Seen the new Star Wars movie? Full of Spoilers

If you haven't seen the new Star Wars movie and don't want to have details spoiled, STOP READING!

If you have seen the movie, post what you think.




Saw it Wednesday night, here are my initial thoughts:

1. It cleared the exceedingly low bar set by the prequels.
2. It was generally entertaining, but ... earlier this year when I saw Jurassic World, I thought, "I've seen this movie before, it was called Jurassic Park." Same thing with this movie. I've seen The Force Awakens before. It was called Star Wars.
3. With all the press coverage given to Gwendolyn Christie's being in the movie, her part really wasn't much.
4. Really liked Rey and Finn.
5. Nostalgia (which I personally hate in movies) wasn't too grating.
6. Harrison Ford at 73 can still do Han Solo. The jury is still out on whether Carrie Fisher at 59 is capable of doing anything but standing. Seriously, I'm not sure she can even bend at this point.
7. I'm really trying not to think too much about the logic of the whole map to Luke Skywalker, the travels of his lightsaber, etc. - pretty much anything about the connecting tissues of the plot, which skipped from place to place really quickly. I know that shit will drive me crazy when I rewatch this movie at some point in the future. Maybe some of that detail will be filled in by the future movies, but I'm not counting on it.

Saw it last night as well.
1. yes.
2. Agreed. So many re-used set pieces and plot devices.
3. The silver trooper? I expected more as well.
4. I have quibbles with Finn's spontaneous acquisition of humanity/conscience and then trying to pick up chicks and being a little clownish. For a person who was indoctrinated in a ruthless and psychopathic philosophy from a very young age without even a name, he seemed to find his way in the world rather quickly. I think my objection to this would have been lessened by a little exposition showing troopers as humans and not always automatons. Finn seems to relegated to the 'funny black guy' role and that is disappointing since that has been done is so many movies.
5. True
6. Harrison Ford was the best actor in the movie.
7. I was told that the map that was kept is R2 was mostly previously uncharted space. Which explains why the fragment was missing. However, who gathered these map bits? It is a little dickish for Luke to make R2 hold onto maps that could help the resistance (he could have scrubbed his trail from the maps.

I saw it last night filled with a cinema of super fans! Cheers and applause. There is some validity to the "I've seen this movie before" line of thought but when you really think about it it is brilliant. Just as in history we all see a new line of young upstarts who think they know better and they go down the same path to destruction, I'm talking about the First Order here.

Harrison Ford was magnificent! When he spoke about the Force being real and true the place got chills. His scene with his son was as good as it gets in acting.

I dreaded going in seeing the feminist agenda on full display with Rey, and it was but even I had to admit she was a Super Star! It is rare for a young actress to have such charisma, keep an eye on her she is going places and her look of wonder in the film could sink 1000 ships!

Luke of course stole the movie. His scene was awesome! To put it in the gaming world, Rey meeting Luke would be like you meeting Schloesser!

Accidentally saw it today. This office day out was supposed to be last weekend (we were about to watch Heart of the Sea), delayed to today, and the movie was switched to Force Awakens!

I love it!

It's great that Kylo Ren is NOT Darth Vader. I like it that he's vulnerable and temperamental. The storm troopers are great. Luke has never looked THIS good! Seriously. Beard = 100x cool multiplier. The ships battle are AWESOME. Absolutely love the Rey/Finn chemistry. Great locales, great shots. And the Indonesian actors last more than 5 seconds!

Is Ren/Ben one of Luke's students who fell to Dark Side? If so, I can see why Luke's trying so hard to get away from everyone.

Sevej wrote: Is Ren/Ben one of Luke's students who fell to Dark Side? If so, I can see why Luke's trying so hard to get away from everyone.

Yes. Ren was his student who turned and destroyed the Jedi order he was establishing. My guess is that his failure as a teacher, especially with him being his nephew, broke Luke.

Sevej, Ben was the student shown in the lightsaber flashback and he was the one that took down the rest of the jedi that Luke was training.

I loved it. Going again tomorrow.

I had expected Phasma to not have much screen time.

I've been saying for years now that if the Indiana Jones movies were to come out today, people would hate them. They're too cynical for them today, they won't accept the over the top impossible action and they need every detail explained to them otherwise they'll take to the internet and call it a "plot hole." I suspect this movie will get that reaction from plenty of people. So let me give a preemptive "fuck you" to those people and one that note, I'm done talking about the movie. I loved it and that's all that matters.

I think the quality of the character work far overshadows legitimate feelings ("concerns" seems too strong a word) about plot recycling. The latter is definitely there (was there in RotJ, for that matter), and it seems ridiculous that the First Order, like its antecedent, cannot seem to think outside of the superweapon paradigm, but I thoroughly enjoyed the experience, and it's just about what was needed. More than clear the bar of the prequels, it had to make people feel good about Star Wars again, and I think that task was handily accomplished.

While there were plot recycles, I feel that there are fundamental differences in this one. Luke must feel like shit. When I saw his eyes red after bunch of crying, I thought it was just me.

And TONS of gaming material in this one!!! On every non-ship action scene, I can imagine an IA scenario. And in-atmosphere X-Wing action!!!

PS. I also like the almost breakneck pace.

Luke is definitely a tortured soul after not only a student, but his family, kills all that he was working for. He did not seem particularly keen on taking up the sabre again. His reveal seemed very truthful and I bought into it.

I saw it Thursday night. I left the theater happy.
Yes, the film is not going to be applauded for originality. It shares a rhythm with Episode IV that is impossible to ignore.
Yes, the nostalgia is strong. But they also focused on some new characters that are pretty compelling.
Yes, Ren is easy on the eyes. I look forward to seeing more of her.

Questions:
1) Who the hell is this "Supreme Leader"?
2) Ren... My money is she's a Skywalker child. Either Luke's kid, or a Han and Leia's.

Anyone noticed Rey was nearly fell into the dark side? I gasped when I saw her expression after beating Ren. And then was actually happy when the rift separated them!

I'm not sure why this film needed to exist when we already have Bride of Frankenstein, er, I mean, Star Wars. (that's a wink for Barnes)

I really loved it, and I think about the first half of the movie was practically flawless and just wonderful and new and vibrant and exciting. Some of the issues mentioned are there, and moreso in the second half, but by that time, whatever, it's still a great ride.

The dialogue was, probably by far, the best of almost any SW film. But a few of the quick throwaway jokey things, especially by Finn, and even one or two by Han, didn't really land. It's possible on further viewings those lines might work better (or worse).

I loved a lot of the humor in the film, though... The reveal of the Falcon was amazing (should have seen that coming) and things like C-3PO interrupting Han and Leia's reunion, and the way the Resistance council made in-jokes about the Death Stars ("there's always some way to blow them up"). I was sure there would be enough humor and levity in the film, but the trailers seemed pretty serious. As it turned out, there was maybe just a little too much casual joking.

I agree with some that Finn was an interesting character and mostly enjoyable, but something about the way he is depicted wasn't quite fleshed out enough, or didn't have enough establishing background. Similarly Poe Dameron was good, but you only got a little sense of his character. In Poe's case, though, I can see him filling some of the massive gap that will be left by Han/Ford.

I didn't think I would be crazy about Kylo Ren from the previews, but I really liked him and the way he is a Vader wannabe, and more conflicted and raw and undisciplined.

Rey is terrific, and I think will be a great character and actress to ground the new series with.

Pretty easy dialogue to learn for Mark Hamill, eh? He probably didn't even get a script. It was great to see him, though, and I think the rumors of him turning to the dark side could still end up being true. Not that I'd want that, necessarily, but a big part of the original trilogy was him fighting with that, so I assume that's still an issue.

So much more to talk about, but it's safe to say that even if it's not perfect, it's a really engaging and entertaining Star Wars film and an encouraging start to a new era.

Just got back from it, and I loved it. I totally agree that parts of the plot were prominently recycled from especially A New Hope, but in this series it's better to think of them as echoes of other elements, kind of how bits of the musical themes insert themselves throughout the series. I also think it was a smart move to return to the roots so to speak, so that the series can be on surer footing after the prequels. People trust the franchise again now.

And anyway, it felt distinct emotionally. It did a great job of getting to know the characters, it was more breezy than the trailers indicated (I agree that they looked really serious) and the stakes felt very personal. Great to see all of the old faces again, but I'm glad it was definitely the new characters' movie. Rey and Kylo Ren in particular were great, but I liked Finn a lot too.

I'll probably find nits to pick eventually, but I don't care right now. I loved it, with all of the emotion-clouded fervor of fourteen-year-old Nate.

I just saw it. I'll write more later, but the one thing I felt sitting in the car waiting for my family to come out from the bathroom was "why the fuck wasn't this the Star Wars movie I saw when I was 24 years old...why did it take until I was 40 to see another real Star Wars movie?"

It really hit me during Poe and Finn's escape "this is it...they really pulled this off." Cried.

Kylo Ren...Ben Solo....oh my god that guy...that voice...of all the new characters, his arc is the one that I think is going to be the most compelling.

Fucking loved it. Unconditional.