The Force Awakens (and Star Wars more generally) [SPOILERS, OBVIOUSLY]

[Crashpunk]

MOD EDIT: This thread was split off from 'I Have Just Seen... VII' after this post.

Watched the midnight showing of Star Wars: The Force Awakens.

It was outstanding. Exceeded every expectation and more. Simply a must watch.

[FrustratedAssassin]

Watched the midnight showing of Star Wars: The Force Awakens.

It was outstanding. Exceeded every expectation and more. Simply a must watch.

Are the spoilers going around on the internet true?

[Jordan]

Are the spoilers going around on the internet true?

I don't know what spoilers you're referring to, there's probably millions. Best not to mention them at all at the moment just in case.

I saw Star Wars yesterday. I was blown away by how good it was. Did an awesome job of modernizing the franchise. I can't wait to watch it again.

[Varrok]

I saw Star Wars today. It's a one huge fanservice, and it's good at what it intends. However, if you expect anything more than a fanservice from this movie, you will be dissapointed. 7/10

[Vexen]

I saw Star Wars today. It's a one huge fanservice, and it's good at what it intends. However, if you expect anything more than a fanservice from this movie, you will be dissapointed. 7/10

I figured this would be the case. They built up so much hype.

[Varrok]

It's definitely not 8.9/10, as IMDB states. Not at all. I think the score will go down in the following weeks.

EDIT: As I am thinking about this now, I have second thoughts about that 7/10 I gave it. Maybe 6+/10

[Phylum]

It's a fun space adventure and people should go see it. Despite some problems it's really hard not to enjoy yourself. When it finished I looked around to a theatre full of smiles, which is pretty rare.

[Varrok]

Yeah, it is fun. It's just not amazing.

[Crashpunk]

I really thought it was amazing honestly. It felt like a proper Star Wars film. Yeah it had some questionable decisions. But that didn't get in the way of my enjoyment.

Again, it was everything I was hoping for and more.

It's a one huge fanservice, and it's good at what it intends. However, if you expect anything more than a fanservice from this movie

I'm pretty sure 99% of the audience knew going in, it was going to be a very fan service film. It has the original actors in it for god sake!

I would love to talk more about it but... well spoilers.

[Varrok]

I'm pretty sure 99% of the audience knew going in, it was going to be a very fan service film. It has the original actors in it for god sake!

I would love to talk more about it but... well spoilers.

Everybody knew this. That doesn't change anything.

Yeah it had some questionable decisions. But that didn't get in the way of my enjoyment.

It had many, as well as some lore-errors. It mostly copied the ideas from the original trilogy, and didn't offer that much new ideas, story-wise.

The fact that a movie is fun doesn't necessarily make it a good movie (the opposite is right as well)

[Vexen]

Everybody knew this. That doesn't change anything.


It had many, as well as some lore-errors. It mostly copied the ideas from the original trilogy, and didn't offer that much new ideas, story-wise.

The fact that a movie is fun doesn't necessarily make it a good movie (the opposite is right as well)

Well, this makes me feel good. I almost bought expensive tickets for it.

[Crashpunk]

Vexen. Don't let someone change your mind about a film just people they don't like it.

It's a very fun movie regardless what we've all said. It shouldn't stop you.

[Phylum]

Yeah I still recommend it even if it isn't an amazing work of art. If by expensive tickets you mean premiers or something then fair call, but it's still worth making it down in my opinion. This is a pretty meaningless statement, but it's a biiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiig step up from a prequel

[Vexen]

Vexen. Don't let someone change your mind about a film just people they don't like it.

It's a very fun movie regardless what we've all said. It shouldn't stop you.

I saw it. I think the comic relief was a little too frequent, and the story was slightly lacking. It certainly exceeded my expectations. You can expect me at the next starwars movie. Overall, it was a good movie.

Now I just have to wait for Hateful Eight. Quentin Tarantino's movies are never disappointing.

[OddjobAbe]

Saw the new Star Wars. I enjoyed it, but I was underwhelmed, especially considering its good reviews. I don't like the direction it's gone in, I think they should have explored the demise of the empire properly - from what I remember (it's been a while since I've seen the old films), the last film ended with the death of the two great figureheads of the empire, and with the empire losing a lot of control, but not with the total annihilation of them. In a way, they sort of did that, but with too much focus on this big new villain - the story around him and how he came to be I find to be a bit tiresome and random. Felt like fan-fiction with a big budget. I suppose they have two more films to try and change my mind with.
I can't discuss anything else, as I've forgotten how to use spoiler tags, but I have to say, even though I enjoyed it, I can't see myself ever watching it again.

[Varrok]

you type "spoiler" in square brackets, say a spoiler and type "/spoiler" in square brackets.

[OddjobAbe]

I knew it was something simple. It's almost as simple as I am.

[Crashpunk]

Yeah I reckon they're going to explore a lot about the past in the next film. Explain how the First Order came to be and what happened to the rest of the Empire.

...and for the love of GOD explain the New Republic and the Resistance. Ugh.

[OddjobAbe]

Personally, I think I would have continued it from a stage where the empire was almost totally powerless, with the numbers of its supporters significantly reduced, bringing the whole thing full circle, making the old rebels the new empire and the old empire the new rebels, perhaps with the new "empire" being as similarly and insidiously undemocratic as the old, with an apparently benign opportunist similar to the Emperor at the helm. I'd present it from the point of view of the old rebels, who we'd be with at first as we watched them obliterate the last of the Empire, but eventually we'd realise that we were seeing a similar process that saw the Empire take over, and then we'd start rooting for the old Empire, as they'd become the heroes fighting for democracy.

I think that way, it'd be possible to draw parallels with recent(ish) events (for example, the violent removal of Gadaffi in Libya only paved the way for an even more chaotic country) and would carry a pertinent message. I think Star Wars is a great opportunity to teach the public about the basics of politics whilst remaining an entertaining and action-packed spectacle. I hope the new films seize that opportunity.

[Nepsotic]

He's right, it does make no sense how the Empire were completely destroyed yet now the First Order are just as powerful as the Empire were? I thought they were formed out of the remnants of the Empire?

I think Star Wars is a great opportunity to teach the public about the basics of politics whilst remaining an entertaining and action-packed spectacle. I hope the new films seize that opportunity.

The prequels spent a lot of time on politics and that's partly why they were such boring pieces of shit.

[Phylum]

Politics wasn't the problem of the prequels. I mean, there was too much of it, but the films were boring because the characters were flat and poorly written. They could have put a lot more politics in TFA while keeping a fun pace.

[OddjobAbe]

I thought the sequels were good in concept but bad in execution. I don't regard them as good films, but I have to admit that I enjoyed them. The casting was piss-poor, though... Vader especially. Such an important character, such a terrible portrayal (wasn't impressed by his dialogue either)... also the Jedi seemed like fools apart from one or two, and seemed too weak and dispensable in the clones film. I found myself more interested in Kinobi's development than Vader's, which I think is a reflection on Vader's actor and writing, considering it was meant to be the story of his descent into evil.

[Nate]

also the Jedi seemed like fools apart from one or two, and seemed too weak and dispensable in the clones film.

I see that as kinda the point, though. That (in addition to the corruption and small-mindedness) is why The Force needed them to be wiped out in order to bring balance.

[OddjobAbe]

That's a fair point, actually. I just felt that their prowess in combat should have been just a little bit more intimidating than it was. Supposedly powerful characters seemed to spend a lot more time falling into traps and getting the shit kicked out of them than perhaps they should have, from what I recall.

[Phylum]

It's hard to begin saying what could have been done differently when they're just so badly written. I mean shit.

Fuck.

[Nepsotic]

One thing I'm sure we can all agree on is the fact that the lightsaber duels in the prequels were badass, with awesome choreography.

they're just so badly written.

"You're so beautiful"
"That's because I'm so in love"
"No, it's because I'm so in love with you!"
"Then love has blinded you?"


Badly written? What're you talking about? That is top-notch and realistic dialogue.

[Phylum]

Don't make me do the sand quote because god damn I will.

And there's a video floating around of how silly the lighsaber choreography is because they aren't even going to hit eachother with most of the swings they do. The can be exciting, but on the whole I'm pretty bored by it these days. The fight at the end of TFA was much more "badass" because when Rey was jabbing for Ren you know she was trying to fuck him up.

[Nepsotic]

I don't like sand. It's coarse and rough and irritating, and it gets everywhere.

[Manco]

And there's a video floating around of how silly the lighsaber choreography is because they aren't even going to hit eachother with most of the swings they do. The can be exciting, but on the whole I'm pretty bored by it these days.

The other side of it is that the characters and stories are so boring that the lightsaber duels lack any sort of emotional impact. The duels in the OT are interesting because they’re between characters with emotional conflict (Obi-Wan and Vader, Luke and Vader) and tie in to that conflict. The prequels were primarily written with “this lightsaber duel must look cool” so extra adrenaline gets pumped in but they forgot to make the characters have any interesting conflict.

Anyway I haven’t seen TFA yet so see ya

[Nate]

I split this conversation off to its own thread so that people can feel more comfortable posting spoilers. Have at it, people.