Member reviews of THE FORCE AWAKENS

This will just a scattered thoughts more than an actual review because I got back from watching it a little while ago. I've sat and pondered on what to say and all that so here it goes, but first some things before the lights went down.

1. There was a guy dressed just like Hux and looked just like him. He was the only one dressed up.

2. The trailers I seen were;Star Trek which looked terrible, Captain America(I don't care about it), X-Men looked ok, Kung Fu Panda looked funny, and Zootopia looks even funnier.

3. Everyone was so excited and was awesome to be around. It was mostly a younger crowd. Teens and early twenties with some older people mixed in. I'm in my 30's. They all liked the PT and OT.(Not that I spoke to everyone, but hearing conversations here and there)

I truly did as most people missed the 20th century fox and intro. It felt odd, but then Lucasfilm and A long time ago in a galaxy far, far away and I was smiling.

This movie was one fun hell of a ride and felt like Star Wars and the OT. It felt like home. It had humor, adventure, action and, yes it has a story and heart. It's Rey's story.

I like how it drops us in a moment of time in The Force Awakens. In the thick of the action. JJ said, screw it I'm gonna throw a slow start out the window and get this sh!t rolling.

When we first meet Poe he was not really as I expected. He was more down to earth with a little cockiness thrown in. He was a cool guy who is dedicated to the greater good. He's not a Han Solo wanna-be but more like a man who could be your greatest ally if you ever needed to call on him. He's fun just wish there was more of him but when he is on screen you know he is there and not wasted.

His face to face conversation after he was captured with Kylo at the village was funny. When Finn decides to help him escape the interaction was when the fun began.

When Poe asks Finn why he's doing this and he says because it is the right thing to do, you know at some point he will believe that because for right now he just needs a pilot. All Finn wants to do is get as far away as possible from the FO, but everyone wants to keep going to Jakku lol

Finn is a fun character. Going out of his element was all he needed to understand that in order to get help you must help someone. Just be yourself, not who they taught you to be. He has a heart unlike the cold FO.

I love when and how we meet Rey. Why? Because JJ captures the quiet moments in her life and in an instant we know who she is. He does take most of his time with her and as I said near the start of this; this is Rey's story and JJ shows it well. She is alone, she needs companionship, she is a survivor, she is tough, innocent, her life is about suffering, and the force is calling to save a galaxy that's desperately needs saving because Luke needs it to. It is no coincidence she meets BB8. I loved her character.

When we meet Han again the crowd erupted in applause. He is loved and it was funny as hell when he is introduced. He's kinda grumpy with the new kids on gthe block but soon warms up to them.

As much as I love that part of the movie it was one time it didn't feel like Star Wars and what I mean is when the two gangs and the octo-monsters show up(sorry forgot the name of them) The reason is it felt more like Firefly or something off the SyFy channel but it was still a fun moment. But as soon as they hit lightspeed to get the hell out of there it was right back where it should be again.

I will admit the cutting of scenes was a little off at times, but not too bad. Like when Poe mentions Luke in the Tie fighter and Finn starts to react and it gets cut away. You don't really get time to sense whether Finn hates Luke or what. Maybe in EP8 he will be in awe, I don't know.

With Lor San Tekka you know he is from the old times and even he mentions to Kylo about Luke and his father, but how he knows them, not sure, so small things like that makes you want a little more information, but it wasn't that distracting just little hiccups. And there some scattered throughout.

I think Kylo and Rey are my favorites. I think Kylo is one crazy lunatic who is not an imitator but more of a one who got misunderstood. Maybe he wasn't loved enough, or maybe he was but someone got to him and twisted his mind. Adam Driver was very good with a range of emotions for Kylo. Every moment on screen is conflict with him and just like Palpatine, overconfidence is his weakness.

Kylo wants so bad to make Snoke proud and you can see that is his pure desire. The dark side is kind of his security blanket. I guess he couldn't make Han proud and I believe it has to do with all that Han didn't believe in at one time. Kylo being taught by Luke was not making him proud. To be a Jedi. Han wanted something else, I assume and I know it was Leia's idea cause she basically comes out and says so. She thought he could be taught different.

Speaking of Snoke he has one ugly mug. He seems more bent on righting Kylo in the dark side than anything else. He's not gonna give up on his protogie'. I wonder where he is that he must use a hologram? He seems he knows alot but I don't know much about him.

Hux is a kiss ass and mainly all about duty. He's like a prep boy at College and wnats to get his way and try to humiiate Kylo if possible. But he is scared of Kylo though you can see it in his eyes. He was my least favorite character.

I was hoping to see more of Phasma but she seems menacing enough and hope she gets way more creeentime in EPVIII. I'd like to know more the relationship between Finn and Phasma. I will bet she tries to kill him in the next movie.

JJ's camera work is amazing. The effects were just plain as fun as the OT was. Does a tie fighter have to spin everytime it gets shot down? No. But it still looked awesome. The battles were good, especially the MF withe Rey and Finn. It kept me on the edge of my seat.

I really liked Maz but just not enough of her. But when she is there she is making use of it. It was funny when she crawled across the table to Finn and he was freaking out.

One thing about going in was even though I knew some things, I forgot about them all as if I never read anything except for one thing. Han. I kept waiting for the inevitable and as Finn, Rey and Chewie watched along with us the audience we gasped and was torn as much as they were. I remember when the runor was flying he was to die, I always thought he should go out in a blaze of glory in some way, but this death didn't feel cheated it was unexpected even though I knew it was coming. It was like a dagger in my own heart. With Kylo now there is no coming back.

While Chewie raged and Rey and Finn looked on it had to be for Kylo's sake. It was a test and conflict but the darkness won out because he wants to make Snoke proud. That is sick. I felt sick to my stomach and up until that point I had a love/hate relationship with Kylo. I thought he will turn. Han can get to him inside like Luke did Vader. Now I hate him.

The fight. Kylo vs Finn. Even though Finn held his own a little he was overmatched but he gave it his all. The duel itself was good. Close up and Kylo toying with him. Showing Finn his anger and Pride, but when he gets hurt and Rey joins the fun it told me something after all was said and done.

Rey has been training her whole life and didn't even know it. It reminds me of The Count of Monte Cristo's final duel. Edmond had to go to prison to learn to be a survivor and be better skilled. If it wasn't for Rey being abandoned she wouldn't be who she is.

Kylo in a way was also abandoned. The protagonist and the antagonist are usually in a way the same. Kylo is half cocked and never went all the way in anything it seems. Even his training. Snoke straight says near the end about finishing his training. Kylo being humiliated by green lightside force user will fuel his fire.

So at first Rey is getting messed with like Finn was. But then she flat turns it on cause Kylo ain't taking her serious. She's just a scavenger, right? Wrong.

One of my favorite scenes is when she is in the castle and follows her instincts to the lightsabre and when she touches it. It is raw emotion, it tells alot really. Rey was meant to find it. It's telling her who she is and will be. Daisy's acting really good with emotion. She is perfect for Rey in everything she does.

There are many things I could say and I will edit tomorrow when I gather more thoughts but overall, I truly thought the movie was a great start to a new trilogy. I thought the ANH nods were minimal at best and it was not a rip-off, rehash, reboot, but it stands on its own.

I'm not saying it's the greatest movie of all time, nor am I saying it is the greatest SW movie, but it is grand adventure in my book. Yes it has some flaws, but what doesn't? It was fun, funny, and had moments that could make a even a grown man cry. It had emotion and story. It has most everything you'd want out of a movie...except more Luke

P.S. Luke looked very worn, tired and just plain given up. The look on Rey's face when she meets him is epic. It's like meeting someone you've heard about your whole life, not believed and she is scared to death. Is he real? Rey has awakened him.

I'm out. More thoughts tomorrow

 

I only had one trailer...I was the youngest kin there...people only cheered twice and then went home...only 3 people had sabers...Lors had literally, like, 5 lines in the movie and so did Phasma and I can say all of this NOW but wtf.

 

I know. I wanted more of Phasma and Lor because they seemed interesting but so little of them and by the time I got to liking Lor, Kylo cut him down like nothing.

 

It's all too vague so he could be brought back (I doubt it) and Phasma, well...she'll be back but only because disney is pushing a certain agenda without actually being natural about it .

 

Very good review, find it hard to disagree except for one thing: I didn't feel that Chewie was sidelined, on the contrary. Somehow I felt that he was the character most affected by events and eventually somehow followed the story from his perspective. Or maybe I felt that Chewie's behaviour was a positive reminder of the OT. Or I hadn't previously not paid due attention to Chewie because the others "stole" the thunder in the OT. But he definitely made me feel the loss of Han Solo, which the scene itself strangely did not - maybe because that scene was so focused on Kylo's transition to the dark side and less to the somewhat "predictable" departure of Han.

 

The Luke reveal was one of the most memorable things I have ever seen in a movie.

 

6.5 out of 10 is about right too.

I want to give it 7 out of 10, but the battle sequences are so flat, I just can't.

 

6.5?

Oh well, I guess you can't please everyone.

 

I love the movie, yet I still sympathise with you.

--- Double Post Merged, Dec 18, 2015, Original Post Date: Dec 18, 2015 ---

I love this review, great stuff It's 6.5 - 7 for me! I truly still love this.. I love Rey and Kylo too much!!

 

6.9 out of 10 is mine. First half hour to hour was really good.

 

Good review. Have a lot of the same concerns. 6/10.

 

I give 8 out 10. It's not a perfect movie and it's story not so original, but it was beautiful film, a fun ride, real adventure)

 

9.5/10 after two viewings.

And before someone accuses me of treating like TPM back in the day, I disliked TPM the moment I finished it, and it got worse the second time.

You nerfherders.

 

Finally we can now post Reviews of the movie, here go my personal toughts about "Star Wars - The Force Awakens"

Overal "The Force Awakens" is a Great Movie, not an Excelent Movie but a very good one, i would give it a fair 7 out of 10 (it means it fell short to the Original Movies but is way superior in many aspects than the Prequels), but let's all keep in mind that this is a 1st part of a three part movie so i think final considerations on this one must be taken after watching the full Movie (all 3 parts).

Aspects that really stand out:

1. It really seems REAL, everything on the Movie looks and sounds like it was real, it seemed like Star Wars and not CGI generated. Everything, Places, Ships, Persons and Aliens, even Technology, are so well made and filmed that it seems like it could happened in our city or block. Superb Production values here, with much attention to every single detail.

2. The Casting was great, despite the focus being on the coming back of the Old Characters we know and love, i think the new guys deliver well. Kylo Ren was amazing from the begining till the end, even the tantrums are cool, i went to the movie not liking Kylo Ren considering him a Darth Vader wanna be but he really delivers a very solid performance and develops trough the movie, besides being the best sabre fighter in the all movie in a theatrical point of view, and the blaster stoping was phenomenal; Rey is superb and it will be an amazing lead for the future of Star Wars, she did really, really good, always with a strong dynamic and even a dramatic presence when needed; Han Solo is back and better than ever, i consider they have to pull him out because he was just stealing every single scene from the other actors, Han Solo is Dead Long Live Han Solo; Finn started clumsy but really came thru and deliver a very solid performance in a mist of action/comedy; Poe appeared very little but was spot on, felling like the friendly cocky pilot; Hux was the big revelation, showing to be more than an unidimensional character despite the 3 Reich speech scene well played by a solid actor, i really want to see the big surprise coming from this guy in the future movies (i say right now this will turn out to be Rey Skywalker Twin); but the must important thing with the leading actors, they have great camera chemistry, Hux and Kylo, Rey and Finn and Poe, Rey and Kylo; one last thing, i loved to see C3PO again picking up were he left in ROTJ. 3PO might be the best movie comic relief ever made and i missed him a lot. After all the bashing and trashing i can honestly say i liked Snoke, keep in mind that was an hologram (it would be funny a Wizard of Oz thing in the further movies, being snoke a very short guy).

3. The Music/Score/Sound Effects were Star Wars Original Movies quality, it felt great to listen mr. Williams music work again, despite the final piece that was really very good, all the other music blended perfectly with the movie and they make the movie sound a lot like OT. The battle sounds are amazing on their own right, loved the Stuka sound to the Tie dive.

4. The dialogues were perfect, with the right amount of superb one line jokes, but that is mr. L Kasdan chemistry. The dialogues are so good that must of the times you just elapse a complete plot hole. The Star Wars are again a very entertaining and funny movie.

5. BB-8 is so well designed and acts so real that everyone will want one by the end of the movie, just like R2D2 in 1977, but times change and this one is just mind blower, easily the best Robot in SW Movie History ever.

6. The OT references are a Star Wars Fan dream, and this movie delivers all kinds of references, easter eggs and cameos/Stand Ins to the Original SW Movies (i've seen references to all the 3) to overdose anyone of us, and it's made with simplicity and good taste, a side note on the movie for the ones who get it. Perfect for Me.

7. But I really consider the Millennium Falcon the best acting role in the whole movie, that ship looked amazing, the first Millennium Falcon Vs Ties in Jakku battle was a big must and a visual delight to every single SW fan, it got breath taking action with Character ligh comedy and spaceships, the right looks and the perfect sounds, the SW formula.

But, there's somethings to consider a rehash in the upcoming movies:

1. The Major Story, Global Plot, is very thin and weak at some points, but there's still two more movies to came out and develop or correct this but for now somethings look really bad; The 3rd Death Star stands out as a very bad creative option, they might call it a ANH tribute, but its just slacking around, the creative team didn't even bother to think in another threat just copy/paste from the originals. The Map piece inside R2 is an absolute absurdity, and simply waking just in the perfect moment after all this time, why didn't anyone bother to chech the man robot first or why is it there if is shut of, simple nonsense or very bad writing. And there are so many little things from the big scene of things that got knocked away with a poor excuse, just like they did in the prequels: all the Millennium Falcon disappearing from Han story, one blast from the Starkiller and no more Republic (so there was New Order, Republic and Resistance all together?), Son Tekka past and knowledge of Luke and Leia, Poe escaping Jakku and returning to the resistence, Han Solo dealing and fighting the mercenaries was just an excuse of a scene and it never develops, what about Han and Leia separation, and the must important thing of all, why 3PO red arm? (i know Luke and Rey, even Kylo, missing parts are on purpose and i accept that)

2. Missing Spaceship fights. My favorite thing in all SW movies are the fighter battles, specially the space ship battles and they are missing from this movie. Also, in 30 years after ROTJ there's no new Spaceships, just a repaint of the old ones, where are the B-Wings that were the newest baddest thing back then? (personnaly didn't like the new ships showed, Kylo Shuttle, Rebel B Wing Type transport and NO Troop Carrier).

3. Good acting skills trown away. TFA had some very good actors casted in but the use they give them in the movie was just ridiculous: Phasma is a kind of Stand In, she does nothing for their cause and has no use for the movie at all; Son Tekka started hinting that he might be an interessant guy and gets killed, a 1 minute contribution maybe to be the conclusion of some game or tv show; Maz looked really bad, i didn't liked the body/Toy, and they had Lupita doing an excelent voicing job to save the character, why not Lupita with prosthetics instead; Poe looked great but was so little of him in the movie.

4. Bad Camera. Personally consider TFA is not better mainly because of the poor camera work, the pace is just to high in the majority of the movie ruining some characters interactions or the perception of the action (watch the Rey and Finn market scene compared to the Indiana Jones one and see the big difference a slower tempo here and there can deliver for a movie), many scene transitions are rough and sometimes out of sink, and i really didn´t understand the point of filming action scenes in a super close up mode that makes the viewer loose the perception of entire action scene (i know this is a FPS generation thing but Black Hawk Down started that trend in a beautifull fashion and nowadays the directors tend to overreact the effect). I know that at this level of things this is not done by accident but with intention, i just can´t understand why they do it?

5. Did Star Wars moved to another Galaxy?. After watching the entire movie, a couple of times, any SW Fan will ask were are the Equays, the Niktos, the Klatoonians, the Gamorreans, The Reas, The Twileaks, The Quarrens, the Byths, The Ithorians, the Wookies, the Trandoshans, the Aqualish, the Snivyans, the Rodians, the Rancors, the Hutts and my favorites the Jawas? Only a Wookie (Chewie), a Seleuscan (Nien Numb) and a Mon Calamari (Ackbar) from the galaxy we once knew and love, why don't give the Fans exactly what they want, the alien races from the first movies, why the need to bring an all new alien compendium? I Like seing new Aliens but the majority of them the ones we know, perhaps only as background fillers.

6. Rey Overpowers. I believe this is only a thing for now, Rey became more strong in the Force in 5 minutes that Kylo in his entire life, Rey reveals herself a super-major pilot first time she seats in a spaceship (á la Luke in ANH); definitely they will reveal in the next movies that she was hipnosys trained in the Force as youngling, and that she used to play in or with the M Falcon while in Jakku because she knows everything from the Falcon, but that eyes shut stop in the middle of the fight with Kylo and afterwards unleashing the Force on him is just a bad thing in a very good scene, a really bad director call.

And i didn't like other minor things like the obcession with the Chewie crossbow along all of the movie, Leia's very poor performance wich showed no liderance charisma nor any emotional range for a mother who have lost her son, the Maz Cantina was dull and was filled with interesting characters that give absolutely nothing to the movie (where was Greedo or Ponda Baba to live things up), and the final scene despite being very good took centuries to wrap (Rey draw the lightsabre to Luke but it stands there with her arm up for 2 minutes, reminding me the "Police Squad" fake still frame at the end of the episode), it was better to ended it when she picked and unfolds the lightsber or make Luke grab it.

All in All it's good to be back again, i really liked this movie and like one man said.................."It's good to be home"
I Love STAR WARS

P.S. - One last question that neither me or my friends can answer, Is Finn Dead at the end of the Movie or just Comatose?

 

I totally agree about those rathtars. It kinda took me out of the movie for a few seconds cause like I said it is the one instance that it did not feel like Star Wars at all, but it quickly recovered itself and did not last a long time.

I forgot to mention much about BB-8 and a few others. Was late when I got home.

I thought BB-8 was very fun and was so different than most driods in the SW universe. As much as I loved him I missed R2 alot. We he woke up the crowd went crazy.

C3PO was funny as usual especially when Han and Leia first interacted and I was hoping there would be a moment like that. Had me laughing.

Leia was well, Leia and as much as I loved seeing her it brought back so many memories of the OT. She was the same, yet different at the same time. The wedge between Han and Leia was sad. Han just kind got back into his old ways to forget about what happened. It drove them apart, but you can tell they were still deeply in love. She had that Mon Motha vibe a little too.

Chewie seemed to be in and out not doing alot but when he was in he was a force. He had some pretty funny moments with Finn.

 

This moment really sealed it for me. I remember thinking quite clearly, "This is better than all of C-3PO's combined dialogue in the PT." That's not intended to be a pile-on about the PT, BTW. Just a really brilliant use of 3PO, just like his interrupting the kiss in ESB.

Loved his moment while getting healed back at the Resistance base.

 

Thats what i thought by the end of the first time i watch the movie but my friends started a war over Finn been actually Dead and in the second time i saw it the dobt crawled in my mind. Thx

P.S. 2 - In this Movie i'm really eagerly expecting the Expanded Version of it, remember that a month ago this movie was near 4 hours and we already seen many scenes in the trailers that don't make it to the final movie, so there's a lot of extra movie material to be used.