long enough for history to become myth?!

Fortunately I'm off to work now so you won't have to sit through the rest of my "review" :p

PS. Although the software that I write at work has the odd bug, none of them have been disastrous enough to our "empire" as a single defective stormtrooper... :p
 
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Great film, really enjoyed it. Just a bit p'd off that somebody spoiled Hans death for me on instagram the other day.

Back to the movie, all the new characters were great, really loved BB-8, such a cute droid! Only downside was a lack of Luke, but I'm sure that will be rectified in the next film(s). Sad that Han was killed off but can't have everything go to plan in these films!

Like you, I'm left with some questions but there are 2 films worth of potential answers to come.
 
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iDanny26 said:
Great film, really enjoyed it. Just a bit p'd off that somebody spoiled Hans death for me on instagram the other day.

Back to the movie, all the new characters were great, really loved BB-8, such a cute droid! Only downside was a lack of Luke, but I'm sure that will be rectified in the next film(s). Sad that Han was killed off but can't have everything go to plan in these films!

Like you, I'm left with some questions but there are 2 films worth of potential answers to come.
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2? I'm sure they will churn out more than that!
Yes Han dying was a bit of a bummer. I've been avoiding all SW related online stuff for that very reason. That's also why I wanted to see it on opening night.
To be honest I'm not sure Harrison Ford's heart was in it. If you heard any of the interviews he has given.
BB-8 was good, but I did kinda feel where's R2 for the first hour or so.
 
Me too. Well I hope for many films, as long as they are good!

What did you think of Kylo Ren? I thought he was pretty decent, nothing on Vader of course!
 
iDanny26 said:
Me too. Well I hope for many films, as long as they are good!

What did you think of Kylo Ren? I thought he was pretty decent, nothing on Vader of course!
Click to expand...
I thought he was ok. A bit weak as a Sith, given the two untrained rebels he faced are still alive!
But I don't think we saw enough of him to really get to know his character.
Will Leia/Luke steer him back (I think yes), or will he get the chop?
 
Having not seen the movie yet, from what I gather, the number #1 rumor for me is that Darth Plagueis isn't that Snork dude. If he was, that would have been leaked by now. I was thinking Chewy would die in this movie from what I saw in the trailer.
 
Not sure, if it's the kind of movie you need to see a second time to really enjoy it. What I liked were the new characters, Rey and Finn in particular. I think the next movie will hopefully have much more potential as the characters will evolve more.
 
After just watching the movie, what I wish would have happened is that they should have had Star Wars movies soon after the Return of the Jedi so you can see what happened to the characters. Not a lot of details.
 
Just got back and while yes, there are certainly some plot holes and inconsistencies (the OT had plenty of their own), the overall feel of the movie was very much in line with the original trilogy and I thoroughly enjoyed it. I was quite surprised how much I liked the performance of the new cast--all 4 actors I feel did an excellent job, Daisy especially, IMO.

Regarding the OP's concerns--my $0.02:

Need more information for what happened between VI and VII.
Click to expand...

Can't give away everything in the first movie--more will certainly be fleshed out over the remaining 2 films of this trilogy. And the movie is already 2:15 min long---a 3 hr movie with a bunch of additional exposition to try to catch everyone up to speed would've been a pretty laborious viewing.

Think it's weird that Luke clears off to some Scottish island whilst the Galaxy goes to pot! Again need to know more about what happens.
Click to expand...

Again, don't know all the details but its quite clearly explained that he's devastated from his failure to train Kylo Ren and goes on some sore of mission seeking the first Jedi Temple

Rey learns she has the force, then learns the Jedi mind trick on her own in an hour or two.
Click to expand...

She's been isolated her entire life on a desolate world with no outside contact and it's only when exposed to the force, first at Maz's by being in the proximity of Luke's/Anakin's saber and later when interrogated by Kylo that her abilities come to the forefront. I see it like the first tiny hole in the dam at ultimately gives way.

Both Fin and Rey are able to fight a Sith aprentice with no training.
Click to expand...

Well, JJ explained Kylo is no Sith and he also seems to be quite conflicted---mentions his being drawn to the light and obviously shows his struggle when confronted by his father. I don't think he's the ultimate dark side baddy but rather Snoke will fill that role. And let's be honest, Finn didn't really fair so well against Kylo.

Also how do they have that lightsaber? Wasn't it lost on Cloud City with Luke's hand?
Click to expand...

Maz doesn't give details other than at some point it came into her possession. It's been over 30 years and while not a Jedi, it seems clear she's also very Force sensitive--quite possible she was drawn to it as well.

Who decided Chewie's bowcaster should shoot red bolts? It's always been green!
Click to expand...

I'll admit that I don't recall noticing this detail in the OT and to be honest, doesn't really matter in the big picture.

My issues primarily revolve around how the First Order is able to build such a massive, devastating weapon without anyone really noticing and how Finn is able to give such specific, key intel about it after later admitting his role on the base was 'sanitation'. It's also pretty damn convenient how Solo and Chewie are able to find the Falcon so quickly.

Question I have...the movie gave the impression that we should know who Max Von Sydow's character was---I had no idea. Anyone else?
 
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Apple fanboy said:
I thought he was ok. A bit weak as a Sith, given the two untrained rebels he faced are still alive!
But I don't think we saw enough of him to really get to know his character.
Will Leia/Luke steer him back (I think yes), or will he get the chop?
Click to expand...

Ren isn't a Sith. It was mentioned before the movie coming out that he is not a Sith in the movie. Additionally, he is struggling between the light and dark side within him, a Sith would never have that internal conflict.

http://www.slashfilm.com/kylo-ren-is-not-a-sith-in-the-force-awakens/
 
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Mlrollin91 said:
Ren isn't a Sith. It was mentioned before the movie coming out that he is not a Sith in the movie. Additionally, he is struggling between the light and dark side within him, a Sith would never have that internal conflict.

http://www.slashfilm.com/kylo-ren-is-not-a-sith-in-the-force-awakens/
Click to expand...
Okay I hadn't read anything before the movie as I hate spoilers.
A Sith would never have internal conflict?
Do you recall what Luke said to Vadar?
Vadar was a Sith and certainly had internal conflict!
 
I like the movie but came away not feeling buzzed although the ending likely contributed. It didn't exactly end on a high. Wasn't sure how they were going to finish, it was getting a little Lord of the Rings-esque and could have stopped at a couple of points.

I like Kylo Ren, and there was almost a sense that Snope wasn't that powerful with the Force either. Ren seemed very strong but not fully trained. When he lost he was pretty badly hurt - he had been shot with Chewi's bowcaster and they had well established that to be a very powerful weapon. As it was, we have to assume Finn was train in melee combat so not a complete novice. Ray's fighting style was reminiscent of Luke's in the first film, lacking in finesse. I think the idea was that you was benefiting from tapping into the Force. As it was I was worried she was fighting with too much anger - Ren pointed out that she wanted to kill him but didn't exploit that (which wasn't very sith).

At times there was perhaps too much lip service to the fans and linking back to the previous films and a couple of major characters were under utilised, Captain Phasma in particular. But I never found myself looking at my watch and I left wishing I could watch the next instalment straight away. I can't say that of any of the prequels or any recent franchise film that I can recall.
 
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I went and saw it on the premiere this wednesday. As a 10 year old, I went and saw the original SW film back in 77. That had a tremendous impact on me back then. The prequels didn't do much for me, but this one touched on the same feelings that had me dreaming about light-sabres and storm-troopers for weeks on end after seeing the first one. The force awakens was as good I could have hoped it to be, and let's be honest here, the very premise of this series is ridiculous, so why get tangled up in minor stuff like logical fallacies and historical mistakes. We are invited to join a fairy-tale, not a historical document after all:) In short then, I loved it!
 
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Some of the negatives I'm reading here define the word pedantic, lol

The internet and their nitpicky little ways.

Superb film. Really enjoyed it. Unlike a lot of other films there is a fair bit of intrigue and stuff left to be answered by 8 & 9. I like that.
I know there's a few spin off films planned, but they sound like they are based around the original trilogy, back story, a Han Solo 'origin', also a film between 3 & 4 related to obtaining death star info. Among others.
 
I didn't realize there was a second thread. Here's a copy of my review:

I wasn't impressed with The Force Awakens, it was very slow and schmaltzy with a story that seemed like someone had just pressed shuffle on a scene list of the other movies in the series - - very unoriginal, imho. The girl and the guy were good actors, but that new robot is a straight rip-off of R2D2. The one poor performance was Kylo Ren... yikes. The movie was Star-Wars-y looking I guess, but altogether hollow. Maybe the next one will be better.

C

____________________

The closing comments in Salon's review of the movie are very astute:

"Whether Abrams’ obsessive-compulsive relationship to George Lucas’ 1977 original works for you is a subjective question, of course. You can choose to understand “The Force Awakens” as an embrace of the mythological tradition, in which the same stories recur over and over with minor variations. Or you can see it as the ultimate retreat into formula: “Let’s just make the same damn movie they loved so much the first time!” There are moments when it feels like both of those things, profound and cynical, deeply satisfying and oddly empty. This is the work of a talented mimic or ventriloquist who can just about cover for the fact that he has nothing much to say. He has made an adoring copy of “Star Wars,” seeking to correct its perceived flaws, without understanding that nothing about that movie’s context or meaning or enormous cultural impact can be duplicated."
 
Saw it last night and thought it was a brilliant movie, but agree with most of the comments here. Han dying really shocked me, to the point that when I came out the cinema I didn't know what to say. I enjoyed the film, but Han's death just silenced me for a while. I *really* didn't like how all the characters got on as usual afterwards. Couldn't Leia have shed a tear? Couldn't Chewie have gone on a big rampage and torn Stormtroopers limb-from-limb? (perhaps in the director's cut :) )
Another negative was that I thought the super-weapon thing was basically a Death Star all over again. Even though they try to say it's different (hey guys, it's bigger!), it still has a small weakness that an X-Wing exploits, and they even throw in a trench-run for good measure.
But, with the bad out the way, I must say that I really enjoyed it, I laughed out loud at many points, and for the first time since Avatar I think the 3D really complements the film. Kylo Ren is a complicated character, his lightsabre rocks, the ariel fight scenes were excellent (that first Falcon chase had me grinning the whole way through) and I thought the new generation were played well with the original cast being a well-balanced backdrop. I'm just wanting 2017 to come around quick for Episode VIII !
 
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kingalexthe1st said:
Another negative was that I thought the super-weapon thing was basically a Death Star all over again. Even though they try to say it's different (hey guys, it's bigger!), it still has a small weakness that an X-Wing exploits, and they even throw in a trench-run for good measure.
Click to expand...
The whole movie was like a "Best Of" album from an old band. They've run out of the creativity to needed to create new songs, so they keep hawking their old stuff. The underground "Death Star" was one. The new robot was an exact clone of the character of R2D2, just with a new look but still with the same old secret mission. Plus another franchisee opens the latest Colorful Frontier Bar in the chain. Then there was Vader Jr., holographic emperor 2.0, Wedge's lost twin, and lady Luke. Xerox should get a prominent credit on The Force Awakens.
 
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I saw this film at the first showing possible last night. As one expected, the crowd in the theatre was excited and brimming. Loud cheers erupted at the opening screen and theme song.... This was going to be like Terminator 2 in my mind -- movie packed with energy and crowd giddiness.

... And then it happened ... we were presented with "Star Wars a New Hope" all over again. OK, updated with cuter robot, Luke is a hot chick now etc etc... There is no denying it, this new movie is just the original movie with a moderately updated script.

Shame on you JJ and Disney... shame shame shame. When the movie finished, all that energy and excitement was absolutely gone. Nobody cheered, nobody waited through the credits for any little teaser, just stunned silence.
 
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mac8867 said:
When the movie finished, all that energy and excitement was absolutely gone. Nobody cheered, nobody waited through the credits for any little teaser, just stunned silence.
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That was exactly the reaction at my screening last night. Everyone just sort of filed out like they were in shock.
 
Han Solo is DEAD

It hurt to see Han Solo die because alot of us love him and grew on him. Even I kept thinking about it since I first saw it less than 24 hours ago. I always asked the question why? And from his son, a grandson of Vader who we all love too from the OT! A legendary character didn't need to go out like that. But it's just a movie and glad the writers didn't make it all sugar-coated and happy. The more painful to watch it and the more we ask questions about it is what makes us realize how much we cared about Han Solo. My gf didn't want Solo dead either but she understood the reasons behind them.

At least Harrison Ford got his wish that he wanted Solo dead before Return of the Jedi. It was a 35 year old wish finally granted from JJ and Kasdan and it was quite dramatic how it was shown even if some of us saw it coming awhile back. Ford really is too old to continue to play the role and went through a bad accident in real life while shooting it. And personal small plane crash after. Han is just a smuggler, how important is he to the plot at near 75? It was bad enough to watch Indiana Jones when he was over 65+. They just couldn't retire the character living out in peace. There can always be dream sequences to see Harrison again and a better-written, Lucas-free Indiana Jones 5.

I remember an idiot schoolmate/JRPG & anime fanatic spoiled Aeris getting killed by Sephiroth in Final Fantasy VII. I eventually got to the point and it was sad to watch it. In TFA, "I got a bad feeling" Han was going to confront Ren when he mentioned seeing him to Leia and Ren would kill him. This one hurt more because it is frickin' Han Solo! The impact felt deep like Ren's stab into his father. We are supposed to feel that way and we are supposed to think about it and talk about it after we see it. I really still enjoyed the movie and it is the best SW film in 35+ years. It had everything from action, comedy, romance, mystery, and tragedy.

I expect it to be ranked in between Return of the Jedi and A New Hope at 8.4-8.6 at IMDb. It surpassed any MCU film in terms of pure delight and story. I enjoyed Revenge of the Sith more, but TFA isn't worse than it as a film. They can kill off Iron Man in Civil War or any superhero in DC and it still wouldn't painful as much like seeing getting Han get killed on film by his own son. This was painful to me than watching Fredo getting killed in The Godfather Part II. The Force Awakens is not a perfect film. I have some minor quibbles about it and it is recycled A New Hope. But JJ pwned George Lucas' writing and delivered most of the goods. No mention of Midichlorians or Gungons. It was the closest feeling and look to the OT.

I actually thought the final lightsaber duel was fairly awesome but I couldn't believe how much stronger Rey had gotten after Ren kills his father and critically wounded Finn. And Ren has paralyzing, time freezing capabilities. But I didn’t mind it since everything became secondary once you realize Solo is dead. It would've been less interesting if it became one-sided and Ren kills Finn and Rey too. There wouldn't be any stories for 8 & 9. It was never explained what happened to Ren after. The good news is there will be two more episodes of this within 3.5 years with more questions raised and answered.

Gut tells me like the theories is Ren will REDEEM himself and become the hero in this trilogy. Luke will train Rey to become a Jedi like the new generation's Obi-Wan. Both Ren and his sis, Rey, will end The First Order. Ren isn't a Sith. I like how Ren's character isn't fully developed yet. To me, Anakin was always the most interesting Skywalker than Luke. Ren is like the new generation of Anakin since he will find the good in him and reunite with his mama Leia. Switching between bad to good has always been more interesting than if they chose good from the start and stayed that way. Of course, it will shock me if Luke really is a Sith Lord in Episode 8 or 9.

It seems all recycled but still fun to watch. The movie industry now is based on franchises and reboots to generate the most money. The ones who wins the Academy Award for Best Picture generally get forgotten by the public years later and have very little replay value since most dramas don't have higher replay value like comedy and action/adventure films. Best Picture winners are generally overrated.
 
Savor said:
Gut tells me like the theories is Ren will REDEEM himself and become the hero in this trilogy. Luke will train Rey to become a Jedi like the new generation's Obi-Wan. Both Ren and his sis, Rey, will end The First Order. Ren isn't a Sith. I like how Ren's character isn't fully developed yet. To me, Anakin was always the most interesting Skywalker than Luke. Ren is like the new generation of Anakin since he will find the good in him and reunite with his mama Leia. Switching between bad to good has always been more interesting than if they chose good from the start and stayed that way. Of course, it will shock me if Luke really is a Sith Lord in Episode 8 or 9.
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Uhm... we know exactly what is going to happen in episodes 8 and 9 now:

Ep 8: The gang is on the run, Rey is training with a Jedi Master, who she soon discovers is her father, "noooooooo", but her friends will get into trouble, so she will have to leave before completing her training... opening her up to the pull of the dark side. Fin will end up being mummified by a good friend in exchange for protection from the First Order.

Ep 9: Rey saves Fin, only to find out that a new Star Sucking Death Planet (SSDP ?) has been... well, I guess those things are excavated. But, in the end, they get a lot of help from the teddy bears on a moon of the new star sucking death planet... all the while, Rey is saving Ren from the dark side, only to see him perish from wounds we are never entirely certain how he received.
 
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