Star Wars: The Force Awakens - Spoilertastic Thread

[Quantum Vagina]

What I'm gathering is that it's basically Episode IV with all the plot points from the original trilogy already known, a half realized villain, and weak writing. The review I read said that they're basically using the toys of the originals to retell the story with their tweaks and edits. He said the story wasn't bad, just that it was poorly written. I can get behind this, although I'll reserve final judgement until I see it for myself

[Tripe]

I think there's some validity to that description, indeed I assume we'll see a sort of side by side comparison vid or two in the next few years.

But the originals are hardly a cornucopia of super originality, the frisson comes from how those tropes and set pieces are stitched together rather than how new they seemed in of themselves. As such I'm looking forward to it; I just might not get to see it till next weekend (My birthday will take up a fair portion of this weekend and then I have Keegan-Michael Key coming in to do a show for me and that's awesome but also a logistical nightmare). Then again, maybe I'll take Wednesday off to watch it a couple of times.

[BiteMe316]

I grew up in a theatre town, there's only so many times you can be surprised by plot twists if you see them every third season.

But seeing the way things are designed, the way scenes are played, that is really quite difficult to spoil, even if I see pictures of sets and props, you know?
I just went and read the plot and now I'm more interested in seeing how it plays out.

Oh and...EU is dead my arse, looks like a certain Darth just has a different name but his status and parentage, possibly sibling relationships too, remains...

Please please let that be what I'm thinking of!!!!!!!!*  If it is, I might actually see this movie now!!

*Darth Caedus!!!  Please let it be Darth Caedus!!!!!

[Tripe]

Got it in one

[BiteMe316]

YES!!!!!!!!!! He didn't completely ignore the EU after all!!!!!!!!!

[Tripe]

Remember what I said about names being different however, the character that is there seems to essentially be Darth Caedus

Like I said elsewhere, some of the EU won't be ignored in a way because some of it goes in narrative directions that are decent, which is why the EU writers went in those directions.

The Skywalkers are strong in the force but also kinda easy prey for the dark side, of course that tendency would travel down the directions and of course there are cases where a kid might idolize their grandpa even if, especially if, they never knew him.

[Imrahil]

We're in a spoiler thread, I don't think the tags are necessary.

[Tripe]

I like the effect.

[Quantum Vagina]

I don't like the wholeclicking thing

[Imrahil]

I like the effect.

You're such a drama queen, waiting for the big reveal.

[Compound]

Just got back.

Huh.

I enjoyed it, but as time went on, a thought crystallized in my head.  "This is very Star Wars-y."

I don't mean that it feels like it was set in the Star Wars universe, I mean that I began to notice more and more plot beats from Star Wars. (Episode IV for the people who saw it after it had that appended to it.)

Desert planet. Fugitive droid with data of great importance. Meet a wise old mentor. "This belonged to a powerful Jedi." Death Star blows up something. Captured. Escape to Rebel HQ. Return to Death Star before it destroys the rebel base. Death of mentor. Death Star blows up. Darth Replacement escapes. Talented young pilot leaves to train to be a Jedi. Oh, and those bottomless pits without railings show up.

Seriously, I don't mind reusing plots but this... you could have deviated a little bit from it. Move the Planet Killer to Episode 8 perhaps and have a less weighty conflict as the finale. The First Order massing a fleet to attack the Republic, perhaps.

Don't get me wrong. It's not badly done, but I got the same feeling that I did when I watched the latest Mission Impossible. Haven't I seen this before? It's a well done remake of the same material. The new bits were great though.



Oh, and this-  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LJqNpqCy2r0
A happy medium between that and Star Wars would be nice.

[Compound]

Oh, and hey. Those little crosshilt lightsaber blades actually got used in the film. Yay!

[soguru]

Want to talk flaws? Let's talk flaws as well as what I loved about the movie.
Some of the scenes felt a little tedious. I never like when movie scenes return to sets already used in the same movie. I like a movie to move forward in that respect.

I also felt that the movie was a little too dialogue heavy in some parts.

As for the Re-hashing though? Anything re-hashed at least feels like it was EARNED. The story was good, the new characters were amazing, and in a way, the stuff that felt like it was re-used was done so to much better dramatic effect. I mean you actually SAW the people on these planets that were key to the continued existence of the galactic republic. THAT was important. It had a much more powerful impact on me as a viewer than even the wonderful line of "I felt millions of voices cried out in terror then were suddenly silenced". I also felt like they had to put a lot more effort into stopping this Starkiller base than with any of the other Death Stars. It also didn't just suddenly explode and destroy the first order either. Our bad guys... Snoke, Hux, Kylo Ren, Captain Phasma are all still alive and well for potentially the next two episodes.

You know what though? The basic story was very good, the whole idea of Luke vanishing, them having to try and find him, the reason for his disappearance? All very understandable. Our new characters are warm, lovable, have flaws but find their own strengths and put what's right ahead of their own desires... Finn to keep running away from the First Order, and Rey to go back and find her family.
I almost forgot to mention, there is more than enough unique ideas and lots of new stuff executed so well in this movie to warrant the whole idea of revisiting certain ideas. I mean, what the hell else is the First Order going to do? Fail once, twice, just build a bigger Death Star and make it as impregnable as possible, and that's what they did, and in my opinion the whole assault survives scrutiny.

I also feel that Kylo Ren is a fascinating character. You understand him, and when the chance comes for redemption... you wonder if it can ever possibly come for him.

For the first time in a very long time, I was also genuinely choked up by this movie. It had me in bits... if you know what I mean. And those final scenes.... wow... it was as if Rey was holding out Luke's old lightsaber saying "I believe this is yours... please come back to us." That was probably one of the best scenes in Star Wars, ever. Hell, it might even be the best, because it's so uplifting, so full of promise and magic.

Guys, what ought to be most important to us all is that Star Wars has heart and soul again. And that is the most beautiful, wonderful thing of all and I cannot praise this movie enough for that.

What I'm saying is that the movie does have flaws... but they are so minimal that I can ignore them with my conscience being completely clear. I am trying to be as fair as humanly possible, just so you don't think I've been completely sucked in by the hype machine.

[MSTJedi]

Okay, let me fanboy here for a sec. Oh, my stars... What a ride.

Since this is the spoiler thread, I'd like to say that Han Solo's death hit me hard. I knew it was coming as soon as he stepped on the walkway to talk to Kylo (Ben!). Yet I was stunned as it happened and still numb for several scenes afterward. I knew someone was going to die there, but figured it would be Chewie. That said, Ford finally got his way and killed off Han Solo.

[soguru]

I'm right with you MST Jedi. I don't get choked up often but I let out several small audible cries of grief when it happened.