Star Wars : The Force Awakens – What Did You Think?

Star_Wars_The_Force_Awakens_trimAs the minority of those who’ve seen Star Wars Episode 7 : The Force Awakens quickly becomes a majority, we here at SWNN are eagerly waiting to hear your opinions on the much-anticipated new installment of the GFFA saga.  It certainly feels like an overwhelming majority truly enjoyed the film. There are both positive vibes flowing, and some (mostly minor) nitpicks. Though the positive definitely seems to outweigh the opposite. This goes without saying, but don’t make the jump to the comments unless you’ve either seen the film or want to be SPOILED … 

 

It seems that the atmosphere of “Star Wars” is one of the most universally accepted positives, while a rehashing of certain key plot points tends to be a popular negative. It was inevitable that we weren’t all going to get exactly the final product we personally may have wanted.

What did you like? What didn’t work for you? What rehashing and fan service did you find acceptable and what did you consider too gratuitous? Were you happy with the pacing? What about the number of questions raised and left unanswered? Was a healthy balance struck for the first part of a new trilogy? There will be those who love it unconditionally, those that will nitpick it like a pesky scab and those who remain in balance. Did you love it? Hate it? Or are you conflicted like Kylo Ren? We want to hear from all of you! Please sound off below and may the Force be with you … always!

 

+ posts

1,242 thoughts on “Star Wars : The Force Awakens – What Did You Think?

  • December 18, 2015 at 2:41 pm
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    I absolutely adored it.

    I could go on an on over all the wonderful things big and small that I liked, but the best review I can give it is this:

    It actually made me tear up a little bit – Not from a place of nostalgia, but by actually creating characters, and events that I cared about.

    …And the action was pretty good too.

    • December 18, 2015 at 2:43 pm
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      The most emotional parts for me were the new cast members. That’s something I never would have expected.

      • December 18, 2015 at 2:47 pm
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        Actually, because JJ is fantastic with ensemble casts I had high hopes for the characters, and they delivered in spades. These are the new heroes and villains I desperately want to follow along their journey in this new Star Wars universe.

    • December 18, 2015 at 3:33 pm
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      Exactly. The new relationships made me close to tearing up a few times. Such fundamentally good people bonding in this film. going to be some heartbreak up ahead…

  • December 18, 2015 at 2:43 pm
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    I’ve been reading MakingStarWars for months and they pretty much had the movie plot nailed so I was already aware of the big spoilers; however, I still loved this movie. I loved it because the casting is perfect. People might debate some of the plot choices, but this cast is perfect. Daisy Ridley, John Boyega, and Oscar Isaac are fantastic.

    • December 18, 2015 at 2:50 pm
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      Let’s not forget Adam Driver, I thought he was a revelation too.

      • December 18, 2015 at 2:53 pm
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        Yeah! What is that’s kid’s problem?

  • December 18, 2015 at 2:45 pm
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    Great movie!!! I’m going today to watch again

  • December 18, 2015 at 2:45 pm
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    I loved the movie, and any nitpicks I have should be regarded as just that – nitpicks.

    I was thouroughly entertained and at no time during the watching of the film was I questioning any plot or story issues which may have marred my enjoyment. It is quite the opposite feeling from when I first saw the prequels – where I came out of the cinema somewhat embarassed.Each of the new characters in TFA are bold and dynamic and make an great ensemble – something the prequels truly lacked.

  • December 18, 2015 at 2:46 pm
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    The only rehash that was a bit much for me was the trench run. Oh, not enough Phasma either. Other than that, it was amazing. Every bit as good as I wanted it to be.

    • December 18, 2015 at 2:48 pm
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      But think about it – how many minutes of screen time did Boba Fett take up in the original films? Phasma was good and used as needed. For me they were other stormtrooper characters also who I thought had great showcase scenes.

    • December 18, 2015 at 2:49 pm
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      Poe Dameron was great in a limited part. I’m sure he’ll get more time in the next film.

  • December 18, 2015 at 2:48 pm
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    I saw it for the the first time on Tuesday and wasn’t sure how I felt afterwards. The weight of expectation combined with seeing familiar old friends in new situations meant that it could never live up to expectations. I felt conflicted. There was too much to take it. However, after seeing it again yesterday I fell in love with it. JJ has done a great job. I want to know where this is going. It felt ‘Star Wars’. Can’t wait to see it again.

  • December 18, 2015 at 2:50 pm
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    Guys -and I mean the guys who created starwars7news.com.
    I know you probably won’t see my comment but i just want to thank you
    for your everyday update on The Force Awakens. Visiting swnn multiple
    times each day became my habit and I can’t wait to start it all over
    again. All this passion for the Galaxy far far away we have makes the
    statement ‘Star Wars is life’ all more real. I’m going to see the
    movie in about 2 hours and I’m beyond excited (even though I’ve seen
    some spoilers). It was a great journey and if the movie’s going to be
    as amazing as the anticipation was then Star Wars is Great again. May
    the Force be with you and once more – thank you.

    • December 18, 2015 at 2:56 pm
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      We see it and this site would be nothing without the great community attached to it!

  • December 18, 2015 at 2:52 pm
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    Some of the scenes gave me the same feeling like the teaser a year ago, where I thought: I have to wait so long to find out what this or that is? Like: That’s Snoke? Pretty cool. But now I have to wait til 2017 to find out more about him? Or to see more of Luke, or Phasma or who’s related to who. I was positively frustrated by these scenes 🙂 I loved everything about the movie and next time I watch it I will just enjoy what’s shown and not focus on what’s to come.

    • December 18, 2015 at 3:18 pm
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      I really thought Snoke was actually 30 feet tall for a second. Just as I was starting to accept that in my head they revealed he was a hologram and I was relieved and amazed at the same time. Holonet connections have greatly improved in the last 30 years.

      • December 18, 2015 at 3:44 pm
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        HAHA The movie was OVER, before I realized he wasn’t just a big-azz dude! I had heard so much about him BEING big, that I just went with it. I thought he was from promethius. LOL

      • December 18, 2015 at 3:45 pm
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        I felt the same relief. I cringed when I first saw him and thought, a 30 foot character in Star Wars is so not Star Wars. But now I can’t wait to learn more about him.

      • December 18, 2015 at 5:35 pm
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        I would have preferred if he was that big. That would have been very out of the ordinary and interesting.

  • December 18, 2015 at 2:52 pm
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    The new cast were incredible, especially Ridley and Driver, who I think turned in the two best performances in any Star Wars film yet. They brought a great new hero and great new villain to three-dimensional life.

  • December 18, 2015 at 2:54 pm
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    I loved it and I’m sure this love will only grow! I’m seeing it again tomorrow and a third time (this time in Russian, on Sunday) Да прибудет с тобой сила!

  • December 18, 2015 at 2:55 pm
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    I think my favorite action sequence was the Falcon on Jakku.

    • December 18, 2015 at 3:06 pm
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      Me too, that shot where the falcon swung around before heading inside the old star destroyer was magic! Also smashing through the trees and across the snow was awesome!

  • December 18, 2015 at 2:56 pm
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    I liked it. It’s a good film and greater show. Daisy and Adam are incredible. Kylo Ren is the best of the movie, and Carrie was a beautiful surprise.

    Nonetheless, the film is over recycled. I don’t like the PT but this film felt “we are sorry” all the way long. I know it was intended to be fan service, but it’s too much of a repetition. Some people had been saying it here and didn’t want to believe it.

    The script has major holes. Most important one “the falcon (or Rey) finding solo randomly” which goes beyond the acceptable “force binds us”.
    The film has a problem of pace too. Second half of it should have its moments of breath, very specially concerning Han and Kylo subplot, which could be enhanced by deleting the x wing attack at starkiller and focusing in a single infiltration mission.

    Fully CG characters weren’t satisfying. Watto was more photorealistic than Maz in my opinion (specially in ep. 1). They kept secretism fpr both Lupita and Serkys and the result was dissappointing. Positive enough, it’s not a big problem because visually the movie stands out.

    The soundtrack is the worst of the saga. Williams feels creatively tired (which at his age I completely understand) and the new themes are not thosw we will whisle in the street by decades to come.

    My overall rating is 7.5, and this is my new ranking:

    V, IV, VI, VII, (blackhole), I, III, II

    • December 18, 2015 at 3:50 pm
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      agree

  • December 18, 2015 at 2:59 pm
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    Easily in my top three. I don’t think any Star Wars film will ever dethrone ESB or ANH. The classic nostalgia factor is just too great. But that being said, I didn’t want or expect it to do that. I just wanted a great film, and it surpassed all my expectations in that regard. The performances from the new cast were fantastic. Driver gave me the type of performance that I wish we had had in Anakin. Daisy Ridley was gripping. Ford was back to true form. The aerial battles…the creatures…the humor…all spot on. Were some references and plot rehashes a little on the nose? Maybe, but as a fan I loved every one of them. I personally thought SKB was different enough from the Death Star to make it interesting, and I loved the combination of natural elements with man made architecture. I’d say if I had to pick a favorite new character, I’d have to go with BB-8. He was a joy to watch every second he came be-bopping across the screen, and the emotion they were able to convey with him was astounding. My favorite moment in the whole film was the Wampa cave lightsaber callback were you see Luke’s lightsaber in the snow and Kylo Ren goes to force pull it to his grip and it refuses to move as we realize Rey is also calling the blade. That was truly an epic moment. I could nitpick with some minor gripes, but let’s not unnecessarily taint what ultimately was the greatest cinematic experience of my life.

    • December 18, 2015 at 6:29 pm
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      During the whole Han and Kylo scene was thinking “why couldn’t you have been more like this Hadem Christiensen!” lol

    • December 18, 2015 at 8:30 pm
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      Easily my favourite moment too.

      • December 20, 2015 at 5:29 am
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        Regarding the laughter for me to. I laugh every time when just thinking about it…

    • December 19, 2015 at 4:18 pm
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      I loved the thumbs up scene between Finn and BB-8! One of the comical highlights for me. 😉

      The saber pull is high on my list as well. Although you see it coming, when the saber reaches Rey, there were chills all over.
      I also loved the last shot, with Rey and Luke. Luke’s face says it all. “Well… That moment we’ve been avoiding all this time is finally here.” I am sooooo freaking looking forward to episode VIII. The hype may be even bigger…

    • December 20, 2015 at 2:46 am
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      Same here, presently after 2 viewings I’d have to say its number 3:

      1. Empire Strikes Back (10/10)
      2. A New Hope (9.5/10)
      3. The Force Awakens (9/10)
      4. Return Of The Jedi (7.5/10)
      5. Revenge Of The Sith (5/10)
      6. Attack Of The Clones (1.5/10)
      7. The Phantom Menace (1/10)

      • December 20, 2015 at 2:31 pm
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        I’ve only seen it once so far but I’d say that’s probably where I have it as well.

      • December 20, 2015 at 9:57 pm
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        same as you but with tfa and anh switched.

        • December 21, 2015 at 8:57 pm
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          TFA ahead of the original Star Wars? Bold! But if upsets the haters/PT fans then I’ll allow it.

          • December 22, 2015 at 6:26 am
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            I know, I almost don’t want to like it more.
            But the truth is I do.

    • December 20, 2015 at 5:28 am
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      Spot on mate, agreed with everything you posted.

    • December 20, 2015 at 3:34 pm
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      Top three??!!! Better than Return of the Jedi??

      • December 20, 2015 at 5:30 pm
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        For me, Return of the Jedi is the best one…. so many different opinions….

        • December 20, 2015 at 10:10 pm
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          People saying The Farce Awakens is even anywhere CLOSE to the originals are delusional

          • December 20, 2015 at 11:09 pm
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            Props on the pun.

          • December 21, 2015 at 1:10 am
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            Thanks. Felt so proud when I coined. Second greatest achievement in my life.

          • December 21, 2015 at 11:00 pm
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            So all of the millions of people that do like it as much as the OT are wrong. Only YOUR opinion is correct, right? Now that’s what I call delusional.

          • December 22, 2015 at 2:19 am
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            Hype. People feel they have to like it based on the BS marketing campaign to make it seem so different from the prequels and like the originals.

    • December 20, 2015 at 9:56 pm
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      the only reason i think it’s better than anh is because I was born in 80 so esb is the first one i saw. therefor esb will always be the one I like the most. tfa is my second favorite.

  • December 18, 2015 at 3:01 pm
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    Most frustrating movie ever, it could have been amazing.. Snoke’s design is poor and out of place. Han Solo picking up the Falcon and The kanjiclub whatever stand-off. Captain Phasma not at least putting up a fight and taking the shield down far too easy. R2 in low power mode and then suddenly being not: These are story breaking for me and they could have been so easily avoided with a little thought and care and added to the overall movie rather than detract!!

    • December 18, 2015 at 3:19 pm
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      Definitely some fair criticisms.

      • December 18, 2015 at 3:59 pm
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        “most frustrating movie ever” is hyperbole.

    • December 18, 2015 at 3:50 pm
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      TOTALLY AGREE. Really awful, lazy stuff. I was also bored through the entire middle of the movie and thought Han Solo sucked. He felt too much like an old harrison ford pretending to be han … it was weird.

      • December 18, 2015 at 7:27 pm
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        You’re weird.

        • December 18, 2015 at 7:49 pm
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          If by weird you mean I expect a little more out of plot and story structure, then yes, I stand proudly in the minority.

      • December 19, 2015 at 1:33 am
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        “He felt too much like an old harrison ford pretending to be han …”

        Harrison Ford, when asked about his Acting Method, said, “I come from the ‘Let’s Pretend’ school of acting.”

    • December 18, 2015 at 4:53 pm
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      I could not agree more. I WANT to love this movie. I think it has all the elements of being amazing. I am at work today struggling with the aspects that are just too poorly thought out. R2 coming back at the end when he possibly could have avoided the fate of Han. Rey not knowing who the Jedi are, then all of a sudden she’s pulling an obi wan on the guards, Kylo saying that the longer she’s missing the stronger she gets?! Isn’t the whole idea being a Jedi takes years of training?

      Very frustrating avoidable plot points. Too many coincidental follow ons.

      I also missed the OT score if I’m honest. Didn’t feel as Star Wars as is hoped for.

      I’m not bashing, I love this series. And of course I’ll be in line for the next one.

      • December 18, 2015 at 5:41 pm
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        Luke blew up the Death Star and fought Darth Vader without years of training.

        • December 18, 2015 at 6:47 pm
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          Good point well made. The only difference is luke had an obi wan Mentor.

      • December 18, 2015 at 7:28 pm
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        You’re looking at this movie to be critical. That’s the problem already with you. Enjoy it for what it is…original weren’t perfect by no means with their issues.

    • December 18, 2015 at 7:12 pm
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      I had a few:

      Poe getting off jakku was glossed over (that could have been a movie itself

      A certain item must have had “property of Luke Skywalker, please call if found” written on it, cause that was a giant leap of faith of info.

      Luke being missing, but there is a map? What?

      R2 d2 in low power mode was lame.

      Love the new cast though

    • December 18, 2015 at 7:26 pm
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      I would say your thinking is flipped. I would say they did it with A LOT of thought and care and it did added to the overall movie rather than detract. Han Solo and gang standoff was basically background on what kind of trouble Han has been up to. R2 and Captain Phasma were surprising, but it made sense in the film. There were a lot of elements going into the film that adding any other arc to these character could have been distraction. They told you the reason why R2 was in low power. They’re showed depth and conflict between Finn and Captain Phasma. Something I feel we will see more of in the next episode. Their role served what was required in this film. Instead of being negative about it, enjoy it for what it is. The originals aren’t perfect either.

    • December 18, 2015 at 8:50 pm
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      Agreed

    • December 20, 2015 at 11:26 pm
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      http://www.ew.com/article/2015/12/20/jj-abrams-answers-burning-question-about-r2-d2-star-wars-force-awakens

      This goes somewhat a way to explaining the story decision regarding r2d2. It’s not perfect but I can understand the idea.

      There’s no full maps of the Jedi temples as they are so old and the only one they have is incomplete.

      The missing part of the map is hidden in an old droid that 38 years previous had downloaded the Death Stars files on the Jedi.

      It happens to be R2D2 who is awakened by BB8. Two droids of two different trilogys hold the map to the missing Luke skywalker.

  • December 18, 2015 at 3:03 pm
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    Absolutely loved it! I saw it at 12.01am Thursday Australia time. Then I went midday that same day. Not sure if it was confirmed with Daniel Craig but that’s his voice when Rey does the Jedi mind trick when she’s locked up. I’m interested to learn more about Snoke. How Ben Solo was seduced. Also how Leia knew snoke. All very interesting for ep 8 and 9!

  • December 18, 2015 at 3:10 pm
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    I particularly enjoyed the collective gasp heard in the theater when Kylo Ren’s parentage was revealed (to those who weren’t in the know).

  • December 18, 2015 at 3:11 pm
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    Fine, surprising. I like very much the approach Abrams toke to reboot Star Wars. JJ succeeds sustaining a very delicate balance between the new and the classical trilogy elements. SW7-TFA photography and production designing rightly avoids the excess of CGI effects and move focus of interest from battles and action scenes to the characters and their conflicts.

  • December 18, 2015 at 3:12 pm
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    Movie is great, easily in line with OT. I would say it’s my number 3 right now.

    JJ hit the spot with most important thing, characters. Cast of new heroes were lovable, funny, brave, with great performances on top of that. And best villain Star Wars ever had.

  • December 18, 2015 at 3:14 pm
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    I found that the movie is good. I found there are No Answers to any of my questions! I guess those will only be revealed in a year and half when Episode 8 arrives!

  • December 18, 2015 at 3:14 pm
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    Easily on ROTJ level for me. 3rd best after ESB and ANH – which are both masterpieces so we’ll never likely get back there – therefore, TFA was awesome, only nitpicks from a psycho-fan perspective can really dampen enjoyment.

  • December 18, 2015 at 3:20 pm
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    I am listening to the new soundtrack and I am tearing up every 10 seconds – it should tell you everything. I loved it, but I have to see it again to have complete impression and rank it among SW movies. But, better than the prequels? 100%!

    That being said, every actor delivered, the visuals were fantastic, I was THERE in GFFA, which was all that I wanted. I laughed, I cried, I cheered, I was stunned and shocked and I was left wanting MORE, which is the best thing any movie maker can hope for. LadyMusashi approved. XD

    • December 18, 2015 at 3:27 pm
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      I think ‘Rey’s theme’ and ‘March of the Resistance’ are going to be iconic. Probably not as much as the OT music and Duel of the Fates but not very far off.

      • December 18, 2015 at 3:34 pm
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        Well, once we hear them 1.000 times like those previous tracks… all bets are off. 🙂

  • December 18, 2015 at 3:23 pm
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    I havnt seen it yet, im going on Sunday night after work, I cant wait 🙂

    • December 18, 2015 at 4:04 pm
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      You might want to avoid this comment section if you haven’t seen it. Spoilers are flying around pretty freely due to the nature of the blog post.

  • December 18, 2015 at 3:26 pm
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    The scene where Han is leaving and Leah hugs him. I was expecting Hans to say “I love you.” And then Leah saying “I know.”

    • December 18, 2015 at 5:06 pm
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      Would have been nice

  • December 18, 2015 at 3:26 pm
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    Well I loved it. Thought that overall it was easily the most entertaining and continually emotive Star Wars films, of ALL of them!

    It has some downsides, but none that ruin the overall greatness of it. Here’s my list of downsides just to get them out of the way, in no particular order: SPOILERS… but then you shouldn’t be here..

    – Phasma comically underused, indeed her character was basically humiliated, which I did not expect, but it was an interesting choice.
    – Snoke looked terrible. I do like the fact that we do not know his true size, and I like how they tricked us into thinking he was hug but then finding out it’s a hologram. Overall though he looked straight out of a Harry Potter film. Would rather have had just Serkis in prosthetics, would have felt more real.
    -Adam Driver’s hair.. a really stupid complaint but he looks like a young Snape, again from Harry Potter. I think he looks cool, and I didn’t mind that, but it was distracting.
    -Yes the film borrows heavily from A New Hope, but it does enough new and differently it’s not a deal breaker to me. I see many people saying it’s the worst Star Wars film cos the plotline is a rehash of ANH, and they seem to forget al the amazing bits that make this by far the most Star Wars film we’ve had since ’83.. but those people are nitpicky trolling idiots :p
    -My single biggest disappointment must be in John William’s new score… apart from that great new theme right at the end of the film, and some choice reprisals of the old themes we know and love (especially at one moment in the Ren/Rey battle) the rest of the music sounds just.. meh. Like the credits rolling music from a Harry Potter or whatever.. there’s just no particular themes at all that stand out, it’s just like William’s jamming his traditional sound with no structure to it or anything. I really expected the big Falcon chase scene to have some epic piece of music like the Asteroid scene in Empire, but it’s all just non descript a-typical William’s action scene music. I know JJ said he let William’s just get on with it… I hope Rian Johnson takes a more involved process with Williams, and prods him into doing some powerful themes for different moments.

    Alas… the good stuff. I did truly love this film and the good FAR FAR outweighs the negatives, so don’t let the above fool you.

    The characters. Amazing, simply incredible. They’ve really got a great new cast. Finn is amazing, as is Rey, and Poe too but I think he’ll really get his time to shine in future films. The chemistry between them all is simply perfect. I got emotional so many times just from seeing their friendships form and develop. They’re fundamentally good people and you can see it beaming off every frame and from every line of dialogue. I cannot wait to follow these characters into the rest of the trilogy. I think we truly have an even better pairing than the OT cast, and that’s a significant thing to say.

    The comedy in this movie is absolutely spot on. I laughed at every single “comedic” moment, it was played so pitch perfect. It also didn’t feel overboard at all to me. I think people saying it does go overboard are forgetting just how much comedy was crammed into the OT, especially from characters like C-3PO or R2, moments that you maybe glaze over on your 50th viewing but which were always there, even in the most tense of moment. This film reprises that technique and I thought it was done amazingly well. Some moments like the “thumbs up” scene will stay with me forever. Just fantastic and EXACTLY what Star Wars is to me.

    The old cast I thought were done wonderfully, and I was really worried about seeing Leia again if I’m honest. But her scenes and her interactions with Han were heart warming and believable. And that moment with C-3PO butting in was again, the Star Wars I know and love. Brilliant.

    Overall the old and the new gelled far better than anyone could have hoped for.

    Argh, I loved how courageous and skilled our characters were. I was blown away during the Falcon scene, when Finn’s gun got jammed and Rey did some fancy manoeuvres to line up the Tie Fighter right into Finn’s gun sights. Was incredibly cool. I LOVE Rey, such a strong character, the Force is clearly with her. I am incredibly curious to find out more about her lineage. Luke’s daughter seems inevitable, and if she were Han and Leia’s daughter I can’t believe they’d somehow not have known or brought it up. Then again, during her flashback I was positive I hard Ben Kenobi’s voice say “Rey”…. is she a Kenobi??? It’s still possible he was her grandad or something. Can’t wait to find out.

    Really need to see this a few more times but I know I love it. The bad points are nowhere near enough to spoil the enjoyment I got from this film. We’re back!

    • December 18, 2015 at 3:34 pm
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      Man, I thought the soundtrack was so good! I’m listening to it now, for the second time 🙂 Especially Rey’s theme, and the X-wing war-theme I thought were really really good. And they brought back the throne-room feeling choral theme, which was great.

      I suggest listening to it again, on it’s own. The thing is, you don’t really notice the score while watching, since it’s only there to set the mood, and clearly the mood came across in the movie. The score did it’s job, which is to generally not be noticed. But when listened to independently, I think it’s really amazing.

      • December 18, 2015 at 3:36 pm
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        It’s up on my Google Music service so I will definitely listen over the next few days. I think I was just overwhelmed in the cinema by the visuals and sound, I simply don’t even remember hearing any particular themes through most of the film, lol. Hopefully it grows on me!

      • December 18, 2015 at 3:40 pm
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        I agree … I think that soundtracks require some time to sink in. I mean, we all know the OT ones so well because they’ve been around for years.

    • December 18, 2015 at 4:02 pm
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      I thought the voice sounded like old Obi-Wan as well.

    • December 18, 2015 at 4:37 pm
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      The “new theme at the end of the film” is in there from the moment Rey appears. It ties the whole film together and slowly builds across Rey’s character arc. If it doesn’t stand out as much as something like Across the Stars or the Imperial March, well, I don’t think it was intended to. The score is most similar to ANH of all the others, and it did a hell of a good job of updating that for a new generation. I think he will go much bigger in Episode VIII but we’ll see.

  • December 18, 2015 at 3:31 pm
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    See, I liked the movie because it was Star Wars… However, there were bits in the film that seemed a bit loose or not thought through.

    1- Why did C3PO have a red arm? It was a question I wanted the answer to, and it was even referenced, twice. Once, he said to Han that he might not recognise him because of it, and the other, he said to BB-8 that he “must get his old arm reinstalled”
    2- The ‘big’ reveals. The Kylo Solo reveal was made too early imo. And it wasn’t dramatic enough. It was just sort of mentioned in passing by Snoke. It wasn’t like an “I am your father moment”
    3- Captain Phasma. A character that seemed SO hyped. People went and bought action figures, posters, etc…. She gets about four lines and then gets shoved away for the rest of the movie!
    4- Max Von Sydow. Who was his character? It was hinted at in the title crawl that he was an old character. I don’t know if I missed the memo or what, but I don’t remember his name being mentioned or anything.
    5- Constable Zuvio. Where the hell was he?
    6- The ending and Luke Skywalker. I didn’t expect Luke to appear until near the end, but he didn’t even speak a syllable! It felt like a bit too much of a cliffhanger for a Star Wars film. All the other ones sort of round the film off, but they leave it WIDE OPEN for the next one… But this wasn’t rounded up.

    I’m known for being a bit of a negative bastard when things are first released, and this probably proves it. No doubt I’ll see it about 5 or 10 times in the cinema! haha

    • December 18, 2015 at 3:36 pm
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      EXACTLY the lack of Zuvio was puzzling at least. I was never a fan of the design of the character but how he was literally SCRAPPED seemed odd

    • December 18, 2015 at 3:37 pm
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      So you want everything to be revealed in the first movie? That wouldn’t leave you in any anticipation for the next movie, and the one after that, where I’m sure most, if not all, of these questions will be answered.

      • December 18, 2015 at 4:49 pm
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        Not exactly. There obviously has to be a few questions left to answer in E8&9… But there seemed to be way more questions then answers in this one. They should have answered C3PO’s arm and maybe Sydow’s character questions and left the rest open.

    • December 18, 2015 at 3:49 pm
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      Too many people guesses about Kylo so if it was a big moment it would have been a huge let down of people going “I know.”

    • December 18, 2015 at 3:56 pm
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      In response to #5…wow you know, you’re right. We even got a short story on him and an exclusive photo reveal and everything, but I don’t remember ever seeing him on screen.

      • December 18, 2015 at 4:04 pm
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        Did he need to be on screen?

        A lot of these little disappointments are our obsessive fandom getting in the way. Why didn’t we get more Phasma? I dunno, why did we need more Phasma? Because she was marketed? So? Where was the Constable? Why did we need more of him? Because there was a story? So?

        • December 18, 2015 at 4:57 pm
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          He could have at least been in there for about 30 seconds, or even in the background!

        • December 18, 2015 at 5:18 pm
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          No, we didn’t need it. The pacing was great and the characters were not missed. It was only after the film upon reflection that I realized some of these characters were under utilized or missing altogether. The film was fine without them; it’s just weird to build any amount of hype to anything and not have any payoff. Like I said, I ultimately don’t care, but it was a weird move.

          • December 18, 2015 at 8:26 pm
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            It is a bit weird though to have a toy of a character not even shown on screen.

    • December 18, 2015 at 3:59 pm
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      I had a lot of the same questions and issues. I swear that when the Resistance bid Rey and Chewie farewell, C-3PO’s arm was gold again? I missed the comment about getting his old arm back, but why make a big deal about him having a red arm, and the subtly switch at the end? Totally agree about the Kylo reveal and Constable Zuvio missing in action. I wish Luke had at least a little dialogue, like “Keep it. You’re going to need it…”

      I know it was mentioned that Hux had already left Starkiller base before its destruction, but what are the odds that Phasma was able to escape wherever the heroes left her, and that Kylo Ren was discovered in the forest before everything collapsed? And why didn’t the Resistance take out escaping enemy ships? Also, if scrap metal was so valuable on Jakku, how did the Falcon manage to stay relatively untouched (apart from Unkar’s mods) and not stripped down? If it hadn’t run in so long, how was it able to power up and fly so well? It must have some stellar shields, because it took a helluva beating, and was wasn’t destroyed.

      • December 18, 2015 at 4:07 pm
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        It wouldn’t be stripped because the guy owned/used the ship.

      • December 18, 2015 at 4:53 pm
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        I didn’t notice his arm being gold again, but I’ll keep an eye out next time I see it!
        Luke’s line should have been something like “The force is strong in you” with his back turned to her.

        Yeah, yet Phasma is meant to be in Episode 8… And I can’t see them doing a Darth Maul and killing Kylo off after one film… But would they really be able to work out a way to have kept him alive?

  • December 18, 2015 at 3:33 pm
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    Hard to tell really.

    Not the OT level, some aspects better than PT some worse than PT.

    The good:

    Great humor

    Great performances from the new cast, superb Driver and Ridley, very solid Issacs and Boyega

    Small moments like Chewie reminding Han to put his coat on while going to the Starkiller surface

    The practical effects and quality of sets

    Beautiful cinematography on Jakku and Starkiller

    I like how it feels like a closure for a million new stories to be told in a new EU happening in these 30 years between the trilogies

    The bad:

    Story is literally a reboot of ANH. Did we need another Death Star? I think the answer is no. The trench run is less exciting then the original one and the victory ultimately less satisfying

    The overall direction of the movie is super safe, never steers to unexplored territory ultimately making the movie the least imagination captivating of all SW films

    Too much setting up for the next 2 episodes, too many questions unanswered: it feels very much like TPM in that way, which was like a prequel to the prequels, duh.

    Plot gaps and ridiculous ways to get out of them: they get BB with map, but another part is missing and 3P0 looks at shut down R2 and says “there’s no way the other part of the map is in R2” the heroes do adventures and some die they go back and puff! R2 powers up and it has the other part of the map. I mean, seriously?!?!

    Some of the most emotional moments are ruined by the editing: Han gets stabbed, and instead of staying with him and Kylo we cut to Rey and Finn screaming NOOOO who just happened to be passing by for no reason by the oscillator chamber and are standing directly above Kylo, Han and Chewie. To quote Time: “Instead of allowing a significant figure to have his grand moment, Abrams cuts to other characters expressing shock and dismay, as if he didn’t trust the audience to know what to feel.”

    Overall 6.5/10 I’d say. Not the best Abrams movie, but not a bad one either.

    In my personal ranking somewhere between AOTC and TPM

    • December 18, 2015 at 3:39 pm
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      Ranked between AOTC and TPM… I really don’t want to disrespect your opinion but I just do not understand how you could rank this even in the same realm as the prequels. I really really do not get it. Sorry 🙁

      • December 18, 2015 at 3:40 pm
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        Simply because I like Prequels more than most people do haha

        • December 18, 2015 at 4:32 pm
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          Don’t worry, in 10 years or so this movie will be the object of the same ridicule as the prequels and people will look back in embarrassment at how excited they were. Which doesn’t mean it was a bad movie, it’s just nowhere near as good as the hype makes it, and has a ton of issues, like the ones you pointed out. At least this one was more universally crowd-pleasing. Sliding down a sand dune is a much better way to please both kids and adults than having Jar-Jar step in “icky goo”.

          • December 18, 2015 at 5:01 pm
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            It’s a well made film, formulaic may be, but well made. It has people who can actually act, who were well directed, who had a good natural, witty script to work off. Visuals that for the most part are grounded in reality and feel visceral, not like computer game CGI cutscene. While movies are subjective to some degree or another, these are objective facts more than anything. No one can claim that Hayden Christensen or Natalie Portman gave even remotely convincing or emotional performances (and Portman especially has proven elsewhere of course she CAN). It was amateur hour, and film reviews from regular film critics, Star Wars fans and non SW fans alike, pretty much all agree they were dire. 95% of reviewers this week agree TFA is monumentally better, it’s a genuinely good, well crafted film where the prequels were not. If you like them fair enough but don’t pretend they have merit. You like them, that’s great, but they were objectively bad.

  • December 18, 2015 at 3:46 pm
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    Overall I would say it was fabulous. I loved Adam Driver and look forward to his story. I think JJ made a moderned up Star Wars in a great way.

    What didn’t work for you? Sadly, the dynamic between Leia and Han was off as was the lack of Kylo being a focus of their lives.

    What rehashing and fan service did you find acceptable and what did you consider too much? Another Death Star blown up was too much but the character stories far outweighed the resistance first order story. I felt little about the resistance or the first order.

    What about the number of questions raised and left unanswered?
    I am really fine with what they left open. Did not annoy me at all as I heard this complaint before seeing movie.

    There were some amazing jokes, when Finn says we will use the force. They should have killed Chewie and R2 was pointless and silly.

    • December 18, 2015 at 3:51 pm
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      Oscar Isaac really broke the ice with the “So who talks first?” line. From that point on, you knew what kind of movie you were going to get. I enjoyed Han respecting Chewie’s bowcaster game as well. 🙂

      • December 18, 2015 at 4:59 pm
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        Yet after almost 50 years he had never once picked it up? BS.

        • December 18, 2015 at 5:15 pm
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          It’s not wise to upset a Wookiee. Han knew that very well and never bothered with trying to take his weapon away from him until it became necessary. That’s my cop out anyways. 🙂

          • December 18, 2015 at 7:59 pm
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            As long as they’ve been friends/partners that should’ve been something that had come up in general over the previous 40-50 years or so.

        • December 18, 2015 at 6:26 pm
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          Maybe it was the new and improved version

          • December 18, 2015 at 7:56 pm
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            They sold it as him having never picked it up before. If they were going the “new and improved” route they would have mentioned that it was new at some point.

          • December 18, 2015 at 8:06 pm
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            Good point

  • December 18, 2015 at 3:51 pm
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    Loved the look, the humour, the action. Didn’t love too many re-used themes (no need to go into details, I guess). And coincidences upon coincidendes are almost too much. BB8 finding Rey, OK. Finn crashing on Jakku, then finding both, hmm. The group finding the Falcon, what ? All of them meeting Han in the whole wide space that there is ? also the small matter that – except for Han’s death – everything works very smoothly, although they have insider knowledge from Finn. Getting into Starkiller base and destroying is almost like a walk in the park… gave it a 7 out of 10 – the three missing points would be for the stuff I critisized.

    • December 18, 2015 at 4:03 pm
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      There are too many coincidences. Is a criticism of a movie. What a time to be alive.

      • December 18, 2015 at 4:06 pm
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        lol

        How could Lando end up with an installation right were Han ended up with the Falcon after the asteroid belt? How could Leia be flying over her father’s birth planet while he chased her? And how could R2D2 and Threepio end up on Threepio’s first job homestead?

        • December 18, 2015 at 4:10 pm
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          Yeah, I didn’t even go there because it’s so ridiculous.

        • December 18, 2015 at 5:48 pm
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          IMO

          In a planetary scale, you can excuse with “the force binds us”

          In a galaxy,you can’t.

  • December 18, 2015 at 4:05 pm
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    I’ve seen the movie twice here in Australia and to me, it’s the best one yet.

  • December 18, 2015 at 4:08 pm
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    I just finished watching it about 30 min ago and my first impression was “good but not great”. I couldn’t keep wondering during the movie as it progressed that I was desperately trying to be wowed and amazed but instead was ” settling” for the plot points and reveals. I don’t know but maybe I’ve seen it all and perhaps I was expecting too much. My biggest gripe is that the practical effects were a little too real and kept ut grounded with not enough sci-fi fantasy to transport my mind to a galaxy far away. Too many mid air twisting bodies from blasters felt desperate and unneeded for example. Also the music was unnoticeable until the Luke reveal for me with no discerning new themes for the new characters. Still, the movie is a valued addition to the franchise but even ROJ beats it in my estimate.

  • December 18, 2015 at 4:08 pm
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    Its funny, we want to know everything about everything – but we didn’t need that in 1977, did we?

  • December 18, 2015 at 4:10 pm
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    Loved it. Small niggles but fan fan obsessed ones. EXCEPT ONE:

    *cue 1999 whine track*

    John Williams raped my ear holes.

    Just kidding. It wasn’t that bad, but I felt the weakest part of the film was the music. Nothing stood out for me at least.

    Other than that, I thought it was great!

    • December 18, 2015 at 4:20 pm
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      I felt the same way and was totally let down by the music. JJ should have stuck with his guy as I daresay Williams has gone soft with age?

      • December 18, 2015 at 4:26 pm
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        Nope. Some of the best material of his career has come in the last few years. He just wasn’t given any story to work with that would validate the writing of new sweeping romantic theme. I missed the lack of a choral action piece but I imagine he was deliberately saving that for the sequels in order to have something to build to. ANH was similarly subdued like this score, the only thing it had that this one didn’t is something on the level of Leia’s Theme and I think Rey’s theme is a wonderful counterpart. The prequel scores went downhill after Duel of the Fates because he had already gone Most Epic Possible so I’m glad he didn’t give away everything he has for a threat we all knew wasn’t going to last.

        • December 18, 2015 at 4:33 pm
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          My first love for Star Wars has always been the music. You are spot on with Duel of the Fates but I was expecting at least ONE standout theme but couldn’t find it sadly. Williams is indeed a master but like George, it appears the reigns should have been passed in.

          • December 18, 2015 at 4:53 pm
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            Me too. I knew the music for years before I ever watched the movies and TPM was probably my most played album ever. I do consider Rey’s theme to be standout when you follow its development over the course of the film but I agree it’s not in the same vein as past Star Wars music. I’m just trying to focus on the positive and have hope for the future 😉

  • December 18, 2015 at 4:12 pm
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    I really loved the movie but it was far from great. One review called it the ‘best disappointment’, citing that it is a good movie but you will be disappointed. I felt exactly that. I do apologize for any possible spoilers. Why market Captain Phasma amd she wasn’t even in the movie? How the hell Kylo Ren a man trained in ways of the force get his ass beat by Rey a girl who is untrained? I get the fact she is powerful but it felt a bit phony, and I also get that he was injured and emotionally conflicted. To continue why market characters who didn’t say no more than two words. General Hux should have been on that poster than Phasma. The story was good but there’s a lot of things I need answers too. How did she know to tell the stormtrooper what to do? I love Johns character but weirdly I felt I needed more. I believe the film should have been about 20min longer to explore more story for some people and give other characters more time to actually talk. Carrie fisher daughter wasn’t no actor in the film, she was an extra. These are just my thoughts I feel a but conflicted and disappointed but overall I would rank this #3 in my star wars list

    • December 18, 2015 at 4:14 pm
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      Bittersweet was my first reaction. I knew the main story points, thanks to all the spoiler sites, but I was still caught off-guard by the execution and visuals. It is still Star Wars, with lots of reminders from the original trilogy, but it definitely looks and feels new and different. Like most fans, I think we have our own expectations and ideas of what we’d like to have happen, and when it doesn’t go our way, we feel a bit let down.

      • December 18, 2015 at 4:17 pm
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        Your 100% right. I just feel a Lil upset right now that I waited a year for that. But it was a really good movie for what it was

    • December 18, 2015 at 4:21 pm
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      “The movie didn’t live up to the toys and posters…”

      What a time to be alive.

    • December 18, 2015 at 4:28 pm
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      “How the hell Kylo Ren a man trained in ways of the force get his ass beat by Rey a girl who is untrained?”

      “So was I, if you remember” – said Luke referring to his holding of lightsaber in a helmet for one minute and already using force.

      • December 18, 2015 at 4:37 pm
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        Maybe Rey is trained in the ways of the force, but she forgot?

        Luke trained Kylo Ren and he failed because Kylo fell to the dark side.
        He didn’t want that to happen with rey so he pulled a mindtrick on her an dropped her off on jakku.
        Rey doesn’t remember anything, only when she fights with Kylo she remembers a little that she know of the force

        • December 18, 2015 at 6:15 pm
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          I think as the Force awakens in her the more she remembers..she was probably trained at one point in her life..and if she is Luke’s daughter she is a force prodigy.

      • December 18, 2015 at 4:37 pm
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        Yeah but against the living?, that’s something else.

        • December 18, 2015 at 4:39 pm
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          That’s Han’s thinking 😉 And let’s not forget she’s not just a farmer girl…
          But then again what is REALLY REAL in this movie? 🙂

      • December 18, 2015 at 4:41 pm
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        Rey kept calm and let the force guide her, while Kylo was full of conflicting emotions and totally out of balance. This all at the crucial moment. If it wasnt for Kylo’s emotions going berserk he would have won easily as you can clearly see he is more skilled.

  • December 18, 2015 at 4:20 pm
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    it was great! the mild fan criticism i’ve heard so far seems to come down to it not repeating the experience people had seeing SW when they were children. I have news for them. Nothing will ever be like it was when you were children.

  • December 18, 2015 at 4:20 pm
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    SPOILERS:
    No movie is without a flaws, even the OT. This movie was a blast for me, very emotional to the point that it outweighs all the bad things. The awakening moments of Ray when she finds the lightsaber, the final battle, the lightsaber fights. All of this I watched with open mouth. Best Star Wars movie for me.
    But then again – you cannot satisfy all. Some of the reviews are in style: “It’s not the best movie because Captain Phasma was not the way I expected”, “The Kylo’s hairstyle was not good, reminded me of Grease Movie”, “The fifth second of the movie was bad”, “THE WORST MOVIE EVER because Snoke was CGI”… I mean really….

    • December 18, 2015 at 4:38 pm
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      LOL. totally agree. Boba Fett is the best example. Ppl remember him as an epic bad arse. but his only roll in the OT is to stand there in a couple of scenes. And the character didn’t even require any acting. He only had 4 lines in all of the OT.

      I can’t even imagine how anybody could complain about the fx in TFA. Especially after what Lucas did with the CGI in the PT

    • December 18, 2015 at 7:30 pm
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      People complain for the sake of complaining.

  • December 18, 2015 at 4:22 pm
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    I enjoyed it overall more than the prequels, mostly because of the returning characters.

    But, surprisingly, and maybe because of the 3D effect, the practical effects were a little disappointing. The prequels and all the CGI seemed grander. A lot of the props and sets here, at least in the first third of the film, looked a little like toys.
    Maybe you just can’t turn back the clock on expectations.

    • December 18, 2015 at 4:27 pm
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      i saw the 2D version and felt that the effects were very good. sometimes the 3D conversion doesn’t help

  • December 18, 2015 at 4:23 pm
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    the final scene was amazing. totally welled up with the sabre hand over and the look on Lukes face. roll on 2017

    • December 18, 2015 at 4:28 pm
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      This was the only time I noticed the new musical theme. Other than that, the score fell flat for me. Great scene!

      • December 18, 2015 at 5:15 pm
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        Score was the same for me. There some of the original music in a dramatic moment of the Rey/Ren lightsabre battle that was great, but besides that none of the music even remotely is memorable. I was overwhelmed mind, so maybe on repeat viewings it will be more obvious.

        • December 18, 2015 at 5:58 pm
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          Yeah, was same for me. Repeat viewings will help for sure. None of the original/prequel music was stuck after the first viewing, but by time.
          One thing I disliked was that there weren’t much scenes for the music to take much space – there was so much going on so there were almost no scenes where the music raised higher and just brought you with it.
          I liked the score, maybe not Williams best work (well, that’s hard to top to be fair), but it lacked a few such scenes to make the score special. No Binary Sunset scenes or anything like that.

  • December 18, 2015 at 4:25 pm
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    It was definately better than the majority of the SW Films so far. To rank the 7 films so far from best to worst:

    1. ESB
    2. ANH
    3. TFA
    4. RoTJ
    5. RoTS
    6. AoTC
    7. TFM

  • December 18, 2015 at 4:28 pm
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    I’m 36, so I’m not old enough to see the original trilogy in theaters. The prequels were disappointing. However, to be fair, Return of the Jedi wasn’t very good either. It’s always been the idea of Star Wars that has kept me hopeful.

    This is by far the best experience I’ve had watching a Star Wars movie. This film is far better than Return of the Jedi. Yes, there are nods to A New Hope, but it’s not a copy. They got the balance right. The film raised more questions than it answered. That’s what I want from this movie. There are other films to come. There’s been an awakening in the Force. There’s been a change. I can’t wait to see more of these fabulous characters.

    This is a fantasy. An escape from reality. It was a fantastic film and I can wait to see where it goes from here.

    • December 18, 2015 at 4:30 pm
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      Exactly the same thoughts. I’m 1982

    • December 18, 2015 at 5:14 pm
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      Completely agree. My most entertaining Star Wars film by some margin. Empire will always be the most epic and dramatic but I have hope it might be exceeded in the next 3 years! I LOVE these new characters.

    • December 18, 2015 at 8:37 pm
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      I have to disagree, ROTJ(deprequelized) IS a good movie, it’s just not great like it’s two predecessors. Amongst others, it gave us Luke as a Jedi, speeder chases, Jabba the Hut, the rancor, the sarlacc pit, the Emperor and Luke v Vader part 2.

      TFA, vies with Jedi as the third best in the series, though there are times when it doesn’t really feel like a Star Wars movie, this is accentuated by Williams fairly humdrum score. Also, I think Domhnall Gleeson was miscast, the part required someone older.

  • December 18, 2015 at 4:39 pm
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    I liked it. Music sounded more like an Indiana Jones or harry potter theme, , story had similarities with previous films, but the Force Awakens made it to be now my favourite star wars film. With funnily enough making my top 7 be completely changed over and making Empire strikes back fall at the fourth position.

  • December 18, 2015 at 4:40 pm
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    i thought it was stunning.. on par with ROTJ but without the ewoks.. some tiny flaws but absolutely nothing prequel esque.. it was classy.. funny.. emotional.. brilliant.
    9.5/10

  • December 18, 2015 at 4:41 pm
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    Too many unansweredd questions. I enjoyed it more than Jedi, less than ESB. The ending SUCKED. Don’t do a cliffhanger on the first film. Who is Max Von Sydow? Was he a youngling who survived?

    • December 18, 2015 at 4:54 pm
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      OMG I have exactly the same thoughts. The whole movie I was thinking about Max Von Sydow… coudn’t watch without knowing his story. THE MOVIE SUCKED BIG TIME BECAUSE OF THIS. WAS EVEN WORSE THAN PHANTOM MENACE. Was he a youngling who survived? Can JJ answer this question to me now?! EVERYBODY WHO LEFT THE CINEMA WAS LIKE: But who the f… was Max?…

      • December 18, 2015 at 5:16 pm
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        With some luck, we’ll get that answered if he actually has something to do with Rey even if he’s not in her life anymore (maybe he was here to watch on her and on the map or something). Or maybe he was just a cameo

      • December 18, 2015 at 5:43 pm
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        The dude had a map.

      • December 18, 2015 at 6:09 pm
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        I was wondering that too…I mean he pretty much set up the first part of the movie…why would he have the map…and he knew Kylo was a Solo too.

  • December 18, 2015 at 4:41 pm
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    It recapitulates a lot of themes and narrative elements from A New Hope, which I was fine with. But what made it stand out was that it personalized the story much in the same way Empire – which is my favorite of the franchise – did, so for me TFA ranks as the second-best movie of the six. It did what it was supposed to do – introduce the new trilogy in a way that made you excited for future installments – but also gave a little bit extra to put it over the top.

    Also: “BEN!”

    Best scene of any Star Wars movie. Harrison Ford and Adam Driver were mesmerizing.

    • December 18, 2015 at 4:43 pm
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      When Chewie nailed him I pumped my fist and hissed “yessss!”

    • December 18, 2015 at 4:51 pm
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      Oh man, you could have cut the tension with a knife in the theater.

    • December 18, 2015 at 5:19 pm
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      This is the first time I read sb mentioning this scene. When I saw Han shouted his son’s name I got chills there on my neck.

  • December 18, 2015 at 4:47 pm
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    I really have liked the movie.
    We cannot ask more to 2 hours. Actually we all are acquantied with very good long TV series where the plots are huge. It is incredible how Kasdan and Abrams have given all that information in just 2 hours.
    I missed sometimes the OT music.
    But I stopped missing it in the last scene, so beautiful.

    • December 18, 2015 at 4:50 pm
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      That’s when the new theme hit me also! Loved it.

      • December 18, 2015 at 4:55 pm
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        Yes, it was like they were hidding it all the movie.

  • December 18, 2015 at 4:49 pm
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    I wonder what happened to Constable Zuvio. A late-in-the-game cut, I suppose. Also, some of the VO from the trailers was missing – “The Force, it’s calling to you, just let it in.” and “Hope is not lost today….” I’m sure we’ll get those scenes on the blu-ray.

  • December 18, 2015 at 4:52 pm
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    What’s the 2019 Ep. IX Williams score gonna sound like? Lol. Dueling farts?

  • December 18, 2015 at 4:53 pm
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    As i said on twitter:Well TheForceAwakens i have to say was great.10/10 but not greater then the others but on pair.Will say it again,agree with EVERYONE on fan forums.Daisy Ridley was fantastic/amazing/awesome/wonderful! And the Rey music theme the scavenger is so sweet beyond just like Daisy <3 🙂 BRAVOJohn Williams . Some people is not all happy with music in like missing a dual of the fates soundtrack but i think its awesome anyways! Anyways had a shiload of CGI as any SW movie have to have for obvious fucking reasons like you know space/alien worlds etc etc.What made me in a weird way happy is the fact that the movie had just as much CGI characters as any PTmovie:) /fact/obvious.Some things could have been explained more with a couple of big characters! Did lack the George Lucas magic when it came things like Alien worlds. Movie was to much Earth looking sometime pure Earth shots BIG ones taking you out of the magic.

  • December 18, 2015 at 4:55 pm
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    I don’t like the way hyperspace and space flight in general seemed to work. It *felt* kind of like everything was in the same solar system (or just outside) and they just kind of hyperspaced in circles around it when they needed a little time for exposition or a cool escape visual.

    • December 18, 2015 at 5:08 pm
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      This, ten thousand time this. This movie is missing a relaxing scene on the falcon during the hyperspace travel during which Han and Rey will bond, kind of like the training scene of Luke in ANH. Which would both make the universe feel bigger (that hyperspace trick worked in ANH to make the journey feel like an adventure in the vastness of space), and would give time for the relationship between Han and Rey to grow into an actual father/daughter relationship (which the actor sold very well but the film not as much)

  • December 18, 2015 at 4:58 pm
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    Loved it. But took me 2 viewings to really appreciate it. First viewing was just so overwhelming..to much to proces. Minor things: not finding one good spot for some some good JW music (not counting end scene which was great)..for example: would have love to see the scene where Rey looks at the ship leaving longer in same fashion as the binary sunset. Speaking of the music..was expecting more memorable theme’s.. like Rey’s theme and end scene. Also would have loved to see more of Leia giving orders to her troops. Bigger thing: Starkiller base..building another deathstar was not a good idea. It was major important..they blew up curascant!!! but was handled as a minor storyline. I understand giving this part of the story more attention it would detract from the main story but then they should have put in a less devastating device in there..or maybe show only the construction of starkiller and save the rest for the next film.

    • December 18, 2015 at 5:35 pm
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      Not Coruscant, they addresses it by a different name and it was different visually by a long stretch….

    • December 18, 2015 at 5:48 pm
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      How do we know it was Coruscant?

      • December 18, 2015 at 5:57 pm
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        Didn’t they say that in the film?

        • December 18, 2015 at 6:19 pm
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          Definitely not Coruscant. It seems that the Resistance is at war with the First Order and the Republic is officially not involved.

          My guess is that the Republic is up to it’s old habits of being slow to respond and generally unable to do anything about the conflict. Not too different that before the Clone Wars.

          • December 18, 2015 at 7:35 pm
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            There are lines in the movie which say the republic is funding the resistance. I think snoke says it. The first order are very much against the new republic, hence hux’s big nazi speech. It seems the resistance is the republic’s unofficial ‘army’?

    • December 18, 2015 at 6:21 pm
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      It was Hosnian Prime that was destroyed.

  • December 18, 2015 at 5:03 pm
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    So what are everyone’s thoughts on Rey? Who is she?

    • December 18, 2015 at 5:05 pm
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      Han looked at her knowingly with concern in one scene. Daughter or niece is my guess.

      • December 18, 2015 at 5:08 pm
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        Seems like Han or Leia would have mentioned a missing daughter.

        • December 18, 2015 at 5:12 pm
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          I’m going to guess, the descendant of Darth Sidious? No frankly I don’t know but she can’t be the daughter of Han, and why would Luke abandon her before the event that led him to exile (she was too old at that point not to remember her parents so the whole thing would have had to be earlier).

          • December 18, 2015 at 5:34 pm
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            She didn’t seem to remember ANYTHING until the force vision so I’d lean on the theory that she was hidden away to protect her from Ren and Snoke. They BOTH seemed interested in her as soon as they knew about her, Ren shifted focus even before he knew she saw the map I thought…my guess is Lukes kid taken away to protect her.

        • December 18, 2015 at 5:16 pm
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          Maybe Han’s reason for leaving Leia? A daughter from another mother?

          • December 18, 2015 at 5:20 pm
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            She’d lose the Skywalker connection though.

    • December 18, 2015 at 7:39 pm
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      Han definitely took a moment to process her name when she told him, kind of like Obiwan did when Luke met him. ‘A name I’ve not heard in a long time…’ Etc. I reckon she’s Luke’s daughter, and Han knows her history, but has never met her.

  • December 18, 2015 at 5:04 pm
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    I loved it! It really was the star wars of old. The problem nowadays is people are so picky and demanding. To the point where they will never be happy. I love the originals and cant stand the prequels. To be honest I find a lot of other star wars fans to be really nerdy and pathetic. Basically, they live a sad life hoping for perfection in all future star wars movies and are deep into their expanded universe books. These weirdo’s will never be happy. Then you have the other stars wars fans who think they’re some major critic and will nit pick everything. I’m neither, I was just hoping for something that will make me feel when I watch the original films and it did. It had the emotional depth and the story to take us into the next two films. It wasn’t just pure action garbage.

    • December 18, 2015 at 5:06 pm
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      I’m sure a lot of people criticising the movie are like me, Critical but still overjoyed with the movie. Other genuinely didn’t like it and I don’t think it’s very smart of you to mock their life just because they happened not to enjoy it and were vocally disappointed in it.

  • December 18, 2015 at 5:08 pm
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    I really enjoyed it,not sure where to rank it though. It’s so weird knowing what happens after Rotj

    The new cast is phenomenal

  • December 18, 2015 at 5:08 pm
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    I loved the film for all the same reasons as the rest. As for complaints, I think it was a bad decision to destroy the base in the first film. Moreover, the way that it happened could have definitely been harder, instead of yet another design flaw.. As for a nitpick: When Han fell the CGI looked really fake, maybe it was due to the 3D. But these complaints are not nearly enough for me to not think this is the best in the Saga so far. Empire, I’m sorry, but you’re second now to me

  • December 18, 2015 at 5:09 pm
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    Just saw it 30 minutes ago in Shibuya, Tokyo. Amazing. Kylo Ren rules!

  • December 18, 2015 at 5:11 pm
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    What’s with Kylo beating his wound? Can’t he just force pain-kill it or something? I actually laughed because my 8 yr old son does the exact same thing and only then can I tell he’s hurt without telling me first.

    • December 18, 2015 at 5:13 pm
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      Kylo is such an interesting villain. What happened to this guy?

      • December 18, 2015 at 5:13 pm
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        Hux got him on board, don’t worry they’re not going to let him die like that.

        • December 18, 2015 at 5:18 pm
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          haha no, not that. I mean, what caused him to become such a twisted person?

    • December 18, 2015 at 5:13 pm
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      Someone made a very smart remark, that he’s actually trying to induce pain from his wound to reinforce his powers from the dark side with his rage and suffering.

      • December 18, 2015 at 5:30 pm
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        This.

  • December 18, 2015 at 5:13 pm
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    Food for thought: If Rey is no Skywalker but becomes the new Jedi who in the end has to win over or defeat Ren (who is heir to skywalker) the outcome is pretty much set…that is if Stars Wars is to keep following the Skywalker family in the next trilogy.

    • December 18, 2015 at 5:29 pm
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      They hinted VERY hard at her being a Skywalker.

      • December 18, 2015 at 5:46 pm
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        It would makes since. Luke dropper her off on Jakku and left his location with Lor San Tekka.

        • December 18, 2015 at 7:57 pm
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          Yep, then R2 went into wait mode until she showed up with his lightsaber proving that she was ready to find her father.

    • December 18, 2015 at 5:36 pm
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      She’s rarely strong with the force, and a great, instinctive pilot, strongly linked to Luke Skywalker. She’s been presented in parallel to Kylo Ren in all marketing campaign, and Luke cryes at seeing her.

      Come on!

  • December 18, 2015 at 5:14 pm
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    I really liked this movie. So happy it turned out good. I’d give it an 8.7/10 and I thought Kylo Ren and Daisey Ridely were the standouts in this movie. Kylo Ren is such a complex and troubled character and I am so excited to see his character arc in 8 and 9. The movie was beautiful and I can’t wait to see it again. Kylo Ren is my favorite character this year.

  • December 18, 2015 at 5:16 pm
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    I feel TFA was a pretty good movie, it had its shortcomings but overall it was visually pleasing and a fun ride. I do think there will be another extended release this summer where JJ can add back the many scenes and character development scenes that were cut in the editing room, this movie covered a lot of ground in 2.5 hours. similar to Peter Jackson’s Lord of the Rings. I say this for a few reasons,

    1. There has to be tons of unused film
    2. This is Disney – they are all about $$$, so what is better than having the highest grossing film of all time? recycling it and re-releasing it with the extended/directors cut about the same time the original release hits the small screens.
    3. There are a lot of characters that were glossed over, CPT Phasma, Max Von Sydow, Constable Zuvio, C3-PO’s red arm, and others that had additional scenes were most likely filmed and cut in the editing room.
    4. Keeps the Star Wars Train running until the release of Rogue One, just had a thought – maybe Max Von Sydow’s character is explained in Rogue One?
    5. Dollar, Dollar Bills!!

    • December 18, 2015 at 5:24 pm
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      Totally agree. I don’t even remember seeing constable zuvio at all. Looking forward to an extended edition.

      • December 18, 2015 at 7:46 pm
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        Was Zuvio shown briefly in Rey’s force vision? I think there was a lot more to that vision that got left on the cutting room floor. What about Sarco Plank? Wasn’t he meant to be involved somehow too?

    • December 18, 2015 at 5:47 pm
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      I would have loved to get to know more about Sydow’s character. It was made clear that he was a pretty big deal, but we didn’t get to know much about him at all.

      • December 18, 2015 at 7:48 pm
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        I was kinda wishing he was Kanan, an ‘old ally’ from when Leia was a teen? Could still be.. Kanan has a habit of changing his name when he needs a new life! Who knows.

    • December 18, 2015 at 5:52 pm
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      It definitely needed another 20 minutes – although I do think that’s a nitpick from us die-hard fans because we want to know everything about everything. But it could have used a little more running time.

  • December 18, 2015 at 5:20 pm
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    Why, oh why, did the movie seem so hellbent on remaking ‘A New Hope’?? Couldn’t just a couple references do? Plus I felt all the fan-service was an insult.

    Apart from that I really enjoyed the movie. I only wish the plot was more original.

  • December 18, 2015 at 5:22 pm
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    Did anyone else notice that the iconic shot of Kylo Ren igniting his lightsaber in the forest (the first glimpse we ever got of the character) from the trailer didn’t make the final cut? It was heard and not seen which I thought was pretty interesting. The sound of that lightsaber was so threatening and foreboding and I like how they used the sound of it to really invoke fear in the other characters. The scene with Rey in the woods on Takodana almost had that Michael Myers stalker feel to it.

    • December 18, 2015 at 5:27 pm
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      I noticed this also as I was looking forward to it. A little anticlimactic.

    • December 18, 2015 at 5:50 pm
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      Yeah noticed that scene from the trailer “the dark side” was missing. Strange it was not in the film

    • December 18, 2015 at 6:06 pm
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      The scene from the second trailer where we see Maz handing Luke’s lightsaber to a female hand was also missing.

  • December 18, 2015 at 5:23 pm
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    Absolutely loved the music ‘The Scavenger’ & ‘Jedi Steps’ are fantastic pieces of music. My main questions were
    1. Why include the actors from the Raid if not utilised?
    2. Where was Constable Zuvio? Maybe he had paperwork to do at the station
    3. The Rathtars were unnecessary so what value did they add?
    4. Why wasn’t the meeting with Teedo longer and he didn’t put up much of a fight, why ?

    • December 18, 2015 at 5:40 pm
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      My answers for your #3 and #4 questions are…

      #3: that scene served the purpose of establishing Han as an “action character” : keep in mind that, while we – as fan – don’t need Han Solo’s character to be established, one of the aim of TFA is to introduce SW to a whole new generation that isn’t “required” to know the previous movies;

      #4: What I read in that scene (and it’s kind of confirmed, later) is that Rey is known to be able to handle her own – actually, to kick generous amounts of ass.

    • December 18, 2015 at 5:45 pm
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      #1 – I think it’s highly possible they were used for stunts during the filming – and then since they were already there, for these characters aswell.
      #2 – This was strange to me aswell, but I believe a lot was cut out. Would have loved to see a glimpse of him though, as I like his design.
      #3 – Didn’t like that scene either. One of the few I just didn’t like. To me it felt a little bit forced, and I didn’t like how quick these animals were. Would have prefered something slower, but still threathening, like the Rancor. They seemed a little bit childish to me.
      #4 – I interpreted it as if if Teedo and Rey already knew of eachother. Rey even said she knew who he was afterwards if I’m not mistaken. Considering we saw her kick some ass later on, I’m quite sure Teedo just didn’t want to get in any fight with her.

  • December 18, 2015 at 5:27 pm
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    I also don’t think R2 just “woke up” with the map piece in the end. I think he was waiting and when Lukes daughter (if she isn’t they’re really screwing with people since they all but said it in the visions) shows back up, WITH Poppa Ani’s lost saber no less, he goes into full power mode so he can send her back to Pappy Luke.

    • December 18, 2015 at 5:29 pm
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      But why didn’t Leia recognize her?

      • December 18, 2015 at 5:35 pm
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        It isn’t stated that Leia didn’t recognize her – she hugs her and the screenwriters actually glossed over the whole thing, both in terms of what that hug implies and (of course) Luke’s actual reaction in seeing her.

        I have a feeling (but this is pure speculation, of course) that they tried to protect Rey, to keep her from some “horrible truth”, maybe going as far as blocking her memories or something along those lines. Maybe they are afraid that, if she remembers too much, she could turn to the Dark SIde the same way Kylo did.

      • December 18, 2015 at 5:37 pm
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        Midiclorians….calling it now. 😛

      • December 18, 2015 at 5:38 pm
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        Maybe leis hadn”t seen her since she was little or hadn’t met her? She mentioned “sending” her kid to train with Luke so it’s possible she hadn’t met Rey.

  • December 18, 2015 at 5:30 pm
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    So what was with Luke’s misty eyes? Was he:

    1. Tears of joy that Rey found her way back to him?

    Or

    2. Tears of dread because he knows her past, and what the future will hold for her.

    There was a ton going on in that last few seconds, without a word spoken.

    I thought it was brilliant. And nice tie in to Maz’s “eye” thing.

    • December 18, 2015 at 5:33 pm
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      I think sad that her being there means Han must have died, otherwise he would have shown up also.

      • December 18, 2015 at 5:35 pm
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        Nice. Didn’t think about that.

      • December 18, 2015 at 5:59 pm
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        If Leia felt Han dying I am sure Luke did too.

        • December 18, 2015 at 6:10 pm
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          True, but final confirmation standing in front of him might have pushed the tears.

    • December 18, 2015 at 5:34 pm
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      Because he failed..as Ben became Ren under his guidance. That and maybe the death of Han and destruction of Curascant. 😉

    • December 18, 2015 at 5:37 pm
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      Ugh, that set up is amazing – a battle between Luke’s fear of his mistakes and her enthusiasm and wonder. Amazing! Can’t wait!

      • December 18, 2015 at 5:39 pm
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        I know right!

    • December 18, 2015 at 5:47 pm
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      I loved Hamill’s expression in that shot: as I wrote in the cantina, in a single close-up I saw the young kid from Tatooine, a wise and powerful Jedi Master and an old man, grieving over his failure, faced with his humanity – and, maybe, the conflict between hope (Rey) and his fears for said failure (Kylo).

      Beautiful and brilliant, really.

    • December 18, 2015 at 8:36 pm
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      maybe it was just windy as hell. after all Luke’s on the irish planet

      • December 19, 2015 at 4:56 pm
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        Maybe someone stole his Lucky Charms 😛

  • December 18, 2015 at 5:32 pm
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    Overall loved the movie..could of done with some more lightsaber action but this was obviously a set up for the next two..I would also like to see another young male Jedi character.. A 100 pound girl going up against a man that’s 6’3 doesn’t seem very realistic to me.

    • December 18, 2015 at 5:43 pm
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      “Look at me. Judge me by my size, do you? Hmm? Hmm. And well you should not. For my ally is the Force, and a powerful ally it is.”

      • December 18, 2015 at 5:45 pm
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        Yoda’s a bamf that’s been training for 900 years though..she didn’t even know what the force was until that day lol

        • December 18, 2015 at 5:51 pm
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          Or did she? Because the flashback scene seems to imply that she did have some kind of training. Not to mention that she defeats Kylo because the moment when she finds her “balance” in the Force, he loses his (also, he is already wounded).

          Fighting (in real life) is not only a matter of size and training: there’s a lot of other things at play.

    • December 18, 2015 at 5:43 pm
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      skinny boy VS 6’8 body builder 😉

    • December 18, 2015 at 5:53 pm
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      I agree about the lightsaber battle. i think that was my biggest vritisism. Would loved to have seen some wider shots, and like 3 parts of the dual, with talking in between. Although, we did get some at the end. Definitely better than ep IV’s lightsaber battle though lol. so i hope, after her training (and Kylo’s) we get a bigger fight.

      • December 18, 2015 at 6:08 pm
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        Yeah I thought it was shot too close as well , toward the end it got a little better..and yeah I agree I think as the trilogy goes on we’ll get some more technical and epic battles. This was a good set up

        • December 19, 2015 at 5:30 am
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          I don’t care about Technical (doesn’t need to be prequel fast/over the top) they should be powerful kill shots, like they were, i just wanted some wider angles and less lunge/piercing kill shots. And yeah, it DOES get better towards the end. Like the one part where they start off in the bottom left of the frame, and fight their way to the other side ^_^ fun.

          Although, i wanted more dialogue. Like’fight-dialogue-fight-dialgue-fight’ lol

    • December 18, 2015 at 6:34 pm
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      I know, or like a small green alien with big ears going up against an old man with a shrivelled face. I think maybe you don’t understand the force? The whole size matters not line? When you are at one with the force anything is possible, physical limitations mean nothing.

      • December 18, 2015 at 6:48 pm
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        Take it easy buddy yoda’s been training for 900 years and she’s known about the force for a day..just thought it was a little far fetched no need to force choke me lol..still a good movie

    • December 18, 2015 at 7:00 pm
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      it worked for me, because Rey was already an expert with her staff, which shares the same skills as wielding a sword/light saber.

      • December 18, 2015 at 7:10 pm
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        I agree. Plus to me it felt as if Rey’s angst fueled her Force powers during her duel with Kylo, and she seems to be more powerful than him.

        I also didn’t have a problem with this seemingly humble “scavenger” being an ace pilot and great mechanic from right out of the blue (that sums up her family origins right there, IMO), but I did feel that the mind trick she pulled on the stormtrooper to free herself was a little too advanced for someone with no previous training, regardless of how strong the Force might be in her.

  • December 18, 2015 at 5:38 pm
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    Maz: “There is somebody who could (return)”..Rey “Luke”. This all in regards of her longing of the return of her parents. Anyone find it curious she said “Luke” directly after all the images of Ren and her crying as a little girl?

  • December 18, 2015 at 5:39 pm
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    I know the pt is the white elephant, but I did appreciate the one little call back too it.

    Talking about clones

  • December 18, 2015 at 5:44 pm
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    Luke’s voice did the trailer and nothing else, lol. But come on. they have had 3 Death Stars now. it is just silly and stupid. Tthat made it more or less a remake of sorts. It doesn’t have to be a giant super weapon in every Movie. That must mean there are litterally hundreds of those things out there. Which means they will win. they can blow them all up LAZY Writing. But good Movie nevertheless. The scene were she battles Kylo in the torture chamber with the Force awakening stole the show until the last 10 seconds of the Movie. i literally had the same Eyes as l Luke then
    The Farce awakens My spinning instructor looks exactly like Rey.! Which means I will have a giant sausage in my pants next time

    • December 18, 2015 at 5:48 pm
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      I get what you’re saying. Why are there villains? Can’t they come up with some new way of creating conflict?

  • December 18, 2015 at 5:46 pm
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    I liked the movie, I see it as a good start for a new trilogy, but I see it far from perfect.
    Since the first details about this movie came out, I had the fear that they were writing this movie more to “serve” angry fans who hated the PT than to move on with the story. This was also stated by JJ and Kennedy, when they declared they throw Lucas ideas because the wanted to do “something for the fans”.
    And I think this fear was legit; I see a movie that could have been great lowered because they wanted to fill with it with every possible nod to the OT. Did we really needed holochess or Luke training probe on the Millenium Falcon? Or Troopers chatting about blasters near the reactor? Or Death Star 3.0 ?
    Apart from plot flaws or holes, that is what annoyed me more. Problem is that this strategy worked very well, ’cause internet is full of people celebrating a movie which “is the best one because it’s like an OT movie and no elements of the PT are on it”. If that is the only parameter for success, I really don’t understand most of the fanbase. But that’s life!
    PS Sorry for any grammar error, i’m not native english

    • December 18, 2015 at 5:48 pm
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      Totally agree with you.

    • December 18, 2015 at 5:50 pm
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      The OT has 2 all-time classics and one good film.

      That’s a pretty damn good parameter.

    • December 18, 2015 at 5:52 pm
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      Actually the PT could have worked for the fans as well. The PT just needed another director. If JJ had directed the PT with the same love as het put into Awakens things would be very different right now. Im guessing the story lines that Lucas left weren’t in tune with a franchise that has to keep running for decades.

  • December 18, 2015 at 5:51 pm
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    When Chewie went into RAGE MODE after you know what happens… gave me chills

  • December 18, 2015 at 5:56 pm
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    Only thing i was kinda disappointed in was that we never got to see the whole original cast together in one scene. even if it was for a minute that could have been really cool

    • December 18, 2015 at 6:09 pm
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      You got that in the last scene of Jedi….

      • December 18, 2015 at 9:40 pm
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        very true, but Han never got to see Luke again after he disappeared. Im not mad about it, I’m fine with how it went, but it would have been cool

  • December 18, 2015 at 6:00 pm
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    Anyone a little disappointed we didn’t get the classic SW ending shot just before the credit roll?

    • December 18, 2015 at 6:01 pm
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      I thought we got a new classic ending shot.

    • December 18, 2015 at 6:02 pm
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      We did with the panoramic sweeping shot, swelling music, and closing iris.

  • December 18, 2015 at 6:01 pm
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    So what the hell was that map? How did a piece of the electronic map go missing.

    Can that happen to google maps?

    PS Loved the movie

    • December 18, 2015 at 6:03 pm
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      Snoke is Google anthropomorphized!

    • December 18, 2015 at 6:08 pm
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      1. smart planning ahead by Luke
      2. map in 2 separate pieces is more secure
      3. easy plot device

  • December 18, 2015 at 6:03 pm
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    A lot of people seem to have qualms with this film including many homages to the OT especially ANH. But I think you need to take a step back and aside from looking at it like a director, look at it from the business perspective. JJ had to first make a good movie. A movie that would let the old fans know star wars is back as well as usher in a new generation. Disney wouldn’t expect anything but the biggest bank when it comes to star wars given its history. On top of that when it gets to the content, they had to include 30 years of history (creating, describing, understanding its effects and how it would affect an entire GALAXY), introduce new characters, new relationships, motivations, etc. the list goes on. But this had to be done in 2 hours and 15 minutes. Honestly I wouldn’t have expected TFA to go any other way. In one film we understood some of what has happened, we felt like we were back in the world we haven’t seen in years, and we know STAR WARS is on the map again. Of course this film would have some fan service. It had to. This was the most important step in the revival of star wars. And he opened the door to us in the best way possible.
    To me episode 7 was like the first time I went skydiving. The door opened up and I saw a view I’d never seen before and realized I was about to jump into a crazy experience. Before I jumped I looked back to the inside of the helicopter to see my friends all smiling, throwing thumbs up, and getting hyped. That was TFA. The look back to old friends and being reminded everything is going to be ok. And now with episodes 8 and 9 we can fully jump in and immerse ourselves in this new world. I can’t wait for Star Wars Episode VII: The Force Showers (or whatever it does after it awakens, I’ll still watch it :D)

    • December 18, 2015 at 6:05 pm
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      Ha ha, the “Force stubs its toe while looking for light switch”

  • December 18, 2015 at 6:05 pm
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    What Bothered me was the speed of the film…for me it never developed relationships better …No one really acknowledging Solo’s demise …He was a war Hero a legend…would have liked to see Chewie Go a little more berserk on Kylo for smoking his 50 year long life debt thing….It all was just to fast ..taking out the planet base seemed way to easy and rushed …Like it wasn’t that big a deal…although when they shot the weapon there were thousands of troops and equipment on the thing …I liked the movie it just never pulled me into it …perhaps because when it started to …Bang we’re off to the next thing they talk you kinda get into it ..Bang were off to the next thing…The whole movie was like that….

    • December 18, 2015 at 6:08 pm
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      Me too, I was getting excited thinking that maybe there’s a whole undisclosed sequence waiting in surprise since everything was rushing too fast for me. Alas, this did not happen but it was a good ride nevertheless.

    • December 18, 2015 at 6:46 pm
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      I totally agree. The first half of the film was so well done, and then the second half just feels like it quickly throws a bunch at you. Snoke just nonchalantly drops that Han is his father, and then there is no dramatic build to the audience to care about the characters that much. It left Han’s death feeling quite limp. I will admit, the setting for that scene … looked amazing!

  • December 18, 2015 at 6:11 pm
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    After watching this movie I think it would be awesome to see a Kylo Ren spinoff of him before turning to the dark side.

    • December 18, 2015 at 6:29 pm
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      We also thought a Darth Vader origin story would be good and look how that turned out…

      • December 18, 2015 at 6:49 pm
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        Good point..I change my mind

      • December 18, 2015 at 6:53 pm
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        but if they had one spinoff movie with just revenge of the sith and had a better Anakin it would have been bearable lol

  • December 18, 2015 at 6:13 pm
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    I loved it. Fun, nostalgic, and I feel it will look even better when adjoined to 8 and 9 in 2017 and 2019. The music wasn’t as big and SW as I wanted, for a nitpick.

    • December 18, 2015 at 7:15 pm
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      If there is one thing I could say I’m “disappointed” with, it’s the music.

      Not that it was bad, in any way. But it’s the first movie in the series that didn’t seem to add any new, incredibly memorable songs and musical themes to the SW soundtrack.

      Here is what I always remember from the films:

      Ep 1: Duel of the Fates
      Ep 2: March of the Clones
      Ep 3: Battle at Mustafar
      Ep 4: Too many to even bother listing
      Ep 5: Imperial March, Han and Leia’s theme
      Ep 6: The Emperor’s theme, the Battle of Endor

      I was REALLY looking forward to hearing what new, memorable music TFA added to the series, and was listening for it the whole time. But I didn’t walk out of the theatre having caught anything particularly memorable. Great re-use of existing songs and themes in clever ways at many points, but nothing new.

      That’s not to say I think it’s bad. John Williams consistently does great work. The music is very Star Wars and does it’s job well. But Star Wars usually has songs that transcend the action on screen and almost act as characters in and of themselves.
      I’m re-listening to the soundtrack now and hoping something will pop out. Hopefully something will stand out from the soundtrack even if it didn’t in the context of the movie.

      • December 19, 2015 at 8:01 am
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        also disappointed by this, but it was to be expected. Williams’ scores have sounded pretty generic since Last Crusade.

  • December 18, 2015 at 6:16 pm
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    I found it to be a solid starting point. I wanted things to be unanswered and Solo dying doesn’t need to be explained just yet…Also, being that this is a new trilogy, introductions were plenty and the acting was well stated, especially with Ren and Rey. Solo’s death was to be expected and the juxtaposition of having a son who is evil and reverses the narrative is good Campbell elements. The lightsaber fight is very Karosawa. I think the next film will offer up greater clarity as to these elements. And it was actually funny in a natural way. My favorite seen is the odd Rey scene when she has that weird flash back/flash forward experience thus reminding me of Empire in that sense. But seriously, the tallest task in modern cinematic history was to make this film and so, who ever bitches about it needs to be things in context to what a film should be like. And it works as a stand alone in a variety of ways.

  • December 18, 2015 at 6:17 pm
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    Overall I thought the film was great and I truly enjoyed watching it. The main thing that bothered me was the pacing of the second half of the film. The first half of the movie was so well done and got me on board with all of the new characters right away. The second half of the film just throws so much at you and doesn’t have as much breathing room as the first half. I wish there was more emotion being shown between Han and Leia. Supreme Leader Snoke looks like a rejected character from the Lord of the Rings and doesn’t really seem to fit into Star Wars that well.

    Really though, they did such an amazing job with this film, which is no easy task. I really felt like I was along with all the new characters for the ride and really enjoyed watching it. It was amazing to watch Harrison Ford be charming and funny again, and I think he really gave a solid performance.

    I just think that they rushed the second half of the film, which took away some potential dramatic building. The film felt lopsided, but I think it was great and I look forward to seeing it at least two more times.

    Fan of the original trilogy and 33 yrs old … just for those of you wondering.

    • December 18, 2015 at 8:09 pm
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      Absolutely agree with you. I had to go watch it again immediately (didn’t need much persuading though) because of the second half being so rushed! Such good development of the characters in the first half, then everything just felt like JJ was running out of time and needed to fit all these plot elements in regardless.

  • December 18, 2015 at 6:17 pm
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    Spoilers ahead. I had a blast watching the film. The atmosphere was much more in the vein of episodes 4-6, with lots of run and fun action and dogfights and awesome practical effects everywhere. Unlike the PT, very little accent was given to the wider political context. Since I grew up with the OT I was pretty much OK with this since it felt like a return back home, but at the same time I feel like it’s one of the movie’s biggest weaknesses: who are the big players and how do they fit together? A New Republic and First Order are coexisting? And where is the Resistance? The moment that suffered the most from this was when Hux fires the Starkiller and wipes out an entire system. I mean that’s like a badass-quintuple-Tarkin-genocide right there, but the scene fell flat on its face for lack of a broader context. So what? Is the Republic gone? Is it still around? It didn’t really matter since we don’t even know what the Republic is. This may be adressed in the EU, but I feel like we shouldn’t HAVE to go digging to get those kinds of answers.

    • December 18, 2015 at 6:24 pm
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      My feelings exactly. ANH provided us with the scene where Tarkin tells his fellow imperial officers that the Emperor has dissolved the Senate permanently. After that no politics was needed anymore, because there’s not much politicking left to do when the only “politician” around is an all-powerful, tyrannical dictator.

      In TFA all we got was the scene where Hux tells Snoke that they should strike at the New Republic. Unfortunately this wasn’t enough because, to my understanding, the galaxy’s split into 3 major political/military forces (the F.O., the New Republic and the Resistance), which merits a broader explanation than what we got.

      • December 18, 2015 at 6:49 pm
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        It’s explained. The Republic supports the resistance underground.

        Basically what we do with our CIA everywhere around the world. Not overt ‘boots-on-the-ground’ but with financial and personnel resources.

        • December 18, 2015 at 7:02 pm
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          Yeah, it’s explained, I know. Doesn’t mean the explanation we got was good enough, though, at least for my taste.

    • December 18, 2015 at 7:03 pm
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      I agree about the vagueness of the destruction of the star system housing the Republic. So is the Republic gone now? With very little mentioned about the Republic destroying the main system where the Senate was located fell a little flat.

  • December 18, 2015 at 6:18 pm
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    The Force Awakens for me is like buying new puppy after your old dog just died. When everything is new, you feel like the new pup will never be able to take the old dogs place. For me The Force Awakens had to justify killing the Expanded Universe, as of right now I don’t think it did that for me. Now they may come out with 30 years of stories that I may totally love better. We will see. But what really PISSES ME OFF and what I can’t accept is that they couldn’t pay homage to ANY of the characters/locations from the EU. Was it a pride thing or just wanting to be assholes that couldn’t bring you to call Solos son Jacen? You had to create a creature that looks exactly like a Munn, but not a Munn? Star Wars was kept alive for decades because of the EU. And to not throw at least a couple references/tributes in the movie is really ruining it for me.

    • December 18, 2015 at 7:34 pm
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      Umm Ben?

      • December 19, 2015 at 12:46 am
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        Ben was Luke’s son.

  • December 18, 2015 at 6:21 pm
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    My girlfriend thought Kylo Ren was Darth Vader the whole time..we broke up

    • December 18, 2015 at 6:30 pm
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      i commend you good sir

    • December 18, 2015 at 6:59 pm
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      No you didn’t…………really?

      • December 18, 2015 at 7:28 pm
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        No I’m not that big of a nerd…we’re just taking a break

        • December 18, 2015 at 7:36 pm
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          lol

        • December 18, 2015 at 11:35 pm
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          Not that big of a nerd, meaning you actually have a girlfriend? 🙂

  • December 18, 2015 at 6:22 pm
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    I like the fact that this film avoided the politics of the galaxy. That was a very confusing aspect of the prequels, but I doubt they can keep avoiding it.

    My guess is that the Republic is up to it’s old habits of being slow to
    respond. They don’t have a military and they’re generally unable to do anything about the conflict. Not too
    different that before the Clone Wars.

    There is a brief mention that Snoke has considered raising a clone army again. Although it’s unclear how the First Order would have the resources to do that.

    • December 18, 2015 at 6:29 pm
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      if they have the resources to make a planet, they can do clones but I think it was just a little easter egg they wanted to place in the movie

      • December 18, 2015 at 6:31 pm
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        The reasoning behind ending the clone troopers was because it was too expensive for the Empire. The First Order is way smaller.

      • December 18, 2015 at 9:04 pm
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        I think it was just a line to explain that the new stormtroopers AREN’T clones, just in case it wasn’t clear to the average moviegoer/non-fan.

    • December 18, 2015 at 6:33 pm
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      Sorry, but I fail to see what was confusing about politics in the PT.

      In TPM, Sidious created the whole Naboo trade dispute to get elected as Supreme Chancellor of the Republic. In AotC, he created a fake separatist movement with the help of Dooku so that the senate would grant him even more power. And in RotS, he engineered the Jedi purge so that he could accuse them of treason and have no one step in his way towards declaring himself Emperor of the galaxy. It’s pretty simple, really.

      TBH, it surprises me that someone with Tyrion Lannister as his avatar would complain about this sort of thing. Can’t imagine how lame A Song of Ice and Fire (and the HBO show) would be without the Game of Thrones.

      • December 18, 2015 at 6:44 pm
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        I understand the trade dispute, but it confused a lot of people. It’s a common complaint about the prequels. Comparing a TV show that has 50+ episodes to a 3 episode arc is a tad silly.

        • December 18, 2015 at 6:58 pm
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          True that. But it still doesn’t mean Lucas’ idea wasn’t good. And it worked, besides. By creating that whole mess, Palpatine accomplished his goal of being elected Chancellor.

          Besides, the story of the PT couldn’t have been told without the whole political angle, because the galaxy was in a totally different state than in the OT. Not too much politicking left to do when the whole place was under the rule of one all-powerful, tyrannical dictator.

      • December 18, 2015 at 6:47 pm
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        What confusing is who is the Trade Fed. and what the hell are they doing? There’s no in-canon explanation other than that they are dumb – not the most exciting thing.

        • December 18, 2015 at 7:04 pm
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          Simple: a huge, galaxy-wide conglomerate that specialized in commercial transportation across the galaxy, which was screwed by the senate when the senate approved the taxation of commercial routes to the Outer Rim.

          Not exactly the most exciting thing in the world, I know, but not exactly nuclear science either for anyone fan of the OT generation who knew his/her basic politics by the time the film was released.

          • December 18, 2015 at 7:07 pm
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            ‘Screwed by the Senate’ and they invade a planet? This is muddy aka ‘not simple’.

          • December 18, 2015 at 7:14 pm
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            That is also simple. They were coerced by a Sith Lord into doing his bidding. And I don’t think anyone in their right minds would risk incurring the wrath of a Sith. Now, notice I’ve never said that Lucas’ ideas for this whole trade dispute were good. I’m merely saying that they’re not as complicated or confusing as all that if you pay attention, which I did.

            Having world-building in a fantasy story is always a good thing. Even if the world you’ve built is far from perfect that’s still better than summing up your fictional world’s whole political situation to “We should destroy the Republic at once!” (paraphrasing Hux’s words to Snoke).

          • December 18, 2015 at 7:18 pm
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            Its only better if its clear. We pretty much needed two paragraphs to summarize a possible motivation of the Trade Federation to make a deal.

            The First Order are bad guys, they’re the Empire. Its clear.

          • December 18, 2015 at 7:29 pm
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            Yeah, I agree. Remember, I never said Lucas succeeded in transferring his vision to the screen, I merely said that his idea was solid.

            IMO, the perfect balance is in the middle: no need for Lucas’ overexposure, but then again, no need for Abrams’ total disregard for anything other than non-stop action and fan service, either.

            As for the First Order, yes, I know they’re the bad guys. But they’re not the Empire, just a fanatical fraction of what used to be the Empire, to my understanding. It would’ve been good to know how they’ve gained enough power to become a serious threat to the galaxy and why nothing was done to prevent them from growing this powerful in all this time since the Emperor died.

      • December 18, 2015 at 8:31 pm
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        “TBH, it surprises me that someone with Tyrion Lannister as his avatar would complain about this sort of thing.” ahaha

  • December 18, 2015 at 6:30 pm
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    I didn’t like it. I DID LIKE all of the new main characters, Finn, Rey, Poe, and Kylo. I thought the biggest “plus” was the casting of those actors/actresses. They were terrific. Adam Driver knocked it out of the park. When you are watching a movie wanting to see more of a character, or hear him speak more/do more, you know he’s got it going on…and Driver did that. Very Impressive! But overall, the story was weak, even for a reboot. You have that much time, money, and resources and that is the best story you can conjure up? Rey (who I really like) flying the Falcon for the 1st time like a BOSS??? That’s Solo’s ship! Han and Chewie, elected to become smugglers, again. AND just happen to be passing by at the exact time Finn and Rey meet, resist the new order, and make their escape…on Han’s lost ship. Who the f wrote this stuff and out of the hundreds of other directions to take…you chose that?! That’s the best you can do with the original cast (understanding Hamill is not done). I disagree completely with people saying Ford brought back Solo. I thought he mailed in a lot of his scenes. Not because he wasn’t trying to give a great performance, but because the damn dialogue, the lines he was given, were so weak. What was the scene on the freighter with the KanjiKlub? That’s THE RAID club and you had them eaten by a blow frog with tentacles. Awful!! Kasdan/JJ/Whomever, try this subtle alternative provided from my couch: Poe on same mission as in movie, he’s the young stud pilot, gets caught, distress signal sent out, Leia summons her most trusted soldier/smuggler/whatever he is now to go look for the downed pilot. Solo shows up with his ship and side kick…take it from there. Who the f gets paid in hollywood to f stuff up. I’m lying on my couch. I liked a lot of what they did with him, but hated more of it. Using Chewie’s bow caster for the first time in 40+ years together…give me a break (that’s just an example)! I was going to go on with the rest of the movie…like Maz’s castle scene that showed nothing going on inside, or the new aliens, but did have some horror movie children screaming, Harry Potter lightsaber calling. Or, the awesome Xwing/TIE battles that were glossed over, the storm troopers that still can’t hit a damned thing but an unarmed civilian…what a mess. Get him out! Let’s try this AGAIN!

    • December 18, 2015 at 6:32 pm
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      This movie is going to do well if the most common complaint is “there are too many coincidences.”

    • December 18, 2015 at 6:33 pm
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      Did I imagine that Han addressed how he found the falcon. A tracker or something. Everyone is harping on this.

      And your plot makes no sense, Leia sends a 70 year old man to rescue Poe?

      • December 18, 2015 at 6:36 pm
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        Yeah he said how easy it would be to find it.

      • December 18, 2015 at 6:36 pm
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        I agree with you Myka…I’m not trying to stir up trouble over a single issue. If there was a tracker…why not track it down sitting on Jaku for the last three years or however long it was sitting there. Stuff just doesn’t add up. But I don’t want my complaint to be about just that. It was good, with good stuff…but they dropped the ball.

        • December 18, 2015 at 6:38 pm
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          why do you believe it’s just been sitting there for 3 years? It been passed around a few times.

          • December 18, 2015 at 10:56 pm
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            Rey at one point did say that the Falcon hadn’t been flown in years. Maybe the tracking only works when the falcon is operational and flying.

    • December 18, 2015 at 8:30 pm
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      oh man this is gold thanks for saying that a hahah <3

  • December 18, 2015 at 6:32 pm
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    Did anyone catch a scene where Harrison Ford could have broken his ankle? I don’t remember any big doors in a dangerous position around him or him being in a position making it possible?

    • December 18, 2015 at 6:50 pm
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      They said the accident was caused by a malfunction with the door on the Millennium Falcon, So I would hazard a guess that it was the first scene when he and Chewie rush on board.

  • December 18, 2015 at 6:51 pm
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    Yes there were familiar “Episode IV” elements, but overall really enjoyed the movie. Thought the new cast was great, and Harrison Ford was awake for the first time in years. He clearly was having a good time (and credit to J.J. Abrahms for kicking grumpy ol’ Harrison Ford to the curb and bring back the actor we know and love). Williams’ soundtrack may not be his best, but it supports the action nicely. Kylo Ren made for a very effective and layered villain. Look forward to the next chapter.

  • December 18, 2015 at 6:57 pm
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    Almost ever scene was a copy of a previous scene. I saw it. Feeling very mixed. Some great moments. Lots of smiles. Some laughs. Some emotion. George Lucas talked about star wars movies rhyming. But This wasn’t rhyming so much as tracing. Totally predictable and far too many coincidences. And why so dark? I should able to take my 4 or 5 year old. But I’m not sure. The violence here is heavier, less abstract, than in the original trilogy. My kids are just getting into the original trilogy. They all just saw Jedi. No spoilers but is it right to give them this story just as they’ve grown to love the characters in the original films?

  • December 18, 2015 at 6:59 pm
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    I’m not going to go into too much detail, as I want to watch it a few more times, but…..

    I haven’t seen anyone mention this yet – Did anyone else think that the characters didn’t make a big enough deal out of Han being killed? Chewie let out 1 fairly anguished howl, but that’s it. When back to the base, Chewie just walked right by Leia without even acknowledging each other. You’d think with the big hug they gave each other earlier in the film, that there would be some kind of moment shared between them.

    Alas, there was nothing. After Han fell, it wasn’t acknowledged for the rest of the film.

    Only other thing is that I somewhat agree about the score. At first watch/listen – it didn’t reach out and grab me by the eardrums like any of the 6 other scores. Though I agree with some others below, I think I just need a few more listens to let it fully sink in.

    As of right now, those are really my only gripes.

    • December 18, 2015 at 7:44 pm
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      I hear you re: Han, but it also reminded me of ANH when Ben dies. Like Luke is sulking in the back and is like “I can’t believe he’s dead” but then stuff happens and they gotta get back to it. Also I think after having “Lost” Ben, Leia’s just been through so much that it’s like she’s just not even processing it and just keeping in motion which is all she knows now.

  • December 18, 2015 at 7:08 pm
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    Here is a copy-and-paste of my brief review I posted to reddit:

    I’d like to preface this by saying that I’m not an intentional troll or a raging fanboy.

    That said, here we go: I somewhat disliked the flick.

    Rey and Han Solo were the centerpiece standouts; their character trajectories were excellent (and Solo’s death was heartbreaking, particularly with Chewie’s cry; also pulled at my heartstrings when he was inured).

    I’m not taking off points for retracing elements of A New Hope (except for the Starkiller Base, that was pretty weak).

    The Abrams-styled cinematography bugged me, and I felt the action sequences and set pieces were too flashy and overly stimulating.

    I appreciated the practical creatures and tactile explosions (would have been great to see more familiar alien species though).

    Like most of us, I’ve been adoring and obsessing over the production of the movie for three years, and the kindest thing I can say is that it simply wasn’t my movie.

    I did resent the total lack of Luke dialogue (he looked great), but that was a severe disappointment.

    I found Finn to be much less likable than I thought he’d be and thought Poe was underused and (as of yet) unincorporated into the new team dynamic.

    It wasn’t a bad film, but I can honestly say I enjoyed myself the least of all of the Star Wars adventure with this round.

    Like others have said, the score was kind of soft and unmemorable.

    Here’s my real kicker: I thought most of the humorous dialogue and near-slapstick sequences were very off-mark.

    My feelings will be a little hurt if you downvote me, but please know that I wanted to love this movie with all my heart, and I genuinely hope everyone enjoys the hell out of it.

    Even after this, may the force be with you.

    EDIT: Two more complaints: This is a general, but I was surprised at the amount of telling over showing, that seemed weird. Also, what was up with the total lack of impact and resolution with Han’s death, particularly from Leia? That felt like a blow.

    LAST EDIT: Does anyone have an idea about who Max von Sydow’s character was and what his significance was? I remember reading a rumor that he could be an unlikely survivor of the past films, but the way he was handled seemed jarring.

    • December 18, 2015 at 7:09 pm
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      Sorry you didn’t like the film. Given this breakdown you’re probably gonna hate Star Wars going forward.

      • December 18, 2015 at 7:17 pm
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        I’m afraid you’re right.

        Believe me, I wanted to adore the hell out of this film.

        • December 18, 2015 at 7:50 pm
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          I share some of your mis-givings, I always saw Han going out in style and dying in Leia’s arms. But the Star Killer was weak and lots of things under explained which made them seem not necessary. Still..I have hopes for Ep VIII !

          • December 18, 2015 at 8:17 pm
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            I feel subdued about Episode VIII, and for the first time, I’m not excited about the prospect of “the next one.”

            J.J. Abrams was never going to be my guy to play in the Star Wars mythos and I simply don’t connect to his style (particularly his sense of pacing and plot beats).

            Did anyone notice (I think this was the “trash compactor” callback) that there was almost a timed pause for Han’s quip? That really grated me as a self-satisfied wink-and-nod.

          • December 18, 2015 at 9:14 pm
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            Nobody I wished for got to direct these so it’s kind pot luck, I do have some hope that Rian Johnson will have the chance to do something a little different. My picks were Matthew Vaughn and Brad Bird.

  • December 18, 2015 at 7:15 pm
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    Saw it last night and I loved it – sure there were elements of rework from the OT but this was done (imo) in a very knowing, understated way – even acknowledged by the characters in the film (“another deathstar”) the acting was great and on another level to anything in any previous SW films – particularly the scenes with Adam Driver and Daisy Ridley which were fantastic. Also some genuine humour was good to see – the audience last night all laughed quite a lot – the Han/Chewie scenes in particular. I really liked how it just hit the ground running at the start, no faffing about with long exposition, just set piece after set piece. And the final scene was just majestic. There were a couple of small niggles – I wasn’t blown away by the score but maybe that’s just because it needs a few more listens, would have been nice to see what happened to Phasma / Hux / Maz, seemed a waste of Max Von Sydows talent and I would have liked at least 1 spoken word from Luke (thought he looked awesome though – particularly the flowing hair which was unexpected) but these are small points for me in the big picture. After a single viewing the scene that sticks in my mind most was Han/Kylo – particularly Hans heartfelt “Ben” shout – I could hear gasps around the cinema in the following scene. So, for me, not quite as good as Empire, but just about on a par with ANH and better than all the others.

  • December 18, 2015 at 7:18 pm
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    I really enjoyed this movie. what a great start! The new cast is incredibly charming! You instantly fell in love with them. Some of my favorite moments:

    1. Kyle punching his wound as if the pain will make him stronger (Man up!) and Rey’s reaction to it (WTF is wrong with this guy?)

    2. Chewbacca’s interaction with the nurse. Hysterical.

    3. BB8 thumbs up!

    4. Kylo throwing a hissy fit with his saber.

    5. Driver was excellent. A conflicted character suffering a lot of pain. Felt compassion for the character.

    6. Luke’s reaction. Well acted by Hamill.

    7. Luke’s robe has gray tones vs. white, tan and black from the OT. Does that represent balance in the force?

    8. Finn: “We can just use the Force!” LOL

    9. BB8 is huggable.

    10. Daniel Craig’s cameo was very funny.

    It was a fun experience from top to bottom. Some flaws but not enough to kill the experience (“This is such a drag!”)

    • December 18, 2015 at 7:19 pm
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      A hint of rage went through me: “This is such a drag!”

      lol

    • December 18, 2015 at 7:30 pm
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      Wholeheartedly agree with your ‘like’ list…except for 10…would be better I think without the last dialog “..and I will leave my blaster”

      • December 18, 2015 at 7:38 pm
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        It was all in fun which is how I took it. 🙂

    • December 18, 2015 at 7:32 pm
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      Really? Did you not think that Kylo Ren was a bit of a whiny bitch? He just felt like an angsty teenager, compared to the seething ball of rage that was Maul, the lofty arrogance of Dooku, and the sheer power and presence of Vader….

      • December 18, 2015 at 7:39 pm
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        I did think he was a whiny bitch, and that was the whole point. He’s not fully trained yet which is what Snoke implied.

        • December 19, 2015 at 11:15 am
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          Between killing Han and completing his training, I’m sure Kylo will “grow up”.

      • December 18, 2015 at 7:42 pm
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        We were supposed to like Anakin – and he was whiny and creepy.

        We’re supposed to be afraid of Kylo – and honestly, I was. The kid probably burns lothcats and monkey-lizards with firecrackers.

      • December 18, 2015 at 8:13 pm
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        Yea that’s his personality..I guess it runs in the family, Luke and Anakin were pretty whiny lol..but in all seriousness he was a very different and intriguing villain for Star Wars. Every time he was on screen it was very entertaining to watch.

      • December 18, 2015 at 8:42 pm
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        Your both right. He was a conflicted character suffering a lot of pain who we felt compassion for & a bit of a whiny bitch! lol. But if you have kids that went thru being a teenager like I did its instantly relateable!

      • December 18, 2015 at 11:22 pm
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        Yeah, it was like wanting Darth Vader and getting Hayden Christensen … AGAIN!!!

        • December 19, 2015 at 3:32 am
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          Did you just compare Adam Driver’s performance to being at the same level as Hayden Christensen’s NON-performance?!?!? A reply of this nature seems to be of someone that needs to seek out a rehabilitation center quickly because its obviously a hallucination of epic proportion. That was clearly not whiney teen angst, but a psychotic reaction of a tormented person. This is a such different villian character than most are used to seeing in Star Wars that some people seem unable to grasp on to the concept of it.

          I wish I could just wish away seeing this comment because, like sand, its coarse and irritating.

    • December 18, 2015 at 7:43 pm
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      The nurse reminded me to Mon Mothma

  • December 18, 2015 at 7:27 pm
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    Anyone else noticed that Finn called Chewie by his name, after Chewie was shot, before he was really familiar with him?

  • December 18, 2015 at 7:30 pm
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    It was a beautifully well-crafted movie – great mixture of character chemistry-development (if a little rushed between Rey and Finn), spaceships, blasters, lightsabers, Force-use, comedy, joy, sorrow, edge-of-your-seat tension.

    However…. it just wasn’t amazing, and I don’t know whether that was because I was discussing potential storylines on here several times a day, so I’d built up an incredible cinematic idea of what the movie could be in my world, or whether the film was just an overall crowd-pleaser that mimicked its predecessors and used plenty of fan-service, not really broaching any new ground of its own, whilst trying to sell as much merchandise as possible over the festive season.

    Don’t get me wrong, I’ll definitely go and see it again at a more sociable hour (00:01 on 17/12 was a bit nuts after a long day at work, to be fair) and see if there was stuff that I missed that improve the overall experience for me. I just found myself wishing that I’d been blown away by the movie, and left feeling, in true internet style, “meh.”

    • December 18, 2015 at 7:41 pm
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      Oddly enough, I didn’t have a problem with Rey’s and Finn’s friendship. Finn and Poe, on the other hand, that I found hard to believe. Share a TIE fighter ride for 5 minutes and you feel like you’re brothers from a different mother now? Not buying it.

      • December 18, 2015 at 8:36 pm
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        Ya, lets see you wrongly accused & slammed into a Mexican prison or somewhere where the laws are not quite on your side. Then a guard who knows your innocent breaks you out and gets you across the border into the US. You and he do not now have a bond in friendship?

        • December 18, 2015 at 9:21 pm
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          Well, given that I live in Mexico that would be absolutely HILARIOUS. Not to mention that I have absolutely NO need to cross the border into the US, thank you very much.

          Funny metaphors aside, no I wouldn’t forge a friendship with someone who helped me to break out of a maximum security prison say in the US, for instance, if we only saw each other for 5 minutes.

          I’d be extremely grateful to the guy, I’d certainly owe him one, and we’d probably end up being good friends in the long run, but certainly not overnight. True friendship takes time to develop.

  • December 18, 2015 at 7:33 pm
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    I understand people have opinions, but some views of this movie are negative and just childish with their reasons. I know you can’t please everybody, but seriously people, movies can’t be made “your way” so stop thinking that way in a selfish manner. It’s a great Star Wars movie and can’t wait for the next episode.

    • December 18, 2015 at 7:34 pm
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      Funny. I could say the same EXACT thing about the prequels. One would think SW fandom would be used to this by now.

      • December 18, 2015 at 7:36 pm
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        I could say the PT had the worst acting and dialogue of the 8 Star Wars movies. That would not be: ‘make it my way’.

        • December 18, 2015 at 7:40 pm
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          I didn’t say that the PT was good or bad. I merely said that people’s current complaints about TFA are not so different from what I’ve heard coming out of PT detractors’ lips for over a decade now.

          You shouldn’t let your hatred for the PT cloud your objectivity, friend. After all, if there’s one thing to be learned from SW is that hate leads to suffering 😉

          • December 18, 2015 at 7:43 pm
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            Objectively, the PT had the worst acting and dialogue.

            I don’t think that’s a controversial or hateful statement.

          • December 18, 2015 at 7:47 pm
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            Nope, it is a true statement. But it doesn’t mean that the PT hasn’t been the target of some truly childish complaints, just like it seems to be the case with TFA as we speak.

  • December 18, 2015 at 7:42 pm
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    Was that Coruscant destroyed?

    • December 18, 2015 at 7:43 pm
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      I was wondering the same. Looked like it

      • December 18, 2015 at 7:45 pm
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        Nope. Hosnian Prime and its moons.

        • December 18, 2015 at 7:47 pm
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          Ah gotcha. Missed that .

    • December 18, 2015 at 8:05 pm
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      NO! Thankfully, I got so scared when I saw that part lol

    • December 18, 2015 at 8:06 pm
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      My eyes watered when I thought it was Coruscant

    • December 18, 2015 at 8:17 pm
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      Hosnian Prime

  • December 18, 2015 at 7:43 pm
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    It looked and felt like Star Wars especially on Jakku. After that if felt pretty rushed and NOTHING in the story surprised me. I hadn’t read any major spoilers only what had been speculated here and Collider Jedi Council etc.It all unfolded exactly like I thought it would whereas the best movies take me places I don’t expect,

    It was solid though and I’ll enjoy watching it again far more than the PT

  • December 18, 2015 at 7:46 pm
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    What I would like to see, next film:
    – More Phasma!
    – More Luke!! (in a bigger part than Yoda in the OT)
    – Don’t want Starkiller base 2.0
    – Snoke!
    – More backstory of Rey..as I deeply wonder how she is able to do jedi mindtricks without training.

    • December 18, 2015 at 7:47 pm
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      OMG, I wonder if Luke still has his lightsaber after – – whatever the hell happened – maybe he threw it away.

    • December 18, 2015 at 7:49 pm
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      Agreed on Rey. They’d better have a good way to justify how she managed to do the mind trick on Stormtrooper JB-007. Although her parentage should be all but clear now (ace pilot, great mechanic living in a desert world, strong as hell with the Force…).

    • December 18, 2015 at 8:03 pm
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      I hope they reveal the Rey is Luke’s daughter I mean come on all the peices are there! And Kylo appeared jealous towards her, and he clearly knows more about her than we do..oh and the only justifiable reason why I believe she would even try to use a Jedi mind trick is just because she experienced Kylo doing it to her.

  • December 18, 2015 at 7:47 pm
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    First off I thought Daisy Ridley was great and Harrison Ford was awesome. That being said I was very underwhelmed by the weak villains and a superweapon that felt recycled and made little sense. Overall I thought the pace of the movie was poor and (I’m truly shocked by this) there wasn’t much to the musical score. I’d give it about a 5/10.

  • December 18, 2015 at 7:47 pm
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    It felt average, but fun.

  • December 18, 2015 at 7:49 pm
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    Did Han start doing stand up on the weekends? Entirely too many jokes, especially for Han. I get he’s sarcastic and cocky, but two jokes about Chewie’s crossbow? The comedy aspect was a little too much. That and it being ANH redux bothered me a bit. Fun movie, enjoyed it, just wish it had more of an original story overall.

    • December 18, 2015 at 8:13 pm
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      There is something you may need to understand. Its called getting older. Even in my own life I see the parallel. When I was younger, I was (and will always be) a metal head. I was a mean spirited, sarcastic young man who thought I knew it all. When I got older and married & had kids, I became a bit more down to earth & I constantly joke n goof on my family and friends so this, IMO falls right in line with a man getting older.

      • December 18, 2015 at 9:05 pm
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        That’s a fair point. Although some would counter it by saying we get more cynical and grumpy as we age! (That’s not me BTW) But I thought you were going with the “if we were 12 we would’ve loved it” schtick at first!

        And on that note, my 14yo was giddy last night leaving the theater. And that meant the world, so mission accomplished JJ, thanks for welcoming a new generation of fans.

  • December 18, 2015 at 7:51 pm
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    Great movie, my favorite of the 7 films, just edging out “A New Hope”. While not perfect, it had great character development (except for Phasma), great humor, LOTS of action, some moist eyes and a good, basic story. Yes, we all could pick apart this movie like a lot of us Star Wars geeks are apt to do – we can equally pick apart the original trilogy as well.

    This was a great movie and my kids and I loved it! It was well worth the 2 1/2 hours in line with my kids that brought back memories of Jedi when it first came out.

  • December 18, 2015 at 7:51 pm
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    Hi folks! I enjoyed the film but wasn’t overwhelmed by it. Having my ear to the ground for a couple years, most of the twists, a lot of us here already knew. My biggest gripes are:

    -Not enough time dedicated to the First Order (as opposed to the OT, which delved deeply into the Empire’s inner-workings). How exactly did the First Order start? How did they actually build Starkiller base? It’s all very rushed.

    -Hux looks like an interesting character but is decidedly underused. Who is he? Why is he so young and so influential? There is no clear indication of what ranks there are in the First Order leadership. Only Ren and Hux. No sense of a larger administrative network.

    -Same thing for Captain Phasma. What was the point of this character? Dramatically she offered nothing to the story.

    -What happened to Maz? She disappears after her castle is destroyed. (**incidentally, in the trailer Maz hands Leia Luke’s lightsaber… What happened with this scene?)

    Starkiller base implodes with hardly any discernible effort. It should have been waaaay more difficult for the Resistance to destroy it.

    Anyway, that’s about it. I really enjoyed the rest of it.

    • December 18, 2015 at 8:09 pm
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      Excellent points all. Starkiller was a terrible idea; it wasn’t even necessary. Rey’s capture would’ve been more than enough to justify a preemptive strike on the First Order’s stronghold, to protect Luke’s whereabouts and to weaken the F.O. before they could become stronger all in one swift stroke, IMO.

      • December 18, 2015 at 8:16 pm
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        Good point. The danger and the menace of the First Order should have been something a bit more subtle and plausible. The very fact that the embers from the Empire have reignited is enough for chills to be felt throughout the galaxy.

    • December 18, 2015 at 8:19 pm
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      I remember reading somewhere that they wanted to pay tribute to ANH by making a self-contained story that hinted at both a backstory and things to come. If you view ANH without the other stories, there was a whole lot the audience wasn’t privy to.

      • December 18, 2015 at 8:26 pm
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        Sure, but you had a sense of that the Empire was and how it was run. Officers, Tarkin and how Vader fit into that mix. That there’s opposition to this tyranny. There were no underused characters in ANH. They all did their job dramatically very well. Here, the a lot of the characters are either underused, or not very useful. But yes, let’s hope that is resolved.

    • December 18, 2015 at 9:01 pm
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      I agree I feel Phasma was shoehorned into the plot after people complained there were not enough females. Everything from her dialog with Finn to her getting capture by Han could have easily been any other character.

      • December 19, 2015 at 11:31 am
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        Phasma was originally supposed to be male. She only feels shoe horned to you because she’s a female character who got a lot of attention for having a cool costume.

        Fortunately, Kennedy was wise enough not to Maul her. Expect much more from Phasma in VIII. I’m guessing she’s very pissed off at Finn. 😉

  • December 18, 2015 at 7:52 pm
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    SPOILER stuff. First I want to say I loved the movie. I think the fandom over the years has just gotten to a point where nothing will satisfy because we can’t accept that the O.T. is cemented in our minds and memories in a way that no film is going to compare to. This film was designed with the intention of NOT treading risky new ground. To those that say nothing new was done I’d have to disagree, that new force power, Rey’s entire character, etc. I mean let’s be realistic you can’t stray from a certain formula and still call it SW anyway. How many EU books ended up being the same beats from the movies recast in print?

    That said, I respect everyone’s right to not like it, but hey we’re in it together. I will say one of my favorite scenes was Han’s death. Yes it calls to mind Episode 5, but to me that’s what made it perfect because it’s a mirror opposite. In Empire on the catwalk Vader reaches out to his son asking him to make a choice, to choose him as his father and the darkside, and look rejects him tumbling down the shaft instead. In TFA the same scenario plays out but in the reverse, with the son rejecting the light and the father committing the sacrifice to preserve it. I think there was something unintentionally poetic about how that plays out.

  • December 18, 2015 at 8:01 pm
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    “First of all thank you lucas film for making this movie”
    So intense epic,should have been rated 15 loved wide angles felt so real, loved the movie J.J Abrams has brought Starwars full circle back to where it started,
    just can’t wait to see it again in my opinion not one of the main actor failed
    in creating iconic characters like old. there was something for everyone great humour in good way, I can live with the fact that some of the alien characters were not fully developed in this movie it seemed like the movie had been recut to keep the action flowing which work but agree with previous comments ben solo was revealed far too early in movie and spoiled scenes impact later, still not sure think Rey is solo and finn lives but did watch it late at night so must watch again. favourite new characters Poe then daisy then john,kylo, hux, snoke, plasma,lord takasa,maz,teedo , Elite-Trooper , unkar plutt Hassk-Thug, Bazine-and-the-Grumgarr, Crimson Corsair unkars thug jakku scavenger . Who were they Snap Wexley, buford b-u4d, sacro planc , Goss towers ,PZ4CO. Did I miss the Speeder-Bikes, Assault-Walker and where was zuvio ?

    I would have liked it to be more like new hope story updated but with a twist to see captain plasma enter a rebel ship just like DathVader did in 1977 would have been epic not girl power ha ha, think the original story followed that path and that’s why c3po had red arm because he was part of the first order reprogramed and r2 stole plans for the starkiller base station but the two plans were incomplete and droids meet bb8 like in 02 advert. So they needed go back to use bb8 to get plans and chewie bb8 advert was shot for that scene that’s why you never saw captain plasma being thrown in garbage shoot,was the movie changed due to leaks. In the next movie Han must meet lando again, the force is powerful ?
    Shocker Kylo has good in him I see it, ray fear is the path to the dark side.

  • December 18, 2015 at 8:08 pm
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    Without a shadow of a doubt, my favourite scene was Rey and Ren both using the force to try and pick up Luke’s lightsaber, and then it eventually going to the rightful person. The composer, lighting, sound, music, everything combined to make a truly dramatic and emotional scene.

    My second favourite scene was the flashback scene in Maz’s castle. Both Maz, and the inside her castle scenes were really well done.

    Rey was overall my favourite character, and I very much look forward to seeing her again in episode VIII. The best scenes usually involved her. I would really like to see that First Order spy from Maz’s castle in a future episode (the one who appears in recent eBook). She really intrigued me.

    The main problems were minor, and really did not affect my enjoyment of this wonderful film. The scenes that follow the introduction of Han and Chewie involving the rival gangs were a little underwhelming. Hux was far too hammy, and Phasma was no Boba Fett, she never even discharged her blaster once. The final dogfight wasn’t particularly dramatic.

    Loved the ending, and can’t wait to see Luke and in the next instalment.

    Let the Episode VIII speculation begin now.

  • December 18, 2015 at 8:17 pm
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    I’m not going to join the haters out there… Personally I loved the movie, I expected them to leave a few loose ends as it’s a trilogy. There has to be stuff set up for episodes VIII and IX. The biggest question I have is why did Liea and Rey have that huge hug at the end although they never met prior to that. I have a feeling they are family. Maz asked Han “Who is she” and we never heard his answer. I belive Rey were separated from her parents Han and Leia, after the fall of Ben (Kylo Ren) Solo to protect her from Snoke the same way Luke was hidden from Vader. Yes thats a parallel to the OT and I think it’s appropriate as now the force is finally balanced. 1 master on each side (Snoke and Luke) and one apprentice (Kylo and Rey)

    • December 18, 2015 at 8:36 pm
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      Rey’s most likely Luke’s daughter, but there still exists an outside chance she’s not part of the Skywalker bloodline. It’s pretty certain that Kylo Ren and Rey have met before, even though Rey does not remember it. Possibly both were students of Luke.

  • December 18, 2015 at 8:18 pm
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    Ignore the nitpicky fanboy gripes. This movie kicked ass. It’ getting glowing reviews from top critics, selected by the American Film Institute as one of the top 10 movies of the year, and currently holds a 95% positive rating by critics on Rotten Tomatoes. Irate fanboys will whine as they always do. Don’t let their eternally negative attitudes ruin your appreciation for a wonderful new addition to the saga.

    • December 18, 2015 at 8:37 pm
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      people have the right share their opinions, good or bad. all film is subjective after all.

      • December 18, 2015 at 8:44 pm
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        I never said they didn’t.

    • December 18, 2015 at 9:11 pm
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      The same top critics that slam the crap out of all the top movies, and ripped into all the other Starwars. Yea.

      • December 18, 2015 at 10:22 pm
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        They ripped into 1 and 2. 3-6 all are viewed positively by critics.

    • December 18, 2015 at 10:10 pm
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      That’s a fine comment to make, I only wished I could agree with you.

  • December 18, 2015 at 8:21 pm
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    One question that I have..so did Kylo slaughter Luke’s Jedi order? Or was Kylo the only aprentice Luke had?

    • December 18, 2015 at 8:24 pm
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      No there were more, Rey likely one of them.

      • December 18, 2015 at 8:26 pm
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        Okay cool thank you I was confused by that..and another thing I that I wasn’t able to hear clearly was if Leia told Han that she didn’t want Kylo to train with Luke or that she did?

        • December 18, 2015 at 8:32 pm
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          No, Leia wanted Ben to train with Luke as she believed Luke could keep him from the dark side.

          • December 18, 2015 at 8:36 pm
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            Perfect..thank you!

        • December 18, 2015 at 9:06 pm
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          I think it was that they sent him to Luke to be trained, being away from his parents in the process

    • December 18, 2015 at 8:43 pm
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      I would assume that there are other trained Jedi out there, but Luke will have to bring them back together.

  • December 18, 2015 at 8:26 pm
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    I LOVED IT! I went with my wife, 2 kids & my 3yr old granddaughter & it was great! The only thing that felt out of place to me is Rey’s intruduction. I think they should have used like a shot of the downed Star Destroyer and have her speeder come into view with theme music. It felt like a bad edit going from the Poe interrogation right to that shot of Rey’s face. Other than that I LOVED this movie!

    I really think that the “internet nerd nay sayers” were gonna shit talk this movie no matter what it was. They’ll be back in line to see it again just like the rest of us but still run home and try to be the cool guy in the room who is too cool to like it.

  • December 18, 2015 at 8:32 pm
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    Mystery: the teaser had Maz handing Leia Luke’s lightsaber… What happened with this scene? (Maz up-and-disappears and doesn’t even interact with Leia in the final cut). Any thoughts?

    • December 18, 2015 at 10:07 pm
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      Can’t help you there.

  • December 18, 2015 at 8:33 pm
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    SORRY FOR MY BAD ENGLISH:
    – Driver was a very good actor!
    – The psichology of Kylo was fantastic.Pperfect.
    – Very good for de special effects.
    – Very happy to see that not so much alien characters was made with CGI like the (not so) new trilogy.
    – Why Lupita for a little shot of a CGI character?
    – Why Guendoline and von Sydow for such a little role? (maybe Phasma will survive in the next films?)
    – I like so much the idea of using some elements of the old trilogy as a way to unite the old and the new generation of fans and open the door for a new fantastic story. But, in my opinion, JJ used TOO MUCH of that elements…
    – We know that there was a new republic with a senate and the First Order Destroied it…well…some informations more? A little bit more narration please! The story? Of the about 30 years we know only that Luke vanished… What is the First Order?
    – I’m sure that Rey is the son of someone important and strong with the Force….Luke?
    – This film has the right humor. I was worried about the humor of Disney but finally I liked it.
    – I’m not satisfied by the Leader Snoke. He is a Leader…supreme…strong with the Force…So why not strong, cruel and severe as Sidious?
    I’m sad that finally Finn isn’t a jedi…pity, cause he is funny, corageous and a cool character.
    -Some questions: Who where Ren’s cavalliers? Who are Rey’s parents? Who is Snoke?…actually I have too much more questions…
    – I HAVE A DREAM for the next episodes: see much more jedis and much more lightsabres! Not only a story of a family but an epic battle with laser blades between the light and the dark side!
    – I think that VIII and IX, thanks to The script of JJ, potentially could be AWESOME.

  • December 18, 2015 at 8:36 pm
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    The film was awesome!!! Of course there are flaws in the movie just like any other but I don’t care about that and will only focus on the good. I like the film so much that I am going to see it again on Saturday for a 2nd time!!! I just need more friends to speculate about the future films.

  • December 18, 2015 at 8:38 pm
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    Really, if you didn’t like the movie it sure seems your expectations where unrealistic. JJ and company covered all the points: brought back nostalgia, camaraderie amongst the characters, and an anticipation for the next film; made you forget most of the PT; resurrected the inner child of old fans; should create new fans; had a dynamite cast – good dialogue & solid acting; set up the story for ep 8; the special effects were more even; had real space ship battles (again); and brought a sense of humanity back to the series.

    Would it have been nice to see the big three together again? Sure, but not within the context of this film – only a whole other film would that have worked. Was reusing story elements from the OT an issue? A small one. Was it hard to appreciate Harrison’s performance only to see him fall? Yes. Was Rey’s apprent ascension into force ability seemingly abrupt? Maybe, but I need to see it again and think about it within the broader story line. She defeated Kylo, but he wasn’t the most skilled saber user, he was also wonder twice restricting him. Did I want to see her kick his butt? Yes, so maybe it doesn’t matter. Is it okay that we had several significant unanswered questions? Yes, it sets up anticipation for eps 8 & 9.

    I would give it a 9/10 and rank it third out of the seven films behind ANH and ESB and ahead of ROTS and ROTJ.

    • December 18, 2015 at 9:06 pm
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      Kilo isn’t the most skilled, then how did he take down Luke’s new Jedi Order with the KOR. Unbelievable.

      • December 18, 2015 at 9:13 pm
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        He didn’t take it down. Ben turned and Luke was so devastated he went on exile.

        • December 18, 2015 at 10:00 pm
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          Did you see the Flashback scene, Kilo turned and destroyed the order with the KOR. Rey seen the carnage. But somehow, Rey just punked him.

          • December 18, 2015 at 10:13 pm
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            The flashback in unclear what happened.

          • December 18, 2015 at 11:28 pm
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            Exactly. We have no idea how many Jedi were being trained, or what at all happened. One could speculate endlessly and up being wrong. Hopefully it is cleared up in ep8.

          • December 18, 2015 at 10:15 pm
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            Maybe What Kylo did was to kill all the younglings. He seems to be much older than them.

          • December 18, 2015 at 10:18 pm
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            No, that’s not what happened. All we saw was Kylo and the other Ren standing in the rain. They could’ve been watching Snoke’s back while he did all the dirty work for all we know, assuming that Luke was away from his temple at the time, for instance.

        • December 18, 2015 at 10:06 pm
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          i do hope they explain why luke just upped and left afterwards instead of trying to stop kylo and/or snoke.

          • December 18, 2015 at 10:09 pm
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            This is simple, IMO. After Luke went through so many pains to turn his father back to the Light Side, his efforts were all for naught when his nephew turned to the Dark Side on him. I think it’s only natural that he would’ve sought solace to meditate and try to recover from such a painful blow while looking for possible solutions to the problem.

  • December 18, 2015 at 8:40 pm
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    Loved it! My whole family loved it. Watching the looks on my own kids as they watched their first Star Wars movie in a theatre was a sight I hope to remember. I’ve read lots of reviews and negative comments about the film in the last 15 hours since I saw it and want to talk about 2 critiques that I believe are unfair. First is the score. Most have us seen the film once and maybe listened to the soundtrack on its own at this point. Our brains are only capable of processing so much information simultaneously. I would argue that most of us were watching the movie and paying attention to dialogue and plot far more than the score during the first viewing. Secondly, familiarity, context, and emotional connection matter. How many times have we watched the OT or the PT over the last 10-40 years? Once we get past the plot and dialogue, we begin to take note of other subtleties that we likely missed earlier. How many times have we experienced events outside the movies themselves that included star wars music – maybe weddings, sports events, concerts, playing with our kids while listening to the score – all of which provide depth and different emotional context that we connect to the movies or stories themselves in some way. The second critique that bothers me is the comparison to the OT. My opinion is that when all we had was ANH in 1977, we didn’t know if our lingering questions about the characters would ever be answered because prequels and sequels were not planned, at least not that average moviegoer was aware of. So we didn’t need to appreciate that ANH was setting up a larger story arc. That’s the brilliance of ANH – it could have stood alone, but it also provide a foundation for extending the story. This time around, we KNOW there will be an 8 & 9, so criticizing the plot or character development for being weak or incomplete is not a valid criticism. We just witnessed 3 chapters of a 9 chapter book. Would you evaluate character depth and plot after only 1/3rd of the book? I personally love that there are so many unanswered questions that arise in TFA – both about events leading up to where we meet the characters and what might happen in the rest of the story. That is the mark of a quality story – it leaves us wanting more. TFA certainly accomplished that!

  • December 18, 2015 at 8:41 pm
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    allright, this might probably belong to Cantina more but I dunno how to post there so.
    SPECULATION: Rey origin: people are divided between her being Solo (super unlikely) or Skywalker (very likely). What about we consider option 3? What if Rey is Skywalker in a sense, but not Luke’s daughter. How would that be possible? Exactly the way Anakin happened. What if Rey was crated through force by Plagueis (or whoever else) to be the ultimate sith, but Luke found her first and have hidden her on Jakku? Now, that would be the plot twist!

    • December 18, 2015 at 8:46 pm
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      that would be very cool and in a sense make perfect sense. also, for a brief momnet during her fight with Kylo she tapped into anger and was really going hard on Kylo. what if she goes to the dark side and Kyle eventually goes towards the light and in episode IX they face off. as sith vs jedi who are both created by the force.

    • December 18, 2015 at 8:49 pm
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      Actually that wouldn’t be so far fetched…she being created by the force itself. I do doubt Luke is her father…seems to much with Ren already in a sense a skywalker. But if Ren is the only one and he dies before having a child of his own the skywalker blood-line dies out which would be a major problem for the franchise. I can’t image Luke having children for some reason.

  • December 18, 2015 at 8:45 pm
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    It was absolutely fantastic. Very few minor quirks, sure nothings perfect. Nobody could have done it any better.

  • December 18, 2015 at 8:47 pm
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    the curious case of kylo ren’s star destroyer. i really liked this film, but just like RoS(which i also liked) i can nitpick it to death. and one of those cases is the appearing and disappearing of the star destroyer. first example, we know its orbiting jakku looking for bb8 then when rey and finn try to escape they are captured not by kylo but han and chewie. then we have a long action scene and then they all finally escape. where is kylo during all this? he could have taken them all in one fell swoop. second example, the final battle. we clearly see kylo observing the firing of starkiller base from his ship, he then goes and gets rey and then comes back. but when the x-wings show up, nada. where did it go? further, this is the most important thing first order has, why is it virtually unprotected? they should have had a fleet of ships protecting it. instead just a few squads of TiEs.

    • December 18, 2015 at 8:53 pm
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      haha good point

  • December 18, 2015 at 8:47 pm
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    Ok, maybe I should let myself cool and think about the film for a few days before I say anything. Being that this is a “fresh” review, I will go ahead and warn you that there are SPOILERS and negativity, so if you don’t want to see either or both, don’t read beyond this.

    I went to see TFA movie this morning, so as to avoid the afternoon crowd. There were five or six other folks in there with me, and when it was all over, I could see that they had the same “WTF did we just watch?” expressions as I was feeling. In a nutshell, I can honestly say that I did NOT like this movie. Sure, it had the old characters, familiar ships, battles, etc, etc, but, and I know this is going to sound strange, it did not “feel” like a Star Wars movie. It did not smell like a Star Wars movie. It did not look like a Star Wars movie. It looked like a J.J. Abrams sci-fi extravaganza. It looked like Star Trek (the implosion of Vulcan and Spocks’s view of it). It looked like Men in Black 3 (the monstorous worm that ate the subway cars). It looked like the general atmosphere of “The Grey”, and the battle scenes from Independence Day. It looked totally recycled from previous Star Wars movies. IT WAS NOT ORIGINAL, IT WAS NOT NEW, and therein is my disappointment.

    How many farking times in 7 movies should you allow your main baddies to commit mega-genocide, and how many times do you need to blow up a super weapon? Being that the Imperial economy collapsed after spending nearly 400 qunitillion dollars on two Death Stars, only to have them blown to bits, you would think that the next bad dudes around would know better than to try it again. Is it in the Republic and Imperial building codes that all structures contains huge amounts of space, very few handrails, and endless chasms? Is there some sort of rule that lightsaber duels can only be fought if there is some sort of danger of falling from great heights? How many desert planets with no ocean or vegetation can there be, and did anyone think of the fact that if you have no plankton or trees, YOU CANNOT HAVE BREATHABLE OXYGEN? Oh, and is it also a requirement that all Imperial leaders be ugly and disfigured (think Golum), and know how to use the “Giant Scary Mode” of the holoprojector? Gawd-almighty I could go on, and on, and on…

    There were likable moments, but they were few and far between. The chemistry between the characters and the acting were much better directed than the PT. However, for the most part the film lacked emotional gravity, and the one big event that did provide it happened way to late to salvage the rest of the story. I hated Kylo Ben’s temper tantrums – when Lord Vader had one, people died and entire rooms got crushed, no lightsaber needed. And the whole “Where’s Waldo” thing with Luke felt like a forced by-story; the Artoo-got-emotional-when-Luke-left-and-cried-himself-to-sleep was lame. Why didn’t they just pull his memory chips and decommission him? Things got even weirder when Artoo just magically switched himself on at the end to provide the golden piece of the puzzle.

    Maybe it’s that i’ve gotten older, maybe i’ve grown out of the Star Wars universe. Maybe my expectations were too high – after reading two years worth of hype and possible story-lines (most of which were hilariously off the mark) from this website. Whatever it is, this movie just did not do it for me. I’m not even looking forward to seeing the next one, and of course there would be another, being that the movie was left so open ended. Sorry, but I just had a bad feeling about this.

    The Force Awakens – 2 Stars out of 5.

    Rank among other Star Wars movies – 5 out of 7 (6 – Attack of the Clones, 7 – The Phantom Menace).

    • December 18, 2015 at 9:04 pm
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      LOL

    • December 18, 2015 at 9:19 pm
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      LMAO

    • December 18, 2015 at 9:29 pm
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      I did the exact same thing in seeing the movie early in the morning before work and there were only two other people in the audience.
      I also felt underwhelmed at the end and now I know what Star Trek fans are talking about with JJ’s vision of their franchise. I agree the “feeling” of Star Wars was changed into a modern sci-fi two dimensional production. Jakku felt about as small as Luke’s farm. Maz’ planet also felt too Earthly and grounded in reality. Blasters displayed lethal effects like charred flesh inside of armor, dying troopers bleeding, food was partitioned as payment, planet populations recoiling in horror as death approached, all of this snapped me out of a fantasy movie and into a sci-fi movie. Star wars is escapist fantasy fun, not WW2 in space!

      • December 18, 2015 at 9:37 pm
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        Funny you should say WW2 in space. I actually cringed when at the end of General Hux’s fascist speech deliverance, the Stormtroopers curtly snapped the Nazi salute.

        • December 18, 2015 at 9:41 pm
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          Exactly, this is not the Star Wars I remember. Stormtroopers fell when shot, not reach out with bloody hands as they died. Hux was Hitler I agree!

      • December 18, 2015 at 9:48 pm
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        i think lucas would beg to differ about the WW2 part. where do you think the name stormtroopers comes from? the empire is nazis in space, this is just taking it to the next step.

        • December 18, 2015 at 11:05 pm
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          I know this, but George did it more in an abstract way to move the story along and did not dwell on the unpleasantries of war. It’s being humanized with this movie therefore making it much darker than a serial sci-fi fantasy should be.

          • December 19, 2015 at 1:05 am
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            that’s fair. i’d guess that they felt they had to up the ante this time around and make the first order even more extreme. i can defiantly understand if it isn’t everyone’s cup of tea.

    • December 18, 2015 at 9:52 pm
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      Sadly….I completely agree with you. I thought I was alone in feeling this way. Been bummed all day about it.

    • December 18, 2015 at 10:14 pm
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      Couldn’t agree more.

    • December 18, 2015 at 10:16 pm
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      People clapped & cheared in the theater I saw it in. Are you sure that you weren’t at the opening of Alvin and the Chipmunks?

  • December 18, 2015 at 8:53 pm
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    This movie was freaking amazing but I can’t even imagine what seeing the original Star Wars was like.

  • December 18, 2015 at 8:56 pm
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    starkiller base, how does it work? so the super weapon is powered by sucking a sun dry, yes? first of all, it seems like if it takes a whole sun its a one shot(per sun), yet they already fired it once to destroy the republic world(s?) and the star was still there. does the planet some how move like the death star did? it seems pretty useless if can have one or at best two shots before thats it. second, what is it firing? i know this is fantasy and i love star wars for that, but at some point you need to have some logic or this turns into a bay film. it seems like what ever it is they are using would take forever to travel intersteller distances(even at speed of light), unless it somehow travels via hyperspace, but we know it didn’t as the heroes inexplicably saw it on another planet.

    • December 18, 2015 at 9:42 pm
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      Yup. Starkiller Base = so, so, so dumb. I can’t believe that’s the best they could come up with.

  • December 18, 2015 at 8:58 pm
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    The movie could of been great, but sadly fell short.

    For ONE, REALLY, 30 Seconds of onscreen Luke and he doesn’t even say a word.

    And you don’t even explain anything.

    The Knights of Ren, who are they. All we get is a stupid semi-flashback scene where Rey sees them looking at bodies.

    The entire film was basically in the trailer.

    Lastly, you kill Han, and now we can never see him and Luke on Screen together.

    They movie is good, funny, but the script and story was horrible and met every fear I had going in. Just horrid.

    • December 18, 2015 at 9:03 pm
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      they may fill us in on the details in ep VIII, but i’m very worried that lucasfilm misled us when they said we didn’t need to read the books and comics to know what is going on. knights of ren, first order, republic/resistance, none was explained.

      • December 18, 2015 at 9:44 pm
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        I agree. I feel they could of cut out the Deathstar 3 scenes and gave us some context. The New Republican is alive. The empire is too. But who rules what.

        Did the empire just lose all their troops. A lot were on the star killer base.

    • December 18, 2015 at 10:25 pm
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      Three words:

      Three part trilogy.

    • December 19, 2015 at 1:53 am
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      I actually would have preferred a Jedi Leia being killed off by her son, and then Han seeking out Luke from exile so they could both avenge her. But this would have meant recasting Carrie Fisher, which I’m not sure people would have liked.

  • December 18, 2015 at 9:03 pm
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    Can someone tell me why Mark H. Even needed so much time filming that last scene. What a mistake.

    • December 18, 2015 at 9:05 pm
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      Comment through this.

  • December 18, 2015 at 9:04 pm
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    I loved it. I think Star Wars has always been the same story. The story of the Skywalkers being “forced” to choose between fear and love, selfishness, and selflessness. Anakin chose fear (and then ultimately love); Luke chose love (and then?) What do Ben and Rey choose?
    I loved all the homage to the OT, Rey reaching out for the lightsaber buried in snow; Kylo’s reaction to bad news from his subordinate. I love how that advances the story above. Throughout this trilogy, Rey and Ben, are going to be put in very similar situations that their Skywalker ancestors were once in. We as the audience are only guessing if we asume we know what they’ll do.
    I’m excited about the next 5 years of Star Wars.

  • December 18, 2015 at 9:08 pm
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    For me, the film is a 9.5/10. I was overwhelmed by how immersed I felt in the film and how invested I was in the characters, both new and old. The story I felt was diminished slightly by the action sequences but other than that the film was great.

  • December 18, 2015 at 9:12 pm
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    Really liked it. However — Luke not seeing Han’s demise was a missed opportunity. Reimagine that scene with Luke involved and Kylo really being conflicted and Luke accidently killing him or Kylo killing him with Luke not being able to help. I dunno, maybe i was let down by the scene because i knew it was going to happen and had my own version in my head. Han just seemed to walk up into that moment like, okay… I’m gonna die now. but then again, so did Obi Wan in the original. Other than that… the chemistry between the new cast gives me hope for the next two for sure. I would have loved Luke for the third act, but fine…i’ll take tormented buddha luke money shot. That was kinda bad ass. Next time though, NO DEATH STARS. That’s all. I’ll see it again this weekend for sure.

  • December 18, 2015 at 9:29 pm
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    I saw the movie this morning (10 a.m. showing.) As a lifelong Star Wars fan (I was seven when A New Hope came out) I’m going to give an honest review with some spoilers. You may not like my opinion, but I will respect yours so please respect mine.

    I’ll list TFA with the other films as my way of rating it: 1.ANH, 2.ESB, 3.ROTJ, 4-5 tied TFA and ROTS, 6. AOTC, 7. TPM.

    Several others have pointed out things they don’t like about the movie that I agree with, but for me, the biggest flaw was the plot rehash from previous films, mainly Starkiller base, the trench run, another desert planet, a droid with “secret information”, it just all felt so unoriginal to me. With all the endless possibilites of different things they could have come up with, I don’t know why they went with these again.

    Most of the acting is good, the effects are good (but nothing we haven’t seen before, I wasn’t blown away by anything) and there were enough comedic moments to make it enjoyable. It just lacks depth. I didn’t have a problem with the unaswered questions, as there were just as many or more in A New Hope when it came out. Also, Luke will never see Han again, as he was in the movie for one minute.

    It was a strange experience, and I do give credit to JJ and his team because I don’t know if anyone could have met the expectations for this movie, but that doesn’t mean it isn’t open to criticism. When I bought my ticket I seriously considered getting another one for a second showing, but honestly I’m glad I didn’t. If you loved the movie then I am glad for you, and here’s hoping episode 8 will be even better.

    • December 18, 2015 at 9:35 pm
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      I rate the films the same way and this saddens me as I was really hyped for something new and fresh.

      • December 18, 2015 at 9:45 pm
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        Not sure from your reply if you have seen it yet or not, but if you haven’t, who knows, you may have a different experience than I did. But buy all means go and see it.

        • December 18, 2015 at 10:58 pm
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          I did see it hence the sadness. Great modern take on Star Wars but nothing new for me.

    • December 18, 2015 at 9:49 pm
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      Excellent review, IMO; non-biased, mature, impartial.

      My biggest problem with TFA is also how much it “borrowed” from ANH (and a little from TESB as well, like the holo-conferences with Snoke). It feels like I was cheated and it’s almost an insult to any reasonable person’s intelligence, TBH.

      One could argue that Abrams could’ve benefited from having more time to work on the film and that Kasdan was brought late into the game (both have even gone as far as to say that they didn’t have enough time to think the names through, IIRC). But this still doesn’t justify ripping off ANH as blatantly as this, IMO.

      That said, it’s a fun ride; just not as magical as it could’ve been if a different, original approach had been taken. A missed opportunity, if you ask me. Here’s hoping that Ep. VIII is better, too.

    • December 19, 2015 at 1:50 am
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      I think “strange experience” sums it up well for me. I enjoyed the movie a little more the second time around, but I don’t think it will have the same long lasting magic of the OT, which I could just watch over and over again.

      As for Han and Luke not meeting again, I guess if you were a kid watching the prequels first, you might say something similar when Obi-Wan dies, and that he won’t get to see Yoda again.

      And yes, hats off to JJ and team – they took on a tough project and did a decent job.

  • December 18, 2015 at 9:31 pm
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    Everyone in the film knew who snore was, that he brought Ben Solo to the Dark side. But they don’t tell us at all who he is. I found that to be strange.

    • December 18, 2015 at 9:46 pm
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      Why? In the OT only till Return of the Jedi we learned who the emperor was and even that information was not very revealing.

    • December 18, 2015 at 11:20 pm
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      Didn’t need to know that about Vader the first time around.

      In fact, we got more simply because his parents knew they couldn’t handle him.

  • December 18, 2015 at 9:32 pm
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    I really enjoyed the film. I can understand some of the negative comments. JJ Abrams like mysteries. It’s his thing. Not everyone like how he goes about it. Each character has questions that aren’t answered by the end of the movie. Why does Rey seem to “remember” the force? What was her childhood relationship to Luke, the Knights of Ren and Max Von Sydow’s character? Anyway, I’m positive that these threads will be picked up in the next two movies. I think Abrams did a great job of incorporating what came before while setting up what’s to come. Rey and Finn are a cool couple, I can’t wait to see more of them. I wonder what Kylo Ren sensed in him? Conflict? The force?

    • December 18, 2015 at 9:41 pm
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      It’s the internet. The movie is getting rave reviews from critics and fans. By any measure is a the best Star Wars movie in 30 years. I’m going to see again tomorrow, but in some ways it might be most fun Star Wars movie ever. Outstanding cast chemistry. There are so many fantastic moments.

      As far as the plot… This is Star Wars. It’s not Citizen Kane.

      • December 18, 2015 at 10:29 pm
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        The Chemistry was freakishly good. They deserve much respect in that regard. Boyega and Daisy, that ooozes. And Driver was fantastic when he got beaten in the torture chamber.

  • December 18, 2015 at 9:39 pm
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    Pros:
    The characters were well-defined and you cared about them

    The editing and pacing of the action was very solid and very Star Wars (yay wipes)

    It was emotionally manipulative in all the right ways…plenty of moments of “the feels”

    It was much more funny and FUN then any of the previews or TV spots would lead you to believe. You could see Kasdan all over it, which was a good thing

    Cons:
    In the interests of pace a lot of necessary exposition was sacrificed. I saw the movie twice in a row and had to read Wookieepedia to understand that the Republic was basically destroyed and that the Hosnian System was the capital.

    There was a LOT that was derivative, but especially the Starkiller. Simply ironically hanging a lampshade over the fact that you’re repeating the Death Star does not actually make the repetition forgivable. It doesn’t help that the weapon makes no actual sense in any reality.

    The balance of old vs. new was..off. I would have been happy with a movie that was mainly about new characters with the old characters making extended cameos; I would have been happy with a movie that was the old characters getting one last story. But we got a movie that was basically “Han Solo and the Kids” and it felt wrong to me. More like a Harrison Ford contract negotiation than something necessary for the character.

    The use of Poe Dameron was inconsistent and his offscreen “escape” was annoying. It looked like a bad cut made for time.

    It lacked the pure unbridled creativity and imagination of Lucas’ films. Whatever you say about the prequels you can’t deny that every scene contained something never before seen in the SW universe, and even the classic sequels added new things each time around. You could TELL that thousands of drawings were made before a hundred were developed as designs. It was hard to imagine that people were encouraged to go crazy the same way this time around. Almost everything was just an update of something we’ve previously seen.

    As a visceral experience I give it an 8.5/10, as a piece of art I give it a 6/10.

    • December 18, 2015 at 9:41 pm
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      Piece of art!?!? LOL

      • December 18, 2015 at 10:12 pm
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        If you think it’s ridiculous to judge a movie by both objective qualities and as a visceral experience that’s cool for you, but it’s irrelevant to what I have to say.

        • December 18, 2015 at 10:20 pm
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          It’s so irrelevant you felt the need to respond? LOL again!

    • December 18, 2015 at 9:48 pm
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      You nailed it. Move along, nothing new here. C’mon JJ, even Cloverfield used the big monster in a city idea again but with a fresh take. Why rehash same stuff for Star Wars? Good but not great.

      • December 18, 2015 at 10:34 pm
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        Snoke was great in concept art but they went for the easiest approach by just giving us Azog from the hobbit.

  • December 18, 2015 at 9:43 pm
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    I didn’t feel that strong about it. But, before I went to watch this movie I saw a few people come out of the cinema with the same blank expression as we were going to come out with after. Generally I thought the movie was pretty weak, as were the cast. I don’t know what else could have been done, but I do have hope for the potential of the new cast.

  • December 18, 2015 at 9:47 pm
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    The more I think about this, the more it Pisses me off, I have
    seen the film three times already but now having had a few hours to digest what
    I just saw I just can not believe how many things there are about The Force
    Awakens that are just wrong or annoy me on so many levels. Expectation is one thing
    but for an established screenwriter like Kasdan to make so many bad
    storytelling mistakes is beyond me. People will argue that it was done
    intentionally but I would have to disagree, its one thing to trust the intelligence of the audience by not
    explaining everything to them and letting them figure it out for themselves but
    what happens here is just lazy and not much better than what was wrong with the
    prequels. Also, I can understand that there are certain elements that need to
    feel familiar or mirror some of the things that have happened before but to
    basically just lift the exact plot from A new Hope verbatim and apply it to a
    new film with just a few minor changes by shuffling the chain of events a
    little bit is completely fucking ridiculous. A real damn shame because there
    are things in this film that are just Brilliant and classic Star Wars, also the
    actors performances here especially Daisy Ridley, John Boyega and Oscar Isaac,
    not to mention Harrison Ford ( who was born to play Han Solo and who slips back
    into the role so perfectly that it seems he was never away ) too bad that they
    are let down by a weak script. For example – how does someone that just a few
    minutes earlier discover that she has Force ability so easily defeat someone
    else who although not a Jedi or a Sith has clearly had some training in the
    force ? Also, she just happens to be able to fly and control and out manoeuvre
    experienced Tie Fighter pilots without any previous knowledge or training ? How
    the Fuck ?? and who just leaves an unattended ship open in the middle of small
    town full of thieves and crooks, a ship that just so happens to be the freaking
    Millennium Falcon ??? The List goes on and on and on, in particular the death
    of Han, there was absolutely no emotional build up and it just happens too
    quick, a character like Han should have been afforded a better ending. It makes
    perfect sense now as to why Harrison Ford was so happy to promote the film and
    to put in a good performance because he finally had his wish in that he has now
    died. Another major issue I had was with Kylo Ren, as an actor Adam Driver is
    leaps and bound better than a certain Mr Christianson so by that very
    definition he would make a better bad guy than Anakin but he has exactly the
    same problems that Anakin had in the prequels, he gets angry and throws a
    tantrum like a small child when things don’t go his way but is getting lauded
    as a formidable and believable vilian ? I just don’t get it. Another thing that
    annoyed me is Captain Phasma, she is supposed to be this bad ass character but gets
    taken down so easily and gives Finn the information on destroy Starkiller base without
    so much of a struggle. Beyond pathetic. Anyway, that’s only my personal opinion
    but I was so looking forward to this film being able to resurrect and to usher
    in a new series of films of classic Star Wars but alas that looks like for me
    personally it will not happen!! I wanted to like it and there are parts
    that are incredible but overall to me this film is a massive disappointment.

    • December 18, 2015 at 9:51 pm
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      “How does someone that just a few minutes earlier discover that she has Force ability so easily defeat someone else who although not a Jedi or a Sith has clearly had some training in the force.”

      He’s badly injured and emotionally drained. She’s incredibly powerful in the force.

      • December 18, 2015 at 10:03 pm
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        I think he means more in the sense that Rey has never even properly held a light saber much less wield one in a fight. Yes, she is force sensitive and possibly as powerful as Ren, but that doesn’t make you a light saber user automatically. This is lazy writing, that’s all.

        • December 18, 2015 at 10:12 pm
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          Yet, she’s been kicking ass with a staff the entire film.

          • December 18, 2015 at 10:22 pm
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            I wouldn’t say kicking ass. More like getting by. Which seemed to nr the goal of this project

        • December 18, 2015 at 10:19 pm
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          I thought her “vision” pretty clearly implied that she was trained as a small child but has likely suppressed most of it.

          • December 18, 2015 at 10:21 pm
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            I didn’t get that from her vision. I might not remember it correctly, but what I recall is Rey being left in Jakku by someone. And she was too young still to have been anywhere close to proficient with a lightsaber.

          • December 18, 2015 at 10:32 pm
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            For a movie that’s supposed to be straightforward it sure is muddled in terms of who’s-who.

          • December 18, 2015 at 10:44 pm
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            Yeah my friends and I got that same impression from her vision too. They did it on purpose, it’s the big mystery for the VIII. Also it was made clear by Kylo Ren that she is especially strong with the force. He was scared of her for that.

      • December 18, 2015 at 10:24 pm
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        He is also blinded by her Beauty 🙂 But too close to being anorectic though. I can’t wait for the XXX version to arrive.

      • December 18, 2015 at 10:30 pm
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        I could have lived without the dozens and dozens of direct episode 4 references.

    • December 18, 2015 at 9:54 pm
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      “Expectation is one thing but for an established screenwriter like Kasdan to make so many bad storytelling mistakes is beyond me.”

      I think this may be the parts written by Abrams and/or Arndt.

      “A real damn shame because there are things in this film that are just Brilliant and classic Star Wars…”

      I think this was Kasdan.

      Call me biased, if you will, but the guy’s got a solid track record. Abrams, on the other hand, is Lucas’ opposite; good director and excellent communicator, but terrible at creativity and originality.

    • December 18, 2015 at 9:57 pm
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      OMG: Lighten up, dude!

      • December 18, 2015 at 11:25 pm
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        I think the intention here is to have constructive dialogue concerning the perceived strengths and weaknesses of the film. This is anything but that.

        • December 19, 2015 at 12:20 am
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          In actual fact, it is. Saw the film (very) early this a.m. and found it delightfully entertaining – can’t wait to see it again. As an O.G. SW fan (can remember seeing ANH as a wee nipper the summer of its release) whose entire existence has been colored by these films, I pity anyone who internalizes to this degree – and consequently ruins for themself – what could’ve been for damn near anyone a highly-satisfying film experience. Suggest removing the large plank of lumber from your keister (unless it’s there for pleasure – I make no judgments…), and get over yourself

    • December 18, 2015 at 9:58 pm
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      “Also, she just happens to be able to fly and control and out manoeuvre
      experienced Tie Fighter pilots without any previous knowledge or training ?”

      A small reminder that Luke in ANH goes from moisture farmer to pilot that
      blows up the Death Star in a pretty quick timespan. Not saying this
      justifies it, but cut the movie some slack.

      • December 18, 2015 at 10:20 pm
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        Not really. Luke makes it abundantly clear he and his friends are pilots.

        • December 18, 2015 at 11:02 pm
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          Kenobi to Luke” I understand you’ve become quite a good pilot yourself”

      • December 18, 2015 at 11:15 pm
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        Yeah, you got a point there about her flying ability, I suppose I just need to see the film again for a 4th time lol. At the moment there are just too many things bothering me that I can’t get out of my mind. The parts that work though are Awsome. Lets see what Rian Johnson is able to do with episode 8.

    • December 18, 2015 at 10:00 pm
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      In defense of the film. We see Rey can kick some ass early on with her staff and she gained focus (thru the Force) in her fight against a mentally unstable Ren. Phasma is still pretty bad-ass and had a bigger role than even Boba Fett in the OT. I personally think Haden’s take on Anakin was fine (including his tantrums) but the accompanying dialog made it untorable at times. In case of Driver..the dialog and direction of the actors by JJ is way better. Do agree on the flying of the Falcon…I also found that a little strange that nowhere it was established first she has flying skills before escaping in the falcon

      • December 18, 2015 at 10:04 pm
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        This last part bothered me throughout the film as well, till I remembered how good a pilot and a mechanic Anakin was in TPM.

        I’m all but convinced now that Rey is Luke’s daughter and that the premise is for the Chosen One’s grandchildren to show us the best and worst in him: Rey is Anakin the hero reborn and Kylo is Vader.

        • December 19, 2015 at 1:40 am
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          Anakin had been podracing for a few years. But I agree, I’m pretty sure Rey is a Skywalker.

          • December 19, 2015 at 5:08 am
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            Yep. Despite the heavy criticism that Lucas has received for TPM (most of it justified, IMO) he did a better job at establishing Anakin’s amazing, innate skills as a pilot and mechanic than Abrams and Kasdan with Rey.

    • December 18, 2015 at 10:17 pm
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      I think there is more to Phasma that we we learn in the future why she gave up so easy

    • December 18, 2015 at 11:24 pm
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      Captain Phasma was the most useless character. To me it’s like they just plugged her in there because they thought “This is an awesome concept” without any real application for the concept. The character shouldn’t have existed because she detracted from the story.

      • December 19, 2015 at 1:43 am
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        Maybe she will become important. If she captures Finn and sends him for reconditioning then he could become quite a threat to Rey and the resistance.

  • December 18, 2015 at 9:54 pm
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    Misery loves company…. and the internet.

  • December 18, 2015 at 9:58 pm
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    Here is hoping that Finn gets his “hero” moment in Episode 8, because He didn’t feel particularly necessary in the story. He felt like he was just along for the ride through out most of the movie.

    • December 18, 2015 at 11:44 pm
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      I think his hero moment was right at the beginning. It was more subtle. He helped free Poe, who in turn landed some of the final bows at Starkiller. Not an in your face hero moment but a key player in the story.

      • December 19, 2015 at 2:25 am
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        It didn’t come off as a hero moment because it was self serving. He needed to get off the ship and Poe was the only pilot he could get to help him.

  • December 18, 2015 at 9:58 pm
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    I still can’t believe I got to see a 7th Star Wars film! Even better, they didn’t mess it up. I never hated the prequels but I never left with the feeling I left that movie with, it was great. The movie was funny, intense and interesting. Like others I had to go look some things up, like why does a planet that looks like Corsuscant get blown up and where is the republic? It was really great though and I can’t wait for the next one.

  • December 18, 2015 at 9:59 pm
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    The age-old debate about sound in space is finally over! Like Obi-Wan said after seeing JJ Abrams #TFA …”as if a million voices screamed in your face for 3 hrs and would not shut the F*#k up!…I feel something terrible has happened” Too bad the First Order’s ultimate weapon was silenced, could’ve been put to more use in the Post-Imperial Galaxy

  • December 18, 2015 at 10:04 pm
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    so what’s up with that staff? i thought it was a little funny that after months and months of seeing the dang thing in EVERY promotional shot for rey, its only there at the beginning and end. true she did kick major butt with it at the start, but it definitely felt like a red herring after the fact.

    • December 18, 2015 at 11:15 pm
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      That’s another thing fans form an opinion on based solely on their own imaginations – same with Phasma and Von Sydow.

      Just because they’re notable things on a poster or commercial, doesn’t make them important to the film, lol.

      • December 19, 2015 at 1:40 am
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        I think Von Sydow’s character can still be important to this trilogy. I think he is the one holding Rey’s hand as she is left on Jakku. He also knows Kylo’s past. I think there must be more explanation of this in the coming movies.

    • December 18, 2015 at 11:20 pm
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      I think the purpose of the staff was to explain why Rey was so skilled with the lightsaber she had never wielded before.

      Rey could engage and defeat Kylo Ren for three reasons:

      1) She was trained from use of the staff
      2) She was strong in the raw power of the force
      3) Kylo Ren is not a trained dark force user. He’s just filled with the raw power of the dark side (which also explains those psychedelic temper tantrums)

      I know a lot of people who were upset that Rey could kick Kylo’s butt, but it’s because they didn’t get the fact that Kylo wasn’t really trained in the dark side. They didn’t do a very good job at letting this on until towards the end of the movie.

      • December 18, 2015 at 11:29 pm
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        4) Kylo Ren was already wounded by Chewie, that’s the only reason Finn lasted as long as he did.

        • December 18, 2015 at 11:34 pm
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          Ah yes! Forgot about that tidbit, which is a pretty important one!

      • December 18, 2015 at 11:33 pm
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        5) The F.O. is explicitly hunting down Luke Skywalker, the last Jedi. Logically they would know a bit about lightsabers.

      • December 19, 2015 at 1:13 am
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        “but it’s because they didn’t get the fact that Kylo wasn’t really trained in the dark side.”

        which is very interesting, i think snoke even told him to come in for some more training. although… they did show him to have some really strong powers(stopping an energy blast, mind manipulations, being able to basically freeze people in place) which makes me really curious to see how he looks like in number 8. will we get duel training montages, one with luke and rey and one with snoke and kylo?

      • December 19, 2015 at 1:34 am
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        It’s not that Ren wasn’t trained in the dark side (although I know Snoke said he needs to complete Kylo’s training) – it is implied that (as leader of the Knights of Ren), he overthrew Luke’s new Jedi academy and killed everyone. So he’s no chump with a lightsabre or the force.

        Early in the movie, I was blown away by how powerful he was. Ok, he was unstable, and at the end he was hurt, but Rey picked up the lightsabre for the first time and arguably fought as well as Luke in ESB, even though Luke had been trained by Obi-Wan and Yoda.

      • December 19, 2015 at 1:36 am
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        I think she was trained by Luke in the past but has had her mind wiped and then being dumped on Jakku to protect her. During the interrogation by Kylo, he finds in her head a vast ocean with an island. She has been with Luke before on that island. So my take is that she has wielded a lightsabre before.

  • December 18, 2015 at 10:16 pm
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    They played it way too safe. The main focus appears to be on future films instead of making this one. Can lightsabers not kill people anymore or what?

    • December 18, 2015 at 10:26 pm
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      A New Hope 2.0. Or The Force Rehashed.

      I haven’t decided on which is more fitting.

    • December 18, 2015 at 10:50 pm
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      Dunno, ask Han.

    • December 18, 2015 at 11:18 pm
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      You mean like Han being killed by one.

    • December 18, 2015 at 11:27 pm
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      I agree, it felt like the movie had a lot of unnecessary pauses and I already feel like they’re trying to stretch limited material over a trilogy of movies. The Starkiller Base came off feeling like an unnecessary Death Star rehash.

  • December 18, 2015 at 10:20 pm
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    SPOILERISH: In addition I appreciated the at least 3 prequel nods that were subtle enough to be missed, let me know if anyone caught others:

    1. Kylo Ren telling Hux the troopers were so incompetent that clones could do the job.

    2. The podracer flags we’ve all seen at Maz’s

    3. Kylo screaming “Traitor” at Finn ala Vader and Obi-Wan during their final fight.

    • December 18, 2015 at 10:23 pm
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      Rey being an ace pilot and a great mechanic living in a harsh, desert world just screamed “little Ani” to me. Not to mention Kylo’s older Anakin-esque tantrums and fits.

    • December 18, 2015 at 10:28 pm
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      There was a quick mention of “Sith” too.

      • December 18, 2015 at 10:45 pm
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        Sith may have never been mentioned onscreen in the OT but Vader was known as the Dark Lord of the Sith in the Star Wars novelization back in ’77

        • December 18, 2015 at 10:49 pm
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          True. It just was one moment that felt prequely for a second.

  • December 18, 2015 at 10:20 pm
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    Loved the movie if you whine about it you have nothing better to do. The big thing that bothered me is why did they name their son Ben (after Obi) when they really had no connection or interaction with him.

    • December 18, 2015 at 10:21 pm
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      Isnt the name Ben come from the EU?

      • December 18, 2015 at 10:50 pm
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        Yeah but for Luke’s son, which admittedly makes more sense.

        • December 18, 2015 at 10:59 pm
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          Ben is also one of Harrison’s sons’ name.

          • December 19, 2015 at 12:36 am
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            And Ben is also Hebrew for ‘Son’, much like Vader is Dutch for ‘father’… Add in Solo, Sidious, Tyrannus, Grievous and Maul, and names that fit the character in various Esrth languages are pretty common in SW.

    • December 18, 2015 at 10:26 pm
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      Not true. Han had a whole adventure with Obi Wan on board and Leia knew him.

    • December 18, 2015 at 10:34 pm
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      Yeah, Leia with the “Help me Obi-Wan, you’re my only hope…” in her hour of need to Kenobi being the common link in bringing the most important team in the Galaxy’s existence together to defeat to Empire…yeah, paper-thin connection, probably would’ve only named my taun-taun after him

    • December 19, 2015 at 1:18 am
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      Honestly, they probably did it for Luke. It was their way of showing love and respect to him, since Ben was such an important figure for him.

  • December 18, 2015 at 10:24 pm
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    I saw TFA last night and I for one dont understand how someone can hate this movie, to me it just seems they must have gone in and were predisposed to hate it, prequel defenders or they just plain didnt see it yet. My opinion is that this was a genuinely great movie with characters that you actually get emotionally invested in that had very natural dialogue, I think the entire new cast was wonderful, especially Ridley, Driver, Boyega and Isaac … Now it wouldnt be honest of me if I didnt say there were parts I didnt like … i wasnt too keen with the Death Star redux personally but at least they even cracked wise in the movie about it just being another Death Star, only bigger …. and while I see on paper that the plot is a lot like ANH with some ESB and ROTJ thrown in for good measure, visually it comes off very different than any of those.

    I was even impressed with Maz Kanata who was the one character I was most worried about coming into this but she worked out well and the voice wound up fitting the character just fine and she definitely was no yoda clone by any means, albeit a quick explanation of how she obtained Luke’s/Anakin’s light saber would have been nice instead of just saying “thats a good question” when asked how she obtained it.

    One thing that caught me off guard was how genuinely funny the movie was as well … No poopie jokes, no cartoonish buffoonery, no stupid sounding voices (Im looking at you Neimoidians, Battle Droids, Pod Racers, Pod Race annoucers, and,well, you know who).

    This is definitely a movie Im going to need to see multiple times to let it all sink in … But right now Im giving it a hardy 9/10 … I absolutely loved it!

  • December 18, 2015 at 10:32 pm
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    I personally loved the film and had a great time watching it. The things I loved were the new characters, the cinematography, the pacing and the many memorable sequences scattered throughout the film. The highlights were the Millenium Falcon chase on Jakku, the final lightsaber duel, the Maz Kanata castle sequence and the escape of Poe and Finn. Things I didn’t like were the convenient R2D2 wake up and reveal the map plot point (hole), the re-envision of old ideas (starkiller base, secret plans stored in droid, etc) and the bad CGI on Snoke. Granted, Snoke may have looked terrible because that is how holograms look now but it was so uncanny valley that it took me out of the film. Honestly, outside of Empire I could have small complaints about any of the original films and nothing but complaints about the prequels so this was a step in the right direction and a great time at the movies. Also, this was by far the funniest Star Wars film of them all. I laughed constantly throughout (Finn was almost pure comic relief). Need to see it again as soon as possible. Kylo Ren and Ray are an awesome protagonist/antagonist for the new trilogy and I have very high hopes for the next film.

  • December 18, 2015 at 10:35 pm
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    I just finished flipping through my new copy of “The art of the Force Awakens” and I cannot believe some of the settings, designs, and creatures that were declined in favor of the same ol’ stuff I saw at the theater today!! Knowing they had these golden ideas on the table is heartbreaking for what could have been. This is exactly the wonder and surprise I was expecting from JJ, not droid on a secret mission to blow up Death Star 3.0!

    • December 19, 2015 at 3:47 am
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      I definitely love TFA, but the art of TFA is by far inferior to both OT, PT.
      TFA heavily depend on design from OT and there were nothing new.

  • December 18, 2015 at 10:38 pm
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    You know, it could be HER that will bring balance to the Force

    • December 19, 2015 at 1:25 am
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      Or it could be them. I think there must be dark and light for there to balance. After several generations Anakin may bring balance through his offspring.

      • December 19, 2015 at 1:29 am
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        I don’t know – I’m positive that Kylo Ren will end up redeemed, back as a good guy in Episode 8 or 9.

  • December 18, 2015 at 10:44 pm
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    I saw TFA yesterday. It was very very funny. Also it was an old story but it felt very new with some great ideas. The new technology was great also. Now i understand the new republic and the resistance better. I liked the planets and everything was simply great. This movie was dark and it was the happy ending movie. Episode will be the new ESB but WAY darker.

    Star Wars VII: The Force Awakens-9.5/10 my opinion. Rian it is all on you!

  • December 18, 2015 at 10:45 pm
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    Imo it was amazing, the best movie I’ve seen in a long time. It lives up to the hype, and exceeded all my expectations. Yes, Starkiller base was not a good choice, but the focus wasnt on that, but on the characters, especially Han Solo, so I never felt it as a major problem. Yes, some things were underdeveloped and unexplained, but this is only the beginning of a new era, we will have at least two more movies (besides the anthology’ ones) so it needed a lot to set up, epsiode VIII can do more with less. ***MAJOR SPOILER ALERT!!!!!*** When Han Solo died and Chewie screamed out of sandess, that was the first time I teared up since Forest Gump on a movie. That scene hit me so hard I’d never thought it could. We suspected that Han will die, but I hoped he wont. The story needed it, but watching an iconic and beloved hero’s fall is never an easy thing. I wanted this movie to be an emotional rollercoaster and I got it 100%. Ofc people will nitpick on the internet, but I couldn’t be more excited about the next chapters. Star Wars is back after 30 years, and that is all that matters.

    • December 18, 2015 at 11:08 pm
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      My body tensed up when Han died, it stayed that way for about the next 5 minutes.

  • December 18, 2015 at 10:48 pm
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    The biggest thing that made me happy with this movie is that Jacen Solo managed to survive the EU genocide and live on in Kylo Ren. Now here’s hoping Mara manages to wriggle her way in too. Also did Han call Kylo “Ben”?! Is his name Ben Solo? That’s friggin badass.

    The revisited story beats bothered me not a jot, they were altered and changed enough to feel new and exciting to me.

    This thing was pure Star Wars, I love it. I’ve just come back from my second viewing. My 5-year-old daughter cried like a little girl at Han and Kylo’s scene.

    • December 18, 2015 at 10:54 pm
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      She is a little girl so let the crying slide : )

    • December 19, 2015 at 12:16 am
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      Are you stupid? They erased decades of novels..of bestselling novels from critical acclaimed authors and you are satisfied that Jacen Solo survived as a rip off with a name Ben Solo? THEY ARE MOCKING US in our faces and you are still satisfied because they delivered to you the pleasure of a new blockbuster? what kind of persons are you all? addicted to false and wrong…

      • December 19, 2015 at 12:29 am
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        God, you butthurt, entitled and insufferable Star Wars ragers are the worst.

        • December 19, 2015 at 4:58 am
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          What a shame that I can only give you 1 like as opposed to the 10 likes I want to give ya!

      • December 19, 2015 at 12:44 am
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        the butthurt is strong with you….

      • December 19, 2015 at 1:17 am
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        Most of the EU was garbage. And I say this as a guy who read it all from the very beginning.

        In my opinion, the EU was false and wrong. TFA is giving us a real rebirth without the EU’s decades of continuity errors and bad plots.

        • December 19, 2015 at 1:26 am
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          lets reserve judgement until we actually know what the new continuity is first.

          • December 19, 2015 at 1:35 am
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            I like what I’ve seen so far more than I ever liked the EU,

            I read the EU from the very beginning until the end. I still have my Dark Empire comics from 1992 and my first copies of the Thrawn trilogy. Heck, I’ve got some of the old (really dumb) Marvel stuff from the Eighties.

            The new continuity now is already better than any of that stuff was, then.

          • December 19, 2015 at 1:47 am
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            maybe, but right now all we have is one book(plus a tiny bit in another), one limited run comic, and one movie. i still don’t really have a clue what actually happened in the intervening 30 years. it will probably be great, but we won’t know it until we actually see it.

      • December 19, 2015 at 2:06 am
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        Yeah, that seems like a measured and thoughtful response.

        The EU went as far as it could. Forty years of unbroken history, short of straight-up adapting Legacy of The Force what could they have done?

        I said my goodbyes to the EU by reading all the post-Jedi books as soon as I heard about the EU erasure. I loved those stories but I’m far more excited that I can’t see what’s coming with the new post-RoTJ galaxy.

        Also, I think attacking somebody’s intelligence and questioning their moral character because they enjoyed a movie and enjoyed a nod to a beloved EU villain is pretty foolish.

        Some of you people just HAVE to chill, it’s just a movie.

      • December 19, 2015 at 4:07 am
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        “ben” is the perfect name for the obvious generic person who will see this movie- which by the box office numbers thus far will be about 90% of the population…. The small percentage of fans who even know anything about the EU aren’t important to Disney. Shame that disney catered to the masses but it makes sense from a business perspective.

  • December 18, 2015 at 10:58 pm
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    There has been some great feedback on here so far. One criticism that I found ridiculous, though, was someone complaining about Ben’s hairstyle. Really? Also I’ve heard that Snoke couldn’t have been a hologram because he wasn’t blue. I’d like to think technology has advanced in 30 years. It certainly seems more likely then him teleporting.

  • December 18, 2015 at 11:00 pm
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    Loved it. The new characters were amazing. Can’t wait for more films with them.

  • December 18, 2015 at 11:02 pm
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    The opening crawl gave me goosebumps. I had no clue the hunt for Luke Skywalker would be this straightforward. I thought if his presence in the film was as small as rumored, which I’m sad to say I was very wrong about, I guessed no one would know if he was real or not. Right away we get to the Skywalker MacGuffin!

    John Williams’ score was so great. So many new pieces interwoven with older ones.

    I feel Driver absolutely steals the show here. Ridley, Boyega, and Isaac are all great, don’t get me wrong. That last scene between Kylo/Ben and Solo will probably haunt every SW fan. Han’s death was the one-two punch for how much pain Driver conveyed onscreen. I can’t imagine a better casting choice for that role. I can’t wait to see what he brings to the next two films.

    More Captain Phasma! If there is one complaint it’s that Gwendoline Christie was GROSSLY underused. It would be interesting to see if she goes rogue in the next film, or if the First Order don’t know if she is dead or not.

    Gleeson was the dark horse here as Hux. Another character I’m glad we will see more of. His Hitler-esque oration over the First Order as the use the Starkiller for the first time is one scene that keeps coming up in my mind. I also liked the rivalry he had with Kylo Ren.

    Really, really bummed Luke was only in the film at the end. That is the biggest letdown of the film for me. I think they could have at least allowed a minute of dialogue between Rey and Luke. I know we have two more films to look forward to and I’m sure Luke will be a very big part of them, but I wanted him to at least appear in a flashback or a still. All that said, if they had to do it like that, Hamill did a great job of conveying Luke’s astonishment he had been found. I also like the Anakin/EpisodeIII haircut they gave him.

    I’m very pleased that Rey and her origins will be an ongoing mystery, at least into the next film. Daisy Ridley was great and I can’t imagine anyone else in the role. When the lightsaber got into her hands everyone in the theater erupted. That was the only point the crowd was vocal, save the end credits and the sniffles over Han.

    Snoke. Hmmm…I don’t know what to think about Snoke. Reminded me of the disfigured, rich guy in the 2000 film Hannibal, Mason Verger(?), the one obsessed with finding Lecter. I’m guessing a great deal will be filled in about his origins, or at least how everyone in the galaxy knows who he is, before Episode VIII. I wouldn’t be surprised if we don’t see him full-fleshed until Episode IX. Who knows? Maybe Episode VIII will have be Rey’s Jedi training juxtaposed with Kylo Ren’s final training Snoke referred to?

    I see Finn having his own journey in Episode VIII as well. Maybe Kylo Ren/Snoke/Hux will go after him to try and get Rey out of hiding. “That is why your friends are made to suffer”-esque line delivered from Luke to Rey.

    Other hopes for next film are better looks at the Republic and the rest of the First Order fleet. Coruscant, anyone? We’ll probably get some literature and/or comics (more Shattered Empire, please) to tide us over, but I hope we get a look into the new Senate, the political structure of both the Republic and the First Order, and an overall state of the galaxy.

    It was a great film and I’m counting the days until Episode VIII.

    • December 19, 2015 at 12:51 am
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      AND the return of LANDO! (They can’t have a memorial service for Han without some Billy Dee…)

  • December 18, 2015 at 11:03 pm
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    My review of The Force Awakens:
    .
    .
    WARNING SPOILERS
    .
    .
    .
    .
    .
    .
    I have to be honest, the first time I had mixed feelings about the movie. I was VERY mad/sad because of Han’s dead.

    Then, when I saw it again it was different. I was able to see it with an objective point of view and I really like it.

    I still have some issues with the movie but in general like it. I feel Han should have had a proper funeral because the importance of the character. I also fell that there was few information about what happened during the 30 years between episodes 6 and 7. I need to know more about the motivations that made Ben Solo yo become Kylo, also to know about the knights of Ren and more about the new republic. Phases was a total disappointment. The new characters (Rey, BB-8, Finn and Poe) were great!!!!! I would like to see more of Luke but it’s ok. I feel that having another Death Star was like a lack of ideas, but even then it works well.

    I also feel that even when is a good movie, it is missed the George Lucas touch in the story. The soundtrack was ok but not remarkable like the scores of the prequels (Ep 1 and 3 specifically). Han performance was great!! At the beginning I felt it more like Indiana Jones than Han Solo, but the second time that I saw it I realized that was indeed an old and maybe frustrated Han Solo. I loved Princess Leia too.

    In general I think is a very good movie, not the best of all, but a very good one.

  • December 18, 2015 at 11:16 pm
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    The movie was amazing, but still left me feeling unsure. I think I narrowed my hesitation about it down to the plot issue.

    In the opening crawl we learn that the movie is essentially about a race to find Luke Skywalker. Kylo Ren wants to kill him and the Resistance wants to find him to restore balance to the force.

    This establishes the direction the entire film should take.

    The first half of the movie follows this in its plot. We learn about each character and where they relate to this race to find Luke Skywalker. This race seems to center on the droid and a map it is carrying. Things; however, take a turn after Kylo Ren takes Rey aboard his shuttle. Here we find out that the droid no longer matters because the map is no in Rey’s mind. We also learn that the rest of the map is in R2D2, but he is on “low power” mode and hasn’t awaken since Luke vanished.

    At this point, the plot is no longer about finding Luke Skywalker, but instead becomes about the First Order taking down the New Republic and destroying the resistance. It also becomes about Han Solo trying to redeem his son Kylo Ren. This is fine and all, but they really put the whole “find Luke Skywalker” on the back burner. I mean, the entire premises was supposed to be that Kylo Ren was hunting Luke Skywalker down to kill him – yet we completely veer away from this to destroy the New Republic and the resistance and to establish conflict between Rey and Kylo.

    Because of this, it felt like they tried to cram way too much into one movie. They could have easily maintained this “race” to find Luke Skywalker while fulfilling the other elements of the movie (such as Han Solo trying to redeem his son and the conflict between Rey and Kylo).

    I don’t know if this is coherent enough of an explanation, but it’s the best I’ve got to explain that nagging feeling I’ve had since watching the movie. I’m slated to watch it at least two more times, so maybe I’ll reconcile my concerns regarding the plot structure.

    (I’m also a writer, so things like plot structure just scream out at me)

    All this being said, it was, by far, on par with the OT. It is a Star Wars movie through and through.

  • December 18, 2015 at 11:18 pm
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    I am so sick of hearing everyone complain about the prequels, bitch about TFA, and act like return of the jedi was so great. They fought a war on a teddy bear planet people, a damn teddy bear planet. One of the dumbest things i’ve ever seen ill take JJB over that any day.

    • December 18, 2015 at 11:20 pm
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      Teddy bears roasting humans was pretty ridiculous!

      • December 18, 2015 at 11:21 pm
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        not to say I dont love the originals because i do. I think they were better than the prequels but some people have to open their eyes to what they were actually watching in the originals

      • December 19, 2015 at 12:16 am
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        Those were fierce warriors with chest hair literally everywhere, dude! Teddybears my ass. 😉

    • December 18, 2015 at 11:30 pm
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      I loathe a lot of the PT. But I do think people need to revisit ROTJ, I don’t mind the Ewoks, but they are definitely a weak point. Hamill and the space battle carried that film to a wonderful conclusion but after Yoda dies, there’s 40 minutes of dead air. Right now, I probably rank TFA above it (only second to ESB and ANH – which . That might change, but I really doubt it.

      • December 19, 2015 at 1:22 am
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        For me, RotJ is carried by Luke Skywalker, from Jabba on. His test is the heart of Star Wars, and Hamill acted his ass off.

        • December 19, 2015 at 3:16 am
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          I really get sad thinking of what his career could have been if he didn’t get in that accident. 1970s plastic surgery was not kind.

      • December 19, 2015 at 1:56 am
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        I have to agree with that. There’s a spot in the middle of ROTJ from the moment Leia meets Wicket, to the moment that the Rebel Fleet emerges from hyperspace to attack the Death Star, where everything just grinds to a halt.

    • December 19, 2015 at 12:22 am
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      Adywan will fix that in his Fanedit. No more Ewoks

    • December 19, 2015 at 12:26 am
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      Jedi would’ve been perfect for me if the Ewoks were Wookies and Endor was Kashyyyk. But I loved the movie and I loved TFA. Nothing, however, will get me to see the prequels as being on par with 4-7.

    • December 19, 2015 at 1:48 am
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      you see teddy bears , i see warriors who built traps used against the empire, captured and nearly ate the heroes while standing totally unnoticed just feet away , pointed out the backdoor and won the day , …… never judge by appearances is point of them.

  • December 18, 2015 at 11:18 pm
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    Great camera work and seeing the Star Wars universe from different angles was cool. My favorite was Rey’s piloting where she flips the Falcon to give Finn a clear shot: amazing 3D effect as the camera zooms around the ship. Another cool shot was the missiles just missing an X-wing pilot’s POV as he outmaneuvered them. I was wincing in my seat, loved it!

    • December 18, 2015 at 11:19 pm
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      and to add to this everyone is always complaining about Anakin in the prequels. When LUKE is a whiny bitch and also a terrible actor in the originals. Carried by harrison

      • December 18, 2015 at 11:26 pm
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        Luke WAS a whiny little brat, I agree. However, I feel Lucas did this on purpose with both actor and character to make biggest contrast between most powerful Jedi ever and whiny brat.

      • December 19, 2015 at 12:51 am
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        “When LUKE is a whiny bitch and also a terrible actor in the originals.”

        That’s very interesting. You said LUKE (the Character), not Mark (the Actor). So that means the ACTOR succeeded in making you believe, and remember that he was the character.

        Doesn’t sound terrible at all. Sounds like a capable guy. 🙂

  • December 18, 2015 at 11:23 pm
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    One more note, I see the biggest complaint about the new film seems to be that it is a pastiche of the original trilogy (plot of A New Hope mixed with bits from Empire and Jedi) but was not the original film a pastiche of other films? The opening crawl is from old Flash Gordon serials, the droids and plot of the film are lifted from Kurosawa’s The Hidden Fortress, the scene where Luke finds his Aunt and Uncle dead is almost shot for shot a famous scene from The Searchers. It goes on and on but the original Star Wars threw all of these elements in a blender and you end up with Star Wars, which is basically what JJ has done here except he has borrowed heavily from the original trilogy which we are all so familiar with. Storywise though, there are a lot of elements from the EU Books (Kylo Ren is Jacen Solo mixed with Kyp Durron, Snoke has elements of the emperor and Thrawn, and the star killer base is like a mix of the Death Star and the Sun Crusher from Dark Apprentice). It may turn out that Rey is modeled after Jaina from the EU but time will tell on that one but she seems like a similar foil in terms of fighting style not to mention, there Kylo clearly sensed something about her which may imply a familial relation (sister possibly).

    • December 18, 2015 at 11:32 pm
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      THIS. The originality of the original film is kind of….a myth. Its presentation, Harrison Ford, and the fact that they actually got it done with style and fun is the real feat, not necessarily the originality.

    • December 18, 2015 at 11:32 pm
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      I disagree. One can borrow and reuse/re-do old films or ideas but come out with a strong product. What comes to mind is the last version of Casino Royale or Batman Begins for example. You can then lay total turds like Superman Returns! I think this what the complaints are about.

      • December 19, 2015 at 12:03 am
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        Superman Returns is a bit of stretch though considering that movie was not just a rehash but a bore at the same time. The cast sucked in that film as well which cannot be said about The Force Awakens… the new cast was just spot on. Also, there was nothing in Superman Returns that came close to the greatness of the original film that it was so trying hard to be. The Force Awakens definitely had at least two sequences that were on par with moments from the originals (the final lightsaber duel and the Millennium Falcon chase come to mind). I just don’t see how a movie that is well acted, well directed, exhilarating, funny and sad can be all that bad. I left Superman Returns with almost no emotional impact (the plane crash sequence was the only thing worth a damn in that film) but I went through a rollercoaster of emotions during the Force Awakens (laughing one minute, intrigued the next, edge of my seat after that). The movie had everything the prequels lacked, great characters, snappy dialogue, humor and it just felt like Star Wars which the prequels just didn’t.

        • December 19, 2015 at 12:48 am
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          Maybe turd was too strong, how about disappointing? I’m not saying TFA was bad, it’s just that I trusted JJ to deliver new ideas and twists instead of droid with secret mission and blowing up Death Star 3.0. Cast was great, dialogue funny, but the plot and story disappointed.

          • December 19, 2015 at 1:27 am
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            Many Star Wars stories have superweapons, though. They’re in TOR and were in KOTOR. They’re all over the damned old EU. It’s part of the gimmick. So I’m not bothered by it.

            It was totally unnecessary, though. They could have not included the Starkiller, and TFA would have been fine.

    • December 19, 2015 at 12:06 am
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      And that is not bothering to you? Disney mocking you right in your face? They said they wanted creativity freedom…MY ASS…this movie is a rip off from the original trilogy + EU. And they say they wanted what???…more money from a new cash cow…I MISS GEORGE LUCAS…because he was not an idiotic manager trying to fool us in order to make more money. We knew him…we knew SW was his child…we knew he wanted money …but he also had some respect for the community. Now these shareholders and puppet managers they have no dignity at all.

      • December 19, 2015 at 12:19 am
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        After the disaster that the prequels were I don’t miss George behind the series at all. The Force Awakens was a vast improvement over the Prequels in almost every way. Sure, the prequels had some fresh ideas but none them were any good..fart jokes, midiclorians, Anakin inventing C 3PO, Gungans, annoying battle droids and the worst dialogue possibly ever uttered in the history of cinema. At least Kathleen Kennedy is steering this back to its roots. Sure, was the movie pure fan service, absolutely but as a fan I enjoyed it.

      • December 19, 2015 at 1:09 am
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        “…because he was not an idiotic manager trying to fool us in order to make more money…”

        Yeah, sorry, but that’s exactly what George Lucas became. He didn’t care at all about his characters beyond how cool they looked. Maul, Dooku and Grievous are shallow cartoons compared to Kylo Ren.

        Lucas never treated SW like “his child” … listen to interviews with him around the time of the prequels. There was no emotion there, only a desire to show off fancy designs and effects. And I honsetly can’t remember him being especially respectful of the fan community (no more than the usual thanks that all movie makers give,anyway). Whereas the people involved in making Star Wars now ARE fans, and they love SW in a way that Lucas did not.

  • December 18, 2015 at 11:29 pm
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    And also, for me this was the first Star Wars movie when I actually felt that the lightsaber is a dangerous weapon. In the prequels it was parody like, and in the OT it was rather a story element. In Tfa I think it was a bit even scary. I was thinking about how horrible injuries could a thing like that do, and I was cheering for Rey and Finn not to get injured. They nailed the duel scene pretty much imo.

  • December 18, 2015 at 11:31 pm
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    i could NOT resist. You’re welcome 🙂

    • December 19, 2015 at 12:13 am
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      That’s Kylo and Chewie 😉

  • December 18, 2015 at 11:36 pm
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    Saw it for the 2nd time today and wow, what a difference!! Although i enjoyed it yesterday i felt a little shortchanged, but today it just clicked, got right in to it from the off and noticed a lot of more subtle tones that gave it much more depth, especially between ren & rey. Daisy ridley stole the show for me, her portrail of an isolated scavenger who is thrust in to adventure and destiny was breathtaking, especially the scenes on jaku at the start, beautiful & haunting. It’s main success is that it’s given us these new characters that we care for and are passionate to find out what happens next. (Still have a big gripe with starkiller base but hey, what film doesn’t have it’s flaws)

    • December 19, 2015 at 12:04 am
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      I hoping that’s exactly how I feel tomorrow when I see it in reg 2D. I still have a lot of questions on things timeline wise. How long has Luke been missing? Why Rey is so powerful with supposedly little training, when Luke could barely pull the saber from the snow from 3 feet away in Empire Strikes Back 3 years after meeting Kenobi..

  • December 18, 2015 at 11:36 pm
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    So The First Order devotes the time and resources to develop a giant laser weapon several times larger than the Death Star. And the way to disable the shield system is basically to grab a gun, walk inside, and compel a trooper to deactivate the shields. Nope, no other safeguards for what I’d have to assume would be the largest expenditure in galactic history (I mean it took twenty years and millions of slave laborers to build the Death Star). Hmmm, seems really stupid …

    • December 18, 2015 at 11:42 pm
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      At least they learned not to install exhaust ports anymore!

      • December 19, 2015 at 6:33 am
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        I’ll grant you that, though they did leave a disturbingly similar design flaw as I recall.

    • December 18, 2015 at 11:51 pm
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      We all know bad guys/gals number one motivation beyond all else is survival. So she complies. Over confidence is another one, which she clearly thinks it doesn’t matter that the shields went down. You are right though, its illustrative of what I think is the ultimate flaw of this film. The very idea of another death star with this particular movie felt tacked on and unnecessary. The characters made the film, and the drama involved with them didn’t need a death star super weapon tacked onto it.

    • December 18, 2015 at 11:56 pm
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      Because the script is stupid….because it was written in a couple of months while the EU novels were written through years….stupid greedy mouse

    • December 19, 2015 at 6:29 am
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      that was a bummer moment. Reminds me of how pointed guns were constantly used on Lost to move the action forward without the need for additional character motivation.

  • December 18, 2015 at 11:38 pm
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    After seeing it a second time, I can safely say I loved it. The first time was an emotional experience with the hype and all, so needed to see it a second time to really let it sink in. It has flaws, but the characters are what make me love this film. I love Rey, Finn, Kylo, Han, Chewie and was really invested in what happened to them. However, once I realized how invested in these characters I was it made me realize how unnecessary a third death star really was. I kind of feel like its use and destruction didn’t have any real direct correlation to the drama of the characters in the center of this film. Its like somebody said this movie needs a big ending, a huge battle of some kind, but in reality I wish they would have gone for something smaller and took a risk that the individual drama of the characters with Han/Kylo and then Rey/Finn/Kylo was enough to carry the last act without the need of another death star.

  • December 18, 2015 at 11:39 pm
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    Loved every second of it. It is as good as the original trilogy. I would like to take a moment at this time to tell all the JJ/Disney haters, you were wrong. This movie is outstanding on every level. Emotionally, comedically, 200% entertaining on every level. “But it’s like a rehash of a New Hope!” No, it’s not. There are a ton of new things in there. Some familiar? Yes. So what. There is great character development going on and the original trilogy cast was aces. It did leave some unanswered questions, sure. This is so they can setup the next installment. I am extremely excited for the future of Star Wars at this time. This is coming from a person that wishes the prequels never existed. Yeah. I loath them.

    Kylo Ren is the new mother f’er on campus and he has gained my hatred 10 fold. I can’t wait to see him get his downfall… I secretly hope that Chewie gets his revenge. Oh man. That would be sweet.

    If I could say anything negative about the film, it’s that there is not enough Poe Dameron in the film. Issac did an amazing job as a lead pilot. Actually, they all acted great.

    • December 18, 2015 at 11:44 pm
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      Every main character was almost perfect in this movie. The acting, chemistry, dialogues were all on the spot. Non of the comedy lines/gags felt cheezy for me. JJ and the cast have done an outstanding job.

    • December 18, 2015 at 11:53 pm
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      Stupid casual…Rey is gonna kill Kylo..aka Ben Solo hahaha….because this movie is a SW IV, SW V and EXPANDED UNIVERSE rip off and if you do not understand then go read some best seller novels written many years ago. But noooo you are a SW fan….my ass

      • December 18, 2015 at 11:58 pm
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        EU is not cannon and never was. It was more like glorified fan fiction. I never read them and don’t want to as they were not movies which is the only material, period. I’m glad Disney ditched EU because none of it ever happened.

        • December 19, 2015 at 12:18 am
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          Most of it was crap. But the Zahn Trilogy is amazing and would have made a much better sequel than this

          • December 19, 2015 at 12:19 am
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            Not sure how fun following around a pregnant Leia would be. They’d have to re-cast everybody and cast a great Jorus and Thrawn.

          • December 19, 2015 at 5:04 am
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            Well it’s not like they got a lot of mileage out of the old actors anyways. They killed off Han Solo (unforgivable), didn’t use Luke at all and Leia wasn’t really doing much either.
            The Batman and Star Trek reboots showed that recasting works just fine. Mad Max showed that a pregnant female character can be interesting, too.

            I would have rather had new actors and a good story rather than the old actors in the mess of a story we got. As fun as the characters and the dialogue were, they couldn’t save the plot.

        • December 19, 2015 at 12:59 am
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          I did read most of the EU … and most of it was total garbage.

      • December 19, 2015 at 12:11 am
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        when you open your mouth, only farts come out. Better keep your trap shut.

      • December 19, 2015 at 12:48 am
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        The butthurt is strong in this one…

      • December 19, 2015 at 12:57 am
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        Think about all the time we saved not reading something that aint cannon.

      • December 23, 2015 at 2:00 am
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        Expanded Universe was fantastic. Sure some stories were just ok but that’s expected. I loved the NJO series. They should have just picked up where the books left off then everyone is happy. If you didn’t read them then you won’t care. If you want to know what happens… Go read the books.

  • December 19, 2015 at 12:01 am
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    IMHO I think the mechanism of the Starkiller base was designed in the worst possible way. Even here we heard better theories on how it could possibly work. The ‘sun sucking’ only works for the symbolic ‘end of light’ scene for Kylo Ren. What about splitting a single energy beam into several well-aimed rays? Okay it’s fantasy, entertainment (and I really enjoyed the movie), but c’mon, they could have find something more scientifically plausible and creative. Even if it split into several rays like a grenade with some of them hitting the planets would be better. This was the worst con to be mentioned. Overall the movie was better than the prequel movies and close to the OT. Hopefully the next ones answer the questions and fill in the gaps.

  • December 19, 2015 at 12:05 am
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    I really liked the film. It was funny, touching packed with good things. Daisy Ridley, John Boyega and Adam Driver were all fantastic. The banter between The characters (especially Han and Chewie) was brilliant.
    The opening scenes were all great. The scene with Max von Sydow and Adam Driver was very shocking.
    My only reservations are that it was a little too long (like most modern films) and, too my great surprise, Snoke was somewhat dissappointing. Maybe he’ll be better when we meet him in the flesh.
    What did everyone else make of him?

    • December 19, 2015 at 12:46 am
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      I liked him – I felt the quiet menace he radiated; he felt a bit more staid / reserved than Palpatine, not broadcasting the malice, per se. Really curious to know how he got that scar / slash across his head, and if his origins tie into the ‘Aftermath’ novel where 1 of Palpy’s remaining ministers (who seemed to know a lot of Force lore) indicated that the Emperor believed the Dark Side originated far outside the rim, and suggested the region be explored; perhaps Snoke fits into that thread…?

    • December 19, 2015 at 7:29 pm
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      Almost the same opinion as mine.
      First 40 minutes i was like, if all the film is like this this will be the greatest film ever. 😉
      Loved the beginning, since Max von Sydow to bands/monsters/han fight,too much humor almost destroys the tempo acomplished.
      Great acting from all.
      Didn’t like Snoke, hope in flesh will be better. Like Maz, not brilliant but correct. For me Snoke was very dissapointing too.
      And in the final act precipitation in destroying starkiller. The rest was correct.

  • December 19, 2015 at 12:07 am
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    ok after viewing it yesterday with 3 of my friends, we pretty much all felt the same way, old idea recycled…Starkiller base = death star 3.0, etc..etc..Today I had a day off and thought about it all day, and the more I think about it the more I liked it…You just have to expect a familiar story with different faces…but it can only move now in a new direction…they can’t have a 4th death star lol…And so many questions unanswered…The only thing I don’t like that still remains is how Kylo Ren looks without his helmet…And he should have only removed it in front of Han, not in front of Rey or that other scene with Snoke…Oh and where the hell is constable Zuvio, that black series action figure cost me 25$ lol

    • December 19, 2015 at 12:28 am
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      We thought they couldn’t have a Death Star 2 in the 80’s and now look what’s happened. Must cost them a fortune every time they build these things, who’s bankrolling them? I thought we saw Zuvio in that flashback scene with the Knights of Ren striking someone down..but it was so quick I could be wrong

      • December 19, 2015 at 12:52 am
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        Yup zuvio was the dude who took a sabre thru the heart during that flashback scene

        • December 19, 2015 at 12:58 am
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          But why Zuvio? Does this mean that maybe Kylo Ren had been looking on Jakku and got rid of a troublesome local law officer which Rey witnessed earlier?

    • December 19, 2015 at 12:42 am
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      Yeh but at least the Crimson Corsair made it onscreen, right? 🙂

  • December 19, 2015 at 12:15 am
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    The only thing that really annoyed the grab out of me was Chewies reaction when they return from battle after Han’s death. Chewie walk right past Lea?????? I dont find that reaction believeble at all!! When you kill off one of the biggest characters in movie history, the details need to be perfect! Chewie should either stay in the cockpit looking the emty pilot seat or at least hug Lea. Instead he walk right past Lea to talk to C3PO??? I know those two are also close and the focus need to be on Ray but come on!

    But with that out of my system GREAT Star Wars movie! Better than I had hoped. Of cause it is not competitive with the original, but it dont need to be. The new characters was spot on!

    Like many other I think the plot could have been a bit more original and the pace a bit slower. I would also have loved if John Williams had use a bit more of the original material. Han should have fallen with and original soundtrack and I would have cried (more)!

  • December 19, 2015 at 12:23 am
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    SPOILER / POINT OF CLARIFICATION REQUESTED:

    *******

    Did Snoke refer to Kylo Ren as the Master of the Knights of Ren, or the LAST of the Knights of Ren? Couldn’t hear that bit clearly…if it’s LAST, then ‘twould appear Master Luke tuned those boys up!

    Thanks!

    • December 19, 2015 at 12:25 am
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      I thought he said Master not Last Of…

      • December 19, 2015 at 12:41 am
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        Thanks, gents…couldn’t tell. But man, I liked the Snoke sizing / projection effect*; REALLY curious to see that backstory unfold

        *Just as long as he doesn’t turn out to be the Wizard of Oz or Lord Farquad…

        • December 19, 2015 at 12:42 am
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          It definitely got everybody in the theater. Everybody was real disappointed and then it was a hologram and everybody kind of laughed. “oh, oh, you got us lol”

          • December 19, 2015 at 12:51 am
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            I didn’t dig Snoke’s look, thank the maker he wasn’t 25ft tall like those rumours..who knows how big he really is.

          • December 19, 2015 at 1:01 am
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            Ha – ditto here!

    • December 19, 2015 at 12:35 am
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      He said the master of the Kmights of Ren.

      • December 19, 2015 at 1:24 am
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        That’s what I heard. I wonder if he convinced a group of Luke’s students to follow him to the dark side.

  • December 19, 2015 at 12:29 am
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    I hate Disney because they are liars …they said ” we want creativity freedom ” they erase EU and then they deliver characters ripped off from EU. They took Jacen and give him the name of Luke’s son Ben…then they kill Han instead of Mara…soon they will put Rey aka Jaina to kill Kylo aka Jacen…. and you all idiotic casuals are happy with that? I spend 37 years as a real SW fan i had collect many and read,listen almost everything from SW…this movie is a RIP OFF of EU and original trilogy, this movie does not expand the SW myth…is a disgrace to the SW legacy…is just another blockbuster made for casuals and people addicted to big time movies…NOTHING ELSE.

    • December 19, 2015 at 1:00 am
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      It was obvious they were going to pick and choose from the EU what to use as an inspiration and tossed it all out so they didn’t have to get complicated on explaining what is cannon and what isn’t. So they could have total freedom to pick and choose what they wanted and as an old EU fan, I’m fine with that.

    • December 19, 2015 at 1:04 am
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      The EU is never going to have the same importance as the movies. Ever. Not the old EU, not even the new EU. You just have to read & enjoy those stories for what they are and move on when the get contradicted or made obsolete. Hell, the EU contradicted/ignored itself regularly. I was way more upset when Lucas contradicted his own movies with the prequels. I’m glad that some of the EU elements that were cool seem to be making their way into the new sequels.

      What’s with the “casuals” remarks? These movies shouldn’t require a degree in Starwarsology with a focus on EU genealogy. They should be entertaining additions to the mythology. You can’t expect a completely EU reliant movie any more than you can expect the continuing adventures of these characters to bear no resemblance to their adventures in the classic EU stories.

      • December 19, 2015 at 9:19 am
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        This is casual fan talking. Some one who just got stuck on the six films and never wanted to evolve in the bigger and extraordinary universe of The Expanded Universe. EU is not only fan fiction it is THE FAN FICTION authorized from the creator himself…do you know little history? TFA can be even responsible for some type of plagiarism. You can find a million excuses in order not to admit that disney will finally destroy SW…and you know why?…because guys like you tolerate their behavior in order to get the addicted pleasure of another movie even if it means the destruction of a universe far more superior and far more intriguing. Did you ever thought why they stopped the EU further evolving??? why they don’t let any other novels to be published?? what they afraid off ?? to loose money??
        SO it is all about money yes?? and you thing the greedy evil mouse its going to deliver SW movies worth the legacy…HAHAHA

        • December 20, 2015 at 3:23 am
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          Uh, dude… liscenced doesn’t mean squat. EU content will always be the second class citizen of Star Wars canon. Read it, enjoy it, but don’t imagine for a moment that it gives you any special claim over Star Wars. You’re a fan, I’m a fan (from opening day 1977) and so are any “casuals” that like the movies but happen to have missed the Yuuzhan Vong War of 25 ABY…

    • December 19, 2015 at 1:21 am
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      The EU was never canon that’s why it was called the EU. Just glorified fan fiction.

      • December 19, 2015 at 9:24 am
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        You obvious do not know anything about the EU or what was canon and in which hierarchy. You obvious didn’t bother to evolve your self as a SW fan inside the tremendous and incredible expanded universe…a unique phenomenal universe in the history of sci-fi novelization.

        • December 19, 2015 at 6:48 pm
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          Ehhh I bought the Zahn novels when they came out when I was like 10 years old and thought they were boring. Felt more like Star Trek TNG then Star Wars with all the milatary bable and what not.

          I was always under the impression that George didn’t consider that stuff to be cannon and the movies were the only thing that would be official. But he could borrow from them if he chose to do so. Like the Courscant as the captial. G-level household here bub. The EU was never meant to be cannon sorry but it’s true. The good thing is that the new books and stuff will be so you do have that. Well at least until they realize it might be impossible to do perfectly without contradictions. I guess technically The Force Awaken’s isn’t really G-level either since they threw out most of Georges treatment.

  • December 19, 2015 at 12:37 am
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    In Rey’s vision, who says she has taken the first steps ? It sounded like Obi-Wan’s voice edited from ANH, but I”m not sure.

    • December 19, 2015 at 1:20 am
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      I clearly heard Yoda talking on my second viewing.

  • December 19, 2015 at 12:42 am
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    “Star Wars went and got itself into a big damn hurry.” Or at least that’s what Brooks would’ve said. The pacing was just too fast. No quiet moments at all. Han and Leia discussing their now evil son merited some alone time in her quarters, some debate — kill him or redeem him? Some bitterness, some remorse. And the death of Han Solo wasn’t earned. We have NO CLUE about Han and Kylo’s relationship, and that’s why his death is not worthy of a classic hero. I liked the movie overall, but this is yet another example of what happens when you RUSH the script. Rey, BB8, and Finn were all good, especially Rey. I’d give it an 8 for what they did right. But I gotta be honest — for Kasdan and Abrams I expected them to at least get the pacing right.

    And why didn’t Chewie MOURN correctly? Remember when Solo got frozen in Empire? Those moments of howling in pain? Or when he’s alone in Bespin? Now Solo dies and it’s just a pout? Very bad directing and writing. It’s like Kasdan and Abrams forgot simple Wookie emotion. Hate to say it, but it’s like Michael Bay directed this movie at times.

    • December 19, 2015 at 12:49 am
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      Han died trying to “save” his son, I can live with that, but I understand what you meen.

      I loved the movie, maybe to nostalgic, but I missed Leias aditude the most. Here snappynes if that is a word. Her edge.

    • December 19, 2015 at 12:49 am
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      I agree with you. I can only think that they tried to do way too much in one movie, and over-stretched a little bit. That said, I think they’ve set it up for a brilliant Episode 8.

    • December 19, 2015 at 1:04 am
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      I thought his initial reaction was great. He goes apeshit not thinking about anything but killing Storm troopers and then detonates the charges without even really thinking about it.

    • December 19, 2015 at 3:06 am
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      Han didn’t even get a funeral! Unless they are planning it in VIII which will probably be years later.

  • December 19, 2015 at 1:00 am
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    Overall it is a good movie, despite the obviously rehashed plot. Specific things that I didn’t like:

    1) Feeling the force and knowing how to use it are different things even if you are the chosen one. I find it far-fetched that Rey learned a Jedi mind trick by herself and even less credible that she could beat Kylo who was trained by both Luke and Snoke.

    2) I don’t think non-force sensitive people should be able to handle a lightsaber for more than few seconds. Otherwise, what made lightsabers special in the OT is lost. Finn was pretty incompetent against the stormtrooper, but not that bar really against Kylo ( at one point, he even hiurts him).

    3) Why did Maz give the lightsaber to Finn for safekeeping after he was exposed as a coward and a liar ? Wouldn’t it have made more sense to give it to Han ?

    4) I find it idd that Põe, Rey, Finn and BB8 barely met and, all of a sudden, they are BFFs and hopelessly devoted to each other.

    On a separate note, it is still unclear to me if Leia knows Rey or not and why she doesn’t go to Luke herself.

    • December 19, 2015 at 1:18 am
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      It’s interesting, the rehashed plot (and Luke’s 30 second cameo) are things I thought would really bug me, but I can accept why Disney did them.

      I agree that Rey’s progression (unless she was trained as a child) was too fast, and not really believable. I would have been just as happy if she had used her scavenger skills to escape imprisonment, and if she had just survived the fight with Kylo Ren (who supposedly led the Knights of Ren to destroy the new Jedi academy and overcome Luke’s pupils, not to mention he can hold a laser bolt in the air for a sustained period of time!) I just didn’t buy that. And yes – why wouldn’t Leia go with Rey to Luke, unless Maz told Han that Rey is related to Luke, and Leia knew this, and it will be revealed in Episode 8.
      Regarding your 4th point, I think Poe and Finn bonded, and Rey and Finn bonded, and Rey and BB-8 bonded, but I agree it was strange that the four are now BFFs.

      • December 19, 2015 at 1:40 am
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        Another thing I should have mentioned: I personally would have changed the sanitation line. It was written as an innocent joke underlining a more important point of Finn not being truthful again, but because they cast a black man to play Finn, what was innocent at first may have sounded ofensive to some people.

    • December 19, 2015 at 1:31 am
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      I agree about #1. . Think of only way to plausibly explain that is if she was actually one of luke’s students at his Academy. Maybe she was advanced for her age but then had her memory temporarily “wiped” to protect her from the KoR.

    • December 19, 2015 at 2:46 am
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      #4 is because they all had a big experience together and were linked. The Rey mind trick and shielding her mind and stuff were a big issue for me. The lightsaber fight I can accept because if you have enough rage and tap the darkside you could have more power.

      Still wish Luke had run off because he embraced the dark side to beat Vader and now it will always simmer deep down and he can’t trust himself.

  • December 19, 2015 at 1:01 am
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    Man, reading other people’s comments really frustrates me. Everyone has their own expectations, and what they wanted to see, and some people just get really angry when the movie isn’t exactly as they envisioned it should be. I think we should be able to respect and embrace other people’s (Abrams, Kasden, and co.) visions. Don’t be stuck in your ways, and allow yourself to experience and appreciate something new and different, and outside of yourself.

    I loved the movie!

    • December 19, 2015 at 1:46 am
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      Is everyone required to like the movie?

      • December 19, 2015 at 2:03 am
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        No, it’s fine if you don’t like the movie. It’s the nit picky little details that get me

    • December 19, 2015 at 2:44 am
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      It was a fine movie. It just wasn’t very Star Wars. Yes it has the characters, the sounds, the sights, the language. But it lacks the creativity, the grandiose and the mythology Lucas always made very important.

      Now, that may NOT be what most fans want and based on the reviews, they don’t. They wanted just the fun action galaxy romp stuff. That’s fine. But this movie is nowhere as DEEP as the others. They might be able to amp that up for part 8 after setting the tone and storylines very well. But George ended stories so the movies were a saga but stand alone. This one does not stand alone at all. Even those like me that felt it was lacking are yearing to see what Luke does in 8.

  • December 19, 2015 at 1:07 am
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    When Rey touched Luke’s lightsaber, was she exposed to events that happened to HER that were perhaps suppressed by the Force, or did she see events that the LIGHTSABER had gone through?

    • December 19, 2015 at 1:21 am
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      I’m guessing that she possesses the power of Psychometry, just like Quinlan Vos in Dark Disciple.

    • December 19, 2015 at 1:22 am
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      It is unclear if she witnessed those events or not. If she did, we must assume her mind was wiped somehow. I would like to watch the vision again to get more clues I may have missed.

      • December 19, 2015 at 1:27 am
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        Yeah, it wasn’t clear to me either but it sounds like lots of people here think she witnessed them and was force trained in her youth.

        • December 19, 2015 at 1:28 am
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          I got the impression she was a youngling and had some training at a young age

          • December 19, 2015 at 1:31 am
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            Then her mind must have been wiped somehow. Perhaps Luke did this to the rest of the younglings after his failure with Kylo Ren?

        • December 19, 2015 at 1:34 am
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          “In her youth”?

          Lol, what, being in your early 20s (Daisy Ridley’s REAL age) is old?

          If the girl got any training, she couldn’t have been much older than the younglings who helped Obi-Wan and Yoda figure out the location of Kamino in AotC (at least based on her own image of herself when she was dumped in Tatooine 2.0).

          I seriously doubt training at that age would suffice to learn how to wield a lightsaber and use the Force as effectively as Rey was doing by the end of the film. But hey, if people are seriously cool with Starkiller, then I guess everything goes in SW now.

          • December 19, 2015 at 1:41 am
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            My point exactly because the ONLY way she can readily fly the Falcon and fight Kylo is that she must have been force trained in her youth (youngling/toddler). So where does her Force abilities come from? Were any if those flashbacks her own?

          • December 19, 2015 at 1:47 am
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            I think her flying and mechanical skills are a not-so-subtle nod to her parentage (her situation’s basically the same as Anakin in TPM). I can also attribute Rey’s fighting skills with the laser blade to her angst fueling her innate, amazing strength with the Force, given that she’d just seen Kylo kill Han and hurt Finn badly and her keeping her skills sharp with her staff, albeit unconsciously.

            In truth, my only problem with her use of the Force was the mind trick she used to escape from her detention cell. Maybe I’m wrong, but I get the impression that that kind of trick would be a little too advanced for younglings.

            IMO, it would’ve been much better to see Han, Chewie and/or Finn break her out, perhaps with BB-8’s help, as we saw R2 do many times before. But I do hope we get a good explanation about this in Ep. VIII.

          • December 19, 2015 at 1:54 am
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            She has training and natural power. She’s just been mindwiped, but it’s like riding a bike. 😉

            I wonder if Kylo was the one who left her on Jakku. Maybe he couldn’t kill his younger cousin, so he dumped her off somewhere (to save her life, but also to hide his “sin” from Snoke). That would explain why he reacted so strongly upon hearing about a “girl” … he realized who it had to be, right away, and was not happy about it.

          • December 19, 2015 at 2:03 am
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            I’d prefer to think that Rey blocked out the memories herself, due to the pain and the trauma that going through that whole ordeal would’ve caused to what (we could assume) was a happy Jedi youngling in training. The mind-wipe thing just feels like a cheap plot device, IMO.

            I was wondering who might’ve dumped her off on Jakku (I don’t think it was her parents, even if she’s not Luke’s or Leia’s) so I really like your theory.

            Kylo should be some 8/10 years older than her and maybe he had soft spot for her little coz. But even if he didn’t, It would fit right in with his conflicting personality not to murder an innocent child and leave her stranded in some backwater planet instead, yeah.

          • December 19, 2015 at 1:52 am
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            I’m in the “Luke’s daughter” camp, and I think the vision was meant to show the heritage of being a Skywalker.

            That first image was a corridor in Bespin:

            http://new.roneyzone.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/12/Force_Power.jpg

            And the rest of the vision was about the family’s legacy. Quotes from Yoda, Luke’s, “Noooo!” and the fall of the academy. The flash of her childhood and the snow fight was to highlight her own role in that legacy.

    • December 19, 2015 at 1:33 am
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      The first images of the vision looked like the ESB duel, and I swear I heard Darth Vader’s breathing…..

  • December 19, 2015 at 1:10 am
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    I thought JJ made an excellent action movie, but whether it will stand the test of time as a true “Star Wars” movie, I don’t know. I rank it 5.5/10, my 7th favourite Star Wars film.

    ANH = 9.5/10
    ESB = 9/10
    ROTS = 8.5/10
    ROTJ = 8/10
    AOTC = 6.5/10
    TPM = 6/10
    TFA = 5.5/10

    The new characters were fantastic. I loved Kylo Ren, I thought Daidy Ridley was brilliant, Poe and BB8, etc. But I think they tried to cram too much into the movie. Too many characters, too many things going on, no time spent dwelling on anything.

    For all the faults I can find in the movie, I did enjoy it, but most importantly, I can understand and accept that they made this movie to launch a new set of characters (which they did) and appease the old fans (which they did) and attract a whole new bunch of fans (which I’m sure they will), as well as protecting Disney’s $4 billion investment (which I have no doubt they have done). The ending left me hungry for more, I can’t wait to see Luke in Episode 8.

    • December 19, 2015 at 2:31 am
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      In my opinion, I agree with the critics who state that the Empire Strikes Back was the best Star Wars film ever, you can see it in the storytelling and in the direction.

  • December 19, 2015 at 1:11 am
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    Well, to be honest, I’m overwhelmed with emotion by the film. It was visually stunning. Finn and Rey are my new favorite characters. They were both amazing! There’s humor, chemistry, action and just pure excitement watching those two! I agree with some it was overly silly and could have done without some of the jokes, or done differently. Kylo was interesting but has nothing on Vader. He clearly has an anger problem! Adam did a wonderful job with the role. His character is still shrouded in mystery to me. So many questions about how he turned to be so evil. Oh and Snoke, wasn’t a fan. That’s my one main issue.

    Han and Chewie’s banter and friendship is still so legendary. Finn and Rey had wonderful chemistry with Han and Chewie. Would have loved to see all four together continue on. The lightsaber battles were nice and very suspenseful. Finn’s going to be okay. I think he’s going to be a central character for years, Jedi pupil or not. Boyega was terrific. I hope he does different projects and doesn’t stick to the same type roles for other movies. He’s unfortunately the type of actor that could get tired real fast if he sticks to action and hero roles. (Moses and now Finn)

    As for Rey, she was extremely likable and when she ignited that saber, it was clear to me she has to be Luke’s daughter. Not only that but she looked more of a Jedi-to-be than Finn. Daisy was perfect and am most excited to see what happens next with her character! She whooped Kylo up! If it wasn’t for the ground splitting, I’m confident she would have ended him there on the spot. Which I wouldn’t have minded! (To all those Maul fans who hate on Lucus for making him a one and done villain) Maul wasn’t that cool, he deserved what he got for taking out Liam! (Sorry Neeson is one of my favorite actors ever)

    I’m on the fence regarding that final scene. Not one word?? They really are going to make us pay until episode 8. JJ did well, but the cast they chose made this movie really lovable and what it was to me.

    I hope Rian takes it up a notch story-wise because with that cast and exceptional story-telling, he could really surpass what JJ restarted and George initially began.

  • December 19, 2015 at 1:19 am
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    During Rey’s vision/dream sequence, a voice says the name “Rey” and I could swear it was Alec Guinness, although of course he is dead.

    Does anyone know who said her name? Maybe she is a Kenobi? Which would be an interesting flip on the OT, a Skywalker training a Kenobi, although I doubt it very much.

    • December 19, 2015 at 1:23 am
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      maybe obi-wan knocked up somebody up on tatooine. 😉 even money says she’s luke’s kid, because a skywalker has to come out of this trilogy the hero and i’m not thinking its ben.

      • December 19, 2015 at 1:37 am
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        I agree that she is probably Luke’s kid, my question was “who said Rey’s name” in the vision sequence? I wonder if it was Obi-Wan saying her name?

    • December 19, 2015 at 1:29 am
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      Obi-Wan was not an ace pilot and a great mechanic growing up in a harsh, desert planet. His apprentice on the other hand…

      Rey is a Skywalker.

      • December 19, 2015 at 5:29 am
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        Technically so is Kylo…

        • December 19, 2015 at 5:49 am
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          Never said otherwise.

  • December 19, 2015 at 1:21 am
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    btw, i almost forgot about one of my favorite moments of the film which was some very clever writing. i loved how when kylo is interrogating Rey about what she saw on the map and he’s sifting through her hopes and dreams as a way of intimidating her. one of the things he mentions in passing is a dream about an ocean and island. and me knowing that they have been filming luke’s scenes on a island was like ‘oh snap!’ rey had been dreaming about where luke was, and kylo didn’t figure it out! i hope they go into that more in part VIII, but that was great how they just subtly slipped it in.

  • December 19, 2015 at 1:26 am
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    I loved he movie and thought it was well done. But in the end it felt almost like a remake of A New Hope with the Star Wars greatest hits mixed in. They were way to safe with this movie. Nothing really new happens that didn’t already happen in another Star Wars movie. Felt like they were so afraid of pissing off fans that they didn’t try anything new and played it totally safe. At least the prequels tried new stuff. Overall I really enjoyed it but the backstory and the setup for the sequels was the best part. The direction was really good, wish George hired somebody else to direct his prequels and somebody to help him with the dialogue.

    • December 19, 2015 at 1:56 am
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      One of the issues I had with the looking of the film is that it was kind of blacky. I agree with you when you say that they didn’t want to try something new and for me, that’s the reason why Episode VII was just one more episode of Star Wars.

    • December 19, 2015 at 2:36 am
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      Yep. Me too. If george hadn’t been so set on making it as crazy as he wanted to make star wars and had a writing assistant to say “this line is terrible. This doesn’t make sense. This needs exposition. This doesn’t” and then a director to say, “well that won’t be entertaining. We need more set here so the actor understands what is going on. This is a cool idea but doesn’t work here. This will be way too repetitive. Yes its a nicer puppet but looks nothing like Yoda George.”

      The story and mythos were great in the prequels. The delivery was crappy. But now we got a Star Wars movie, while well acted, directed, with good SFX and action, seems to have little soul or tension. It feels very dumbed down. BUT, they may have done it all like this to set up real material for 8 and 9 now that everyone is back on board.

      But so help me god, the crazy “this is perfect!” praise is like backwoods hicks celebrating the GOP winning the Congress and cheering “got our country back!” Without a clue what was lost or what they got in return.

      • December 19, 2015 at 3:33 am
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        Ya had me until the end.

        • December 19, 2015 at 3:44 am
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          It’s an alliteration.

  • December 19, 2015 at 1:28 am
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    3d adds nothing to this film

    the film … its good , thought the original cast were surplus to requirements cos the new cast are really good and when han showed up it kind of got in the way a bit and that whole freighter monster scene would have been better in star trek rather than here. yes its a story that already been done and used bits from all three OT films smashed into one but it was done well ….. the music was forgettable i thought – like williams phoned that in – c3po was the jar jar of this film , totally out of place , in fact all the OT cast felt shoehorned in – got used to han though , sad that happened but could tell it from months off .

    all in all …. i liked it

    • December 19, 2015 at 1:32 am
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      3D is a total cash grab at this point. i’m curious to see the film in Imax but not if it comes with 3D tacked on.

    • December 19, 2015 at 1:32 am
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      I really loved some of the music. I love this piece from when we first meet Rey.

      https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=liBDM9b2hzA

      I also love Reys theme and the final music when she is climbing to meet Luke. Other bits were good too. Definitely noticed the music more the second time I saw it.

  • December 19, 2015 at 1:30 am
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    I’ve noticed with other movies and video games lately that disappointment doesn’t stem from over-hyping, but from having strict expectations. People who expected the film to be different are disappointed because it isn’t what they pictured– even if the movie is just as good as what they imagined. I tried to not have any preconceived ideas about the movie and it led to me appreciating it more

    • December 19, 2015 at 1:37 am
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      That isn’t everyone’s complaint. I loved the movie because of the characters Finn, Rey, Kylo, Han, Chewie and BB-8. My problem with this film is the total unnecessary inclusion of a third super weapon. It doesn’t need to even be in this movie as the film was strong enough to be carried without it, which is why I still love it.

      • December 19, 2015 at 1:40 am
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        You’re totally right, though it doesn’t bother me. The way I see it, superweapons are just a big part of Star Wars. They’re always around in video games, and frequently in the old EU novels.

        They’ve been repetitive since 1983, but they’re part of the flavor, IMHO. Pointless, maybe, but just part of the SW experience.

      • December 19, 2015 at 3:02 am
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        It never even seemed like a real threat unlike the Death Stars and the graphics were really bad too.

    • December 19, 2015 at 1:41 am
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      I can recall similar comments being made about Episode I back in 1999.

      • December 19, 2015 at 1:43 am
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        The difference is that TFA has heart, better humor and good acting from everyone.

        • December 19, 2015 at 2:30 am
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          But lacks the style, grandiose and mythology George Lucas always brings.

  • December 19, 2015 at 1:44 am
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    I loved it! Sure I could pick it apart. But I can also pick apart the OT along with my personal favorite, ESB! But come on! It’s freaking Star Wars man! Role with your imagination. This move captured the spirit of Star Wars.

  • December 19, 2015 at 1:46 am
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    It was a really good movie, the new characters are very well made, Rey, Finn and Kylo Ren both are. And the old ones are great too especially Han. I didn’t had the feel that this is just a remake of ANH, it shared some plot points but it felt new somehow, probably because of the new characters. There are some really good scenes (force vision, Han’s death..etc)and the film has lots of humor.
    But there are some faults as well.
    Some plot points really needed explanation, for example how R2D2 suddenly had the map?(who was the guy who gave the missing piece to Poe?) I felt the same about Poe’s escape. There are a lot of unanswered questions but I think a lot of them will be explained in ep.8. I didn’t liked Phasma, wasn’t a strong character. Maz was fine, she could have a bigger role, but it wasnt the problem about her, it was the untold story of that lightsaber…The music could have been better, some parts of it are masterpieces but all in all most of it is not that good.
    All in all TFA made it, it felt like star wars and is good for starting the sequels. I just really hope thew won’t screw ep.8 up, it all stands and falls on that.

    • December 19, 2015 at 3:01 am
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      First film where Artoo doesn’t save anyone too.

  • December 19, 2015 at 1:47 am
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    Lots of negative here. I can get having issues with a movie but c’mon. Some of these are reaching to the skies.

    • December 19, 2015 at 1:47 am
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      Such as what?

    • December 19, 2015 at 4:23 am
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      Reaching. Ideal word, because these movie played it super safe.

      Except for the dumbest risk ever, not having Luke in the movie but for 30 seconds, and he never says a thing.
      .

  • December 19, 2015 at 1:48 am
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    Best laugh out loud moment:
    “We’ll use the Force!” -Finn

    • December 19, 2015 at 1:50 am
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      “That’s not how it works!”

      • December 19, 2015 at 1:52 am
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        Wasn’t this our deep down belief as kids? The Force can help me do anything!

        • December 19, 2015 at 8:10 am
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          As kids? I still have that deep down belief and I’m 34.

    • December 19, 2015 at 1:53 am
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      i heard finn is kind of a big deal. 😉

      • December 19, 2015 at 1:58 am
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        “Who’s in charge now Phasma?!”

        • December 19, 2015 at 11:11 am
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          That moment reminded me of Kevin Hart. 😛

    • December 19, 2015 at 2:03 am
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      How about those two storm troopers turning right around before running into Kylo Ren’s fit when Rey escapes! Hilarious.

    • December 19, 2015 at 2:23 am
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      I think that “You’re cold?” Was better.

  • December 19, 2015 at 1:50 am
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    Are you aware that the First Star Wars revolutionized the film industry back in the 70’s? And I’m not talking about special effects but storytelling.

    This movie (Episode VII) left me some kind of bittersweet flavour as I don’t consider that it contributes with the history of filmmaking at all. I wasn’t innovative and I only saw many recycled things. It’s true that we would find familiar things in this one but unfortunately I don’t see anything new. However, it doesn’t matter how much we criticize the movie (those few like me who do), the critics have given great reviews to the film: RottenTomatoes: 95% and Metacritic: 81.

    The film had its moments (OF NOSTALGIA) mostly but nothing new.

    I didn’t find Rey’s character convincing at the beginning of the story, but we should give her some time as that was her first feature film and her performance improved along the film. Finn was a bit better than Ray. Leia should’ve had more time on screen with her characteristic attitude.

    I can’t deny I loved the ending scene and people in the movie theater clapped when the credits appeared which means they liked it.

    I think J. J did a better job with Star Trek than with Star Wars and I have never watched an episode of Star Trek unlike Star Wars whose films I grew up watching.

    In general terms I enjoyed watching the film which I don’t think is spectacular as many (including critics) say.

    • December 19, 2015 at 1:53 am
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      Imagine going to a movie and saying “if it doesn’t contribute with the history of filmmaking” it will be a disappointment.

      What made Star Wars spectacular was the special effects. The story was borrowed from a few places.

      • December 19, 2015 at 1:59 am
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        Hey! I see your point, it is true that not all movies that hollywood has made contribute with the history of the film industry but we’re talking about an iconic movie that became part of the Pop Culture, “Star Wars” and with that in mind, fans always go to watch these movies with a different perspective. Thanks for sharing your point of view. 😉

    • December 19, 2015 at 1:58 am
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      I can’t believe I agree with you but yes, JJ did a better job with Star Trek.

      • December 19, 2015 at 2:03 am
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        In general terms I enjoyed watching the film, though I’m still thinking about whether to watch it again or not. It left me some kind of bittersweet flavour. I couldn’t find tickets to watch it in its original language “English” as I always watch all films in English in the movie theater so perhaps I go to a different movie theater and watch it in English but I’m still in a conflict XD

      • December 19, 2015 at 2:55 am
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        Are you insane ?

      • December 19, 2015 at 3:00 am
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        A bitter pill to swallow but true. Even with the shitty new trailer.

    • December 19, 2015 at 2:09 am
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      Actually I really liked this movie. Lucas finally got his wish: Faster – More Intense!

      If you want to talk about contribution to movie making my first impression is that parts of this movie may have been made intentionally for future ILMxLAB immersive entertainment. Poe’s storyline for example after the crash on Jakku could be well handled with this. The movie made me feel like I want to follow the storyline of characters when they are separated / not on screen. That is an important step to selling immersive entertainment.

      • December 19, 2015 at 2:12 am
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        Yes. It was faster and more intense! As I said, I enjoyed watching it but I didn’t love it.

    • December 19, 2015 at 3:00 am
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      It largely traded on nostalgia and theme park escapism which isn’t a surprise considering who produced this.

  • December 19, 2015 at 1:51 am
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    Great film. The logic was a bit soft in places but it had heart, energy and humor. I enjoyed it very much. That said, I really wish I could see the movie BETWEEN RTOJ and TFA! It seems like there’s a great film in there!

    • December 19, 2015 at 2:07 am
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      I felt they left out too much detail to give the story gravity. They did a build up of Ren, exposing of his identity, confrontation with his father and him killing him. That could have been done over two or better three movies. Same with the Starkiller base. Maybe a hit and espionage to set it back a good ways. So much was done so quickly that the tension was not there. Good fun movie for sure, looked and sounded great and went by like lightning. But there was no risk, no pushing the envelop.

      On the plus side Finn and Rey work great together and Kylo could get a great complex inner demon story line, but that all should have started here. They have it set up for a fantastic next episode. I just wish they had treated this like it’s own movie instead of just written as a cliffhanger pilot at the end of a tv season.

      • December 19, 2015 at 2:59 am
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        You could fill a book with all that they didn’t explain and as the PT proved. Two more films is simply not enough time to answer all those questions.

  • December 19, 2015 at 1:56 am
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    Aside from pacing, I think what really kept me from truly enjoying the film was that Abrams and Kasdan didn’t commit to anything here. They hint that Kylo and Rey are related but don’t say it. How much more meaningful would their lightsaber fight have been officially knowing it’s brother against sister? Or cousins?

    Han and Leia’s relationship went south and their son went all bad guy, but it’s vague how it all occurred — and it’s important to know!

    Finn is part of Kylo Renn’s personal hit squad but WORKS IN SANITATION????

    I could go on. Not here to be a killjoy because I liked the movie. With a little more thinking and more commitment to the characters/story, it could’ve been so much better.

    Personally, I would’ve liked Han to not be in the film. Maybe infer that he died valiantly in the Battle of Whatever. We could’ve played with that in our minds, and his legend would’ve grown further.

    I also wish the freighter that caught the Falcon off Jakku would’ve belonged to the Resistance. Imagine Leia asking the Rey and Finn: “How did you get this ship?” “You mean this piece of junk?” they counter. As she duly narrows on them: “This ship faught many great battles…” And then they return to the base, where we find Chewie repairing a random ship, much like he did on Hoth. Someone shoud’ve been missing is what I’m getting at, so it elevates the others. Either that, or Solo must die in a heroic, epic fashion.

    • December 19, 2015 at 2:10 am
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      For those of us that served in the military, most if us worked initially in “sanitation” before moving on to our actual role and training. Ahh those good ol days!

      • December 19, 2015 at 2:36 am
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        No slight intended. Thank you for serving 🙂

      • December 19, 2015 at 3:16 am
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        ah, thanks for that! i thought it was just a throwaway joke.

    • December 19, 2015 at 2:58 am
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      Finn was basically the comedic relief of this film but I enjoyed his antics for the most part.

    • December 19, 2015 at 2:02 pm
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      Finn does mention that was his first mission as a soldier, and he never fired a shot, so it seems rational that he still considers that as his main area of expertise.

  • December 19, 2015 at 2:00 am
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    I think Rey is the daughter of one or two of Luke’s padawans. I don’t think she’s a Skywalker but I do think Luke will feel some responsibility for her because of training one or two of her parents. Maybe they knew the Knights of Ren would be after her so they left her on Jakku and then were killed by the Knights when they sacked Luke’s Jedi training center. So Kylo doesn’t have any blood relation to Rey but does have a kind of spiritual connection of sorts because he was responsible – directly or not – for the murder of her parent(s).

    • December 19, 2015 at 2:09 am
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      If they don’t make her his daughter then they are officially morons. Desert planet, unbelievable pilot, machanic, and powerful in the force even untrained, all Skywalker traits.

      I mean it’s a tail about skywalkers after all.

      • December 19, 2015 at 2:09 am
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        This 100%

        • December 19, 2015 at 2:21 am
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          Yes, I remember that part. You’re right, that’s what I thought when I saw that scene!

        • December 19, 2015 at 5:12 am
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          So is Kylo though, BOTH Leia and Luke have it so it can still be either of them that bestows the Skywalker lienage, it doesn’t just have to be Luke.

          I believe it’s Han & Leia daughter, they never mention her because they thought she was dead (and by doing so still leaves the question who is Rey), but they know Kylo is alive, for all they know they think Kylo killed her or snoke, since they do know about him, how much do they know is the question.

          We do know that Luke had at least 2 students, a boy and a girl, we heard this from Han.

          Twins run in the Skywalker family, I swear someone “official” said this.

          • December 19, 2015 at 5:16 am
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            Yeah, Rey could be Han’s and Leia’s, though Han’s attitude around her, and Leia’s especially, don’t feel right to me if she were their daughter. One of them at least, should’ve been able to spot something familiar in Rey that gave her away.

            As for twins, I can’t believe an “official” source would even suggest this. I believe the age difference between Kylo and Rey is the same as it is between Driver and Ridley in real life; it’s impossible to believe that they could be twins, at least for me.

            ETA: while Leia is also Anakin’s daughter, the lightsaber has always been associated with Anakin and Luke. That’s why I think Maz’s words to Rey were pointing to her being Luke’s daughter more than Leia’s.

      • December 19, 2015 at 2:15 am
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        I dig what you’re saying but isn’t that a bit easy?

        • December 19, 2015 at 4:19 am
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          The entire movie was easy. Of course Kilo was a Solo. Han dies.

          And Rey has to be a Skywalker, if not, then the overall history of the Skywlkers were they were a horrid blight on the universe, with one after another helping to commit genicide. Being used as tools.

          If Rey is a Skywalker, at least their is balance. Where the good version takes down the bad.

      • December 19, 2015 at 2:40 am
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        Han to Luke : Why don’t you come with us? You’re pretty good in a fight. We could use you.

        Han to Rey(of Light) : I’m offering you a job…etc etc.

        It’s academic, it’s his kid. Capt Solo is having fun reliving old glories, getting his own jollys treating Rey just like he did young farmboy Luke

    • December 19, 2015 at 2:20 am
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      Yes, it’s a possibility. They (the writers) only want to mess with our minds 😀

      • December 19, 2015 at 3:15 am
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        JJ did Lost, right?

    • December 19, 2015 at 2:41 am
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      One thing that is certain, whoever’s daughter she turns out to be, some fans ain’t going to be happy.

  • December 19, 2015 at 2:02 am
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    My theory is that Rey and Kylo are not related…but Rey is an offspring of Snoke, and for some reason that’s why she was hidden on a remote planet

    • December 19, 2015 at 2:19 am
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      Maz Kanata wanted to say something about the relation between Rey and Luke but of course, she didn’t say anything. It seems that Rey and Kylo are cousins (or siblings) but you’re right, it could be a twist in upcoming episodes when more details are revealed.

    • December 19, 2015 at 2:45 am
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      If Rey is an offspring of Snoke, she must have had one hell of a good looking mother to turn out the way she did

    • December 19, 2015 at 2:57 am
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      I’m pretty pissed off that they didn’t finally settle this Plagueis/Snoke debate because it means we have to suffer through 5 more long years about it like we did with Palpatine is Sidious’s clone.

  • December 19, 2015 at 2:04 am
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    Something tells me that Kylo Ren will return in episode VIII wearing Darth Vader’s mask and suit!

    • December 19, 2015 at 2:12 am
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      Could be! It is not clear how long it took Hux to get Kylo from the surface of the collapsing planet. As Hux seems to dislike him then I guess he was not rushing any more than necessary!

      • December 19, 2015 at 2:17 am
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        Seeing Kylo with a scar in his face and lying on the ground reminded me the scene of Anakin Skywalker being retrieved by Emperor Palpatine in the lava planet after he is defeated by Obi Wan in Episode III and after that, we see Anakin as Darth Vader.

        • December 19, 2015 at 3:36 am
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          I couldn’t help thinking Ren was everything Anakin should have been in the PT. Especially when he got pissed and smashed the ship up before force pulling/chocking that guy from across the room. It just felt like something a young Vader would have done. He was calm yet completely unhinged.

  • December 19, 2015 at 2:09 am
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    I wonder if someone else also finds the concept of a lightsaber calling to Rey rather weird. What I mean is that a lightsaber is not excalibur or Thor’s hammer, but rather just a weapon. Luke lost his lightsaber in ESB and made himself another one, which served him equally well. I would buy. Luke or Obi-Wan calling to Rey, but the lightsaber itself should be just a vessel at best.

      • December 19, 2015 at 2:29 am
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        Yes, but if that lightsaber is só special (like the chosen one’s weapon), how come a sanitation guy with no special powers can actually wield it ? As I wrote before, Finn was pretty incompetent against the stormtrooper, but he actually showed some skill against Kylo.

        I guess my point is that either lightsabers are special weapons for force-sensitive people only, or they are simply plasma swords that any solidez can use. If the latter, have a laser sword call to someone becomes even odder.

        • December 19, 2015 at 2:32 am
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          But Finn didn’t last very long against Kylo. Plus, Kylo was having his crazy time punching the blaster wound in his own side. And Kylo was toying with Finn a bit – for example, when he was threatening and burning Finn with one of the crossguards. Also, Finn was obviously charged by adrenaline and his survival instinct. Still, Finn got his ass handed to him in short order: he didn’t last anywhere near as long as, for example, Luke did against Vader in ESB. The whole confrontation between Finn and Kylo was only like 30 seconds long…

          • December 19, 2015 at 2:55 am
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            The punching thing felt like something out of a SNL sketch.

          • December 19, 2015 at 3:22 am
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            its just a flesh wound. 😉

          • December 19, 2015 at 8:25 am
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            We have out firs TFA meme! Reminded me of Wahlburg in Fear.

          • December 19, 2015 at 3:30 am
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            I think the point was Ren was seriously wounded, in extreme pain/anguish and was physically forcing himself to fight on (punching himself & the blood on the snow was a visual way of representing this). I think the longer the fight went on the harder it was for him to keep going and ultimately he failed. Without all this going on Rey would have been no chance of winning.

          • December 19, 2015 at 8:27 am
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            The books only just came out, So I really don’t know what the canon explanation is for it yet but I’d be pissed if they don’t give that scene some context in them. Why I hink they should have been released the week before or so.

          • December 19, 2015 at 3:21 am
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            Luke was Anakin’s son and a Jedi apprentice who learned from Obi-Wan and Yoda. Of course he should have lasted longer than a sanitation guy who is not even force sensitive. My point was that a nobidy like Fin shouldn’t be able to even hold a lightsaber, much less wield it against someone as powerful as Kylo Ren for more than five seconds (30 is already too much). I will take the official explanation that Kylo was injured, but it is still unconvincing to me.

          • December 19, 2015 at 4:26 am
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            Well anyone can pick up a lightsaber and swing it (Han splitting open a tauntaun for example) but having a connection to the kyber crystal inside one would have to be force sensitive.

        • December 19, 2015 at 3:24 pm
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          An appeal to logic: Why would a non force sensitive person not be able to hold or swing a lightsaber? There is no reason why they couldn’t. It’s just not a practical weapon for a normal person because they couldn’t hope to deflect a blaster bolt with it without the force. Blasters are just the better choice then. (And then there’s the difficulty of constructing a lightsaber)

          Also:
          Finn was not just a sanitation guy but a stormtrooper trained in combat from a young age. The fact that he was on sanitation service doesn’t mean he was just the First Orders Janitor. It makes sense that stormtroopers have other duties than standing guard and patroling.
          There’s also no indication that Finn is definitely not force sensitive – he might be in the end.

    • December 19, 2015 at 2:16 am
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      Psychometry isn’t totally unheard of in Star Wars. I mean the cave experience in ESB could be seen as a kind of psychometry.

      • December 19, 2015 at 2:52 am
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        Quinlon Vos had it in the old EU too. This film plagiarized a great deal from it.

    • December 19, 2015 at 2:31 am
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      It wasn’t the lightsaber calling out to her, rather it was the force using the lightsaber as an instrument to embody its desire for her to acknowledge her connect with it, to reinforce her relationship and power within the force. The force desired her connection and used the lightsaber to call out to her. The force was awakening within Rey, and the lightsaber was the physical embodiment of this 🙂

  • December 19, 2015 at 2:24 am
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    For all the complaints over Rey fighting, Kylo was already injured (physically and emotionally). It’s clear that he gets sloppy when his emotions come into play. Having just killed his father and being slightly wounded by Finn, he’s wide open and unfocused. He wasbalso starting to feel exhausted — imagined two boxing matches back to back.

    Rey also has a unique style from her staff fighting that she’s had to do frequently. These factors put them at parity for me.

    • December 19, 2015 at 2:37 am
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      Yes, the fact that Kylo was already hurt when he faces Rey may be an excuse for him being beaten, but it is still far-fetched. In fact, if you think about it, even the sanitation guy who was hopeless against a fellow stormtrooper could hurt Kylo, who in the beginning of the movie, was able to hold still a laser blast for five minutes or so

      • December 19, 2015 at 2:52 am
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        Until proven otherwise, I say that Rey is the new “chosen one” and Kylo’s overconfidence and mental instability contributed a lot to that.

        • December 19, 2015 at 3:02 am
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          Overconfidence, yes, but what Kylo did to that laser blast was amazing ( in addition to physically impossible ) .

          • December 19, 2015 at 7:53 am
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            The new force powers I did like and hope they have more in the next two. The PT was severly lacking in them.

      • January 10, 2016 at 3:52 am
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        Took a bow caster to the chest. Dude should be dead.

  • December 19, 2015 at 2:25 am
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    Anyone else feel like the first un-masking of Kylo Ben was not needed…and that when his father asked him to take of the mask, this would have been the ultimo-dramatic unveiling? Felt that they lost a bit of mystery showing Kylo unadorned so soon…let it build, man!

    • December 19, 2015 at 2:28 am
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      Yes, I read comments about it down in this post. I guess you’re right, but perhaps they wanted to show something different than with Vader whose face we only see in the Return of the Jedi.

      • December 19, 2015 at 2:33 am
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        I have the same complaints with TFA as most everyone on here: everything’s rushed, shoe-horned, and really spaz-matic. Still fun though. Never thought I’d say a droid would be the best thing about a SW film…but here we are.

    • December 19, 2015 at 2:57 am
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      They had to show the face before that fat scar he got lol, can’t wait to see what that looks like healed. He’s going to look so badass.

    • December 19, 2015 at 12:40 pm
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      That was a discussion with people i went to see the film. Probably too soon. Yes. I agree.
      But in the other side, they showed well that Kylo was a very young ( and powerful) with mixed feelings, not experienced one, complaining about being tempted for the light, with precipitated movements.

    • December 20, 2015 at 3:35 pm
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      Kylo Ren as a villain was weak, and a loser….in my humble opinion

      • December 23, 2015 at 1:49 am
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        I agree. I felt like he had some sort of learning disability. He seemed kind of slow. He started off bad ass and then all of a sudden he’s acting like a little kid. Even his people didn’t seem to fear him. Should have left the helmet on and kept us in the dark on who he was till the end of the next film. I was not impressed with this movie. I’m happy for those who liked it.

  • December 19, 2015 at 2:26 am
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    I liked the lightsaber fights in Episode VII as they were less choreographed and tougher than in the prequels.

  • December 19, 2015 at 2:36 am
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    Have the members of SWNN given their opinion about the film? We would like to read your comments on it.

  • December 19, 2015 at 2:46 am
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    The Good = The heroes are awesome! Finn is hilarious, Poe is very likeable, and Rey is basically the Harrison Ford of this new trilogy. The final duel was pretty well done too. Probably Chewie’s best role ever! Kylo Ren really is the most original villain since Vader though Driver pretty much looks nothing like Ford or Fisher. Ford did his best job since Empire as well.

    The Bad = lame ass villains, piss poor dogfight, dull planets, unimaginative aliens, Artoo and Luke got about one line between them. No real new vehicles that weren’t OT derived. Leia was not given much to do either though considering her problems that was probably for the best.

    The Ugly = Worst editing and soundtrack in a SW film ever! Han’s anti-climactic death, Snoke/Maz/Phasma did not live up to their hype and turned out to be very disposable characters. Same goes for BB after the first reel.

    Overall a very mixed film for me. Knocks the socks off I, II, and the Clone Wars “film” but doesn’t come close to touching the OT and I think I like Sith better in spite of it’s many flaws due to it fitting better with the overall saga.

    • December 19, 2015 at 3:10 am
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      BB-8 is the best thing in TFA. Next is Rey’s fine ass. 3rd is Kylo’s hair.

      • December 19, 2015 at 7:57 am
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        Lol! Hilarious though I’m not arguing with it. I just wish BB actually had some part (any part!) to play in the final battle, Especially if he’s the new Artoo.

    • December 19, 2015 at 3:11 am
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      i agree with a good amount of this though i don’t think it irked me as much as you. this one feels a bit like the opposite of TPM where instead of nothing really happening for two hours, too much was put into this one and certain characters, mainly the villains besides kylo, didn’t get enough screen time. its still a very good movie, it just could have been great with a few tweaks.

      • December 19, 2015 at 8:06 am
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        Irked is the right word, Not hate like I feel for Clones. We never learned if Han and Leia ever married either. Were they merely seperated? For how long? It would not have hurt to clarify that in a simple throwaway line. Makes me want to read what Lucas and Ardnt wrote now,

    • December 19, 2015 at 3:12 am
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      The movie definitely a mixed bag. The jedi mind trick was nonsense and the exact thing I was fearing going into this with abrams.

    • December 19, 2015 at 3:32 am
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      I completely agree with your comments. I felt exactly the same about this film. Some hits and huge misses.

      Couldn’t recall a single phrase from the soundtrack after coming home, what’s up with that!! That’s a comment coming from a huge John Williams fan….

      Is it just me or does it seem like a LOT of this film ended up on the editing floor? What happened to Abrams promise that Kylo’s mask would be explained in the film? (It seemed to me that almost nothing was explained)

      What of all the merchandise that DOESN’T even appear to be in the film – or blink and you miss it e.g. Goss towers, Constable Zuvio, Sarco Plank, PZ 4CO etc etc…also had a total lack of imagination with space craft. Only Ren and Leia ‘ s shuttles seemed truly new. All else was ties & x wings….

      The lack of Luke’s screen time was extremely disappointing.

      • December 19, 2015 at 4:32 am
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        “Couldn’t recall a single phrase from the soundtrack after coming home, what’s up with that!!”

        Really? I had Rey’s theme running afterward. One of the nicest Star Wars musical themes since Yoda’s theme.

      • December 19, 2015 at 8:19 am
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        Nice to know I am not alone since I nearly believed all the hype after I read all the spoiler-free reviews yesterday but these are the same paid hacks who told me Jurassic World was a summer masterpiece which began my suspicions.

        Like I said elsewhere, I think Williams may not have much longer to live and Abrams scrapped his soundtrack and used a ringer to finish it. I mean compare the OST to what we heard last week on 60 Minutes to see what I mean. Something very fishy went on there they tried to gloss over with no success.

        Oh yes and Vader’s armor too? What happened to that? It wouldn’t surprise me at all if we get a LOTR sized deluxe edition with over an hour’s worth of deleted scenes with characters and subplots that they left out entirely.

        The only planet I really thought was original and interesting was the Luke planet we saw for all of a minute but at least we know it’s in the sequel.

        This is the only film where Luke gets ZERO lines, He even cried in III. How do we know he’s not dead and Rey was just looking at a force hallucination either? This film should have answered that so they could get to the meat of the story in VIII rather than push it aside like Lucas did in I.

    • December 19, 2015 at 3:52 am
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      Agree with most of what you say. An astute review.

      • December 19, 2015 at 8:02 am
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        Thank you! Even though we appear to be in the minority of opinion on here in many ways. I tried to cover everything in one comment but forgot a few things too that I covered elsewhere. I think the new EU complely failed to set up the world of the new trilogy too which I blame on the whole doomed mystery box marketing scheme.

        • December 19, 2015 at 1:24 pm
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          Yup. I think the movie is very much riding on it’s hype and it’s nostalgia value. But once the dust settles and people are able to be more objective I think people will have a greater appreciation for it’s downsides as well as it’s upsides.

          • December 19, 2015 at 5:18 pm
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            I’m no PT lover but at the very least those films gave us good new themes and at least one great dialogue-less musical sequence. We got zero in this one and when Rey uses the force for the first time it’s stolen directly from when Leia hears Luke calling her on Bespin. It’s literally the same music cue note for note.

          • December 20, 2015 at 4:19 am
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            I agree with many parts of your review, specially about the soundtrack and the poor villains and the too much reference on the OT and EU. The PT had a WAY better soundtracks,(John Williams, WHAT THE HELL HAPPENED?) but I believe this movie to be a LOT better then PT dude, just IMO, since the characters of PT really suck and the hole plot as well (except for Palpatine taking control of the Galaxy). The new EU still sucks, even with some little bright spots like “Tarkin”, but it still fails completely in becoming a so called “bridge” for the trilogies. I don´t have many complaints about the edition however (yet saying it after my first time, not really conclusive), but it fitted nice to me. And Han´s death, no way, it wasn´t “anti-climatic” AT ALL. Other last things I agree with you, this movie was a lot mixed to me as well, and it isn´t, in no way, a film that can stand by itself. Too much dependent.

          • December 20, 2015 at 5:05 am
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            This is the first Star Wars villains where I was more interested in the heroes than the villains. I can see now why they want to bring in Del Toro for the next one who has a history of playing memorable baddies.

            From Johnson’s track record, I think VIII and Rogue One will make everyone forget about this film. There’s very little unique or new about it if you take away the stuff it used from past films.

            I remember back when AOTC was praised as an improvement over TPM after it came out before people began to rightfully see it as the worst live-action film in the saga. A title which it still holds today!

  • December 19, 2015 at 2:53 am
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    This is the Star Wars movie we have been looking for , beautiful to look at , very exciting , truly witty & funny at times , sad and emotional , great pacing , great acting , great characters and as spectacular as a Star Wars movie must be from beginning to the end .

    • December 19, 2015 at 3:00 am
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      This isnt the Star Wars movie you’re looking for….
      You can go about your business…
      Move along…

      • December 19, 2015 at 3:06 am
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        Its the best Star Wars Fan Film ever made…..

  • December 19, 2015 at 3:08 am
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    I just got back from seeing it and I loved every minute of it. I took my 6 year old daughter and it was amazing seeing her face light up throughout. She’s seen all the other films and was one of the first to clap everytime one of the OT characters showed up on screen. It was pretty incredible. Definatly something I’ll always remember. Personally I think this movies is every bit as good as the OT. It has a great story, awesome characters (new and old), the acting was top notch and the light saber fights felt authentic. Daisy Ridley and Adam Driver in particular really stand out among the new cast, and Ford seemed generally happy to be able to come back as Solo one last time. It sucked seeing him go, but what a scene. I think that scene will go down as one of the best in the entire series. There was a lot left open at the end of the film, but I’m alright with that. It gives us plenty to speculate about while we wait for episode VIII. Anyways, it’s a great time to be a Star Wars fan.

    • December 19, 2015 at 3:45 am
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      family memories is what star wars is all about

  • December 19, 2015 at 3:11 am
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    so my question is which planets were destroyed? one of the kinda looked like cuoruscant? it happened so quickly I could tell.

    • December 19, 2015 at 3:13 am
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      it wasn’t coruscant, but the new republic capital. i didn’t catch the name though.

    • December 19, 2015 at 3:16 am
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      The planet that were destroyed were ShoddyStoryTelling Prime, along with its moons: WeakScript VI + ShallowPlot-9

      • December 19, 2015 at 3:18 am
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        Darth loco I don’t care about naysayers’ opinions when in fact they don’t really have a voice in society. but please continue to give yourself the feeling of validation by expressing your unexperienced opinions. the world will continue on with or without them.

        • December 19, 2015 at 3:24 am
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          The voice of those who speak the truth will only be silenced in a world full of dimwits and retards. Please continue to inhabit that system. It will soon be targeted by StarKiller Base v2. Not as a military target, but more of a mercy one…

          • December 19, 2015 at 3:26 am
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            “speak the truth” Everything in life is subjective. there is no truth. only opinions. thanks for your two cents though. go make a terrible fan made movie now.

          • December 19, 2015 at 3:28 am
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            Search your feelings, Derek….you know it to be true. Unexperienced you say…you’re feeble comments are no match for the power of the dark side.

          • December 19, 2015 at 3:30 am
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            That’s not true….. THATS IMPOSSIBLE! NOOOOO!

          • December 19, 2015 at 3:33 am
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            You will find that it is you that is mistaken…about a great… many…things. You have paid the price for your lack of vision! (silenced with force lightning, thanks for playing).

    • December 19, 2015 at 3:17 am
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      They destroyed the Hosnian system.

      • December 19, 2015 at 3:18 am
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        there it is. would have been nice if they spent a couple more seconds on that. seemed like it should have been a bigger deal.

        • December 19, 2015 at 3:23 am
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          they jammed so much in two hours I can understand if they had to pick and choose what they wanted to focus on story wise. RIP new republic.

          • December 19, 2015 at 3:32 am
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            i know, it just seemed a little weird that everyone just kinda went about their business afterwards. plus, i think most people watching didn’t even know what planet was getting nuked.

      • December 19, 2015 at 3:37 am
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        Which is where the New Republic government ( Including tge Senate) was based, What was not clear to me is if they also destroyed the Republic’s fleet or if the fleet was somewhere else, in the same sustém as the Resistance base.

  • December 19, 2015 at 3:18 am
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    -The parallels to contemporary political and world affairs during the opening crawl. The notion of The Order being able to flourish due to the absence of Skywalker [and Jedi.]

    -Rey should have accepted the lightsaber and been the first to ignite it in the forest with Kylo. Instead of it being casually used by a non-Force sensitive character. Just didnt seem as special once she finally used it.

    -Why didn’t Phasma kick any ass in this movie?

    -Maz’s character didn’t seem very coherent to the story.

    -Hux continuously barging in on Kylo and Snoke. Those are supposed to be sacred moment between master and apprentice.

    -Why wasn’t Lando even mentioned? The guy responsible for destroying the Death Star should have at least been acknowledged by Poe of all people, considering his profession and their task as hand.

    – We literally see just seconds of the supposed New Republic before they’re completely destroyed????

    – Rey, abandoned on not-Tatooine, is obviously Force sensitive and has a ligtsaber calling to her. I think its safe to predict what’s going to happen. She’ll [somehow] be Luke’s daughter, get trained in the second film, Luke will have an encounter with Kylo and likely die. The Order will construct another Starkiller base into a larger, inhabited planet to make blowing it up more of a dilemma. Rey and Ben [the offspring of Skywalker on contrasting sides] will duel it out in front of Snoke in the third film, Kylo will return to the light at the last minute and they’ll kill Snoke together.

    • December 19, 2015 at 3:21 am
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      i’m still holding on to the slimmest of hopes that rey being luke’s daughter means mara jade will show up or at least get mentioned at some point going forward.

      • December 19, 2015 at 3:36 am
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        I hope so! Was Leanne Best even in the movie? (If so then she clearly isn’t mara..:( )

        • December 19, 2015 at 3:41 am
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          she was, though wiki doesn’t specify who. mara still could have been one of the casualties when kylo went dark side. losing his wife to his fallen nephew might have caused him to bail on both his daughter and the new jedi order.

      • December 19, 2015 at 5:22 am
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        “Han Solo never told you what happened to your mother…”

    • December 19, 2015 at 3:26 am
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      “-Hux continuously barging in on Kylo and Snoke. Those are supposed to be sacred moment between master and apprentice.

      -Why wasn’t Lando even mentioned? The guy responsible for destroying the Death Star should have at least been acknowledged by Poe of all people, considering his profession and their task as hand.”

      those 2 are just complete nonsense. This was basically a fan film enough to begin with.

    • December 19, 2015 at 3:43 am
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      what about that new girl theyre casting? whats her role?

      • December 19, 2015 at 3:48 am
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        Probably Finn’s love interest/buddy before Rey returns from training during whatever our next adventure.

        • December 19, 2015 at 3:53 am
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          TFA hinted at Finn and Rey being attracted to each other. In fact, I cannot see any role for Finn in the trilogy other than eventually being romangically involved with Rey as he has no other set of noteworthy skills ( he is not a pilot, has not shows any competence as a soldier, is not force sensitive, etc etc).

          • December 19, 2015 at 3:56 am
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            I didn’t get that feeling perse. Deepest of friends yes, romantically involved no.

      • December 19, 2015 at 3:48 am
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        And what will Benicio del Toro’s role be ?

    • December 19, 2015 at 3:54 am
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      – anyone can use a lightsaber as is seen in ESB
      – think they are saving more Phasma action for next episode
      – the rivalry between Hux and Kylo in pleasing Snoke, who seems to have clear plans for both, made it logical. (Who knows what Snoke’s masterplan is.
      -What was wrong with Maz?
      -Name-dropping Lando would have felt totally forced and out of place.
      -Why should we need to see more than a few seconds of the republic? The shot was only there to show a lot of people are going to die not to inform us about anything else. Nor was more required.
      -Actually seems like a pretty good guess on how the trilogy wil develop further and will end.

      • December 19, 2015 at 4:07 am
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        Anyone can use a lightsaber to cut through a defunct animal’s belly, but that is way different from usina it as a weapon, much less against someone as powerful as Kylo Ren ( injuries notwithstanding). I don’t think Finn should ever have wielded Luke’s saber unless he had actually trained before with sabers, which doesn’t seem to be the case.

        • December 19, 2015 at 4:16 am
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          Well he was trained for combat since when he was still a child. What I do find strange is that Finn, who doesnt know its a weapon, doesnt ask any questions or show amazement at holding this very exotic and rare thing (stuff of legends) in his hand. He does however gets worked up about targeting guns in a Tie-Fighter. 😉

  • December 19, 2015 at 3:24 am
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    I loved The Force Awakens! Obviously it wasn’t perfect, and it took a few too many story beats from the original trilogy, however I felt that was almost necessary to bring the audience back to the initial tone of what Star Wars was before the over political prequels, and lay a foundation for more original and creative stories to be told in eps. VIII and IX. I left me excited to see the following films and also eager to watch it again (which I will be doing on Monday). A few highlights for me were Rey’s character, seeing Solo and Chewi together again, and the lightsaber fight between Ren and Rey. One of the few negatives I drew from the film was the rehashing of the death star in another new form as the starkiller base. I felt there could have been a more creative threat to the resistance than what we got. I am undecided about the killing of Solo, it sure hit me hard even knowing it was going to happen. But I am leaning towards thinking that it was a necessary part of the plot especially in the development of Kylo Ren’s character. I’d give it a 9/10 and I highly recommend it to others.

  • December 19, 2015 at 3:29 am
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    In general I loved the film. I thought Harrison Ford was right at the top of his game, and all the new characters were interesting and well acted. Seen it twice now, probably see it again Xmas eve.

    Nothing I disliked really but a few concerns:
    – Where did the map to skywalker come from? He didn’t want to be found but left a map? And R2D2 had the whole map except for the bit with a missing few systems- if he offered that up before they could’ve found him before. It just seemed like they could’ve thought up something better.
    – No Constable Zuvio, seems he was cut from the film.
    – Would’ve liked to know who exactly Max Von Sydows character was supposed to be.
    – May seem like a small thing, but we saw very little of ‘space’ in the movie
    – the one thing that really niggled, me- when they fired the starkiller whatsit, the beam took a few seconds to cross the visual range of the star destroyer bridge, yet managed to quite quickly hit a whole other system. The planetary explosions could then be seen and heard in a whole different system.

    • December 19, 2015 at 3:32 am
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      yeah who was Max Von Sydow supposed to be anyway?

      • December 19, 2015 at 3:54 am
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        Lor San Tekka. I’m guessing a former political leader, or someone close to the Jedi order. Prob doesn’t matter much now.

      • December 23, 2015 at 1:50 am
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        Exactly. They built him up as this big player in the movie and he’s nobody we ever really heard of.

    • December 19, 2015 at 3:59 am
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      I agree with all of that. I loved it I laughed smiled cried a bit and cheered and applauded with the audience at parts. It was great to see everyone back together again with new faces except LUKE!! That was what I hated the most! The one who matters the most doesn’t even get a part or line. I loved Kylo and most of the rumors about all the film were true and each part I was hoping they weren’t. But I loved it and just got a ticket to see it again tonite. 🙂 Star Wars is back now episode VIII and IX

    • December 19, 2015 at 4:00 am
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      – The map: I think there was a backstory that didn’t get told about how Lor San Tekka, undoubtedly an old friend of Luke’s, had a map to Luke’s location and knew when the time to share it would come.

      – I missed Constable Zuvio as well. Hopefully we either get an extended director’s cut or lots of extra footage on the Blu-ray release. But at least I know who “Unkar’s Thug” in my Rey’s Speeder Lego set is now.

      – I think the effects visuals for the weapon were somewhat misleading. It was clearly a hyperspace beam weapon using a technology unknown to the Resistance technicians (as one actually explained). I was at least grateful they explained it as a hyperspace or superliminal weapon (don’t remember the exact wording), because it would be rather stupid to fire a beam weapon that won’t reach the target for hundreds of years.

  • December 19, 2015 at 3:57 am
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    It quickly became my second favorite StarWars movie after ESB. This is not my final judgament however, as I watched it for the first time today. But is a hell of a movie. And so sad. Somethings didn´t worked for me however, as the villains of this movie proved to be a bit disappointing. Kylo Ren is a pussy (even if I liked him as a villain, to be honest). Captain Phasma didn´t shine as her´s armour indicated. And general Hux is ok, since he is an officer I didn´t expected much. Supreme Leader Snoke still gives chills on me, and I yet don´t know if its in the good way. (Something about motion capture still bothers me). Now, all of them haven´t diminished in nothing the greatness of this movie. The emotion, the StarWars feeling, the heroes (loved all of them, old and new). Han Solo, I have no words to describe. I will miss him forever. Luke Skywalker only appeared for 30 seconds, but that was the best ending this movie could have.In resume, excellent work, JJ, Lawrance, Lucasfilm. No doubt, I was in the galaxy far far away… Once more, and I loved it with all my heart

    • December 19, 2015 at 5:26 am
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      Personally, i place it better than Jedi, but not better than ANH or ESB. but i mean.. we can all agree, it is awesome, and it is better than all 3 prequels COMBINED!

  • December 19, 2015 at 4:03 am
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    Snoke is Maul.

    I would actually buy that, haha

  • December 19, 2015 at 4:27 am
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    I LOVED this film. I knew I would, and it delivered! Like all films, this one isn’t perfect. I found myself shaking my head, or thinking this is too much only a couple of times. One of those instances was when Rey uses the mind trick. I doubt that was just something she knew. Also, her fight with Kylo. Kylo looks like one of the strongest characters we’ve seen in a while, and for her to actually catch him off guard, or even beat him in the way that she did. I get that he was hurt and all, but still. She would need some kind of training (not saying she wasn’t trained before) but she would need to keep training on Jakku for her to have a chance ( In my opinion) to win, or draw. Even if she was the strongest force sensitive being in the galaxy (unlikely) she more than likely wouldn’t have caught on that quickly. I love Daisy, and can’t wait to see more of her!

    • December 19, 2015 at 4:32 am
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      I’m wasn’t happy with the script at all. But the kilo part with Rey makes sense to me.

      He wasn’t trying to kill her, he was trying to recruit her.

  • December 19, 2015 at 4:29 am
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    I tell people I loved it and hated it. It had lots of potential. Killed it in many parts.

    But its shortcomings were glaring, and really perplexing. The movie adds very little to the Starwars universe. They’ve killed the expanded universe to replace it with, well, New Hope 2.0

    I mean if I said I seen a Starwars movie where a droid has a secret message, and in the process of getting it, they learn about a really powerful weapon that is used to commit genicide. And a scavenger child on a sandy planet rises up to learn they are extremely powerful in the force, can pilot a spacecraft and now is in need of a Jedi master to train them. All the while the blood relative of this scavenger is secretly being manipulated by a bad guy we know little about. Luckily, the rebellion (resistance or whatever) has learned of a weakness in the super weapon, and they exploited it. Oh, an old hero we helped bring the scavenger into this adventure will walk into his own death.

    Is it at all clear what decade the above Starwars movie came out in. 1970/1980’s, or the 2015.

    To be honest, George Lucus would of done a better job, I’m sure of it.

    • December 19, 2015 at 4:57 am
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      Sorely lacking in creativity. The fact that so many people are loving it makes me wonder why they loved the originals. Those had tension and mystical happenings and lots of intensity and grit and feeling.

      Just as a movie, outstanding. If it was the first ever Star Wars, crushed it. But it is a very dumbed down version of Star Wars and almost completely took mythology and symbolism out of the movie. Still fun as hell to watch, but not worthy of Star Wars. I actually think the prequel stories were better.

      • December 21, 2015 at 11:12 pm
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        This guy liked the prequels better. He’s obviously trolling.

        • December 21, 2015 at 11:28 pm
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          Having an opinion is trolling? I like the movie TFA best. But it does NOT have Lucas mythology and grand scale creativity in it. Great action flick on it’s own.

  • December 19, 2015 at 4:31 am
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    Here is my 24 hour after The Force Awakens review.

    First, I’m still thinking about it, which always means very good things for me about a movie.

    For me it was simply excellent. Simply an amazing successor to ROTJ that brings the franchise into the 21st century. A film worthy of the Star Wars cannon. I did not want it to end and could have stayed in the theater for the 10:30 showing!

    I know that it is heresy to say anything is better than the original trilogy, however, it is right in there for me.

    Loved…
    the story.
    not answering or explaining everything.
    the pace.
    the humor.
    the fun.
    the acting.
    the chemistry between all the characters.
    how I became attached to the characters and cared about them (unlike the prequels).
    the choice of actors.
    honestly, the whole new batch of characters 100% worked for me.
    the real locations, sets, and minimum CGI.
    the ending. Luke is my favorite human character, so I would have easily taken him more in the film, but, that ending shot was money.

    What didn’t quite work for me was…
    Starkiller Base. This was too much of a nod to the original trilogy. The First Order is scary enough without it.

    For being a weapon of mass destruction that was 200x the size of the original Death Star, it felt underused and not as menacing as the original Death Star. A New Hope would not work without the Death Star. TFA feels to me like it could have 100% worked without Starkiller. When the Death Star was blown up the rebellion rejoiced. It was a major victory against the empire that took the whole rebel fleet. There was an awards ceremony, etc…. In TFA it took Han, Chewie and about 10 X-Wings to take down Starkiller. They comeback to base and it’s like it was no biggie that they just blew up this weapon of mass destruction. The concept feels like a throw-in or after thought.

    JJ could have set it up better with opening the movie with the destruction of those 5 planets and played off that and built it up.

    Really that is my only major beef.

    More mourning for Han. Yes, Leia felt it in the force. Chewie howled and shot Kylo, which was awesome. Leia hugged Rey and Chewie sat sad on the Falcon, but in the matter of 10 minutes, they are looking for Luke, Leia is in a new outfit, everyone is waving goodbye, and Rey is hopping into the pilot seat and Chewie is over Han passing. Even Qui-Gon got a bigger send off.

    Leia consoling Chewie and then Chewie being sad when Rey gets on the Falcon and her making some kind of statement like, “I’m so sorry. It will be alright Chewbacca.” Would have given Han a little more of a worthy send off.

    Jury is out for me on…
    Snoke and Phasma. They say we are getting more of them as we progress. I will hold my judgement. I did expect Phasma to be more ruthless tho. She seemed tame to me.

    What I hope Epi 8 addresses…
    -There is The Republic and The Resistance. I’m a little confused on why it’s not just The Republic vs The First Order.
    -explores more of the rise of the First Order and its impact on the galaxy as a whole.
    -Rey getting control of the Force so quickly in TFA. Did she have training as a kid?
    -Was it Kylo or another Padawan that sunk Luke’s Jedi Academy? If Rey was able to handle Kylo, Luke certainly could have.
    -Who was Max Von Sydow? Seemed like an important character to the original trilogy or at least someone we would know of.
    -Rey’s parents. I am confident that Luke is the dad. Who is the mom?
    -Maz and the story of Luke’s light saber explained
    -address the passing of Han a little more

    So, there it is. Again, just awesome. Cannot wait to see it again. Loved being in a theater where there was so much excitement, cheering (for the Falcon to Luke), and love for a franchise. Loved the big applause at the end as well!

  • December 19, 2015 at 4:40 am
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    I saw the trailer in IMAX and the lightsaber reveal moment in the snow was awesome, however I don’t recall this moment was the same in the final film, that seems to have a cut that starts just as Ren’s already activated the 3 blades. It makes sense that you don’t need a lightsaber reveal moment for a weapon we’ve already been seeing in action, but I missed the trailer shot that looked incredible in IMAX. Maybe it’s because I wasn’t watching the film in IMAX that it seemed different.

    • December 19, 2015 at 5:20 am
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      wasn’t in the IMAX. Just got back from a second viewing. Also, the shot where Maz hands the lisghtsaber to a white female is not in the movie. She hands it to Finn instead.

      OH! and i spotted R2-KT Three times in the second viewing! =D

  • December 19, 2015 at 4:48 am
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    One comment: BB8 for Best Supporting Actor. #BB8forBestSupportingActor

  • December 19, 2015 at 5:00 am
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    By far, the worst Star Wars Movie ever. Bad dialogues and characters. Nothing in this movie makes sense…no exotic sets, no cool supporting characters like greedo or jabba, or even Sebulba. Maz Kanata and Phasma are boring…and in the end nothing really new….and now anyone can fight with a lightsaber…I see many people that didn’t liked the movie..star wars is probably dead

    • December 19, 2015 at 5:21 am
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      Your opinion is Valid, because it is your opinion. But other than you, i haven’t come across anyone who hated it. The VAST majority consensus of greatness, And the money it will make… Star Wars is not dead 🙂

      • December 19, 2015 at 6:58 am
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        I certainly didn’t hate it, but I didn’t leave feeling like I’d watched a Star Wars movie. The second viewing was a little bit better. The thing I’m most excited about is how it’s all set up for Episode VIII.

        • December 19, 2015 at 8:46 am
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          i agree with you on that. the characters are introduced. the stage is set…… now… where will they go?!

    • December 19, 2015 at 6:20 am
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      Totally agree. The creativity that let your imagination run wild in the prior movies was largely absent.

    • December 19, 2015 at 6:56 am
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      K.

  • December 19, 2015 at 5:19 am
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    The First Order…a pitiful little band if I do say so myself.
    Phasma, report to the detention level for interrogation training, you weak-willed waste of tin.
    Hux…inexperienced military strategist commanding the galaxy’s ultimate weapon and legions, upon legions of troops…all destroyed. Way to go, dipsh!t.
    Kylo…bested by the formidable duo of a janitor/traitor and a fresh off the boat untrained scavenger handling the most elegant weapon, from the most civilized age. Killed an unarmed geriatric though…kudos for that.

    • December 19, 2015 at 6:19 am
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      I know right? I thought the villians were pathetic myself!

    • December 19, 2015 at 7:52 am
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      He killed his father.

  • December 19, 2015 at 5:46 am
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    Yo Moof Milkers…the new movie freakin’ rocks. Be gone haters…go watch TPM again and leave us.

  • December 19, 2015 at 6:13 am
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    It had good parts. It also had long boring parts. And I’m *really* not a fan of Mr Abrams’ sense of cinematography. So the overall verdict is that it’s kind of mediocre with some good bits. Easily the least good one of the seven ones thus far.

  • December 19, 2015 at 6:29 am
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    I really hope the story of Luke’s Jedi Academy & Ren’s seduction by Snoke is told in a TV animated series once they finish with Rebels, rather than in Comics & novels. I’d expect Mark Hamill would be up for some more voice acting work & I’d expect even Harrison & Carrie would offer a one off voice appearance for a pilot episode.

    • December 19, 2015 at 6:56 am
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      I hope it gets explained in Episode VIII.

  • December 19, 2015 at 6:30 am
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    Resistance Fighters: Hey, Poe…explain again how after you crash-landed from above Jakku’s orbit, didn’t burn up into re-entry, and didn’t break your back, neck, arms, legs….you managed to get back to the Resistance Base…”

    Dameron : Well…you see…

    • December 19, 2015 at 8:39 am
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      you should add kylo ren and phasma to that picture. how did they get off starkiller base in the whole 30 seconds they had before it blew?

    • December 19, 2015 at 10:21 am
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      darth loco please stop trolling. i respect the fact that you didn’t like the movie. but do you have to try and ruin it for everyone else? it is fiction after all. and at the end of the day we might as well start picking at the lord of the rings and game of thrones….

      • December 19, 2015 at 10:54 pm
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        Loosen that collar up, pal. I’m bringing balance to the force, so suck it…

  • December 19, 2015 at 6:31 am
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    So overall I liked the movie and think it was totally worth seeing. I do feel like the weapon was way too easy to destroy. I think they could have gotten away with temporarily disabling it and could have kept it for the next movie. I’m also a little perplexed as to how Rey suddenly knew how to use the force? How did she even know about the mind trick?? They didn’t give enough background on her to justify it. Overall, I understand where they’re going with the characters for the next movie; however, there was one relationship in the movie that confused me. I don’t really understand the beginning relationship between Rey and Kylo Ren. We obviously find out about Kylo Ren’s parentage right from the beginning, but Rey’s is kind of left out there for speculation. At first I figured it was going to be revealed along with Kylo Ren’s. Especially when Ren was told that Finn and BB8 had fled the planet with a girl. He was like, “A girl?!??!”. I was thinking to myself, oh he knows who she is. And throughout the movie he seems very interested in her, even before he knew she could use the force. But when they meet up he wasn’t like, “Hey Sis” or Hey Cuz” so that leads me to believe that he’s not aware of who she is to him (if anyone). And if she was Luke Skywalker’s daughter, don’t you think he would have remembered her? And if he was lead to believe that she died, I would’ve expected to hear some statement of “No, it can’t be you!” or “I thought you were dead?” I then wonder if maybe he was somehow drawn to her because she is also a Vader descendent, but there’s no dialogue in the movie that hints to that (unless I missed something). There’s obviously something special about Her considering that he decides to take her since she’s seen the map instead of taking BB8. Did he know she was force sensitive then?? And when she wakes up and he’s just staring at her… Weird. She confronts him about hiding behind a mask so he just takes it off?? I’m going to go out on a limb and assume that he doesn’t normally do that to people he interrogates. I feel like there’s a big plot hole between the two. Without more dialogue, he ends up coming across as a creepy stalker without any clarification as to why her??

    • December 19, 2015 at 6:56 am
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      With Rey, people are saying that she is “obviously” Luke’s daughter and that the movie makes this clear because Maz says that the lightsabre was Luke’s, and his father’s before him, and now it is calling to Rey. This, combined with Rey’s memories of an ocean and an island that Kylo Ren sees during the interrogation, seems enough to convince some people. It makes sense to me, and I hope it’s the case, but if it is, I really think it could have been handled better.

      • December 19, 2015 at 8:32 am
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        Ahhh… I see. I must have not picked up on what Maz was insinuating. I’ve read that you pick up on more things the second time you see it and there’s lots of tiny things you don’t notice the first time. I can’t remember any dialogue from Han or Leia hinting that Rey is/might, be Luke’s daughter. I noticed there was a sudden protective instinct by Han over Rey, but they never explained why. And Leia could have hugged Rey because she looked sad over Han’s death. If Rey is Luke’s daughter, they are apparently going for subtlety in the movie. I’d like to think there wouldn’t be that much oversight on dialogue. Hardcore fans might be able to pick it apart but regular movie goers are going to be like “huh?” I’m gonna be wild and crazy and say that she’s not Luke’s daughter, but the daughter of other Jedi. Obviously there were other Jedi because Ren destroyed them. Maybe she was left in Luke’s charge and he left her on Jakku because he felt responsible for her parents death and thought she was better off not being around the force (I don’t see him leaving his daughter on a planet and Leia not seeking her out). And just because the lightsaber called to her doesn’t mean she has to be a descendent. Maybe she posses simular characteristics and personality that Luke had and the lightsaber recognizes that. R2 could have turned on when Rey was near because she has “it”, whatever “it” is. And the bewildered/oh sh*t expression on Luke’s face could have been because 1) he’s been in hiding and someone found him, and 2) she whips out the old lightsaber after he’s sworn it off. Why limit the characters by making everyone related to everyone else. (Poe and Finn excluded). But…. then again Disney might be planning a really messed up family reunion….???!?? On a side note, leaving a little girl on a planet with some dude where she has to scavenge for food… Harsh…

  • December 19, 2015 at 6:47 am
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    Hi to ALL and Happy Holidays.For me:”I love and enjoy the movie very much”.In my opinion Rey will take Lukes places with the force.Rey is a BIG mystery with the force BUT we are going to love her mystery when we start knowing more about her…:).

  • December 19, 2015 at 6:48 am
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    I’m actually very underwhelmed by Star Wars 7.. It’s like they took everything cute or funny from 1-6 and put it in 7.. Even some of the same exact scenes.
    I wanted them to pay homage to the previous movies, not plagiarize them..
    And I don’t like how Rey was able to do everything without training?!? What was that?!? Luke was powerful and he wasn’t just doing all that without being taught. Oh, wait the bar lady (Maz) and Han Solo taught her about the force… OK.. Heck why did they ever bother having Masters training Jedi in the first place? Rey makes a mockery of all the Star Wars franchise by her fake use of the force through random enlightenment. I’m disappointed with Star Wars 7 for so many reasons. I went to see it because it’s Star Wars but unlike its predecessors, I will not be going to the theater to see it two or three times.. All I have to do is pop in the Star Wars blu-rays I already own. (Enjoyed Kylo Ren’s darkness immensely though).

  • December 19, 2015 at 6:49 am
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    I think no matter how good it is, people are always going to hate it for some reason, but I thought it was more than enough for a first movie of the trilogy.JJ nailed it, so epic ad emotional, some weird things happened but seriously, thats just nitpicking.

  • December 19, 2015 at 6:57 am
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    They really jammed a lot into two hours of storytelling. I too have issues with some of it, but on the whole it worked This is because of the character development and performances of our new leads. Adam Driver’s character is so interesting to watch; a nuanced villain from the get-go. I stayed spoiler-free going into it and I think that helped keep the expectations to a minimum. Wonderfully surprised to watch the Han Solo/Kylo Ren story unfold and mostly to watch Rey’s slow realization of her powers. So much riding on this film and for the filmmakers to create actual, tangible emotional moments is nothing short of amazing. Well done to the team that brought this story to life.

  • December 19, 2015 at 7:11 am
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    WARNING: There may be some spoilers ahead.
    The Force Awakens made me so happy. I was quickly drawn in to the film and was I really truly felt like the four-year-old who grabbed the box set of the original trilogy and marathoned the entire thing again. The characters were great, the performances were terrific, and the story was good. Yeah, it took elements from A New Hope, but to me, the only blatant ones were there being another desert planet and another planet destroying superweapon, but it wasn’t that big a deal for me. Rey’s life on Jakku felt actually more hopeless than Luke’s or Anakin’s on Tatooine when we first meet them. She lived a very day-to-day existence and this (combined with the scavenger nature of the other characters) gave Jakku a different feel to Tatooine. I was fine with Starkiller Base for two reasons. The first being that it fit in with how the First Order worships the Empire and I’m not surprised that they would try to emulate them. The second is the fact that the battle to destroy it felt different from both the Battle of Yavin and the Battle of Endor, partially by combining elements of them and partially by how the story unfolds there. Other than that, any other similarities don’t seem as major.
    Is the film perfect? No, there are some flaws. I would have liked to get a little more insight in the current state of the galaxy, the New Republic, and the First Order’s origins, as well as a few more nuggets about Kylo Ren’s backstory. But it was a fun adventure with characters I actually liked and cared about (both old and new), something the prequels just failed to do. It was an amazing ride and I want to see it again.

  • December 19, 2015 at 7:16 am
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    I loved pretty much all of it. My biggest problem was the shot in the very end circling the island with Rey & Luke. Up to that scene, every bit of the movie felt like we were in the galaxy way far away. Then suddenly, with that one shot, I was not so far away, here on earth, above Skellig Michael. They could’ve ended the movie without that and it would’ve been fine.

    • December 19, 2015 at 1:16 pm
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      But imagine if you were born nearby Morroco or Abu Dabby..then al the desert scenes would feel to earth like.

  • December 19, 2015 at 7:16 am
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    My initial take on the movie is that it was very good, but overall mild disappointment. My ranking – ESB, ROTJ, ANH, TIED between TFA and ROTS, TPM, AOTC. First the good – Ridley, Boyega, and Ford delivered great performances – Driver did well, too… acting and dialogue in general is head and shoulders above the PT and on par with the OT. Really liked Snoke’s mysterious role, as well. Crossguard lightsaber is cool. Loved Kylo’s crazy rants. For the most point I enjoyed the comic relief. The storm trooper / ground troop action scenes were done better than the both the OT and PT, much more realistic and intense in my opinion. BB8 was excellent! The dynamics of the power plays in the first order leadership was nicely done and form a very interesting branch of the story that will unfold in 8 and 9. Rey evading the Tie Fighters on Jakku was very nicely done. Liked the nod given to the Clone Troopers from the PT. The bad – feel cheated by the ANH 2.0 approach of the movie… JJ, or Disney, where is the creativity? Could have gone many other directions than death star 3.0 with another trench run. And my God, I fear Ep8 is going to be ESB 2.0 with Luke training Rey. The pacing felt off… it did not necessarily feel ‘Star Wars’ like the OT or even the PT… starkiller interior was filmed like the romulan ship in star trek reboot… lightsaber action does not compare with the technical grace of PT or the emotional grace of the OT… I know many beat up the PT but the lightsaber action, particularly in ROTS is much more interesting than TFA. How did Rey know the Jedi mind trick? Made no freaking sense. Captain Phasma was a waste, poorly acted, poorly implemented. Wanted a space battle, but understand that was not necessarily the story. Where are the fleets for both sides? Overall, I thought the movie missed the magic of the OT. I know I sound overly critical, and I hyped myself up too much with the reviews of both the media and my own friends (did I watch the same movie as one of my friends who thought it was the best star wars movie? Beauty is in the eye of the beholder! BUt overall, enjoyed the move quite a bit and there is enough to form a solid foundation for Ep 8 and Ep 9, as long as we avoid Esb 2.0 with Luke training Rey in Ep 8 and starkiller 2.0 with Rey fighting Kylo in front of Snoke with Kylo going light side of the force in Ep9.

    • December 19, 2015 at 8:33 am
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      you are not wrong at all. I agree with most of what you have to say. I do have to point out though that lucas designed the original saga to be like poetry. so that scenes/circumstances rhymed with previous movies/scenes. I don’t really understand why people don’t get the fact that there is another deathstar/trench run. its a metaphorical interpretation of history repeating itself. like we see today for example. I wont get into all that because it would take several pages for me to argue the point. so its not a lack of creativity so much as its a grand context theyre trying to create. lightsaber action again I understand, but you also have to understand that the jedi masters of the PT were far more advanced in combat arts than the OT and NT simply because of the level of education they acquired. when I brought up the idea that rey shared the same narrative of luke and anikin before the movie came out I was made fun of. meanwhile the same morons where arguing that snoke was darth plagues and that he was 30 ft tall.i witnessed how they all came to be wrong and my theory might actualy become true over time. but im not saying my theories are right, im just saying anything is possible. so lets al keep an open mind.

  • December 19, 2015 at 7:30 am
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    Just got out of second viewing, think i’m finally starting to make sense of this thing.

    Really, this movie is two parts: before Rey’s vision and after Rey’s vision. Before then I feel like the movie is groping to reignite nostalgia and introduce these characters and use as many quips and jokes as possible.

    Most of the plot devices at that point are new versions of A New Hope’s.

    But after the vision, it is— just incredible. Building up to a steady crescendo and introducing dynamics that are all its own. The scene with Han, The battle with Finn, Rey and Kylo. And completely obliterating Coruscant. Goddam. They really wanted to raise the stakes and reset the franchise. And then we’re in the forest and its all warriors that are incomplete and young. And it really felt like anybody could win or could die.

    The second half of the movie didn’t feel like it was trying to be the Old Star Wars, or create something new. It just felt like they were finally BUILDING on Star Wars.

    • December 19, 2015 at 11:05 pm
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      Obliterating *The Hosnian system*

  • December 19, 2015 at 7:39 am
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    First I want to start by saying I really enjoyed the movie. I like how they took some parts from EU even if they were small things and they weren’t exactly the same. Specifically Kylo Ren turning to the dark side being Han and leias kid. His name being Ben and Luke trying to train Jedi. Again, I liked the movie but the one small issue was Finn being able to use a light saber as well as he did. I had the same issue with Rey but atleast she’s strong in the force. Overall great movie though

  • December 19, 2015 at 8:13 am
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    Another thing: the gang that boarded Han’s freighter shouldn’t have been the generic gang that they were. They should’ve bounty hunters istead, namely IG-88 and Bosk: “You cost us a lot of credits, Solo. But finally, after all these years, revenge is ours…” and so forth. Lots of missed opportunities…

    • December 19, 2015 at 11:19 am
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      I see what your going for there, but the movie is already being picked apart for the homages that it has in it. Ol’ Lost up the page would have really got his panties in a wad over the bounty hunters being in it lol.

    • December 19, 2015 at 11:30 am
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      that whole sequence felt very star trek to me

      • December 19, 2015 at 11:32 am
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        very true

      • December 19, 2015 at 2:46 pm
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        You mean JJ Star Trek…
        That sequence is by far the worst part of the movie.
        So much unnecessary action and ugliness.
        They could have easily used that time for character development.

        • December 20, 2015 at 7:06 pm
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          This.

  • December 19, 2015 at 8:15 am
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    Did we ever get a reason why C3PO had a red arm? Was the Resistance down to metal scraps now and trying to save where it could? Wish they would’ve stated why. “C3PO and the Mystery of the Red Arm”

    • December 19, 2015 at 8:17 am
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      it will probably be in one of the books.

      • December 19, 2015 at 1:24 pm
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        As far as I know, the red arm is explained in the upcoming C3PO comic coming out soon.

    • December 19, 2015 at 5:59 pm
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      Sadly he probably has a red arm for the sake of telling the lame joke
      when he first reunited with Han. Interestingly 30 years later people don’t seem to need translator protocol droids, I think only 3P0 was in TFA.

  • December 19, 2015 at 8:16 am
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    The first infamous controversy: “Greedo fired first!”

    Now the second: “Chewie didn’t mourn!”

    • December 19, 2015 at 3:01 pm
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      Chewie don’t mourn. He just blows shyt up. haha

  • December 19, 2015 at 9:35 am
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    Come on casuals and disney lovers find your selves plenty excuses to love this abomination..this rip off from original and EU. This isn’t the spirit and the magic of SW that even the prequels had in some degree. You do like this TFA because you are no real SW fans…you got stuck in the six movies while the SW universe was expanding evolving in a unique way in the chronicles of the sci-fi novelization. EXPANDED UNIVERSE is STAR WARS and the opposite ….when a fan fiction world is authorized from the creator by himself and is evolving so uniquely and in perfect order with 100+ novels and comics that DO NOT contradict themselves ..then to not be a part of it makes you NOT a FAN..GET IT CASUAL.
    And because of your stupid tolerance towards this new abomination disney will finally and eventually destroy the MAGIC of SW after its new cash cow will be milked till the last drop of potential cash. STUPID blockbuster addicted casual.

    • December 19, 2015 at 10:02 am
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      goodbye lost. your comment, much like yourself, and much like the EU wont be remembered or missed. I will admit you put up a good fight though.

    • December 19, 2015 at 11:12 am
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      How dare you tell others they are not real SW fans because they liked it. Who the fuck are you?! You don’t like it, don’t fucking go! Fuck the EU! It was never real anyway. If I write a book about SW & put it out it doesn’t become canon. I was there in the beginning at the mall in 1977 seeing SW in the theater. Saw Empire 13 times in the theater. Spent 1000s on toys since 1978 & now I’m in judgement by some know-it -all internet nerd. You say the EU was authorized by the creator himself but Im willing to bet you you were the 1st one to bash the prequels!

      To be so in love with what random writers wrote about SW that you react like this proves one thing… it is YOU who are not a REAL fan of what SW is, you are a big fan of what you want it to be! Go reread your stupid comic books and leave the fans of the REAL SW the fuck alone!

      • December 19, 2015 at 4:04 pm
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        While I share your general “fuck you” sentiment, I do have to correct you on one point. The EU was official canon until Lucasfilm got sold.

        • December 20, 2015 at 7:43 am
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          Yeah, but we all knew that it wasn’t — not really. Lucas said as much on several occasions. It’s like the new EU stuff, it’s canon until a something in a movie contradicts. Something will.

      • December 19, 2015 at 6:28 pm
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        HA…much of a things…step aside dude because i saw it too back in 1977 and in 1980 and and and….and i have spend not 1.000 usd but several thousand usd…so if it is about spending you loose. BUT it is not about spending….its about what it was OFFICIAL a SW UNIVERSE that you DID NOT FOLLOW because it was not appealing to you. BUT EU WAS OFFICIAL AUTHORIZED from SW CREATOR so it was OFFICIAL STAR WARS….and you didn’t follow the official SW EVOLUTION…..how this make you a TRUE SW FAN??????????? STUPID CASUAL….you chose what you liked and what not? ….I either do not like very much the prequels but i respected them and accepted them because they were OFFICIAL SW STORY EVOLUTION….as it was the EU…..GET IT STUPID CASUAL??

    • December 19, 2015 at 11:28 am
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      ah … diddums . only the mental still do something they dont like…. you dont like it? stay away from it ….. i dont like the eu so i dont involve myself with it , i dont obsessively look at it all then complain about it … i dont like it , so i dont do it ……. see , not mental.

      • December 19, 2015 at 6:19 pm
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        I DO NOT BOTHER myself with this abomination. I protest and fight for the preservation and CONTINUATION of the EU. GET IT?

        • December 20, 2015 at 11:08 am
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          why?when you can just “not bother” with anything else. the eu has ended , dont be like the crazy woman in misery .

    • December 19, 2015 at 12:11 pm
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      Look at the bright side. You have less than a year until Rogue One comes out so you can bitch about that one too.

    • December 19, 2015 at 3:00 pm
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      So its a rip off of 2 different sets of things?

      Kind of like the original SW was Flash Gordon and Hidden Fortress, VERBATIM?

    • December 19, 2015 at 4:03 pm
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      > Fawkes mask
      > Calls people “casuals”
      > Thinks that “true fans” are a thing that exists.

      You couldn’t possibly be more of a walking stereotype.
      Shave your neck, take off the fedora and chill dude.

    • December 20, 2015 at 1:07 am
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      You all need to understand that everyone that loves Star Wars is a fan.

      The reason for the conflict between fans is the standards and expectations are different between different groups of fans. A lot of decisions made by both Lucas and Disney have disappointed and outraged most fans (myself included), while other fans don’t care or enjoyed it.

      I loved the original trilogy theatre releases, loved and hated in equal measure the ongoing special edition changes to them, loved the spectacle and universe created in the prequel trilogy but hated the storytelling and inconsistencies with the original trilogy. I loved the clone wars despite not aligning with the EU, I like Rebels (even though it’s a bit too kid friendly) and I love the new film despite it’s flaws (which are trivial compared to the prequel trilogy).

      I loved the fully integrated EU across TV movies, cartoons, novels, comics, toys & games (I mourn this as lost, but I accept it as now over and complete). I loved the clone wars series but was concerned it fully contradicted the EU, however now I accept that it is part of the new canon which I hope will be both inspirational and in time epic.

      I understand the strong emotions about Star Wars and the division between fans that started with the prequel trilogy and become more evident with the disbanding of the EU in favour of an EU reboot. For those not interested in the new star wars canon I’ll be happy to engage about the old star wars & likewise for those that like the new star wars.

      I don’t take issue with people that express their hate for what has happened to star wars, as like me if they didn’t care about star wars they wouldn’t try so hard to make others understand their feelings about it. I also appreciate those that don’t care about the EU and just want to enjoy the new canon, as I’m also very interested in the new star wars and it’s possibilities.

      I know they’ll never be the one cohesive star wars community that there once was, but if we all except that, we can all continue to enjoy star wars, whatever that means for each of us individually.

  • December 19, 2015 at 9:42 am
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    Hey all! Just watch TFA yestarday!!. It was great!! Probably what i wanted to see, but i liked it. I had a lot of fun. Visually is perfect, only with a couple of concerns.
    The best:
    -the opening crawl was just magical. It let me to the world with the first line.
    -first 40 minutes are sublime. Begining with Poe, stormtrooper point of view, the attack. The presentation of new characters, the tempo. Finn and Poe scape in the tie is just…. Amazing!
    -the music, the new melodies and sounds and the old melodies.
    -the sets and ships and costumes. Excellent.
    -the palette of colors, a few ones, so good.
    -rey,s vision in the castle, so powerful.
    -after 20 trailers and interviews, i knew nothing. All refreshing. They played so well the element of surprise.
    -fun and emotional, and for me, good acting from everyone.

    The cons:
    -i know it,s an hologram but didn’t like Snoke. After costumes and great aliens this cgi character didn,t fit well.
    -in one point humor was so continuous, stopped at the right moment.
    -scene with chinese and cgi monsters probably was the dispensable one.
    -probably a little rush to finish the mision.

    Buuut, even this “little” cons I REALLY ENJOYED the movie.
    It was Star Wars, so refreshing, so great!!!
    Probably a solid 9/10.

    • December 19, 2015 at 3:12 pm
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      I have to agree with most here. The pro’s far outweigh the cons and I think fans of the OT should be very happy with the result. It felt like Star Wars.

      Up until about half way this was looking like a 10/10 , by the end it finished more 7-8. As a fan of 35 years I can still handle that!

      As JJ/KK are producers of all 3 I’m going to give them the benefit of the doubt on answering in Ep 8/9 Reys rapid rise from Force unknown to seemingly Jedi master within about the last 30min of Ep 7!

      That Jedi mind trick was a massive stretch! Especially after it failed the 1st time and the trooper told her to get F….!

      How can Kylo be a bad ass but then get his ass kicked by rey and almost prior by the garbage man? Wouldn’t have happened to vader – well not at least until the last 15 min of the 3rd movie in the trilogy!

      I’m sure there will be flashbacks, more force dreams and ghosts etc. Maz will make more sense soon. Benefit of the doubt.

      What I can’t forgive the JJ/KK combo is the laziness of the Death Star replica. What next? Just build another like in ROTJ?

      Why couldn’t they just have dented it but not blown it up? Why was the way to blow it just too similar?

      There is nostalgia but then there is re-boot…

      But What I disliked the most was the end of Han. I get it that Harrison told them it was one more not 3 more – so expected it. But give his death some serious on screen substance surely!

      There is some basic dialogue between Han and the princess about their son turned bad…

      Luke couldn’t turn him but can you have a go please Han…

      I don’t think it will work but Yeah sure…

      With no previous star wars history on screen Han has 1 minute with kylo in total and it doesn’t end well. At least when obi-wan sacrificed himself against vader there was proper history and obi-wan knew he could become a force ghost to guide Luke. That’s an acceptable sacrifice death!

      Han’s was rubbish – he sure can’t come back as a force ghost without being a Jedi – surely not KK / JJ…??

      And if he appears in a flash back what seriously could that add to the story of the destiny of kylo who is already dealing with in Ep 7 as a dark side force user having trouble dealing with wanting to go back to light???

      No new Han flash back would do anything new for this situation.

      Therefore we have a meaningless Han death.

      At the very least they could have put 30 seconds more in before Han walked that bridge to confront Kylo.

      How about a final scene with chewie. Empire style.

      They finish laying the bombs, both are about to leave then see kylo walk out on the bridge. Han looks at chewie, chewie has the look of “don’t do it”. Han says something like I have to try for the princess”, chewie knows he has to look after the princess again. Han says if anything happens blow this joint. They hug and then he goes.

      30 seconds JJ. 30 seconds.

      One of the best on screen buddy partnerships in movie history and no real blaze of glory or goodbye.

      They missed something here.

      They did so well with the emotion of BB-8 thinking Poe was dead, then being reunited again. That’s was great. It was like a man and loyal dog relationship. Man and droid…sure. why not man and wookie as that was one of the great relationships of the SW universe. Now gone with a whimper.

  • December 19, 2015 at 10:03 am
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    Alright. Just saw Star Wars a second time. Enjoyed it MUCH more
    this time. Like 5x as much as the first time. I just accepted the one
    thing I thought was missing (the mythology) and enjoyed how well made the movie is. Now I see why everyone was so hyped. Outside of that glaring omission, it is really, really good. Will have to see it again with family over Xmas.
    But I do have a few confusions and questions. So if you haven’t seen it
    or don’t was spoilers, move on. After the long asterisk lines
    start the questions. Would love to have you DM me any thoughts or
    opinions.

    *******************************
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    Ok, if you are still reading here goes.

    What I noticed this time:

    -during Rey’s force visions the first scene is the hallway Luke and
    Vader fought in ESB, then Vader’s breath, then a scene with a robotic
    hand reaching out to R2 on a fiery planet, the Knights of Ren standing
    over bodies, then her “parents?” flying away on Jakku after selling
    her(?), then the snowy planet. At the end I heard very distinctly heard
    a person in the distance yell Rey and the voice sounded EXACTLY like
    Alec Guiness. Did anyone else hear that? Could she be his grand
    daughter?

    -When Kylo was trying to read Rey’s mind, he mentions
    an Island in a ocean. This must be where she went to find Luke. Why
    didn’t he see Luke in the premonition since that is who he is looking
    for.

    -I don’t know how but I totally missed when Rey asked
    where Luke was and Han Solo said he failed with Kylo and went in search
    of the 1st Jedi Temple. So I assume that is the island he is on, but if
    he needs that, and found it, why didn’t he come back.

    C3PO mentions that without the Republic fleet they have no protection from the First Order.

    Rey knows of Han Solo’s name as a great smuggler. Finn knows of him as
    the War Hero against the Empire. Interesting they both saw him from
    their experiences, from their “certain point of view.”

    Confusions/Questions

    -With no training, how did Rey: Jedi mind trick the trooper, keep Kylo
    out of her mind and read his, force pull the saber to her hand from the
    snow, past Kylo, and how did she know enough or was powerful enough to
    beat Kylo. And since she had all that, why not jump across the chasm
    the ruptured to finish him off since she disabled his lightsaber? Also,
    how did he get off the planet? If she was on the side with Finn, he
    was on the other. Kylo also told Snoke he was more powerful than her,
    and since he killed Solo and ended the struggle within him he should
    have been free to use dark side power.

    -So there is The
    Republic and there is The Resistance. They appear to be two separate
    things. Can’t figure out how that works. If it is a Republic and the
    Resistance fights to take down it’s enemy, why not work in concert? Han
    Solo did say, “we dealt with it (Ben turning dark) in our own ways. I
    went back to do what I was good at.” Then Leia said, me too. He went
    from a general to smuggling. Leia, did she step down from government
    back into the resistance? She had a good tactical mind so she may be
    more useful there, but still not sure why they are separate.

    -So I have been trying to figure out Rey’s lineage. There are some
    clues but who knows. There is the Obi-Wan talking to her before. There
    is the fighting style with the lightsaber, only one other fought that
    way: Emperor Palpatine.

    Then there is the obvious answer of her flashback vision with the lightsaber, the good ability with machines and being a great pilot. All point to a Skywalker. Now here is the big kicker. Remember the robot hand touch R2 on a fiery planet? I don’t think that is Luke, I think that is Anakin. On Mustafar before fighting
    Obi-Wan. Of course Luke has a mechanical hand without skin covering on
    his Island, so a lot of misdirection. Who do you think Rey is? Why is
    she so strong and instinctual?

    -How the hell did Maz Katana (nice name play) get the lightsaber? This was lost when Luke’s hand was
    chopped of on Bespin in Cloud City. How was it salvaged? Doubt we
    will find out but hard to figure.

    -If Kylo was the leader of the Knights of Ren and they wiped out the new Jedi Order, why didn’t Luke stop them. If Rey could beat him in a fight, (albeit injured), how, could Luke not? Where are the rest of the knights? Were they not
    sensitives? What is it Kylo wants to finish that Vader started? Vader
    ended his hatred, why does Kylo want to take it.

    There are some others I can’t think of but those are the biggies. Have to write this
    stuff out or it rattles away in my head. 500+ days until we get some
    answers in May 2017.

    BB-8 giving the thumbs up with the flame is still my favorite scene of the whole movie.

    • December 19, 2015 at 10:10 am
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      great questions. I will watch it a second time and try to understand like you did.

    • December 19, 2015 at 10:13 am
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      I looked down for some reason right when BB-8 did that and I missed it–just heard the audience reaction. It was obvious that it was a thumbs up, but until now I didn’t know it involved a flame. Have to see it again to really understand.

    • December 19, 2015 at 11:50 am
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      I suppose the official explanation for Ret being able to beat Kylo despite her being untrained is that Kylo was already injured when the fight started. In fact, even Finn, who is just a sanitation guy , was able at a bruef moment to strike Kylo with the lightsaber.

    • December 19, 2015 at 3:39 pm
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      -Episode VIII includes filming in Mexico, I believe I read somewhere that this is where the 1st Jedi Temple is.

      -I’m pretty sure that was Luke in the flashback.

      -The original flashbacks scenes were to include a lot more revelations. I believe J.J. cut this back as he wanted the film to be more open-ended and explain more in the next episode.

      Read the leaked synopsis on Makingstarwars.com:
      VISION: There is what looks to be a Jedi Academy, and the dead bodies of padawans are on the ground. Luke Skywalker shows up, too late. He sits by a funeral pyre with R2-D2. The droid is saddened by his master’s departure. Cut to the hand that takes the lightsaber at the start of the film. It is now revealed to be the hand of “Naka.” Naka accidentally starts a grass fire after igniting the saber. Cut to a local trader making a sale to a wealthy man. Cut to a fierce battle! The lightsaber is being used by the CLAN against THE SEVEN. The last man is down and Kylo Ren approaches Rey. THE SEVEN are looting and we see Maz Kanata in the foreground taking an object. END OF VISION.

      • December 19, 2015 at 5:14 pm
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        Where Luke was filmed at the end of TFA was off the coast of Ireland, Skellig Michael. That is where the First Jedi temple is I believe.

        • December 19, 2015 at 5:30 pm
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          It could be, but it’s my opinion Luke would not go into hiding in a place that has such a connection to the Jedi. If the First Order were after Luke, I think they would have sent a search team to such a place. We’ll most likely see Skellig Michael island in the 1st act of Episode VIII, understand the scenes have already been filmed, so it’s location won’t be in the movie for Long. I would speculate that Rey has already received Jedi training from Luke before the film begins, they’ll be some dialogue, maybe a couple of training scenes, and then they’ll leave that planet. Bummed out we have to wait another 18 months to find out.

    • December 19, 2015 at 10:57 pm
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      *Max Kanata*

      • December 19, 2015 at 10:59 pm
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        Her name is not Max.

  • December 19, 2015 at 10:54 am
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    I just got back from seeing it for the 2nd time and I loved it more then the 1st time. It’s a fantastic movie & those who are bagging on it are just trying to be overly cool.

  • December 19, 2015 at 11:06 am
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    This movie was so good, I could’ve sworn somebody else had directed it. In Abrams we trust! xD

  • December 19, 2015 at 11:29 am
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    Loved the experience of TFA! Just wanna throw this out there: No Force Ghosts?

  • December 19, 2015 at 11:33 am
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    how rey could use the force …………… cos she can , its instinctive., she aint thick , she worked it out.

    • December 19, 2015 at 11:50 am
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      Yes, the Force was strong in Anikin & Luke all their lives as well. They were able to use it before ObiWan trained them even if they didn’t understand they were using it. Maz helped her greatly when she spoke to Rey & she has heard the stories of what the Force can do all her life.

      • December 20, 2015 at 6:59 pm
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        You go ahead and tell yourself that explains away how a young untrained girl beats a Knight of Ren who supposedly lead a group of people in destruction of the all powerful Luke Skywalkers Jedi Academy. Yeah that makes lots of sense.

        • December 21, 2015 at 10:50 pm
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          You don’t know how well trained Kylo Ren is with a lightsaber. Look at how shoddy the construction of the weapon is, bud. For all we know, the fight with Rey could have been his first real foray into saber vs. saber combat. We don’t, for certain, know the extent of his involvement in the fall of the New Jedi Order. Not yet.

  • December 19, 2015 at 12:17 pm
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    Can someone answer me this. In the trailers, when Luke says the line ‘my sister has it, it appears that a small hand (maz) hands over to (Leia) a lightsabre. There’s only one scene in which could possibly be that scene and yet I didn’t see it. How come it features heavily in the trailers and yet I missed it ( or did i?)

    • December 19, 2015 at 1:00 pm
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      That shot wasnt used in the final film.

    • December 19, 2015 at 2:41 pm
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      Neither was the Line. I suppose Luke was talking to Kylo…

    • December 19, 2015 at 3:26 pm
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      There were quite a few scenes cut from the teasers/trailer/TV Spots.

    • December 19, 2015 at 3:44 pm
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      Hi. The line(s) when Luke says “the force is strong in my family, I have It, my sister has it and you have it too” are actually taken from the scene of ROTJ on Endor when Luke is talking to Leïa about her being his sister (but in a different order).
      I’m not sure about this but maybe in the trailer maz wasn’t handing over the lightsaber to Leïa but to Rey. Obviously, as @darthchocolat:disqus sayed this exact shot wasn’t used in the movie.

      PS : You can also notice that the trailer shot where Kylo ignite his lightsaber for the first time (in the forest, from behind) also wasn’t used in the final cut of the movie.

  • December 19, 2015 at 12:46 pm
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    Someone else noticed that fighting saber style from Rey was the same as Luke in ROTJ, handling with the two hands and attacking from the middle? Or was just me?

    • December 20, 2015 at 6:57 pm
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      Yes. Seems to be getting lost in the muddle but its an important observation. Her two handed thrust attack was obviously in the fight scene for a reason. My thoughts were originally of Palpatine fighting Mace, but yes your right as well, Luke does use it against Vader after he explodes in anger about Vader threatening Leia.

  • December 19, 2015 at 12:55 pm
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    Ben Solo Organa…
    I’m late, I know, just watched the film yestarday. 😉
    Or is Ben Solo Skywalker?
    Or Ben Skywalker Solo?
    Or Ben Solo-Organa Skywalker?
    Or…

    • December 19, 2015 at 1:27 pm
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      Sky Lo Ben – I think he was born Solo but wants so much to be grandpa.

    • December 20, 2015 at 2:35 pm
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      Ben Ren

  • December 19, 2015 at 12:59 pm
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    I don’t understand the Max Von Sydow character. Why did they need an actor of that stature to play a role so small and unimportant?

    • December 19, 2015 at 1:04 pm
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      Because they can. 😉 Do agree that is was a shame we didn’t get more of him as he was great in the short time we saw him.

    • December 19, 2015 at 1:28 pm
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      Because he probably will turn out to be far more important.

      • December 19, 2015 at 7:46 pm
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        How would that work? He said a couple of lines, then he died. No sequel for him.

    • December 19, 2015 at 2:55 pm
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      Because why not?

    • December 19, 2015 at 3:45 pm
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      Because he IS important. He knew Luke and knows all about Kylo Ren / Ben Solo’s history

  • December 19, 2015 at 1:24 pm
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    I find it funny a lot of the people bitching about TFA manage to shoehorn in some appreciation for the prequels. Funny that. These people are seriously going to continue their delusional stance with the new trilogy?! I’m not sure these people even like the OT ffs…

    • December 19, 2015 at 2:04 pm
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      Possibly due to TFA being so good made them realise how bad the prequels were, and that threatened them. Especially if the PT was a big part of their childhood.

    • December 19, 2015 at 3:48 pm
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      Forget about Ep 1 and 2, admittedly horrible in many ways, but look at ROTS as the true story of Anakin’s rise to power as a great pilot, Jedi Knight, and turn to the dark side intertwined with the story of Obi-wan’s growth with the backdrop of the fall of the old republic, it was a more compelling story than TFA and easily as good of a movie. Don’t get me wrong, I enjoyed TFA a lot, but it has many problems, I think it is easy to see that it just does have problems and does not remotely compare to the OT (nothing does in my book, except maybe the movies behind my screen name! I am a complete nerd, haha). After sleeping on it I feel Lucas should have directed TFA to keep it “Star Wars.”

      • December 19, 2015 at 7:53 pm
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        I just cannot agree with people that think the prequels have THAT much merit to them that you can say ROTS was a better movie than TFA. I honestly don’t know what planet you people are on. ROTS was as awful as the other two, in fact I’d say considering the gravity of what happened it was the worst. The one I enjoy the least of the three. Just awful. You must be basing your judgements on some very different set of criteria. For me Star Wars was always about friendship, camaraderie, people looking out for one another, excitement, fun. THe prequels did such a cack handed job with these fundamental relationships between the characters it completely fell flat. Obi Wan and Anakin, Anakin and Padme… just nothing there to me. In Finn, Rey and Poe I see so much heartfelt emotions, and nearly welled up a few times during TFA to find we have such well realised, believable characters that give across a genuine concern for their friends.

        Meh, I just don’t get you folk.

        • December 20, 2015 at 6:07 am
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          Christ. You’re maniacally intolerant of any dissenting views of this film.

      • December 19, 2015 at 11:12 pm
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        Sorry, i’d rather watch 1 n 2, ROTS literally ROTS! ROTS has WAY more problems then TFA! Anikin turns on and destroys everything and kills everyone he’s ever known and loved for literally NOTHING! A scene earlier he was mad at Palps & wanted to kill him, then he runs in & stops Mace & even says WHAT HAVE I DONE?! Then says ok, Im gonna go kill all the kids now lol. No gradual build up, no anger leading to hate, just at a moments notice he flips like he’s on Survivor lol.

        They should have done this movie differently.

        1ST Anikin gets thrown out of the Jedi for being married (anger)

        2nd Palps sends him on a mission to kill the seperatists leaders to become the hero of the war (using anger, starting down the dark path)

        3rd Palps while he’s gone sends Grievious & the troopers to attack the Jedi temple while Anikin is away. Padme & Obiwan go to the temple looking for Anikin, explosion happens & Padme gets thrown & goes into a coma

        4th Anikin returns & Palps blames Obiwan for what hapened to Padme

        Now Padme is in REAL danger, The Jedi have thrown him out & in his mind turned their backs on him & his friend and mentor caused his wife to be in REAL danger. NOW is when Palps would reveal that he can keep her from dying. Anikin’s anger has turned to hate, His feeling of betrayal & his longing to save his wife would be the motivator for him to turn on the Jedi.

        This would have been more powerful & made more sense. Instead he’s worried about NOTHING being wrong with Padme in a galaxy where Grievious, who is nothing more then a pair of eyes & a heart can be surgicly enabled to live a normal life LOL. Why didnt he just take her away to a medical facility far away? DUH lol

    • December 20, 2015 at 6:54 pm
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      I absolutely hated the PT’s. Hated them with vile passion. Looked forward to TFA for 2 years with sickening longing and anticipation.

      First 30 minutes of movie I was gripping my seat thinking this was going to be greatest SW movie EVER. Turned to my 14 year old son and said “this beginning is amazing!”. Then the rest of the movie happened. The last 45 minutes especially I was sick to my stomach in sadness and regret.

      JJ and Disney took the ideas of the OT, remarketed them, ripped them off off, patched them to a shiny new movie and sold it to us as something original. It was lazy story telling and a marketing scheme to make billions of dollars (which they will). Shame on them.

      Another trench run by an X wing? Really? Wow havent seen that before.

  • December 19, 2015 at 1:37 pm
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    I just watched the movie for a 2nd time, and I think I liked it even more than after the first view. When I rewatch movies I start to search for flaws and usually like it either as much as the first view, or less. But here it was the opposite, I liked it even better. The visuals were more impressive, and the Kylo+ Han scene hit me even harder. And the scene where Rey graps the lightsaber, and the force calls for her was also very good. Im gonna watch it once more maybe a week or two later, but now I need the movie to settle a bit before watching it again.

  • December 19, 2015 at 1:56 pm
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    Mark Kermode who never really cared for OT admitted he really enjoyed TFA, and because of it now finally gets Star Wars. Thumbs up from him.

    http://bbc.in/1Ocok7r

  • December 19, 2015 at 2:48 pm
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    The film proved Abrams is a hack and my reservations about Ridley’s acting.

    Not ONE memorable moment from the film.

    Weak hero

    Weak Villain

    Cheap way that Han went out

    and a film that dind’t feel like star wars.

    • December 19, 2015 at 4:44 pm
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      Well, look on the bright side. You only have to wait a year to hate on Rogue One at least.

      • December 19, 2015 at 7:28 pm
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        … and 6 months on top of that for a sequel you’ll say you won’t bother going to see, buy you will, as you’re too weak to resist the urge to shit all over it.

      • December 19, 2015 at 8:42 pm
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        Rogue what?

    • December 19, 2015 at 6:51 pm
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      he is a hack, the film is full of stupid easter eggs and homages, totally unnecessary. it’s not serious, you should have made a serious film, not some joke… this shit is important to a lot of people… the plot is simply idiotic, over simplification of everything… man I think I’m missing trade disputes and commercial blockade of deadly ships by now… at least when I finished watching episode 1, I wasn’t this let down… hats off to the whole cast, they were great, harrison ford really surprised me I thought he was going to flop but he nailed it right on… so why the f you had to kill him? are you insane?????? he really almost saved the movie… but no… boyega, ridley, isaacs were all fantastic… BB 8, was totally awesome, great move there… but the movie is the plot guys… and the plot sucked big time… it’s a pity…

      • December 19, 2015 at 7:01 pm
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        They had to kill him. Come on, he looked decrepit in the movie. It was actually kind of sad(though I loved him none-the-less). To be honest, his death was bitter-sweet for me. I loved Han Solo. But he can’t handle another 4-6 years of this. He’ll be close to his 80’s by the time episode ix is out! I think his death was honorable. He died trying to save his son.

  • December 19, 2015 at 3:04 pm
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    Watched the movie yesterday.
    It felt awesome ! But I also had some grievances.

    The entire time spent on Jakku was just amazing, I just kept grinning for that entire part of the movie. The direction, the visuals , the music, it all came together.

    The Han Solo freighter part was a real buzzkill… The effects and the set designs were so much cheaper and not very Star Wars.
    What’s more it was another pointless action sequence with no real character development , by the time they get to Takodana it seems like all the characters have magically grown close to one another.
    Snoke is very poorly made , he would’ve been much better as a voice only, or at least as a more distorted holographic projection.

    I loved Kylo Ren , I’d say he’s the most powerful character in the film, and the Solo death scene was really epic as well as the whole lightsaber duel on Starkiller base. Every scene with Rey and Kylo was awesome.

    All in all, the final part of the movie really made up for the damage done in the middle, it just felt great.
    The main problem to me is the constant jumping from one situation to another with very quick solutions to every problem which damages the gravitas of the movie.
    For example- destroying Starkiller base seems like it was so much simpler than taking down either of the two Deathstars.
    What Luke Skywalker learned in the course of one and a half movie , Rey learns in just a few minutes of self-realization.

    • December 19, 2015 at 7:53 pm
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      Agree about the freighter scene, specifically the creatures that escaped–whatever they were called. I thought that should have left on the cutting room floor with the wampas on Hoth.

    • December 19, 2015 at 7:55 pm
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      Agree about the freighter scene, specifically the creatures that escaped–whatever they were called. I thought that should have been left on the cutting room floor with the wampas on Hoth.

  • December 19, 2015 at 3:08 pm
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    After my first viewing, I left the theater a bit numb. I really enjoyed the film but wasn’t blown away. I love Rey and Finn and the return of the OT cast. Kylo Ren is my favorite character from this one. I thought this should have been the second movie in this series, because there’s too much we’ve missed out on. These are the events that “the Journey to TFA” should have elaborated on. And we really didn’t need another Death Star/Star Killer Base rehash. But other then Minor complaints, I do love this, after all, it is Star Wars.

  • December 19, 2015 at 3:13 pm
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    its great but really do we really need to blow up another death star ? maybe han can sacrifice himself to his now evil son so rey escape to find luke or something ?
    could be fine ben thinks his father is back but then senses he is only aiding this new hero.. dont get me wrong had great fun and really enjoyed it but could do with alittle less of the rehash from what was done in ANH mainly blow up are 3rd death star in 7 movies ( oops )

    • December 19, 2015 at 4:54 pm
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      I felt it was more like a cool snowy planet with a big gun inside. Didn’t bothered me as well.
      Although the blowing resolution probably was so fast.
      But i have to listen General Hux again more closely, Probably was an empire fanatic. and they wanted to build somthing similar.
      I repeat, didn’t bothered me, just because i think life is simple as that. We relive lots of moments from the past. A galaxy is so big yes, but in this one we are talking about the same people, same traditions, same fears And this “planet” can destroy 4 planets at the same time. It was just a bit different.
      I wanted something similar to OT, Although it’s seems imposible nowadays to give a film such personalities and personal visions like movies in the 80.
      I found it more cheesy the resistence plans to attacking the starkiller base than the base itself. 😉

      • December 19, 2015 at 5:09 pm
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        really ? so if they next one has yet a another death star your fine as long as its a just a tad different ?

        • December 19, 2015 at 6:08 pm
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          I don’t know. Dark Empire comics had cool Worlds Devastators, for example.. If they do it right, i don’t see why not. I know is a silly comparison but all star wars films have the same aspects. Just because this is the “big gun” (the more visible) has to receive more critics? Supouse it’s not fair but i understand people who don’t like too.
          What i know is there will be no starkiller in next chapter. That’s one reason why i accept this. Just my opinion. 😉

  • December 19, 2015 at 4:03 pm
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    I had watch the movie 2 times for now and for sure i will watch it again and again.I love the movie.My favorite character is Rey because she remember me a lot of Luke Skywalker.Why???She is kind like Luke and a GOOD person like Luke.She is very emotional like Luke too.There are many points between them that make me think this way.If Luke was important in SW Rey will be MORE important for sure. She will be bring things to balance in the force.I can not stop imagine her in the next movie.She will be a blast and we are going to love her in a special way.The Force is Awaking inside Rey and this is the thing we love.How can Rey fly the MF like she did???How did Rey do the mind tricks with the Stromtrooper???How she can use a light saber so nicely???How she can read Kylo mind???Is because the force is calling her.If you are going to watch TFA again keep your eyes on Rey.She is a mystery and we are going to die to know more about.Here are things that i was thinking about.When Leia mets Rey for the first time in this movie there was “something”in the air.The force between them is STRONG.When Finn in his first battle as a stormtrooper see a another stormtrooper get shot and die in his arms for me is his brother.This broke him in pieces.This wake him up and he did not want to be a stormtrooper no more.Finn is a GOOD person inside.He did not want to be part of the FO no more. For me Rey and Finn will be something more than friends in the future.When Kylo kill his father(Han Solo)Han Solo forgive him with his eyes and passing his hands sweet on Kylo face.Did you see when the sun get black Kylo change his mind and kill Han solo with the light saber???That is important.This has a meaning here.I think Rey is a Skywalker.This is my thinking.Maybe i’m right or wrong.Rey family leave her in Jakku because they are saving her from someone.Maybe the person who receive Rey was the Constable Zuvio.Did you see in Rey flashback(in the New Cantina)how kylo kill all the Constable Zuvio…Why??He is trying to find her with his knights.Read what the toy said about the Zuvio….The family of Rey need them to protect Rey.When Han Solo tell Finn that women knows everything….Is because something happen between Leia and Han.I can tell you this.When i see for the first time SW EP IV for some reason i feel that Darth Vader was Luke father.For me Kylo and Rey are brothers.Take care everybody…:).

    • December 19, 2015 at 4:43 pm
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      Loved that stormrooper perspective/vision in a SW movie. That was a refreshing point. I felt seing a different SW movie in a cool way too.

    • December 19, 2015 at 4:46 pm
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      Jedi mind tricks and blocking Kylo’s mind probe, OK, but, in the Falcon’s case, if you remember it , there is a scene where Rey and Finn tell each other how amazed they both were to be able to do things that they had never done before. I don’t think that was just a coincidence.

      I understand that, at this point, it is highly improbable that Finn is anyone other than the sanitation guy (not least because neither Kylo nor Maz saw anything special about him) , but I’m not entirely sure. I don’t understand either why Maz gave Luke’s lightsaber to Finn for safekeeping after he was exposed as a coward and a liar.

      • December 19, 2015 at 7:45 pm
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        Remember Kylo could sense that Finn was having issues down on Jakku, he paused and stared at him. If Finn has some Force ability it would definitely be felt by another force user, I presume.

        • December 19, 2015 at 8:05 pm
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          That is why I wrote: “not least because neither Kylo nor Maz saw anything special about him”.. As I said, it is mostly wishful thinking on my part, but the references in the movie to Finn being a quick learner bug me.

  • December 19, 2015 at 4:37 pm
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    That may sound like a silly question, but do we know for sure that the awakening that Snoke and Kylo felt is related to Rey ? I mean, they felt it long before Luke’s lightsaber called out to Rey.

    • December 19, 2015 at 4:45 pm
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      We know nothing for sure.. will have to wait till ep. 8 😉

  • December 19, 2015 at 4:40 pm
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    After second teaser i was weeks thinking what the … Han and Chewie were doing with their guns pointing inside their ship and saying we are home!
    Was fun to discover it 😉

  • December 19, 2015 at 4:55 pm
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    To those who say that this new episode 7 is almost a remake of episode 4, well, if we analyze the issue also it could say that the episode 1 is a remake of the episode 4. Each beginning of a new trilogy apparently shares a based same story. This may be for a family karma or just a marketing strategy, whatever. For me works perfect. This is Star Wars ladies and gentlemen. Finally here. Enjoy it.

    • December 19, 2015 at 4:59 pm
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      Aboslutely agree. I feel Episode one is more a remake than TFA.
      The phantom menace also has the structure of ROTJ (the three conflicts) with ANH final celebration.

      • December 20, 2015 at 10:34 am
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        And dont forget that TPM also had a death star, with a new and trendy belt aswell… Funny, that noone complained about that. However I hope epsiode 8 will be much more of an original story. For TFA I forgive the rehash, because it really had to set things up, and distinguish itself from the prequels. However epsiode 8 will have to do a lot more with less…

        • December 20, 2015 at 4:20 pm
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          Episode 8 should be great, there were a lot of seeds sewn in this. First of which would be Luke and Reys story, which could go anywhere. Plus there are plenty of questions about her past, and Kylos ( who will likely return as an even more vader-esque bad guy) we’ll find out more about Snoke I’m sure, and Maz kanatas secrets. And it’s likely we’ll see a Finn/Poe team up

          • December 21, 2015 at 12:14 pm
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            Agreed. And with the final of TFA, with situations “partially closed”, the story could be set 2-5 years later. Probably with interesting evolution from new characters. Rey probably has some years of trainning with Luke.
            So excited to see next episode! 😉

    • December 19, 2015 at 5:17 pm
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      Some part are inevitable or else it wouldnt be Starwars:
      the same theme’s, family bonds, inevitable struggle between good & evil etc. Also each time a film requires setting up the story, required elements have to return. That said, I do think that Starkillerbase being Deathstar 3.0. was not a good idea.

  • December 19, 2015 at 6:26 pm
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    Magnificent! Saw it twice back to back so far. Not perfect but it doesn’t need to be. All that matters is that TFA makes us feel as if we are part of the family. The directing, the script and all of the actors had heart and feelings. Something we haven’t experienced since the OT. Now it’s time to continue that except with more original plot lines. I expect Episode 8 to be better that ESB! Oh, I liked StarKiller base but let’s retire any weapon that resembles the death star.

    • December 19, 2015 at 7:40 pm
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      Exactly, heart and soul. In amongst all of the pedantic crazy fanboy teardowns they seem to be forgetting that this film has heart and soul. More so than any other SW film in my opinion, and something the dead-eyed prequels completely lacked. That alone, and in spite of the films real flaws (pacing almost too quick, poor CGI character or two and too many parallels to A New Hope) elevates above most films I’ve seen, not just Star Wars movies.

      • December 19, 2015 at 7:52 pm
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        “Heart and soul” is exactly what was missing in this film.

        • December 19, 2015 at 7:54 pm
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          Huh? I totally disagree

        • December 19, 2015 at 7:55 pm
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          You must have none yourself to notice it..

          Don’t tell me, the prequels are better to you..? That seems to be the constant amongst people hating on this film. You must be conditioned to just love fancy crap and completely ignore what makes, or doesn’t make an actually engaging, heartfelt film. The Trolling generation…

          • December 19, 2015 at 8:18 pm
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            So, when someone expresses a different opinion than yours, you *immediately* resort to personal insults. Gotcha. And yet again we see a demonstration of how personality is related to the opinion being expressed.

          • December 19, 2015 at 10:36 pm
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            Yes, a lot of people (im not saying you Fishy! 🙂 ) like a visually stunning series of movies that all come to a point where Anikin destroys everything and kills everyone he’s ever known and loved for literally NOTHING! A scene earlier he was mad at Palps & wanted to kill him, then he runs in & stops Mace & even says WHAT HAVE I DONE?! Then says ok, Im gonna go kill all the kids now lol. No gradual build up, no anger leading to hate, just at a moments notice he flips like he’s on Survivor lol.

            I actually like the prequels ok, but ROTS actually ROTS because of this! They should have done this movie differently.
            1ST Anikin gets thrown out of the Jedi for being married (anger)
            2nd Palps sends him on a mission to kill the seperatists leaders (using anger, starting down the dark path)
            3rd Palps while he’s gone sends Grievious & the troopers to attack the Jedi temple while Anikin is away. Padme & Obiwan go to the temple looking for Anikin, explosion happens & Padme gets thrown & goes into a coma
            4th Anikin returns & Palps blames Obiwan for what hapened to Padme

            Now Padme is in REAL danger, The Jedo have thrown him out & in his mind turned their backs on him & his friend and mentor caused his wife to be in REAL danger. NOW is when Palps would reveal that he can keep her from dying. Anikin’s anger has turned to hate, His feeling of betrayal & his longing to save his wife would be the motivator for him to turn on the Jedi.

            This would have been more powerful & made more sense. Instead he’s worried about NOTHING being wrong with Padme in a galaxy where Grievious, who is nothing more then a pair of eyes & a heart can be surgicly enabled to live a normal life LOL. Why didnt he just take her away to a medical facility far away? DUH lol

          • December 19, 2015 at 11:11 pm
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            No, he is right, that is all that is missing. Great writing, directing, action, acting, effects, fun, fast, visceral. All great. But there isn’t the mythology from the first 6 (I at least haven’t yet found the alliteration to other myths) and the tension is not there. You knew The big three new actors were going to live, you knew the Starkiller was not going to blow up the Resistance and you knew pretty early that you weren’t gonna see Luke since finding him was the major plot.

    • December 19, 2015 at 9:50 pm
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      amen 3 death stars is 2 tooo many

  • December 19, 2015 at 6:38 pm
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    Because maybe you are not going to see my answer, i repost it here.

    “HA…much of a things…step aside dude because i saw it too back in
    1977 and in 1980 and and and….and i have spend not 1.000 usd but
    several thousand usd…so if it is about spending you loose. BUT it is
    not about spending….its about of what it was OFFICIAL… a SW UNIVERSE
    that you DID NOT FOLLOW because it was not appealing to you. BUT EU WAS
    OFFICIAL AUTHORIZED from SW CREATOR so it was OFFICIAL STAR WARS….and
    you didn’t follow the official SW EVOLUTION…..how this make you a
    TRUE SW FAN??????????? STUPID CASUAL….you chose what you liked and
    what not? ….I either do not like very much the prequels but i
    respected them and accepted them without critic because they were
    OFFICIAL SW STORY EVOLUTION….as it was the EU…..GET IT STUPID
    CASUAL??
    PS You thing because you were there it means something? I
    am 47 and i am 31 years a true fan never step away, never turn my back,
    always supportive and always follow the story of SW as it was spreading
    in this remarkable EXPANDED UNIVERSE.”

    • December 19, 2015 at 7:03 pm
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      It appears that the merchandising behemoth at Lucasfilm applauds your monetary contribution and is laughing all the way to the bank.
      EU was authorized the same way an R2-D2 toothbrush was to carry the Star Wars emblem but EU was never cannon. It was glorified fan fiction with Lucasfilm’s blessing but never official. George himself had ideas for the next episodes, do you think he would have followed the EU as well? I don’t think so.
      You’re just upset that your money has been misspent and Disney doesn’t care.

      • December 19, 2015 at 8:29 pm
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        I agree. The EU is an interesting and entertaining part of Star Wars, but that’s all. If other people and companies want to imagine, create and sell new Star Wars stories on their own, and with the permission of George Lukas (now Disney), good for them. For this new trilogy I prefer an original story that brings us new surprises and questions. I do not want stories that long ago have been told in comics. For the record, I have 44, a fan of Star Wars since its release in 1977.

        • December 20, 2015 at 6:42 pm
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          New Stories? You mean like redemption of a non redeemable character (Ren killed his Father, and Trillions of people off The New Republic).

          You mean like another Death Star? (Starkiller).

          You mean like another X-Wing trench run to blow up a reactor?

          Or maybe new ideas that suck like: An untrained scavenger defeats a at least somewhat trained dark side user who was somehow able to lead the destruction of Lukes Jedi Academy but couldnt beat an untrained young girl in a light saber fight?

          Or maybe new ideas that suck like: having a rehashed death star blow up 5 planets at once killing trillions of people and 1- noone is supposed to care. 2- hey no more Republic so we dont have to worry about adding it to future stories.

          I could go on and on.

          Its a fun movie to watch, but lets not pretend there is much of anything new here.

      • December 20, 2015 at 2:00 am
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        George respected EU dude…he used EU elements as they were and not altered in the prequels. IN FACT…EU novels-comics revitalize the SW franchise and lead to the prequels making….yes???or you want some seminars upon SW history??? George knew this and respected it.
        Read this smart guy….:
        “Canon refers to an authoritative list of books that the Lucas
        Licensing editors consider an authentic part of the official Star Wars
        history. Our goal is to present a continuous and unified history of the
        Star Wars galaxy, insofar as that history does not conflict with, or
        undermine the meaning of Mr. Lucas’s Star Wars saga of films and
        screenplays.”
        Sue Rostony
        Lucas Licensing ….referring to the EU novels and comics.

        The EU is the true and only reason SW is still existing in the big screen..if you can’t understand this then you truly know nothing.

        • December 20, 2015 at 2:16 am
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          Sorry to bust your bubble dude but let’s hear from George himself so maybe you can just let it go:

          “For over 35 years, the Expanded Universe has enriched the ‘Star Wars’ experience for fans seeking to continue the adventure beyond what is seen on the screen,” the press release reads. “When he created ‘Star Wars,’ George Lucas built a universe that sparked the imagination, and inspired others to create. He opened up that universe to be a creative space for other people to tell their own tales. This became the Expanded Universe, or EU, of comics, novels, videogames and more.

          “While Lucasfilm always strived to keep the stories created for the EU consistent with our film and television content as well as internally consistent, Lucas always made it clear that he was not beholden to the EU. He set the films he created as the canon. This includes the six ‘Star Wars’ episodes, and the many hours of content he developed and produced in ‘Star Wars: The Clone Wars.’ These stories are the immovable objects of ‘Star Wars’ history, the characters and events to which all other tales must align.”

          This means, for one thing, that beloved storylines like Timothy Zahn’s Thrawn Trilogy — a series of books set a few years after “Return of the Jedi” that many theorized could be the basis of the upcoming Star Wars sequels — are now pretty much glorified fan fiction.
          Will you accept this straight out of the creator’s mouth, or are you still clinging to your EU purchase receipts?

        • December 20, 2015 at 2:39 am
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          Here’s some more shattering news for you:

          http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Star_Wars_canon#George_Lucas_and_Star_Wars_canon

          In July 2001, Lucas gave his opinion on the matter of what is canon in Star Wars during an interview with Cinescape magazine:
          There are two worlds here,” explained Lucas. “There’s my world, which is the movies, and there’s this other world that has been created, which I say is the parallel universe—the licensing world of the books, games and comic books. They don’t intrude on my world, which is a select period of time, [but] they do intrude in between the movies. I don’t get too involved in the parallel universe. ”

          Further, in an August 2005 interview in Starlog magazine:
          STARLOG: “The Star Wars Universe is so large and diverse. Do you ever find yourself confused by the subsidiary material that’s in the novels, comics, and other offshoots?”
          LUCAS: “I don’t read that stuff. I haven’t read any of the novels. I don’t know anything about that world. That’s a different world than my world. But I do try to keep it consistent. The way I do it now is they have a Star Wars Encyclopedia. So if I come up with a name or something else, I look it up and see if it has already been used. When I said [other people] could make their own Star Wars stories, we decided that, like Star Trek, we would have two universes: My universe and then this other one. They try to make their universe as consistent with mine as possible, but obviously they get enthusiastic and want to go off in other directions.”

          Lucas VERY clearly sees EU as subordinate to His Royal ideas, no matter how good any of it may be on its own merits:

          … Once Vader dies, he doesn’t come back to life, the Emperor doesn’t get cloned and Luke doesn’t get married…”

          Do you get it “Lost”? EU is for enthusiasts like yourself but apparently not for dear old George since he obviously did not behold himself to it.

        • December 20, 2015 at 2:40 am
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          A sweaty, enraged, uber-doof, wanna-be anonydork (complete with a Guy Fawkes mask avatar!) everything rolled into one of the most irritating type of Star Wars “fan” that exists … youve blasted everything about TFA like Abrams deflated your blow-up doll and left you all alone in the basement. Most people stay away from things they dont like … I mean you wont find me in a Justin Bieber forum even though I’m a musician!

          Jeez, just fucking stay away if it sucks so bad! Or is it that you pride yourself in trying to make everyone as miserable as your sullen, pathetic, unimportant existence?

        • December 21, 2015 at 9:17 pm
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          Go back to reading your lame New Jedi Order teen novels, bro. Yuuzhan Vong war for the win and stuff..

    • December 19, 2015 at 9:57 pm
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      Moron, I said I spent 1000S, meaning several thousands! I did not mean I counted out 1000 dollars and thats all I spent. Guess what, Im 46 and and did also criticized the prequels but accepted them too. You would accept this movie as well if it didn’t contradict your comic books. Lucas did not accept ALL of the EU as canon by the way, he liked some of it and did accept some of it but some he did not. Your ridiculous use of the word CASUAL is really making you look stupid. We all love SW here, NO ONE who visits this site is a casual fan. No one that saw all the movies on opening day is a casual fan. Maybe, your just over obsessed with SW to the point where if any idiot writes a SW story you feel you have to love it. The fact is IF IT DIDN’T HAPPEN IN THE MOVIES, OR IF IT’S NOT REFERENCED IN THE MOVIES ITS JUST A STORY TOLD BY OTHERS! You wont accept this movie written by a fan & the actual screenplay writer of TESB & ROTJ, but you’ll accept horseshit written by some other idiot sitting in his mothers basement like you. Some of us have familys & other interests as well & dont have time to read other people’s fan fiction & sorry, thats exactly what the EU is, it is FAN FICTION! It doesn’t make us any less a fan then you. There are people who prefer the PT over the OT out there. They are NO LESS fans then you or I. Everyone is entitled to their opinions including you but your trying to bully people in to your way of thinking by labeling them CASUALS is bullshit. I’m not trying to be mean to you, but you are trying to be mean to everyone who doesn’t think the way you do. Bottom line is Disney bought SW, they can do whatever they want with it & if they don’t want to accept the EU that is their right as owner. Your like the people who have the Kurt Cobain conspiracy theorys. Wether or not he was killed or killed himself, guess what, he’s never coming back and neither is the EU! The books & comics are still there, go enjoy them!

      • December 20, 2015 at 1:41 am
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        Who said to you that i have no other interest ( i am returning the moron characterization )…I windsurf, mount trekking, landscape photographing, i construct toys, have 2 dogs, cats, children, friends, so i do have an outside life + time to read my beloved novels.
        YES i do not accept this movie because it was made by the greedy mouse who mocked all the EU fans with the cheap excuse of “creativity freedom”…my ass…for a rip off movie. It is like you bought a car and then you bought the new models again and again…then the company is been sold and the new owner says….” sorry folks no more spare parts…go fuck yourselves…” ….they did not say ok we will make a new model but we will continue to support you because you were supportive for decades. GET IT. THEY ARE GREEDY they want you to consume and consume now the new cash cow …and in their vanity they destroyed an incredible universe you didn’t bother to truly explore. Of course i will continue to live my life hahaha…i have many major occupations in my daily life but i get pissed off when they spit in my face and mess with my zen. Go and see your Kylo Ben Jacen Solo Skywalker …hahaha this lame character… or your Rey Jaina Solo thing…do you want me to tell you how this lame story is it going to end?? or will you read it in the EU??? go i certainly do not care, BUT do not try to prove to me that you are a true fan when you really know nothing about the EU the way it was treated by Disney or the way it was ripped off by this movie….
        Finally read first all or even the half of the novels-comics and then have an opinion…do not try to establish a negative critic for something as unique as the EU because you want to justify the new movie. EU had novels far superior even from ESB and characters second only to Luke and Han ( to which by the way you must say bye bye from now on hahaha )…. Go dude live your halfbreed life inside the box they put you in….i will still call you CASUAL…but you will still have no clue what CASUAL means…..

        • December 20, 2015 at 4:37 am
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          No, you have no idea what CASUAL means. CASUAL fan is someone who hears that a new Star Wars movie has just come out and says, oh, really? I guess I’ll go see it. Not someone like us who has scoured the internet for 2 years absorbing every tidbit of new info we can get on a daily basis. You call me CASUAL FAN, I will call you FAKE STAR WARS FAN. As all you do is bash the real STAR WARS & praise your fanfiction!

          I was going to say something sort of nice to you before I read your halfbreed comment that makes no sense. As casual as you think I am is how unreasonable you are. ER2 had a good question. If George had kept the rights and did something entirely new that didn’t gel with the books would you be as pissed off?

          Look, I’ll be nice here. I understand that you hold the EU sacred, I get it. There are people who hold the video games sacred as well. But realistically I don’t think that Disney who spent that much money for SW should have to sort thru thousands of books n such trying to figure out what is what. As you yourself stated they did use some elements of EU stories. They may have thought it an homage while you took it as an attack.

          Are there really no EU materials that contradict any other? I’m willing to bet there are some. Disney just didn’t feel like figuring out what you EU fans considered REAL and what you didn’t & I don’t blame them really.

          Lets just leave it at this. You think we who liked it are CASUAL, we think your UNREASONABLE FANS OF THE FAKE STAR WARS.

          • December 21, 2015 at 9:13 pm
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            The Expanded Universe was an addled, plot hole peppered, disorganized, jumbled mess. It was comprised of ideas from countless authors, video game developers, et cetera, without a clear plan to keep everything cohesive as a whole. Personally, I was always disinterested in the New Jedi Order content. It seemed too scattershot; too all-over-the-place. The Yuuzhan Vong? I realize they were aliens from a different galaxy, but they never clicked with me as being truly Star Wars.

            Anyway, who the hell would want to plod through all of that EU content translated to film anyway? Zzzz.

        • December 20, 2015 at 6:37 pm
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          2 things: your tone makes me shy away from wanting to agree with any of your points (which im going to do anyway). 2- until this movie came out I was sick of the EU fans crying about the loss of SW Canon.

          Now, having seen TFA, I have to agree with some of your points. They threw away EU and told us they were going to make a new story, but it would also be a sequel to VI. Which should have pleased all of us: old fans, new fans, EU fans.

          Instead they took some of ANH and ROTJ and remade them and then sold them to us in a blitz of books, action figures, and 1000’s of other on shelf store items with the Star Wars logo on it. Finally they let us see the movie. A movie that was ripped off so much of Lucas’s brilliance that was the OT and gave us so little else (except unanswered questions).

          I say this to JJ, Disney, Kasdan: If you werent willing to come up with your own fricking ideas and create your own damn story, then shame on you for throwing out the EU.

  • December 19, 2015 at 8:04 pm
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    Interesting how many shots we saw in trailers that didn’t end up in the movie. (Tell me if I missed these.) Maz handing over lightsaber. Ren activating lightsaber in woods. The “Who are you? No one” exchange. I think we saw more of the Knights of Ren in the trailers than in the movie (or at least different shots). Did Ren say “Nothing will stand in our way”? I thought Maz sounded more American than in the trailers.

    • December 19, 2015 at 8:12 pm
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      Some of the lines were used in different contexts. For example, Rey asks BB8 “who are you ?” and several of Kylo’s lines are uttered in separate scenes. I will have to watch the movie again, but I think you are right that “I´m no one” and “nothing will stand in our way” were cut out. Maz handing over the lightsaber is the most significant deleted scene IMHO. I don’t know what she was supposed to have told Leia or what Leia already knew beforehand, but I have a feeling from the last scenes that Leia knows more about Rey than the other characters in the movie. That BTW might explain why Leia doesn’t go to Luke herself and sends Rey instead on the mission. The excuse that, as a general, she couldn’t leave the front, is not enough to me.

    • December 19, 2015 at 8:22 pm
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      I could be wrong, but IIRC “of both the light side and the dark” (or whatever) wasn’t in the film either.

    • December 19, 2015 at 8:46 pm
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      From another board, list of shots that didn’t make the film:

      Taken from here: http://boards.theforce.net/threads/trailer-shots-not-in-the-film.50035631/#post-52976799

      Rey reaction shot on her speeder from teaser #1

      X-Wings from teaser #1

      Kylo igniting the saber in the forest

      Maz handing the saber to Leia

      X-Wings from teaser 2

      Poe’s “woo-hoo!” (they used a different take)

      Kylo turning around from teaser 2 (they used a different take)

      Stormies turning around at Starkiller (they used a different take)

      Rey looking up after this shot

      The hangar bay shot from teaser #2

      BB-8 peaking from the Falcon

      Rey and moisture vaporaters from teaser #2

      Rey lending her hand to Finn (they used a different take)

      TIE pilot shot from teaser #2

      “Chewie, we’re home” (different take)

      Finn taking off the helmet from trailer 1 (not deleted, but reversed)

      Finn and Rey on the Falcon from trailer 1 (Finn doesn’t walk up to where Rey is)

      Han’s “all of it” (different take)

      Falcon jumping into hyperspace

      Both Knights of Ren shots

      X-Wings from teaser 2 (right after KOR)

      Poe and Finn at the base (different take)

      Han from the first TV spot (not this exact shot)

  • December 19, 2015 at 8:56 pm
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    Ranking this movie within other Star Wars movies is somewhat hard to do I know which movies it is better than (Episodes I and II). I know which movies its not better than and doesn’t come close to (Episodes IV and V). Which leaves us with Episodes VI and III. It is hard to place this movie within those two because while Episode VII does nothing to offend star was sensibilities. Disney has mistaken inoffensive with entertainment and consequently star wars fans have mistaken the same and equated a quality movie. As way of analogy this particular “fandom” is akin to a battered animal that has been “abused” for years and now once the “boot” has been removed are mistaken the absence of pain for genuine affection. IT IS NOT. I am a FAN of star wars. I am a Fan of anything sci fi and fantasy. I am not saying this movie is bad, I am saying this movie in no way deserves its 95% rating on rotten tomatoes.

    Characters:

    Captain Phasma: Does nothing in this movie. 60 seconds of screen time never takes off her mask. She looks cool but this is 2015 not 1977, just looking cool is space with a gun just doesn’t cut it anymore (I can not tell you how many times I wanted to delete that line while writing it but is is true).

    Poe Dameron: Poe gets a bit more screen time however it is insufficient to make any type of connection. He is an optimistic guy that is the best pilot in the rebellion or so we are told. His title as best pilot in the rebellion is not earned on screen and we are first introduced to this idea in the most clunky and inane way (during an interrogation by Kylo Ren). Moreover, his decision making is questionable. In Poe first scene he is warned that the First Order (FO) is coming and the FO by skill and number vastly outnumber his comrades. He has a multitude of choices; run on foot, hide, take off in his x-wing, or stay and fight. He chooses to stay and fight while his droid is told to escape. I suppose this scene was suppose to be heroic but slaughter that entails makes it seem incredibly foolish. Now some will state that with a dark force user in proximity that hiding or running were not an option. Which I will only slightly concede (The movies have been all over the place as to what force users can sense) and the droid got away. However, Poe does not have knowledge of a dark force user prior to the invasion and if he did his option of stay and fight is even more ridiculous. Lastly, he wasn’t even the best pilot in the movie. Rey makes incredible maneuvers and evades three train FO pilots in what she calls a “piece of garbage” ship the Millennium Falcon.

    Supreme Leader Snoke: Again not much time nor in person but you can feel the evil dripping from every word. He is the dark side father figure to General Hux and Kylo Ren. He plays these characters against each other to further his plan without remorse for them as individuals. Hux and Ren are tripping over themselves to win his approval.

    General Hux: Not lots of screen time but good in the time given. His character embodies the antithesis to the force with a dose of Nazi, that makes for a very interesting character. It is learned that Hux is responsible for the recruitment and training of the FO storm-troopers. Basically, he keeps the FO running. What makes him so compelling is his disdain for kylo ren. What we see play out between the two is an argument for all time e.g. religion vs science. An audience can inferr that Hux is and brilliant and competent. He creates, maintains, and runs the FO on a daily basis. He only reports to Supreme Leader Snoke. The interplay between Hux and Ren for the approval they so desperately want

    from their surrogate father is Shakespearean and palatable.

    General Leia: Competent and Good. Not enough screen time to really connect to her as a mother or a general. We learn that Leia and Han have a child (kylo Ren/Ben) we also learn that it was Leia’s decision to send her son Ben, to luke for training. It is alluded that this decision somehow tore Han and Leia apart. This is a Great setup for the beginning of Episode VII nonetheless this moment comes 3/4 of the way into the movie. Between the actors you could feel the tough choices they had to make with each relying upon their strong suit to make their best decision as a parent only to ultimately fail as parents and a couple. This delivers emotional weight to the Movie. It also delivers one of the best lines in the movie. Han: What can I do that Luke couldn’t? Leia: Luke was a jedi you are his father.

    Only gripe as a General she didn’t come up with a plan, she isn’t credited with keeping the rebellion together. we have to assume a bit to much about her show me some cunning you have always been a scrappy, manipulative (in a good way), fighter.

    Han Solo/Harrison Ford: This character and actor is the encapsulation of the star wars Fandom. From what I have seen from the talking heads of the movie world is that Harrison Ford didn’t MAIL IT IN and Han Solo is back. Ladies and Gentlemen that is a LOW bar. I expect more from actors and actresses than to show up and collect a pay check. Don’t get me wrong Han does a great job as a Shepard. He introduces the new cast to important players, gives need exposition and has the only emotional meaty scenes in the movie. His death was an instant classic. Problems…how did he find the Falcon? By accident IDK minor gripe. The Scooby dooesque mexican standoff on his new ship doesn’t work. It doesn’t work because Han is the opposite of Jar Jar binks. Blaspheme to compare the two I know but hear me out. See both these characters are seen as getting “lucky”. Jar Jar lucks stems from his “buffoonery”. On the other hand Han is a master of pushing limits doing things others wouldn’t dare and coming out on top. In the scene on his new ship the problem is resolved without him doing anything, he has no agency. What worse is that the character that who Jar Jar’s there way into resolving the problem is Rey. Normally having a character make a mistake and it turning out in there favor isn’t a problem. However, it being Rey makes it unbelievable. (more on this later).

    Finn/FN-2187: Acting good character bad. The only way to talk about this character is to talk about his transition from FN-2187 a faceless blank slate to Finn a hero? Who, What, When, Where, Why? Just a mess. FN-2187 he is a storm-trooper that defects…well maybe. In order to defect you have to make a choice. If the force awakens in him then he doesn’t make a choice and his defecting is meaningless. Regardless we are introduced to FN-2187 as the FO is about to raid a village. They land and immediately begin to fight about 30 seconds in a faceless storm-trooper is gunned down in front of FN-2187. The other trooper says nothing and while bleeding to death reaches up to FN-2187 and places a bloody hand print on his helmet. FN-2187 then begins to question what he is doing. Are you kidding me. Why should FN-2187 care about what happen to this other trooper? Why should the audience care they are both bad guys from our prior knowledge. Moreover, we are only 3 min into the movie. This death that is suppose to awaken/shake FN-2187 has no context. Was this FN-2187 first battle, was the other trooper related to him, was the other trooper his friend? Why now? Why this trooper?

    It is all in the name the troopers are interchangeable cannon fooder and therefore if it is not the force that has awaken him his character makes no sense. But wait there is more the battle proceeds and the villages are rounded up and Captain Phasma orders the troopers to kill the villagers. FN does not fire, why we don’t know because no inner monologue. Now FN stands there motionless while Kylo returns to the ship. just as Kylo begins to pass FN, he stops suddenly and turns to stare him down. Interesting is Kylo sensing something from FN or is Kylo concerned with any motionless trooper on the battlefield. The latter is ridiculous given the context of Kylo character, he would sooner kill a disobedient peon than look at them, as one poor bearer of bad news soon finds out. Is FN “awaken” so far two points yes but hold on it gets complicated. FN returns to the ship and he removes his helmet because the audience can’t see emotional turmoil through a mask and he is visibly upset. Captain Phasma finds him and tells him to submit his blaster for inspection. Why? Did she see him not fire, did Kylo tell her to check it out? Regardless what are the consequences for not killing innocents? It is hinted at that he will be “re-educated” whatever that entails. “re-education” doesn’t seem like enough of a motivator to leave everything you know and have trained to be. Another point to being awakened? FN frees Poe and escapes the FO and wants to get away as fast and as far as possible. (Finn and Poe together aka best star wars buddy cop movie ever) So who is FINN at this point…an opportunist and a coward. Fast Forward now FINN is on Jakku he has information about the resistance and the resistance BB-8 droid. Finn wants nothing more than survive and to get away from the FO. He recongnizes BB-8 and sees Rey being attacked he runs to her rescue. Why? Is it because Rey is beautiful. Maybe? But up to this point Finn is not a protector he is the opposite. For the rest of this movie Finn will vacillate between deserter and coward. His motivation being nondescript. This is a combination of prequel fatigue (no romance and Disneyification (children don’t do well with complex emotions). First prequel fatigue; the romance in the prequels was a drag of long creepy stares and awkward pauses just a real bummer. In the OT romance or its teenage cousin sexual tension abounds. These are adults and luke wants to help, what I can only assume is the only other woman he has seen other than his aunt baru (she was probably pretty cute in her day i’m assuming). Han sees Leia and like the man he is is attracted to beauty, money, power or all of the above. Leia has her own motivations maybe she is attracted to the short storm trooper or the nerf herder or maybe she needs a ride and a lackey. Nonetheless, they are all there own person. The problem for this movie is that SEX is a simple straight forward and great motivator for anyone one male, female, or anywhere on the spectrum. But this movie wants to show Rey as not just a heroine but an independent heroine as if there is a difference and in doing so confuses female objectification for independentness. In the end Finn has a confused motivation. Disneyification, simply put children for good reason don’t understand sexual tension and Disney is a stamp for kid safe.

    Further, Finn lies for no gain and recants moments latter. His abilities as a fighter are all over the place we hear phasma say he was a exemplary trooper and then using a light saber he loses a fight to a trooper not landing a single blow. Next, he fights with kylo and lands a blow. This makes no sense. Lastly, he is used for humor which just doesn’t land. He is also a janitor. He is the head of his storm-trooper class and a janitor. What exemplary soldier have the job title of janitor. I know that in the heat of battle and needing to get this done on may take on any and all jobs necessary to get the job done but it is not their title.

    Rey: good actress almost got to great needs more than three emotions. Rey just seamed angry all the time. she ate angry, she spoke angry, she got food and water angry and when she wasn’t angry she was scared or excited. but to be honest I did not notice until after the movie and comparing her to the OT cast. The gripe with Rey everything is unearned when it comes to the force and physical presence. She has complicated jedi powers without training she is able to use a saber without training. There is nothing indicated in the movie that she was trained at a young age by luke. As for physicality, Daisy Ridley is 5′ 7 inches and 120 lbs she is slight and slender. This is most prevalent in her fight with Kylo Ren when they lock sabers. Without the force he should be able to over power her in an instant and in the beginning of there fight she does not use the force. It breaks the tension of the moment as it comes off false. That is why we have weight classes in and separation of genders in sports.

    Kylo Ren: A great contender for Darth Vader’s throne of best villain in a movie. I dislike this actors previous work and was not excited to listen to his mumbuly mouth breathing performance in this movie. I was incredibly wrong every choice he made as an actor was on point. His natural tendencies elevated his performance. His best performance came when he met his father and nearly begged for Han’s help. It was reminiscent of the frog and scorpion or the spider and fly. He had large shoes to fill and while he is not quite there yet he is well on his way.

    • December 19, 2015 at 10:08 pm
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      Phasma: her role is only too small if you have personal expectations otherwise..but that is not the movies fault.

      Leia: They should of aded 1 short scene where we see her really take command of the situation (giving orders etc). Would make a huge difference.

      FINN: True, his moral choice only has an impact if this is correctly setup in the story. The way it is now we just have to believe it somehow..because it told instead of shown to us.

      Poe: Don’t agree. We see he is a damn good pilot when the x-wings arrive at Maz place.

      Han: Would have been better if they had Rey and Han cooperate in resolving that situation with the gang and Fin. That way Han would have proven himself as the legend he is towards Fin and Rey and Rey would have proven herself worthy towards Solo at the same time.

      Rey: I think her ‘complicated jedi-powers’ will be explained in the next film. Especially the jedi-mind trick seems strange without training.The fight however was logical in my opinion. A focussed girl who gains clarity by the force versus a wounded and mentally unstable wreck.

      I think it is almost a jedi-mind trick that JJ managed to excite and drive the story even with these dramatic storytelling flaws. I really enjoyed the film..and that is mainly because of the imagination it stimulates, nostalgia and cheer enthusiasm it was made. Best example: It really hit me hard the whole scene on the bridge where Han tries to get his son back. Only because we care so much about Han via the OT this scene works. I say this because we wherent able to witness the reaal drama and loss that took place between Ben, Han and Leia.

      • December 20, 2015 at 12:44 am
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        I think you make some good points and it is hard to see what they left out to explain in the next movie and what was just missed. Essentially it is the problem that the OT were not promised sequels and had to make a movie that could also stand on its own. This movie can not by design.

    • December 19, 2015 at 11:05 pm
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      You think Episode 3 was better than 1? I thought 1 was by far the most “star wars” of the prequels. Jar Jar wasn’t THAT bad. He was a comic foil for kids. The story was pretty brilliant. Even though today’s culture can’t handle anything deep and god forbid a political scene.

      • December 20, 2015 at 12:40 am
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        I couldn’t get behind 1 with all the not so subtle racism but was use to it after the first two movies. The anti-cheese edits make all of the PT more watchable.

        • December 20, 2015 at 2:59 am
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          While the anti-cheez edits made them at least somewhat “watchable” it still gave me the sense of someone polishing a turd. But what was amazing, especially in the TPM anti-cheez edit, was what a complete transformation of character it made by simply changing the voices of the Neimoidians … and to a degree Jar Jar (though its near impossible with him because he’s visually irritating as well) … But nothing can be done about the monotone stale delivery of all the human characters.

        • December 21, 2015 at 11:35 pm
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          What was the racism? Not saying it wasn’t there but I didn’t notice it. At some point someone must have bitched about the Trade Federation because they went from sounding Japanese to sounding like Kentucky white people. Is that what you were referring to?

    • December 20, 2015 at 6:27 pm
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      Great post. Spot on. You didnt get into all the fan service with the Starkiller, Ackbar and such, but thats ok, you covered enough.

  • December 19, 2015 at 9:13 pm
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    The attack on Starkiller Base should NOT have been to “destroy the reactor” but rather to provide COVER for the ground team to rescue Rey. And why was saving Rey so important? Because it should’ve been driven home that she has the force and is the future bearer of Jedi. Remember in that Clive Owen movie Children of Men where they are saving the last pregnant lady on earth? They should’ve associated THAT kind of importance to Rey, so in saving Rey, THEY ARE SAVING THE FUTURE AGAINST TYRANNY. See the narrative thrust that gives? The clarity? The STAKES?

    They could’ve easily set this up in a quiet scene between Han and Leia that was shockingly missing yet so desperately needed. They already implied Rey is Kylo’s sister or cousin at the very least, but sticking with the twins idea (which I like and is more likely), right after Han and Leia discuss Kylo, Han could’ve paused and said: “There’s more…” as Leia turns. “They have her, Leia.” “Who?” “Our daughter…” Leia sits in shock. Han continues: “She has your eyes, Leia.” Leia processes this further, the concern, and yes — hope, apparent in her eyes: “She must know of her powers then, or will need to. It will take a Jedi to defeat a Jedi (camera pushes in on her) We must get her back.” Boom, it’s now clear as hell: THE FUTURE LIES IN AND WITH REY.

    Just makes you appreciate the clarity of the originals.

    • December 20, 2015 at 6:16 pm
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      One of the best posts ive read. The attack on the Starkiller base was so copy/past from ROTJ/ANH that it made me ill. We didnt need to relive that. Really lazy story telling. Saving Rey should have been the focus. They didnt need another Death Star in this movie, other than to remove the Republic in one fair swope so future writers of the trilogy dont have to deal with it. Which is terribly lazy story telling. This movie was made to make tons of cash. Nothing more. Not sure I even believe JJ is a fan, he certainly didnt put much thought into originality.

  • December 19, 2015 at 9:15 pm
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    Dare I say the movie felt rushed and forced. It fixed many of the failings of the prequels but introduced its own. I didn’t get an awe of the force like the original two, or a sense of character arc like the prequels (which sucked in their own right). It was more just straight action that required a bunch of deux ex machinas, and reused old lines. It never gave me time to get to know the characters. It was a fun ride, but I’m not sure it’s going to have as much rewatch value for me…nolstagia only works the first couple of viewings. It’s very much a JJ Abrams film, good and bad.

    I actually think it would have been a better movie if:

    A) They dispensed with the OG characters. By concentrating on the new cast we would have been more emotionally invested in them.

    OR

    B) Spend more time with the original cast, show more of the pain of loss by Leia and Han so that Kylo Ren’s betrayal carries more weight.

    In either case I think JJ needed to slow down. I think fan service kills movies. Just look at Prometheus.

    • December 19, 2015 at 10:11 pm
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      I think not showing more mourning for Han was the big miss for me overall. Still enjoyed it though.

    • December 19, 2015 at 11:03 pm
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      I have seen in twice now. Agreed with a lot of your points. My big issues were revealing who Kylo was so early and the lack of Lucas mythology. So the second time I just accepted those two things and let them go. Then I enjoyed the hell out of it. Appreciate what you got, not what you didn’t.

      Though I hope when this trilogy is over they release Lucas original story treatments. Would be cool to see where he would have taken it.

    • December 20, 2015 at 4:50 am
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      Prometheus is good art.
      A) no
      B) no
      Go read a good book in a very dark room

    • December 20, 2015 at 6:12 pm
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      Agree. The lovers here are gonna roast you, but I think you made great points. Too much fan service in this movie, too little character development and original ideas. Fun to watch, visually stunning, so really kind of another Into Darkness for JJ. A shame.

  • December 19, 2015 at 9:55 pm
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    2nd Viewing notes:

    Snoke’s angle made more sense in the second viewing. They’re worried that Luke will use the new Jedi Order against the First Order. That suggests that we’ll meet other Jedi in the 2nd movie.

    During Rey’s vision it definitely sounds like Obi-Wan saying “Rey” and possibly “these are the first step.” The child on Jakku is left to what appears to be an non-human life form.

    • December 19, 2015 at 10:42 pm
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      Cool. Thanks. 😉 Expecting the second viewing tomorrow, if nothing change…

    • December 19, 2015 at 10:44 pm
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      I think that’s Unkar Plutt.

  • December 19, 2015 at 10:43 pm
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    Loved it, best since Empire! My only quibble is that the CGI in the “space squid” sequence was a little out of place, and I wish the fates of Kylo, Hux, and Fin. Were more clear. Other than that, the movie is truly perfect in my mind.

    • December 19, 2015 at 11:00 pm
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      Yeah, that still bugs me too about the space squid. It eats the raiders but only carries Finn.

    • December 20, 2015 at 4:09 am
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      Drop a minute or two from that, add a little more emotional impact at the end. Boom.

  • December 19, 2015 at 10:50 pm
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    Ok. Just realise FN-2187. has the same number of prisoner 2187 in Star Wars, Princess Leia.
    I know, probably i’m late too 😉

  • December 19, 2015 at 11:02 pm
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    It’s been bandied about before, but the last scene with Luke could’ve and should’ve been epic. Why did Luke go into exile? Because he’s dead. Rey should’ve entered the darkened catacombs as Luke emerges IN FULL JEDI GLOW. Rey approaches slowly: “Luke Skywalker?” To which Luke replies: “Now that’s a name I’ve not heard in a long time…” End Credits.

    • December 20, 2015 at 4:04 pm
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      That makes no sense lol. If he’s a force ghost, why has it been so long since he heard his own name? Surely he’d hear it all the time in the afterlife, if he’s still communing with yoda, obi wan etc. (which he would be, I’d imagine being ghost would get lonely)

  • December 19, 2015 at 11:38 pm
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    ok just come back from my second screening after having it discussed in length with people here and other board, and I have to say, all the negative thing I had to say the first time are gone, well almost… It’s really different from New Hope and I will dare to say that the leads (Rey, Finn and Kylo) have more depth then any character from the original trilogy..not saying it’s a better film don’t get me wrong, but after viewing it a second time without my expectations of what it should be, and actually enjoying what it is, it’s a really strong movie, and one of the best star wars movie, in the series…and yes I know that Starkiller base is a death star, but I see it as a secondary plot device to give a reason to use some X-Wing…it’s really not an important part of the story. The story feels way more personal…The only last thing I don’t like is Adam Driver face, he looks like Fabio lol but that’s just nitpicking . I can’t wait to see where we go from here…I ask longtime fans who were disappointed to see it again, I did and loved it the second time eventhough I was on the fence the first time.

  • December 19, 2015 at 11:49 pm
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    Some of the production staff comments are telling in “The Art of The Force Awakens” book when J.J. would approve a concept drawing at first glance and the staff would exclaim “wow, that used to take several attempts with George.” Even though J.J. I think produced a great flashy product, I missed the detailed and nuanced mythology that George was such a stickler for. He had a certain look and complexity that would drive his team nuts. Example: Dooku’s ship vs Kylo’s, Clone drop ship vs stormtrooper assault ship, Falcon chase through Death Star interior vs Star Destroyer interior. TFA’s scenes that I mentioned here were exciting but only due to the pacing and editing, whereas old scenes “felt” substantial and unique. This new trooper assault ship felt glaringly out if place and looked like a floating duck landing boat from WW2. I loved TFA but it was missing that consistent “feel” to the sets, vehicles, and aliens from OT and even daresay PT.

    • December 20, 2015 at 12:58 am
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      I admit there was the Lucas vibe missing to some degree. Even the prequels, despite the train wreck, had that…Lucas-ism about it. And only he can capture that. His baby.

      That said, I already expected that and came to terms with it long ago. I still really enjoyed the film. A worthy addition. Big shoes to fill, so the new crew gets a little bit of a pass from me. Yeah, it does. Wanna-fight-aboudit?

      It was a Herculian task for someone to take something this big on. Could you?

      I challenge any one of the extreme haters/armchair directors or what-could’ve-been-writers to do better.

      Provide a better script and deal with all the BS associated with such a huge film and politics and then I’ll listen.

      But for now, despite some flaws, it’s still a valiant attempt, and success in my eyes.

      It did what it needed to, and ranking is obviously subjective, but I’d put it in at a comfy #3. I downgraded it from #2 due to lack of respect for the dead.

      • December 20, 2015 at 1:45 am
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        The more I think about I’ll move it up from #4 to #3. I was doing cartwheels when I learned J.J. was chosen for director due to his track record so I was expecting his absolute best. I guess George’s shoes are impossible to fill, but I’m just floored by some of the concepts and designs that could have been used which were nixed by J.J.

        • December 20, 2015 at 2:55 am
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          This might sound really weird.

          What I expected, in terms of a SW vibe, was an Aunt Beru moment. A quiet scene. “most of his friends are gone.” kinda vibe. It’s really hard to put into words, and I can’t quite put my finger on it. Know what I mean?

          Again, not bashing. Still a fun, amazing SW movie. Just that little…touch of something missing.

          • December 20, 2015 at 2:59 am
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            I know exactly what you mean. The scene where Ray is staring at the old woman representing Ray’s possible future as an older scavenger was too short! Some more reflection perhaps looking down at her own hands while her “theme” resonates as her workday winds down into a setting sun would have been cool, huh? One never “feels” her abandonment or loneliness.

          • December 20, 2015 at 3:33 am
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            Yes!! Just that little pause…that “Luke looking at the setting suns” moment.

          • December 20, 2015 at 6:54 am
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            The funny thing there is that JJ stated he tried to channel Terrence Malick; if he filmed anything Malick-ian it wound up on the cutting room floor.

          • December 21, 2015 at 12:16 am
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            I agree the closest we got to the quiet vibe was with Rey eating alone next to her downed At-AT home. I loved the film, it just need a couple of quiet moments to give you a chance to breathe before the next action sequence.

    • December 20, 2015 at 1:59 am
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      That reminds me of Ed Wood, “Perfect! Print it!”

    • December 20, 2015 at 7:01 am
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      The whole first order had the ww2 nazi ss vibe to it,I think that was intentional

  • December 19, 2015 at 11:58 pm
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    Live Look-in at The Memorial Service to Remember Han Solo : Hero of the Alliance

    • December 20, 2015 at 12:04 am
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      Should stream a feed to Kylo Ren’s medical bay. He’d probably overload whatever circuitry they end up attaching to him (even though he didn’t lose a limb) and die.

    • December 20, 2015 at 12:13 am
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      Is this real? I wish it were. At least SOMEONE would mourn Solo, ’cause no one did in the freakin’ movie. An evening vigil would’ve been cool in the movie just before Rey goes off…

    • December 20, 2015 at 12:26 am
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      OMG. You win the internet today. I mean right?! LOVED the movie. This is the one single thing that really bugged me. Nice.

  • December 20, 2015 at 12:41 am
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    Well, it looks like that lot’s of fans are quite happy with the film… my opinion though is that the plot is way too superficial and would have been much more beautiful if it would have gone deeper in the force spirit (like Ben and Yoda’s teachings in the OT).
    I did not see any beautiful and harmonious use of the force; for example, I would have liked to see Luke using the force to bring the saber in his hand.
    The whole first order thing is just repeating the empire threat and in my opinion it is quite a lack of creativity of not having things go forward to another level.
    Also,I felt that only X-Wings in the attack is a really poor diversity in comparative with the Battle of Endor.
    I hope the next films will become better and that we don’t have to wait the end of episode 9 to see a larger new jedi generation, real peace across the galaxy and the altar of Mortis clone wars episode resolved….

  • December 20, 2015 at 12:45 am
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    Well dear family, it looks like that lot’s of fans are quite happy with the film…
    My opinion though is that the plot is way too superficial and would have
    been much more beautiful if it would have gone deeper in the force
    spirit (like Ben and Yoda’s teachings in the OT).
    I did not see any beautiful and harmonious use of the force; for example, I would have liked to see Luke using the force to bring the saber in his hand.
    The whole first order thing is just repeating the empire threat and in my
    opinion it is quite a lack of creativity of not having things go forward
    to another level.
    Also,I felt that only X-Wings in the attack is a really poor diversity in comparative with the Battle of Endor.
    I hope the next films will become better and that we don’t have to wait
    the end of episode 9 to see a larger new jedi generation, real peace
    across the galaxy and the altar of Mortis clone wars episode
    resolved….

    • December 20, 2015 at 6:57 am
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      Why would like use the force to take the sabre from Rey,that makes no sense.and why do you think Rey is there,she will be trained like Ben and yoda did for luke

      • December 20, 2015 at 12:10 pm
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        Not in a violent way, just like Anakin moves the pear to padme in epi2.
        Why? Because these soft moments of the use of the force makes the magick of the light side. The force is not only a brutal thing for combat and defense…. in my opinion….

        • December 20, 2015 at 2:14 pm
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          I was actually very impressed with how violent Kylo’s force grip is. It is one of the best dark side uses of the force I’ve seen in all 7 movies and makes Vader’s famous force choke pale in comparison.

          On your comment about Anakin moving the pear to Padme, please tell me you are just trolling, because you can’t be serious, can you ?

          • December 20, 2015 at 5:34 pm
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            I just was giving an example. The whole film showed only jedi tricks that involves attack and little defense and nothing that has not to do with fights… for this I meant that Luke would have been able to show us the amount of force power he has been accumulating though the years and this could have been done by being moving the saber though the air to examine it…. not taking it strongly from Rey…. that’s all….

  • December 20, 2015 at 12:47 am
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    Alright so I read on another site that supposedly during Rey’s “forceback” you can hear Ewan’s Obi Wan speaking to her..so perhaps in later episodes we will see an Ewan force ghost? Maybe even Hayden talking to Kylo?! Either way that would be EPIC!!!

    • December 20, 2015 at 12:51 am
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      I maybe late to the party… but Luke means Light in latin….. “Ray” of Light? Maybe Rey is Luke’s daughter?

    • December 20, 2015 at 2:10 pm
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      I actually think we hear Alec Guiness (Obi-Wan) saying the line from ANH “you have taken the first step” and they add the name “Rey” before it.

      • December 20, 2015 at 3:37 pm
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        Defo sounded like Alec. Anyone else think that Rey’s slightly posh English accent makes her likely a Kenobi descendent?

  • December 20, 2015 at 12:53 am
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    I hope people read far enough to read this. Don’t believe the haters, this movie was 100% gooey star wars goodness. The only one of the seven that is better is empire, but only by a little.

    • December 20, 2015 at 5:54 pm
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      Your delusional. Im glad you liked it. Its a remake of ANH/ROTJ. So i can see where its enjoyable for some since those were good movies. Its a horrible pile of crap in originality, plot points, and overall directing.

      Its certainly a fun movie to watch.

      • December 20, 2015 at 7:51 pm
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        I’m delusional? Why are you insulting me? I stated my opinion. It’s a Star Wars movie, not a movie movie. Most of the negative reviews I have read about this movie are along the lines of, to quote you “It’s a remake of ANH/ROTJ”. It wasn’t. It was very similar, and that is exactly what I was hoping it would be. I’m sorry you didn’t like it, but I believe most fans of the OT will love this movie and I don’t want to discourage them from seeing it.

  • December 20, 2015 at 2:02 am
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    Am I the only one that got “a bad feeling about this,” when we finally see Luke at the end the music playing switches to almost (but not quite) somber Imperial March lead in (like when Vader is talking to Luke at the end of Empire). Here is the clip: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3kAwSL4WjQA&t=0m53s

    While I liked the movie, the plot holes (or incredibly ignored plot points) were off putting. When someone posted, “I am glad we could finally see Luke,” I didn’t

    expect for that to be literal. He didn’t say a damn word. He didn’t even display any use of the Force.

    Finally, with Han’s death I fully expected a shot of Luke mourning, but instead we saw Leia go quietly sad for a few seconds and Chewie go beserk. There should have been some kind of tribute to the guy who helped blow up TWO death stars.

    It pains me to say this, but I am disappointed there was no memorable theme introduced in this move by John Williams. Of course the Force Theme was used and that is excellent, but the First Order Theme and even Rey’s Themes are completely forgettable. This is not too surprising cause Episode 3, has great music too but I’ll be damned if I can remember and hum a single track from that film. I am incredibly grateful for Disney efforts to put out this film, for Williams to pick up the baton, and for Abrams to have the courage to helm it. Despite my misgivings of it, they are all forgivable and was glad to finally see Star Wars continue its saga on the big screen.

    • December 20, 2015 at 5:08 am
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      The only thing that will ruin it for me is if Luke turns bad. To me, it would be like the whole 1st trilogy is for nothing & no matter what everyone will fall to the darkside eventually.

      • December 20, 2015 at 4:44 pm
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        I have a theory as to a number of possible plot points that are unresolved but here is one theory. Posit: Luke obviously would know of Han’s impending doom by his son, so why is it that he did not try to do anything about it?

        In Empire, while I agree he is young but his unwavering heroic values prevented him from sacrificing his friends. This is later highlighted in Return of the Jedi. In TFA he has just followed Yoda’s willingness to sacrifice one’s friends for the greater good.
        Which is of course, a morally grey zone, but the big question is why would Luke do it? I mean it totally undermines his character right?

        My theory is that Ben Solo not only will be redeemed in the final act of the series but like his grandfather be the only one able to stop Snoke (presumably by working in tandem with Rey). Luke foresees this and believes that Han’s death is necessary for this event to occur. There needs to be some reason (and a damn good one) as to why luke allowed his friend to die…I hope the future screen writers are prepared for it.

        Side note:
        I’m also a tad worried about cloning being brought up once again in the Star Wars saga but I guess we will just have to see how it plays out.

        • December 20, 2015 at 5:52 pm
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          Ha ha moral grey zone? How about this: Luke who has clairvoyance through the Force didnt seem to feel the need to come back and get involved in trying to stop Snoke/Ren and the First Order from BLOWING UP TRILLIONS OF PEOPLE! Its funny how everyone is just overlooking the destruction of the Republic like its a minor plot point. Ha ha JJ and Kason blew up Trillions of people and we arent supposed to care. Real good writing there. Well Luke apparently didnt care so…

          • December 21, 2015 at 2:37 am
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            Obi-wan didn’t seem to do much with the original Death Star, so while I agree with your point, there is a precedent of Jedi’ not doing anything about or not forseeing such a catastrophic event. That said, I find the whole “Who is Luke Skywalker?” notion to be a lot of B.S. If that is what got Abrahms to direct the movie, why the hell didn’t he try to answer it? Or do we take it at face value and Luke has now forsaken his morally strong values that we grew up admiring.

  • December 20, 2015 at 2:18 am
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    For me SWTFA is my best Christmas present.I’m not a SUPER FAN and i did not know everything about SW but this movie bring me the same feelings when i watch the 1977 SW A New Hope movie.I’m watching to find if someone upload this movie in a torrent file.When this happen i will watch it maybe a 100 times because each time will make me love the movie more and more.Taking about why another Death Star(now is Star Killer Base) to blow planets away.Is what the bad guys(The Dark Side) always do.Killing is what they do and they want to rule the GALAXY.Why X-wings again and Tie fighters???They are symbols of SW.I will said:”STAR WARS is a powerful story….It take me FAR FAR AWAY.”I think this why people love SW.I can not wait for more.This is the SW magic and i love it because of this…:).

    • December 20, 2015 at 3:54 am
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      Absolutely and totally agree.

    • December 20, 2015 at 7:42 am
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      I agree, The only snags were that there was too much victory after Han Solo died and the cast like Leia and Chewie and Rey did not show emotion and 2nd snag was Luke was only in it for 2 mins without actually any dialogue but didn’t spoil my enjoyment of the movie.

  • December 20, 2015 at 3:07 am
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    Critics of the film generally don’t go onto forums, and tell people to ignore those who like the film, or attempt to mischaracterize comments of those who like the film as undiscerning rubes (as opposed to the constant accusations of “hate” critics constantly receive), or otherwise attempt to insult supporters of the film.

    So why do supporters of the film engage in this sort of behavior? Is it an emotional problem of some sort?

    • December 20, 2015 at 3:38 am
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      I sense a great deal of confusion in the supporters who engage in this tactic, there is much fear that clouds their judgement

      • December 20, 2015 at 4:06 pm
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        Do you have any political or other serious interests? If you engaged with the same enthusiasm on those matters, online or off, the thought of firing away about a fantasy film would lose its function for you. The other day someone on The Guardian’s website began a post with the phrase, ‘You obviously know nothing of the Star Wars universe…’ He’d invested such ire in his remarks as if he’d been talking about Syria, or the ecology, or gender issues. The actual emtional fuel of your and others’ online ire pertains to those other, apparently hidden issues, so why not hack the grass out of the way and attend to your frustrations in a constructive, healthy, self-aware fashion.

        • December 20, 2015 at 4:44 pm
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          Was just telling some people about this. All the outrage focused on trivialities while the world burns before them. Nice post.

        • December 20, 2015 at 8:24 pm
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          Good….Goood..GOOOOD(Hehehehe). Star Wars Apologists…your faith in JJ Abrams and Disney is your weakness.

          To address your BS diatribe, I have plenty of interests…but none that I’ve waited for like this one, so when TFA was released and this site posted an article that asked “What did you think?” and prompted participation….I, within my right as a Lifer, more than happily engaged and provided my opinion. Truly the event of a lifetime.

          Now, in regards to issues like Syria(poor folks being murdered by the Evil Empire of US/Saudi,Israel) and Global Warming/Climate Change(made-up, hokey issue) the Pol-Correct online community, not to mention in the flesh nutjobs, have produced a chilling effect that looks to suppress dissent, not unlike the Galactic Empire(of Fools) and I’m not surprised this sickness now plagues the SW galaxy of fans.

          What you saw in TFA was not a film per se or a forwarding of the great mythology of Star Wars that so many hoped for, but a multimedia amusement park ride from Mickey Mouse, an idiocracy thrill ride.

          I pledge my allegiance to the Alliance to Restore Order to the Star Wars Galaxy, we will never be silenced.
          ~Qui tacet consentire videtur~

          As for gender issues….I’m reading up on that at the moment

    • December 20, 2015 at 5:49 pm
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      Agreed. I wanted this movie to be great, or even just good. I was a huge defender of JJ and Disney and all the leaked plot points. Noone can call me a hater. But look, the movie was a huge disappointment for me. I can see where people who didnt see ROTJ in the theater and only later saw it on VCR or DVD dont have the same emotional attatchment to the OT as some of us have; for those people maybe the remake (and thats what it was) of ANH by JJ and Disney into TFA, was good. But for many of us who actually grew up with the OT, taking ANH/ROTJ and just remaking those movies into one new movie is plain old lazy, and i mean real LAZY movie making. TFA had Ackbar saying “it has shields!” and a ffing TRENCH RUN! I mean holy ffing rip offs!!! God forbid you come up with some original ideas.

      Maybe the 2nd viewing will be better for me.

  • December 20, 2015 at 4:23 am
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    I thought it was shit….just like I said it was going to be

    • December 20, 2015 at 4:29 am
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      You create your own reality, so there’s that…

    • December 20, 2015 at 4:46 am
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      Grr Grr Grr … My diapers are full but I cant explain why … Grr Grr Grr

    • December 20, 2015 at 6:52 am
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      You must be joking

    • December 20, 2015 at 7:30 am
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      You must of been watching a screening of The Phantom Menace, The Force Awakens was great. You sound more like an imposter or probably a Trekkie!!!

  • December 20, 2015 at 4:48 am
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    I think the first viewing is all about expectations, things I wanted it to be and people i wanted to see, the story I was hoping for, etc. From this perspective the movie was good but not great, but only because i wanted what I wanted. 7/10

    Watching it a second time, with the expectations out of the way, I was able to watch it and enjoy it much more. 8.5/10

    for comparison sake I would give both EP1 and EP2 a 6/10.

    While I do think that some things don’t fit, such as Rey using the force (both mind trick and lightsabre without current training, just “awakened” training). As well as other nit picking that is just me being selfish on what I personally wanted.

    I feel that EP8 will help explain this better or the book, which I will start listening to at work on Monday (unabridged, via audiable.com).

    It is still better in almost every way then EP1 was, even EP1 had it’s good points.

    Personally, i recommend people watch it a second time, trying to watch it without their expectations getting in the way.

  • December 20, 2015 at 4:55 am
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    I see the Force Awakens 3 times now and I can tell you that is BETTER every time you see it again! Yeah of course, it have his flaws, but there are really few movies without, if any…Anyway, the new cast was fantastic, Harrison was not in the movie – It was HAN SOLO himself! the plot was great, Kaylo Ren character was very refreshing, Rey and Poe kick some ass! and John Boyega as Finn was really, really good. The score was also fantastic, the first time watching the movie it was almost not noticable for me, but then when I paid more attention was just superb! Very subtle not so glorious like the original trilogy, but still to me very powerfull. I can speak about The Force Awakens whole day, but the summary it will be : The Star Wars is back! And it make me go to see it again and again and again, not to mention, that I can’t wait for episode 8…JJ did it and nothing can please me more in this moment. The Force is strong again with Star Wars…

    • December 20, 2015 at 5:17 am
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      I hope you are right.

  • December 20, 2015 at 5:30 am
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    Another thing that bugged me: the feel / mood inside the Falcon after leaving Starkiller Base should NOT have been one of victory, but instead loss. YOU JUST LOST THE HERO HAN SOLO. The same emotion as when the Falcon returned to rescue Luke from Bespin should’ve been felt here. Recall if you will: Leia and Chewie lost Han to Boba Fett. C-3PO is all shot up. Lando nearly got strangled by a wookie. Luke found out his father was Darth Freaking Vader and oh, got his hand chopped off. The feeling was one of escape but at a TREMENDOUS COST. This kind of somber realization should’ve permeated the scene and even the return back home. And no vigil to honor the fallen Solo either! Wouldn’t a nice Williams score have gone good here? The ignoring of this scene and the omission of true human feelings might keep me from seeing it again. I just don’t want to see that gaping freaking hole of emotion that Star Wars was BUILT on. It really makes me question whether Abrams is an adult. I have no idea what he was thinking in that regard.

    • December 20, 2015 at 5:43 am
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      Yep, that’s totally on the director’s shoulders. JJ isn’t an adult or a director with any emotional capacity, he’s an Evil Film Bot 5000.

      • December 20, 2015 at 6:09 am
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        The funny part is that you cannot stop commenting about something that you supposedly cant stand …. Is your life that fucking miserable that you want to tell everyone how miserable you are? You cant stop commenting about how “crappy” TFA is …. You arent a troll is the typical sense, but I cant quite seem to place you because you seem to enjoy something you cant stand …. I think someday youll crawl out of that basement of mom’s and go enjoy things that you like instead of dwelling on things that you hate … Give that little shrunken penis of yours some sunlight … Really, it’ll be for the better.

        • December 20, 2015 at 6:14 am
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          Thanks for the “intro to psych” cliched analysis, fuq-stick. Here…I’ll let you see what’s behind the curtain…an unveiling of OZ proportions. #nailedit

      • December 20, 2015 at 5:42 pm
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        And who feels the need to copy paste successful movies rather than come up with his own ffing ideas. Aka Into Darkness/ TFA.

    • December 20, 2015 at 11:02 am
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      he was only there to satisfy the fans and got rid of to satisfy the actor so the emotion probably wasnt something they thought about ,. thered have been complaints if theyd have dwelled on it for too long ….. ending with a memorial and leaving lukes appearance till 8 may have worked better but theyd have got death threats for that.

    • December 20, 2015 at 5:40 pm
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      You know or the fact that probably all if not most of them come from one of the 5 planets that were just BLOWN UP WITH TRILLIONS OF LOST LIVES!!! Un-excusable bullcrap by JJ/Kasdan if you ask me.

  • December 20, 2015 at 5:55 am
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    I have to say that I was grinning from ear to ear for most of the movie. Han dying was a tough pill to swallow. I like most people was hoping for just one scene with the old gang together again. Luke not having a line annoyed me too but I was deeply satisfied by the movie.

  • December 20, 2015 at 8:56 am
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    I was overall satisfied with the movie. I need to see it again. Great acting, the new actors were amazing. great visual effects and fighting scenes.
    Here are some of the things that bugged me:

    – Many questions before the movie, way more questions after the movie.
    – Han Solo’s death seemed too predictable.
    – Could of used some slower scenes to process the previous fast paced scenes.
    – Didn’t feel as grounded in backstory or didn’t explain enough. Where did Rey hear stories of Luke? How did Kylo build his Lightsaber? Snoke’s rise to power? Who was Lord San Tekka?
    – Snoke looked like a half rendered cgi character from Lord of the rings.
    – Starkiller base and the destruction of it had no weight in the film. As if the movie didn’t need it.

    Maybe I missed somethings. I need to watch the movie again!

  • December 20, 2015 at 9:51 am
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    Anyone think the 3d added any value? I found it distracting and hard to watch. It was OK with slow moving objects or people but any sort of chase or speed and I couldn’t tell what I was even looking at.

    • December 20, 2015 at 10:57 am
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      i stopped watching the film and started watching the 3d at some points – really brought me out of it and 1 wasnt paying attention to the right side cos i was looking at the sticky out bit on the left and all in all it was a distraction .

  • December 20, 2015 at 10:52 am
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    The Force Awakens is as good as it gets in my opinion!
    What I loved was the Superstar performances from John Boyega, Daisy Ridley, Adam Driver, and Harrison Ford. The visual awe/cinematography and the tone of the movie. What I didn’t care for was Carrie fishers/Domhnall Gleeson acting was very MEH. The Score was a bit subtle, nothing worthy of recognition in the sense of being memorable. I don’t remember the exact lines, but some of the dialogue just felt forced/out of place with the words ” Darkside, Seduced, Lightside”. It was such a fun film, 9.5/10 for me. I can’t wait to see this film for a 3rd time!

  • December 20, 2015 at 12:06 pm
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    They also didn’t need another super weapon. At least save that for Ep.9 or something. The daring “mission” should have been to save Rey, with the fighters there to provide cover. Since the Resistance and First Order are operating on the outer rim and really just getting their feet under them, the fight didn’t have to be a “grand” one like Jedi. Should’ve been a good old fashioned dogfight…

    • December 20, 2015 at 5:36 pm
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      1000% Agreed.

    • December 21, 2015 at 4:18 pm
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      They would have had to have a better reason to rescue Rey.

  • December 20, 2015 at 12:12 pm
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    I thought the movie was watchable and the acting was amazing, but as a whole was lacking the heart and poetry of the Lucas driven movies. More fan fiction than fantastic. I will watch again in a non 3d format to see if It if feels different but at the current time it ranks for me seventh in the sequence.

  • December 20, 2015 at 12:27 pm
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    I saw it yesterday here in the UK. As a fan of star wars it was great. The back story and character introductions were put together well (kylo,finn,rey etc). As a movie in general it’s got the right amount of humour, action and a good story.

    • December 20, 2015 at 12:52 pm
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  • December 20, 2015 at 1:00 pm
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    Ok it was bloody good no it was really
    Good .The trailers before the movie well the new trek movie looked shit ,really shit

    Ok back to It ,it stands alone from the others yet still tied in with lots of throw back to the originals (nicely done )

    ET being roasted priceless !!!!!

    My only question is how the hell is rey so in control of the force with no training ? Yeah ok its Luke’s daughter then
    Mind you kylo isn’t fully trained but still he has a lot to learn

    Ok his name is Ben has jj done the trek flip on us with Star Wars

    Lots of similarity to Star Wars

    Seen it three times its epic

    • December 20, 2015 at 1:47 pm
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      A possible excuse for Rey being able to beat Kylo is that Kylo was already injured when he fought her. Nonetheless, Kylo is very powerful. For example, we have never seen before a force user who could freeze a laser blast in the air for five minutes (which BTW is physically impossible, making it even more amazing). We haven’t seen before either a force user with full telepathic mind-reading capabilities.

      • December 20, 2015 at 2:21 pm
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        That was a good one with the laser bolt

        Yeah guess if he can read minds
        She may have the ability to resist good twist

        The force in balance

      • December 20, 2015 at 3:14 pm
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        I’m interested in this view that I’ve seen elsewhere about characters ‘behaving like teenagers’. On The Guardian newspaper’s website a reader referred to Kylo Ren’s rages as ‘strops’. One very healthy thing about this film – yes, it’s a film, not a movie! 🙂 – is that there are recogniseable parallels with contemporary issues/ problems beyond what are theorised about after the event in the other episodes, which are primarily archetypal in structure and characterisation. Finn as an echo of a marine who’s seen torture in Afghanistan/ Iraq, Rey’s comments on the noticeable amount of green in the film in this time of growing ecological disaster, and the prevalence of broken homes in the characters’ back stories. Behind the professional calm many people might be capable of, or be lucky enough to master if more fortunate domestically, we are a species of broken or damaged people, often playing games or being played with, and this involves people of all ages. I’ve been surprised to be attemptedly toyed with myself by people in their 50s and 60s. I think the Kylo Ren character is an excellent vessel of this kind of thing and that this new trilogy will strike a chord like never before, and where it strikes chords best will be in those who are either honest, self aware people or who are curious and earnest enough to grapple with a character who is not like the kind of muted psychotic you meet in an office on Earth in 2015. I have friends in their mid-50s still working round the ways their parents or the collective psychosis of their social environment damaged them. Socially competent, apparently mature people are often anything but, when viewed with proper scrutiny, whether business people, politicians or those around us.

    • December 20, 2015 at 1:51 pm
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      I’m starting to believe Rey was the youngest padawan and the last survivor of the new jedi order that Luke had started. ( Her vision leans towards the knights of Ren responsible for killing them). Somehow her memory was erased ( like Jason Bourne) And her jedi reflexes are starting to come back. When she fights an injured Kylo Ren she starts to remember more.
      Thats my take 🙂

      • December 20, 2015 at 2:20 pm
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        Yeah sounds about right
        Il buy that

        Top reply

      • December 20, 2015 at 5:47 pm
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        Well said! I had the same thought.

      • December 21, 2015 at 12:45 am
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        Interesting.

      • December 22, 2015 at 12:28 am
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        i could buy it ! but what bothers is why Han and Leia don’t recognize her. They maybe ignore her existence. Luke clearly recognizes her or his sad attitude is because the saber of this father. and he felt the death of Han through the Force.

  • December 20, 2015 at 2:16 pm
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    Rey, in my opinion, is up there with the clasic star wars characters!!! She’s so bloody good!!!!!

  • December 20, 2015 at 2:58 pm
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    Pros:
    – Great Cast Old & New.
    – Great performances by said cast.
    – Effects, most visually stunning Film in series.
    – Just enough Nostaglia/Call backs.

    Cons:
    – Muddled plot with little to no background to characters and previous events. Ex:
    1) So the resistance is set up soly to find Luke Slywaker?
    2) Why exactly won’t the republic help when there is a super weapon destroying planets?
    3) A little too convenient that Han and Chewie just stumble onto the Falcon.
    4) Max Von Sydow’s character death was pointless. We are suppose to care about him because….?
    – Phasma totally underused, but I can see the Boba Fett comparison. We never saw him do much in the OT but still found him to be badass.
    – Luke not even saying a word
    – We never get the main 3 characters united. I know there was a meme used on this site quite often that JJ was going to be the most hated director in Hollywood that will kill off Han and not unite the main characters from OT but despite those things happening I didn’t hate the film at all.

    I need to see it at least one more time but in my humble opinion, TFA falls somewhere between the 3rd-5th best Star Wars film in series.

    • December 21, 2015 at 11:22 am
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      Dude you really expect they were going to fill all that information in one movie of a trilogy? We would have had another prequel installment on our hands. Just plot filler information through people standing around talking. This movie was just a basis to explain those questions and to give us new characters to care about. Go back and watch it again. And actually pay attention to han’s death scene. Watch kylo rens conflict. And watch Han thinking he just might get his son back. The emotion to that scene is almost too hard to watch.

      I started to tear up just watching how well acted that was before he even got killed. Then to see Han shocked to be murdered by his own son, and see the dark side win over in kylo’s face. Where one part of him was pleased while you could see the good side of him shrink to complete obscurity. INCREDIBLE.

      As far as your gripes about the republic not stepping in…it’s because it’s a Cold War stand off. The republic doesn’t have the means or desire to try and take out the first order. Where the first order, even with a super weapon, wasn’t quite sure it should blatantly attack the republic.

      Abrams stated he didn’t want fans to have to go into this knowing EVERY detail of any plot point to previous films, or the new canon, but it sure as shit makes it even better. Because I read lost souls and every piece of new canon I can get ahold of…it’s obvious that before this movie it had basically been a cold wars up till this point.

      The first Order controls one section of the galaxy, the republic the other. While the republic secretly funds the resistance to try and take out the first order.

      • December 21, 2015 at 3:12 pm
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        That’s what the opening crawl is for. Exposition. Tell us that the Republic is heistant to get into another civil war. Set up the landscape between Jedi and TFA. I read some of the new canon but not all of it, but none of those things are required reading. The movie are made to be able to stand on their own. There was too little information given to the audience.

        The only reason Han’s death had any emotional weight is because everyone cares about Han. We saw zero history between the characters so the conflict in Ben while well acted by Driver didn’t mean anything to me because I only heard about it and I never saw it. (Much like the prequels told me that Anakin and Obi-Wan were best friends but you never saw it) If they had this same exact scene in the next movie after Han tries and fails to save his son in this movie it would have made it 1000x more powerful. Show me the relationship between don’t just tell me.

        Your Cold War metaphors doesn’t make much sense so if Russia launched a nuclear warhead in like 3 different countries and killed millions of not a billion people, the USA isn’t going to do anything about it? Yes maybe at first the Republic didn’t see the FO as a threat but they clearly showed that they mean business. Look at the USA before WWII they weren’t involved in the conflict inEurope until they were attacked in Pearl Harbor.

        Like I said I really liked but not loved this movie. You are totally entitled to your opinion. This is just what didn’t work for me.

  • December 20, 2015 at 3:20 pm
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    me and yungun went again this morning , 11 people including us , …. not as good this time round . first 20 min or so still great though .

  • December 20, 2015 at 4:12 pm
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    A lot of people seem upset that han solo’s death was not grieved for at the end instead of the resistance celebrating the victory… a few things though, when obi wan died the rebels didnt grieve for the fallen hero. Nor was there any grieving for those who died trying to destroy both of the death stars. Id bet any money that barring the characters that witnessed his death and leia and possibly luke no one actually knew that he even died… hence the embrace between leia and rey after when the rest were celebrating.
    Lets not get upset about rey and the force either. If i recall luke had next to none training on the force and managed to destroy the death star! And managed to shoot the controls to the blast door to stop vader getting through just after obi wan died.
    Also did anyone else hear yoda and obi wans voice in the flashback? God i hope at least yoda makes a return via force ghost and or vader maybe he holds the key in making solo return to the lightside since he does idolise him.
    Overall i think this film is up there with ANH just falling short of ESB.
    Either way Star Wars is back with a BANG!!!

  • December 20, 2015 at 4:58 pm
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    I saw the movie twice, and liked it each time. I don’t have the time and passion to dissect it, however for me the biggest let down was the music or the lack of it. The film is fast paced, so no time for epic tunes, which is a shame.
    What was obvious to me on the second viewing is one continuity error, when the “there has been an awakening” discussion between Kylo Ren and Snoke happens way before Rey discovers the Force. Unless Snoke is talking about something else.
    Han Solo’s death scene has almost no music, is tuned down in importance significantly, mainly because JJ didn’t want the fans to hate him and the movie for it. It’s quite obvious it’s done on purpose.
    Not sure why Snoke is done with motion capture, still looks fake CGI to me.

    Overall a safe movie… can’t wait to see an anthology movie about about Maz and Chewie.

    • December 20, 2015 at 5:47 pm
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      Personally I think that’s because JJ wanted to keep the same tone from reys perspective as the Luke obi wan death whilst adding the character progression of Ben. From bens perspective this is a triumphant moment as he is overcoming temptation from the light side of the force.

      Sure maybe it’s a missed moment. But I think he didn’t fail in his vision, it’s just that his vision is different to ours.

      Your observation of the music though is on point. I had a confliction if my thoughts on the film due to its Star Wars “feel” and i think that has a lot to do with the score.

      Since listening to the soundtrack a few times I have come to terms that this Star Wars just has a different tone and hopefully when I re watch the film I will enjoy it more.

      • December 20, 2015 at 6:15 pm
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        Totally agreed, JJ did a perfect job except picking up the right sound engineers. I had to stay and listen to the music after the movie ended to figure out John Williams’s amazing score.

      • December 20, 2015 at 6:39 pm
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        “…I think he didn’t fail in his vision, it’s just that his vision is different to ours.”

        Let me begin by saying that I liked the whole sequence. In fact, it was one of the film’s few, true highlights for me. But the same could be said for Lucas and the prequels. And it’s not fair that Abrams would get a free pass while the creator of the Saga doesn’t. Both should be judged with the same stick, IMO.

        • December 22, 2015 at 12:19 am
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          Much agreed.

    • December 20, 2015 at 7:48 pm
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      I don’t think it is a continuity error. Rey is without doubt the new chosen one, but, as I mentioned in a much earlier post, I don’t think the “awakening” Snoke felt refers to her. Hopefully, it will all become clearer in Episode VIII.

    • December 21, 2015 at 11:08 am
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      Not a continuity error. He’s talking about the force as a whole. It’s funny some fans still don’t get the force. It’s not just some tool that this or that person can control. It’s an entity. And it’s been dormant and near dead for a long time now I assume.

      As for your criticism of Han Solos death, your opinion couldn’t be anymore off. No offense. I think they cut the music down to show the weight of the acting. When you watch driver, wrestling in and out of what he should do, and Han thinking he just MIGHT win his beloved son back….it’s incredible. Then bam, your world is turned upside down. And you see a once possibly amazing hero that could have been (driver) fully kill all good to him. He foolishly, selfishly murders any chance of redemtion, along with his father and one of the best characters in Star Wars. It was an incredible and gut wrenching scene when you really let yourself sink in the moment of what is exactly going on. It’s not just a cheap death to give ford an out. So wrong you are.

  • December 20, 2015 at 6:33 pm
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    While JJ Abrams did a really good job, I missed the Lucas touch. Even with the prequels, that many unfairly deride, Lucas has a knack for editing, using wipes, transitions and using a look on a character’s face or a little throw away shot that helped make his films unforgettable. Perhaps VII is a worthy successor, but I think we’ll all remember episodes I-VI more fondly moving forward with the new trilogy.

    • December 20, 2015 at 7:37 pm
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      Lol, not a chance in hell. You realise most Star Wars fans, and I mean a good 70% or more bloody hate the prequels, and no one outside of Star Wars fans gives them the time of day. They’re awful as films never mind as Star Wars films. Stop kidding yourself :p

      • December 20, 2015 at 8:20 pm
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        You’re the delusional one, jackass.

        They wouldn’t have made the kind of bank they did, in the theater and on home video, if only Star Wars fans gave a shit about them.

      • December 20, 2015 at 8:57 pm
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        You’re already wrong. It’s kind of funny – I’ve been predicting this for two years now, but look around the web – people are already saying “At least Lucas, even if he didn’t execute terribly well, had a story he wanted to tell”

        • December 20, 2015 at 9:01 pm
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          TFA also has a story that ties in well with Episodes IV-VI and Episodes VIII and IX going forward, so what is actually your point ?

          • December 21, 2015 at 11:00 am
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            Thank you. Everyone expecting to have every plot point hashed out in ONE MOVIE, I think might just be too used to instant gratification. This movie was incredible. The characters. The feel. The look. The acting. It is an incredibly strong foundation to build on. Think about it, they are setting up for years of Star Wars movies and properties.

        • December 20, 2015 at 9:22 pm
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          Time will tell. But I do agree that imitating only can go so far. In a sense you could say JJ, as a fan, brought us the Starwars we wanted to see and dearly missed. But brilliance always lies in the stuff you don’t expect…or can pre-calculate or imitate. Loved the film but I’am very curious about the storylines from Lucas that weren’t used.

        • December 22, 2015 at 12:14 am
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          yeah, me too. but to be fair it was not hard, people could be easily deceived.

      • December 20, 2015 at 11:52 pm
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        As a real fan and not a child I can look at all the films with a degree of objectivity instead of being overly emotional about them. 70% of fans take things too personal as though Lucas let them down instead of growing up and realizing we can’t relive our childhood.

      • December 22, 2015 at 12:11 am
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        That’s your opinions. there are good moments in Prequels. Stop trolling.

  • December 20, 2015 at 7:27 pm
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    Everyone please accept the reality, this is the Episode IV remastered

    • December 20, 2015 at 7:36 pm
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      And it’s the most entertaining Star Wars film yet. I loved it, who cares 🙂

    • December 20, 2015 at 10:57 pm
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      You know, I actually came out feeling that was one criticism that has been overstated. Yeah, there’s some obvious parallels, but it felt like enough f its own thing that they didn’t bother me. Except Maz’s cantina…sorry, castle. That was just too painfully obvious.

    • December 21, 2015 at 7:13 am
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      You must of been watching a screening of The Phantom Menace Lol

  • December 20, 2015 at 8:52 pm
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    Okay, finally saw it yesterday with the kids (who LOVED it). Think it’s going to take two viewings to really get a handle on how I felt about it, but initil impressions are much like how I felt about the new Xwings: “Hey, that looks pretty cool! Neat, it kinda reminds me of the best of the saga! But wait a sec…they’ve changed things fr no appreciable reason, and the whole thing is pretty stupid if you stop to think about it (how does one split a turbine fan in half exactly?).”
    .
    THE GOOD
    – Harrison Ford – holy crap, when he’s onscreen, the movie just flies. Harrison IS Han again wiser, little sadder, but the same wiseasss rogue. Totally invested, and does terrific work here.
    – The first half of the film absolutely SOARS. Interesting characters, solid performance from the whole cast, decently paced.
    – Poe (“Sorry, it’s just kind of hard to understand you with the whole…”). Isaac is in full-on hero mode here – joy to watch.
    – Stormtroopers – actually seem like a credible threat and less like disposable cannon fodder.
    -Ben – love the temper tantrums.
    -Han and the Bowcaster. Awesome, although, again if you think for two seconds “wait, these two have been together for what, 50 years now? This never came up before?”.
    – “THAT’S NOT HOW THE FORCE WORKS!” 🙂
    -“Mag-pulse” HAH! Go TIE Fighter!!!!!
    -“You may not recognize me because of my red arm!” – AWESOME.
    .

    THE BAD
    – Williams’ score. It’s bland, slightly derivative, and does virtually nothing to enhance the visuals. Certainly not a patch on his OT scores where the music was almost as much a character as any of the cast.
    – Hux. Wasted. Just hope he gets more to do in the next one.
    Chewie and R2 – Haven’t checked, but I’m guessing Ben Burt did not have sound duties on this film. ALL of Chewies dialogue, and what little R2 we got was 100% recycled from previous movies. Lazy, lazy, lazy.
    -Phasma – Again, wasted.

    -Snoke – Ugh, that name. And that design. And that Lincoln Memorial chair. Boring.
    – The last shot. I don’t know why people are going ga-ga over it. It was too long, too on the nose, and ultimately not that impactful.
    – The CGI space battles. Nothing was given any momentum or weight (particularly bad in the Falcon escape) – it all just kind of floats without any feeling of kinetic energy. ILM was able to do more with models on mocon stands thirty years ago.

    – The photography. There is not a single shot that stands out as being visually interesting. There’s some very BUSY shots, but it’s boring, bland cinematography.
    .
    THE PAINFULL
    -Starkiller. This is the biggest misstep in the script. Another giant weapon, but this time we get virtually no build up to it, it’s never credible threat, and ultimately, the story works fine if you completely remove it – just have Finn going in to save Rey, and the story is identical. It gives you an excuse to have more X-Wings, but narratively, it does absolutely nothing.
    -Goddamn Jar Jar Abrams and his grasp of stellar distances. No, JJ, you CAN’T have characters look up in the sky and see the devastation of planets in other star-systems. No, JJ, it takes longer than a couple of minutes to hop between systems. NO JJ, you CAN’T come out of hyperspace in the atmosphere of a planet. It almost feels like I’ve seen this stupidity somewhere before. Oh, wait…right.
    -Just what the fuck is going on in the galaxy? Who’s in charge? What are they resisting, and why is that outside of the Republic, which has apparently been re-established by the Rebellion. Although was that supposed to be Coruscant that was destroyed? The political situation is a freaking mess in this movie and none of it makes a lick of sense.
    -The fleet. We are no sooner told that…someone…I guess…has a fleet, then it is wiped out along with…some other random planets we don’t give a shit about. Behold the terror of Starkiller! Able to wipe out entire…ummm…planets…that have no bearing on the film.

    -Poe. As much fun as he is in the first half of the film, Poe is painful in the second half.
    .
    Again, first impression, and it felt so different to the other six movies that I do want to give it another go, but it was at once both better than and EXACTLY what I feared we would get from a JJ Abrams movie – it moves along briskly, handles character, dialogue, and humor well, and is ultimately as dumb as a sack of rocks and completely disposable.

    • December 20, 2015 at 8:58 pm
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      Starkiller Base is extremely important to the trilogy going forward. Starkiller means that the Republic now no longer has a functioning government nor an operational fleet and, therefore, can no longer support the Resistance until it rebuilds its own defenses and government. The Resistance is therefore far more vulnerable. Hux on the other hand is the guy who convinces Snoke to fire the weapon against the Republic’s capital, when the Supreme Leader himself was hesitant about doing that. In that sense, Hux plays a crucial role in the movie.

      I agree though that Phasma served no purpose other than lowering those shields, which could have been lowered in some other way.

      • December 20, 2015 at 9:02 pm
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        But the resistance was outside of the Republic…for some reason. The loss of the fleet I mentioned – it came onstage and was gone in the same scene. All that happened there is they reset the story to the way things were prior to the end of Jedi. We got NOWHERE with this story. Again, I did enjoy myself, but it really, REALLY doesn’t hang together once you leave the theater.

        • December 20, 2015 at 9:04 pm
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          Hux explains that the Republic (its government and its fleet) had to be destroyed because they were covertly supporting the Resistance (which indeed operates within First Order territory). It is pretty clear from his dialogue with Snoke and his address to the gathered strormtroopers.

          • December 20, 2015 at 9:14 pm
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            I think you’re missing the point – WHY does it need to be covertly supported? This is the Republic, as re-established by the victorious Rebellion vs the First Order, which is clearly just a re-branded Empire. There’s no reason for the Resistance to exist. And if they simply hadn’t mentioned the fleet, it never would have been missed. It plays no part in the narrative, and is whisked away as soon as the notion is introduced.

          • December 20, 2015 at 9:26 pm
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            There are sectors of the galaxy controlled by the Republic and sectors of the galaxy controlled by the remnants of the Empire, like the First Order. They coexist in a state of cold war. The Resistance is an insurgent movement within First Order territory that is backed by the Republic, like the US supporting the Afghan rebellion against the pro-Soviet government in Kabul in the 1980s or the communist countries supporting the Vietcong during the Vietnam war. The First Order had not attacked the Republic directly before because they didn’t have the strength to do so before Starkiller base became operational (and even when it did, the Supreme Leader was hesitant about using it, hence Hux’s importance). The Republic on the other hand dudn’t want an open confrontation with the First Order either (as it is not nearly as strong as the Old Republic or the Empire were) and prefers to resort to Cold War tactics).

          • December 20, 2015 at 11:00 pm
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            Where did you get any of that? Books? Because it sure as hell isn’t in the film. And another thing – so the idea was to destroy the Republic fleet? Which, for a galaxy-spanning government, is all at one planet? Nope, you know, best not to try to explain that actually – I’m finding the more I’m forced to think about the logic here, the more irritated I’m getting with the film when that really wasn’t my first reaction.

          • December 21, 2015 at 10:54 am
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            Dude think about this….what exactly did you “know” about the Empire in Episode 4? Not jack shit really. Except it was bad. They had a Death Star, were fighting the rebellion, and had an emperor. That’s about it.

            You don’t NEED to find out every plot detail in the first movie of a TRILOGY. So just let all that sink in. This is a Trilogy. And Abrams has set it up really well. I have a feeling many things will be explained in their due time.

            The point was to establish a bunch of new characters and conflicts, while closing the chapter on the old ones.

          • December 21, 2015 at 7:43 pm
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            You made my point for me. In SW, while you aren’t given the minutia of the history of both sides, you are given a clear view of the world you are being thrust into – evil Galactic Empire, scrappy band of rebels opposing it – boom, there’s the state of the galaxy. Here? Well, there’s kind of the Republic, presumably re-established by the rebels after we saw them defeat the Empire, and kind of still the Empire,only now they’re the FO of…something, and kind of the Rebellion even though they won, but now they’re the Resistance, which is different than the Republic but supported by it because reasons. It’s a mess.

  • December 20, 2015 at 8:56 pm
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    Pulsarsungirl from Chile . The movie was not what II expected, although
    it was entertaining. I waited since the ROTJ to see Luke again more than 30
    years and he appears like 2 minutes and does not speak a word and that’s all, I
    think JJ Abrams has been mean with the audience, he likes playing with the
    audience and following marketing strategical decisions to sell the movie, but
    he was not able to read George Luca’s magic. He was very good giving the movie
    a fast pace and making it attractive for a new young audience, but he lacked
    depth in certain scenes, he lacks the mythical and magical wisdom, I wanted to
    know what happened to Han and Leia and their son, Why he did not use
    flashbacks?, Han’s death was badly done, I think that JJ Abrams reminded Han as
    a mercenary and he tried to portrait him just like that or similar to Indiana
    Jones, Han had changed and had become a real hero fighting against the empire,
    he really cared about his friends and the rebel alliance, and now his character
    had gone back to a careless mercenary, he is an important character and his
    death was terrible, he was killed by his son but this was done in an act of
    fury of spoiled child, here the audience is not shown what other conflict they
    had as father and son, It is obvious that the dark side is a barrier among
    them, but maybe they had a relationship as father and son and it seemed to be
    none, as I said he is an important character I do not understand why he is not
    given a good death, why Chewie was not able to grab his body and took it with
    him to be buried in a proper way by the resistance?, even Darth Vader had a
    funeral, It appeared to me that he was killed like Boba Fett like an accident.
    Rey and Finn were really a lot of fun, but we do not have any idea about Rey’s
    life in Jakku just a quick glimpse, maybe
    she had foster father and mother that were captured and she made some friends
    in Jakku, I do not know, but a little bit more, I have no idea of Jakku’s
    battle, maybe it appears in a book, but I will not read all the books to know
    it, the same happens with Finn he wants to leave the empire but what is his
    background story, none. Maybe Rey is Luke’s daughter but the movie does not
    show anything to clarify something of what happened. I hope VIII can be better,
    but I will try to keep away from the hype. JJ Abrams did a very good job with
    Star Trek, but with this he is in debt, maybe he thought he was making a Lost
    episode, I liked some Lost’s episodes, although I never watched the end, I just read
    that everybody was dead, I guess he does not like to create a story with depth and
    with a lot of magic, he does not like to dream, he maybe is too much down to
    earth for that.

    • December 20, 2015 at 9:02 pm
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      Your insight serves you well… #goodtake

      • December 20, 2015 at 9:31 pm
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        Pulsansungirl, thanks for that comment and may the force be with yout. I guess I was able to express in english well. That encourages me to continue writing, I am writing my own Star Wars story and I am doing it in english.

        • December 20, 2015 at 9:43 pm
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          Cool! Good luck with the story…the saga continues!
          I visited Chile(also Peru) in August, Santiago y Valparaíso…hope those earthquakes settle down, beautiful country, great people.

          • December 20, 2015 at 10:29 pm
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            Thanks for your reply. I am happy to know you liked Santiago, next time you should visit the Andes mountains and the north and south of Chile, each landscape is for movies, do not worry about the earthquakes, just have positive thoughs for us when you see news about that, like for example we are going to be OK. I do not like quakes much but I am used to that, after some cycles the earth has to move and change it is a natural thing.

    • December 21, 2015 at 10:41 am
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      Couldn’t disagree with you more. Han Solo’s death was incredible. And was one of the hardest things I’ve ever had to watch. You see a flicker of hope that he is getting his son back. You also see in Kylo Ren’s eyes for a second the good side of him is wanting to come out and hug him and but into the charade he’s selling his dad. Then in a flash, you see the dark side take hold. And him kill Han. I think that might have been not only one of the best scenes in Star Wars history, but one of the best acted and emotional scenes of all time.

      Watch it again. It’s as if kylo has three personalities going at once. Good Ben who wants his dad back. Evil Kylo who’s just bating his father, and the third personality who knows everything that is going on and just sitting back to see which one wins.

      And to say Han goes out like Boba Fett, means you didn’t understand what was going on at all. I mean there is your son sitting right in front of you. That you think could still be redeemed like vader. Or at least you hold a fools hope he could be redeemed. But no matter how you slice it, if as a father, you see your son wrestling with the possibility of being good, you’re gonna stand there like he did and hope he comes back to you.

      If anything it attests to just how horrible or horribly lost Kylo Ren is. That seen is worth watching the entire movie, even if It was bad. Which thankfully it’s quite the opposite.

  • December 20, 2015 at 9:06 pm
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    Went to see last night and can now stop avoiding SWNN. Reaaly enjoyed it and i think they have layed a good foundation for the future films. Best scene for me was seeing Ray walking down the bespin corridor. And chewie hugging Leia. An the opening crawl, anytime Kylo wren was on screen… I think what was most impressive was the new cast. Adam driver and daisy Ridley had very good review and rightly so but I though John boyega was also very good. What I most wanted from this film is to leave wanting more. And I can’t wait to see what happens next. If I had one small gripe it would be with snoke. I really wanted him to be the cyborg. Overall fantastic film and I’m looking forward to owning a copy and watching again (and again)
    from my sofa

    • December 20, 2015 at 9:17 pm
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      I agree about Snoke. He didn’t feel like a “Supreme Leader” to me and didn’t show any of the insight and cunning that made Palpatine so dangerous for example. It is still early to pass judgement though as we have not seen enough of him yet.

      With respect to the acting, it is the best I’ve seen in all 7 SW movies. As I said before, if only Anakin in ROTS had been like Kylo Ren in TFA, I might have actually enjoyed Episode III. And I would gladly trade one single hug between Rey and Finn for two hours or so of “romance” between Anakin and Padme in AOTC.

      On how the characters were written: Kylo and Rey were just perfect; at first, I was disappointed with what they did to Finn, but, on second thoughts, I started to change my mind. Finn is still a character in progress though (like the other new guys, but more so, as doesn’t have a clear path laid out for him going forward to Episode VIII, unlike Rey or Kylo). I suspect there will more interesting future twists to Finn’s character (or so I hope).

    • December 21, 2015 at 4:58 am
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      Im betting snoke ends up being the sam species as maz kanata. Wizard of oz and all. I bet he’s really old and knows his shit. I bet he’ll be an amazing villian, but even then ren whens its all said and done.

  • December 20, 2015 at 9:20 pm
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    One last thing: Hated the emotion they gave Leia. She should’ve been in full general mode, and when she sees Solo, then the ice breaks and she softens. At least make her a soccer mom, putting her concern for everyone else first. What did she tell the commander when she arrived at Yavin in A New Hope: “we have no time for our sorrows, commander.” Here, they make her appear tired like she just cooked lunch for the movie crew. She should’ve been giving out commands until she sees Han, and THEN she softens. They truly went lazy on this one, as if they never looked at the original trilogy. The pacing, editing, tonal shifts, restraint — all of that was masterful in the original trilogy. Incredible. Common sense was missing from this story on so many levels, it’s truly shocking…

    • December 20, 2015 at 9:25 pm
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      Boom goes the dynamite! Impressive take, most impressive…

    • December 20, 2015 at 9:38 pm
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      I think she sounded like a very motherly figure when Han said there was too much of Vader in Ben and she replied that it was all Snoke’s fault, like a mother saying “my son can do no wrong, the bad company he keeps are the ones to blame”. I loved every moment in her dialogue with Han (it was very well written and acted) and the way she felt Han’s demise through the force (much better than any “mourning scene” would be).

  • December 20, 2015 at 9:25 pm
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    And what’s up with not clarifying if Rey is a Solo or Skywalker? They should be DONE with the big reveals. Those have been DONE already, the ultimate one being Vader being Luke’s father, and then right behind it, Luke and Leia being bro/sis. The worst thing is a secret with limited answers. Audiences are more hip now, if you don’t wow the F out of them with a reveal, it falls flat like a bad punchline. I say this because so many of you say all the questions will be answered in Ep 8, but I’m not falling for that again. Those “questions” are really just UNCERTAINTIES on the part of Abrams and Kasdan. They’re going to let Rian Johnson try to make sense of their mess.

    • December 20, 2015 at 9:29 pm
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      You dont know that and neither does anyone else. For all we know these ‘uncertainties’ are deliberate and all discussed between JJ and Rian. Ep. 8 does have a lot to answer..I agree with that for sure.

      • December 20, 2015 at 9:36 pm
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        My point being, the questions themselves are unclear at best. Look at empire: Is Darth Vader Luke’s father? Will they get Han Solo back? Who is this “other” hope Yoda mentioned? Those are all HUGE questions, and we damn sure wanted to know the answers.

        Here, we “kinda” know Rey was taken from her parents, but she “could” be a Solo or Skywalker. Finn may “eventually” be a force user, but here he just wields a saber. Snoke is the “bad guy” but we’re not really sure why. It’s lazy set-up at best. 30 years later and this is the foundation? Yikes. The foundation has cracks — already…

        • December 20, 2015 at 10:04 pm
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          Let’s see:

          1) We know for sure that Rey was separated from her parents when she was very young and that she is exceptionally strong with the force (to the point of learning to use it in complex ways by herself). We don’t know, however, who her parents are, why she was abandoned on Jakku, and why or how her maybe potential relatives like Kylo and Han don’t know her. We don’t know either why or how she has such a strong connection with the force. To me, those are exciting questions to be answered in future episodes and I look forward to hearing the answers.

          2) I guess that, after Episode VII, we are led to believe that Finn is not force sensitive and is just a sanitation guy making the journey from coward and liar to a hero capable of sacrificing himself to protect Rey. Some fans are heavily invested in the character though and still hope he may be still force sensitive “eventually” (because he learns new things very quickly, or wasn’t that bad with the saber against Kylo, or whatever). I actually count myself among that group of fans, but right now, it is just wishful thinking on our part I guess. If Finn is indeed not force sensitive though, there is still a role for him to play in the trilogy and I am looking forward to Episodes VIII and IX to find that out.

          3) As I said below, Snoke was not satisfactory to me. There is no doubt he is the bad guy, but he doesn’t look as threatening as Palpatine as he doesn’t seem to have a plan and seems to react to events rather than anticipating them in the way Palpatine did. At times, he relies on Hux’s counsel, meaning he may be more a collegiate leader than Palpatine was.

        • December 21, 2015 at 1:12 am
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          The Novel is alot clearer on certain things. Which was written based on the script before edits so includes deleted scenes etc.

        • December 21, 2015 at 10:21 am
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          Hardly cracks. They’re just not unfinished plot points that are identical to ESB like you I guess hope or want.

          The plot points left unfinished are numerous and exciting. Who are Rey’s parents is the least interesting in my opinion. It’s what will happen now that Luke is being forced out of hiding…

          Cause if one of your best friends is murdered by his son, and it’s finally time to face Kylo Ren and snoke, what’s gonna happen?!? I wanna see Luke be a supreme badass

        • December 21, 2015 at 6:49 pm
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          Those are nitpicks from SW fans that need to know everything about everything and have little to do with enjoying the story they set out to tell in a movie.

    • December 20, 2015 at 9:34 pm
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      I agree with Darkchocolat. Rey may be a Skywalker or a Solo and probably is, but we don’t know that for sure. Kylo and Han certainly didn’t know or remember her; Leia might know who she is though (it was not clear in the movie).

      Personally, I sincerely hope there is something original about her family background, but I agree that everything points to her being a Skywalker. I see no problem in withholding details about her past until Episode VIII .

      • December 21, 2015 at 1:11 am
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        In the Novel of TFA when the light saber goes past Kylo into Rey’s hands he turns to look at her and says…so it is you.

        • December 21, 2015 at 2:04 pm
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          Really? That’s interesting…

          • December 23, 2015 at 4:10 pm
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            EPISODE VIII SPOILER: PROCEED AT YOUR OWN PERIL! LAST WARNING!!! Yup. That’s right. Ben Solo remembered that Luke Skywalker was able to save one of the Padawan girls during the slaughter at the Jedi Academy by the Knights of Ren which Ben Solo had just joined at that time. They’ve existed for some time already before he became Kylo. She witnessed everything. But whether Luke Skywalker saved Rey (whose real name is Rachel before when she was still a Padawan at the Jedi Academy) because she’s his daughter is still “up for grabs”.

    • December 20, 2015 at 9:43 pm
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      Not uncertainties. The script for ep. 8 is already finished. They knew what questions they wanted left unanswered. Whether or not it was a good decision is up for debate. But it’s not like they plopped the movie out and told Rian to make it work for 8. Hell, pretty sure the script for ep 9 is more or less fleshed out at this point as well.

    • December 21, 2015 at 1:09 am
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      I get the feeling they wanted that reveal for 8. Another repeated element. I guess if she is a Skywalker/Solo she’d have to have been adopted out similarly to Luke because Leia, Han and Rey didn’t know each other. Were they hinting at something when Leia hugs Rey after Han’s death? For me that action made no sense. Han meant nothing to Rey and Rey means nothing to Leia.

      • December 21, 2015 at 10:14 am
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        To me it means Leia could tell Rey admired Han, which was obvious. Leia was also distraught and maybe just needed to let her emotions out. You could tell without words that’s what was going on. And honestly, I don’t think they will be stupid enough to make Rey out to be a skywalker too. I loved how kylo ren was a lost solo kid though and didn’t make it out to be some huge reveal. Just a plot point. And an emotional AF plot point at that. Adam Driver stole that movie. He’s a beast.

      • December 21, 2015 at 2:03 pm
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        Leia has the force too and felt Rey’s pain, and maybe Rey felt hers in a way no one can understand….

    • December 21, 2015 at 3:47 pm
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      The movie’s first duty is to new fans. A new fan wouldn’t be so concerned with her parents. The crazy fans want it all to make sense. To a new fan, she is a girl who is strong with the force, end of story. Recall that in ANH it wasn’t gospel that sons of Jedi were automatically strong with the force.

      I am leaning towards Rey not being a sky walker or solo, just a former student of Luke.

  • December 20, 2015 at 10:02 pm
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    Listen to your friend Kylo Ren…he’s a cool dude.

    • December 21, 2015 at 4:21 pm
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      that’s funny! love it!

    • December 23, 2015 at 3:53 pm
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      Nailed it, man!!! This is now going to be my Desktop Wallpaper! Thanks for this, Darth Loco.

  • December 20, 2015 at 10:32 pm
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    Now i know who was Luke Skywalker was talking to in this trailer.This will be the words he speak to Rey in the next SW 8.For me my friend Rey will be trained by Luke and she will bring back Kylo Ren to the light.She will bring back Kylo home.Rey and Kylo are brothers BUT Han Solo is NOT the father.Is Leia daughter.Maybe i’m right…:).

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ngElkyQ6Rhs

    • December 21, 2015 at 8:37 am
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      You’re really, really not.

  • December 20, 2015 at 11:04 pm
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    As a follow up to my previous post, I’d like to add that I also think it’s high time the galaxy started a “Spay and Neuter Your Skywalker” campaign – they just should NOT reproduce.

    • December 20, 2015 at 11:27 pm
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      Lol. Nice. That’s just really funny.

  • December 20, 2015 at 11:45 pm
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    It’s easier to accept the derivative nature of the plot when I look at the movie as a soft reboot.

  • December 20, 2015 at 11:46 pm
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    Finn sure knows a lot of the Starkiller weapon for a waste disposal attendant.

    • December 21, 2015 at 1:15 am
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      Shhhhhhh! Because “plot”!

    • December 21, 2015 at 10:08 am
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      My dad works in one tiny section of a Toyota factory but still knows every area of that facility and what is in it…and the factory is the size of a small town. So what’s your gripe? He knew where stuff was on the base, but didn’t know how it worked though did he?

      • December 21, 2015 at 10:35 am
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        Cool story, bro

    • December 21, 2015 at 8:03 pm
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      Does anyone else find that amusing? Finn sounds like Roger Wilcox from the Space Quest PC game series from Sierra.

    • December 21, 2015 at 10:09 pm
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      Well, he admitted he didn’t know how to shut down the shield – in fact, it was a hugely successful comedy piece if anybody was paying attention to the actual movie. And as a janitor, its kind of his job to know where everything is, they need access to everything, oscillator, shield generator, CC, HQ, etc.

      • December 22, 2015 at 8:12 pm
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        And in order to bypass the shields you just hyperspace under it? Lamest plot move ever!

        • December 22, 2015 at 8:27 pm
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          Its Han Solo.

          • December 22, 2015 at 9:13 pm
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            The same guy who advised C3P0 that without proper computer calculations prior to jumping to lightspeed you could ran into a supernova.

          • December 22, 2015 at 9:41 pm
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            Actually he never told C3P0 that. lol

  • December 21, 2015 at 1:44 am
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    Loved it. Not gonna be a dick or nitpick just for the sake of finding something wrong with the movie, which apparently the majority of Star Wars fans love doing. I thought the movie was a ten. I wish they would have gone in a bit more into the troubled past between Kylo and his parents, that’s about all the issues I had.

    • December 21, 2015 at 1:57 am
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      Not thinking it was a flawless ten is not the same thing as “nitpicking”. There is a fair amount of fun and energy in the film, but it is far, far from flawless, with some truly stupid stuff going on, particularly in the second and third acts. I will say more fun and definitely more competently executed than the PT, but it’s got exactly the same problems all of Abrams’ movies do.

      • December 21, 2015 at 10:05 am
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        What was the stupid stuff going on?

    • December 21, 2015 at 6:04 pm
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      Some fans love to hate things. They especially love to hate the things the love.

  • December 21, 2015 at 4:42 am
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    I thought it was a great Star Wars movie! None of the PT or OT movies are perfect. You can pick apart all of them. It seems like a lot of fans think they can do better. Wake up. Did some things not add up? You bet. This was the first movie of a new trilogy so not everything will answered in the first act of a three part story. I can’t believe the entitlement and just plain negativity people have towards the movies they say they are fans of. Go ahead and justify yourselves if you want. The simple fact is it really doesn’t matter because no movie will make you happy.

    • December 21, 2015 at 5:01 am
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      What about the entitlement of those who expect no one to voice criticism about a movie they like?

      • December 21, 2015 at 5:43 am
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        Criticism of the movie is fine. It just seems like a lot of fans take it to the extreme. So and so is an idiot, this movie is terrible, the PT sucks so bad but I love Star Wars so much, they should have done this, blah, blah, blah. Stop torturing yourself and eat a Snickers.

        • December 21, 2015 at 4:19 pm
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          HUGE SW FAN! And i do love snickers as well….loved all SW films even parts of TPM. But this was disconnected in too many ways and a copy and paste story. it was essentially ANH 2.0, which is great for those that have never seen it before. yeah, Disney officially killed SW, as I feared.

          • December 21, 2015 at 4:20 pm
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            TPM is ANH 2.0 with a podrace thrown in.

          • December 21, 2015 at 8:36 pm
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            Exactly! But I think copying ANH was by intention. It is a bridge to a new legacy. Episode VIII, I Predict, will cut the umbilical cord. It will be different.
            None-the-less… TFA was awesome in my book. Close second to TESB.
            For better or worse, this did not have the Lucas touch…

          • December 22, 2015 at 8:10 pm
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            That´s what I´ve been talking about here the whole year: REBOOT!

        • December 23, 2015 at 4:02 pm
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          If criticism is fine, then what are you complaining about?

          • December 23, 2015 at 6:26 pm
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            Read the next few lines….

    • December 21, 2015 at 5:06 am
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      Totally agree.

  • December 21, 2015 at 5:09 am
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    I saw it this afternoon and have had a bit of time to digest it.

    No offense to those who like it, but I’m sorry I have to say, it was pretty awful.

  • December 21, 2015 at 5:56 am
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    I have to say after seeing TFA for the 3rd time it’s definitely the best Star Wars movie to date, Loved the OT but this is up there with them all. only snags were that Luke wasn’t in it for long and no dialogue and not sure why Luke’s lightsaber has turned back to blue as it did in A NEW HOPE but the last movie was ROJ so not sure why it’s not green but overall this movie is the best one yet.

    • December 21, 2015 at 8:35 am
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      Um..okay, superfan. That’s not the sabre Luke built, it’s Anakin’s, the one Luke lost on Bespin. Now, how did Maz get it? Don’t bother asking – it’s never going to be addressed again.

  • December 21, 2015 at 6:33 am
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    To be honest those that are heavily putting TFA down are not true star wars fans at all and more like casual fans and probably are more Star Trek fans than true Star Wars fans.

    • December 21, 2015 at 3:10 pm
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      I disagree. I’m a huge fan. I even liked the prequels even though they are nowhere near as good as the original trilogy. Jar Jar included. It was a recycled story, the original cast never had a scene together, the scroll in the beginning was lame and Kylo was made to look weak. My kids and I walked out shaking our heads. My 13 year old cried because of how silly they killed off Han Solo. I don’t blame him. Just hoping the next 2 will make us forget this mess.

      • December 21, 2015 at 8:00 pm
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        I agree with every aspect you just said. Kylo removing his mask just totally killed the “mystery” and sense of being sinister to the character. He appeared to be a spoiled brat. Even the Stormtroopers didn’t cower away from him just turned and walked away during the second tantrum.

        • December 22, 2015 at 2:36 pm
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          Yes, but if you keep Ren’s mask during three movies would be critiziced for being another Darth Vader.
          Ren is young, with mixed feelings, his training is not complete, he is irresponsible for showing his face. He makes inexpert acts.
          Has to be so hard to write a movie like this, with such big stories front and behind it.

    • December 21, 2015 at 5:49 pm
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      I think some people who came of age reading the Expanded Universe and saw the PT in the theaters might be the most disappointed. That movie was made with OT fans (like me) in mind. So I get why EU and PT fans didn’t love it. As far as the recycled plot charges, read The Hero with a Thousand Faces. This story has been done thousands of times, centuries before Star Wars. That’s what makes Star Wars, the Wizard of Oz, Back to the Future and the Matrix so wonderful.

      • December 21, 2015 at 6:45 pm
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        Yeah I grew up with the EU – they were in a no-win scenario, they had to go away from it for creativity reasons but obviously alienating a lot of fans in the process. But the EU was 50/50 and got overbloated.

        What’s funny is – the last Dark Horse EU comics are basically what they used for TFA – and those were good because it was so far past ROTJ they weren’t weighed down by the older characters and could just do a simple ‘hero awakens’ journey. I stopped reading Legacy after I realized they were taking it for TFA lol

      • December 22, 2015 at 8:04 pm
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        No.

        I am a OT fan since 1988 and the LAST THING I wanted to see on Ep.7 was “OT greatest hits”. I wanted REAL ORIGINAL STUFF.

  • December 21, 2015 at 9:00 am
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    So I just got back from watching TFA for the second time, and lo and behold, I enjoyed it much more with the second viewing. Not sure how, but I did… That said, it made me dislike what I didn’t like the first time a tad more. The one thing that stood out to me this time was Finn NEVER should’ve fought with the light-saber. He was a storm trooper. A blaster is his weapon. Imagine how much more powerful it would’ve been if the first time the light-saber ignited was when it flew into the hands of Rey? People would’ve stood up in their seats…

  • December 21, 2015 at 11:11 am
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    I liked TFA a lot. I think overall it works really well both, as a standalone film for newcomers and as the first installment of a sequel trilogy .

    The good:

    – The acting. Excellent. Eevery single main character is just perfectly portrayed (specially Kylo, Leia, Han, Rey and Finn, in that order). Also, the good chemistry and interaction of the actors on screen.

    – The dialogues: Spot on. I didn’t feel any particular weak dialogue (although there are some weak scenes, as I will point out un the “bad” list below).

    – BB-8’s thumbs up! Kracking.

    – The well balanced mixture of humor and drama.

    – The well use of CGI (except for Snoke. See bad list below).

    The Bad:

    – Death Star 3.0… Really? That was a big lack of originality IMO. (I think JJ wanted to show how the story repeats itself and thus TFA feels a lot like ANH, but a third Death Star-like weapon, which is destroyed so very much like the previous 2, it’s a big weakness in the plot).

    – Rey’s instant use of the force like a boss, without any training or hesitations. Specially in the duel with Kylo. I know she used her staff very well, but a lightsaber duel with a powerful dark force knight is no comparable to fighting some thugs on Jakku.

    – General Hux’s speech to the troops of the First Order before firing the Star Killer cannon. What was the use for that? The troops are already on his side, so why explaining the reasons for using that weapon? Maybe if his speech would have been broadcasted to other systems I would think it had a purpose, to convince people the Republic was bad and deserved to be destroyed. But to his own troops? It felt like a justification to show that wide angle scene of the First Order troops and facilities.

    – Snoke: real bad rendering. He reminded me to The Mummy films (all with the limited CGI animation from back then). Also, why did Kylo Ren and Hux had to go to a special room to talk to a hologram of Snoke? Couldn’t they just summon the holo image in the bridge or a war room? Why Is a hologram image so big? Everything regarding Snoke felt weird and out of place to me.

    – Poe’s reapperance on the resistance base after the battle of Takodana without almost any explanation. It felt odd.

    – Both battles in the movie (on Takodana and on the Star Killer base), felt a little disapointing to me. Maybe they were too brief? I expected the First order would display much more fighting fire agains the resistance specially on the Starkiller base, not just a handful of TIE fighters, and even more if they would have learn a lesson after how damaging a small fighters attack on a huge battlestation could be.

    – The state of the Galactic Republic. Why is there a resistance movement against the First Order if the Republic is still going on? Shouldn’t it be the republic army fighting against the raising threat of the First Order? (I know that the Aftermath novel adresses this and at one point Mon Mothma -I think- points out that the New Republic should not be a militaristic government and they should get rid of the armed forces after the empire is totally defeated. So maybe we’ll have a little more background on this on ep. VIII).

    – Captain Phasma little time on screen. I felt she was too relegated to the background which didn’t actually felt like a mistery build up, but actually as a character they came up with because she looked really cool. I hope they fix her role in the next episodes. I love Gwendoline Christie!

    I have to point that I’ve only seen the movie once. I’m planing to watch it at least once more and maybe I’ll change my mind on some of the things I didn’t like at first.

    But as I told at the start, I liked the movie. And I place it on 4th place after ESB, ANH and ROTJ, in that order.

    • December 21, 2015 at 11:37 am
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      Why do you feel the need for them to show what happened to POE in between the battle above takodana and him on the resistance base? They are both right after one and other? Ummm pretty obvious, he flew there in his X-wing??? And the resistance is an underground movement to combat the first order since the republic can’t. Since it is supposed to just be a governing body with little to no military power. Just idealism I suppose. Which is kind of genius. Too often in life, when things are unbalanced harshly (ie a dictatorship body like an empire that has too much power) people over correct too far in the opposite direction. Like a governing body that is far too idealistic and unrealistic. A super peaceful republic government with no power to really make a difference.

      • December 21, 2015 at 11:42 am
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        Oh and about snoke…the idea and title of “supreme leader snoke” to me says a lot just about what he is. Sounds like an absurd title and he’s compensating for something. My guess is that he is really kind of a non-intimidating person. I bet he’s really small, and he’s grand-standing. Like the wizard of oz. Thats why they have to go to a special viewing area. To strike fear and awe. Almost like what I felt when I first saw him and thought “wow, is he really that big, cause that’s intimidating as hell” but then you think “oh it’s just a hologram”.

        • December 21, 2015 at 6:41 pm
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          I similarly wouldn’t be surprised if he’s a poser as well.
          I think they were playing with the audience with the hologram, there was funny laugh in the theater when the hologram dissipates. “haha – you got us on that one, JJ”

      • December 21, 2015 at 1:44 pm
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        Thanks for your comment.
        I didn’t explain myself very clear regarding Poe “flaw”. I meant they didn’t explain how did he escape from the TIE crash on Jakku and all of the sudden he’s safe and sound on the resistance base. I know they mention it but it still seemed a little forced to me.
        As for the resistance being the armed movement I get it in part because of the Aftermath novel, as I mentioned. But still, I think it would have been better if they something akin to the Republic, rather than some underground guerrilla-like strike force.

    • December 21, 2015 at 11:29 pm
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      i think Snoke he’s not an hologram but a Sith ghost. Looks how his body is decayed. And for Rey saber grip; don’t you remember the words of Maz Kanata : the lightsaber choose her because Rey is obviously a Skywalker, the daughter of Luke and cousin of Kylo Ren/Ben Solo. i love how the EU is loaded on it. Jaina/Ania as Rey, and Jacen/anakin for Ren.

    • December 22, 2015 at 8:01 pm
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      Dude, you “bad points” surpasses by far your “good points”, how can you still like the movie?

  • December 21, 2015 at 3:39 pm
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    To me it was awful. I will see it over and over in hope that it will grow on me. Nothing original, no reuniting of the original cast. I kind of wish they would have went farther into the future and left Luke, Han and Leia as legendary heroes in the galaxy. Possibly Luke showing up as a force ghost. The way they portrayed the original cast was lame. Han was ok but they all seemed miserable which would be fine if they had a happy ending together but instead Solo goes out non heroically and Luke’s build up was a let down to me. I really thought he would have swooped in to save the day. Also, since Kylo was such a weak villain (he didn’t start out that way) they needed something to make him look darker in the end. I really wanted to love this movie but I guess I have too much of the book series permanently stuck in my head. I’ve been a die hard fan since 1977 and own a massive Star Wars collection. I even liked the prequels even though most people didn’t like it. C3P0’s intro was probably my favorite part. Now that they crushed my childhood, I hope episode 8 will make me forget this mess of a film. I’m happy for those who loved it. I wish I could share your happiness. Maybe I will down the road. May the Force be with you….

    • December 21, 2015 at 4:23 pm
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      I think JJ didn’t want to transform this reboot into a sequel to “Cocoon” where the “heroes” are all in their 60s-70s. What you want is impossible to achieve with the original cast actors, taking into account their age, health problems and physical limitations. Episode 8 is pretty predictable, with Luke training Rey and sacrificing himself for her, maybe Leia making an exit as well, just like her mother with a broken heart. What going to be left at the end of 8 is the new heroes and villains, making their way thru the Galaxy. If this doesn’t fit your bill, then it’s time maybe for you to move on and don’t watch these movies anymore, stick to the originals as being the best. But remember, for the new audience these movies will be the ones making their mark in their respective childhoods, so you have to respect the younger generation. Kids love BB8 and Kylo Ren, caring less about the old cast.

      • December 21, 2015 at 7:25 pm
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        Here we go again, Jar Jar Abrams bootlickers serving eviction notices to Star Wars Lifers who respectfully point out the shortcoming of TFA. Nazis…all of you.

        • December 22, 2015 at 4:03 am
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          Christ even Hitler would understand how crap the prequels were, something most TFA detractors seem to still have some time for… it’s beyond me, inexplicable.

          • December 22, 2015 at 4:28 am
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            It’s not that hard to figure out, Prequels were made by the originator and architect of the Star Wars Universe and he successfully continued to unveil and develop the mythology of his creation. He needed a quality control producer and less “yes men” around the production…and we’d have pure greatness.

            Now this current dumpster fire known as TFA…a spoiled brat’s ultra-rich parents(so to say…) bought him the Star Wars Universe, opened the vault and let him go ape-shit with all the toys. That’s basically what we’ve got now.

        • December 22, 2015 at 2:08 pm
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          All you said mate, except the nazis part. I have a kid, she loves the movies, all of them. You have to accept that the Star Wars Lifers are not the only audience these movies have. I like the fact that all the adults are fighting and arguing while their kids enjoy the movies and the merchandise.

      • December 22, 2015 at 3:20 am
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        I wasn’t expecting the old cast to be the heroes. Just expected Han to go out with sacrifice. I expected Luke’s grand entrance to be memorable since we waited over 2 hours to see him. Just thought he might be the turning point that tipped the balance. Leia was Leia and I hated where their relationship had gone after the romance we saw and loved in the original trilogy. I’m all for the new cast taking over. Just seemed poorly written.
        Ps… Another Death Star… Really?

    • December 21, 2015 at 8:06 pm
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      Agree! I wanted to love it so much. . . Just can’t in it’s current form. Perhaps time and future episodes will help me care about these new characters. I hope so.

      • December 22, 2015 at 2:45 pm
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        Probably that was the mistake, wanted to love it so much. That was happened to me with prequels. Like it in some points but some dialogs, cgi armies and casting without charisma were wrong.
        Love OT, and with my 38 years old, and loving cinema, i learned from past errors. A movie can be good or not, obvious;), even if it’s star wars, alien, or superman.
        I had faith in kasdan but i knew the movie could be disappointing.
        That was not my case, i was surprised since the first line.
        I understand people who don’t like it, cause i don’t like all movies to, star wars or not.
        Supouse i was lucky. I enjoyed TFA.

    • December 22, 2015 at 7:55 pm
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      Prequels rule!

  • December 21, 2015 at 4:15 pm
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    just the worst in the series. as a group of six that watched all the originals before heading to see this one…we were in disbelief and finally just started making fun of the plot holes and copy and paste story.

    Gollem as Snoke??? wtf, weak, weak
    Ben Solo…cry baby with broken saber, what was the helmet for? to cover thos
    death star 3….please
    they sent 10 xwings, grandpa solo, a stormtrooper defector to attack starkiller base and win????

    at least the phantom menace give us Darth Maul….

    • December 21, 2015 at 5:51 pm
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      You are one of the very few people who feel this way. I thought it was amazing, it may not make the top 3 for me, and it still might, but defiantly better then the prequels. You are in a very very small group.

      • December 21, 2015 at 7:15 pm
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        maybe, but it’s how I feel about it. And I don’t hate on SW, even most of the pre movies. But this was just lazy writing and playing it safe.

        • December 21, 2015 at 7:56 pm
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          I completely agree with you!!! I thought it was HORRIBLE. PLEASE, Rey force grabs a light saber a long distance after learning that the Force is not a myth a few hours ago and then defeat the “villian” of the story with it. LAZY!!! Luke was at least trained a little bit and could barely move it out of a pile of snow a few inches to get out of the cave on Hoth. Not consistant with the other cannon movies. I would have watched it more. . . but why torture myself.

          • December 22, 2015 at 3:58 am
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            Maybe we will discover that Luke just wasn’t all that powerful a Jedi, maybe Rey is ludicrously strong with the force the way Anakin was for some reason… It’s too early to be nitpicking what are small issues that can be explained 1000 different ways rather than say well it doesn’t match up to how Luke discovered the force 100% so it just can’t be right.

          • December 23, 2015 at 4:03 am
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            Ummm…. Luke was not trained in-between ANH and ESB, as far as I remember. The only training Luke had was the blind defense against that droid thingy…. then he goes onto blow up the death star without his targeting computer a few hours later!!
            How come no-one is harping on that?! Have we all lost the magic?

      • December 22, 2015 at 7:52 pm
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        No, he is not one of the very few people… Lots of people in fact didn´t like this new movie, but there are the ones who refuses to face how desatrous SW movie it is…

    • December 21, 2015 at 10:36 pm
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      Worse than Jar Jar and whiny brat Anakin? Yeah…whatever gets you there I guess.

    • December 22, 2015 at 7:24 pm
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      And the podracing.
      And the Naboo ships.
      And the Trade Federation (something way different than First Order).
      And Duel Of Fates.

  • December 21, 2015 at 4:19 pm
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    Guys and gals, Snoke was a hologram – of course he looks bad, he wasn’t supposed to look ‘real’. lol

    • December 22, 2015 at 7:23 pm
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      So why spend a ton of money on Serkins and CG? Marketing only.

      • December 22, 2015 at 7:29 pm
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        Because he’ll be in the other films…..for continuity purposes.

        Or maybe because Serkis is the anti-christ and is manipulating Disney and the war against Christmas as well, as long as we’re being cynical.

  • December 21, 2015 at 6:01 pm
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    I watched TFA for the second time yesterday and I was surprised how much better the movie felt. I felt emotionally involved this time around and the music was more noticeable.
    New things I noticed:
    – After escaping Jakku, Rey exclaims “I’ve flown space ships before but never in space!”, when her and Finn are congratulating each other. Alongside the many tips she gives Han about the Falcon, it makes me realize she’s no stranger to the Falcon cockpit and perhaps others. Unkar Plutt must have toted her around in flights as she grew up and learned piloing skills.
    – very fake cutout of an X-wing being towed directly behind Poe and Finn as they reunite at the Resistance base. It’s maybe 15 ft behind them and is obviously maybe 2-3 inches thick!?
    – Max Von Sydow perhaps had a little fling with Leia? He knowingly smirks at Poe when he’s talking about his relationship with her, a little too familiar?
    – Phasma felt more menacing the second time and I felt her anger at being compromised both with having a defecting trooper earlier and being caught and forced to lower the shields. Not under used at all.
    – there’s a quick glimpse of a snow speeder transport that Finn and Rey obviously used to reach the oscillator base when they walk in through a doorway? Did they distract some troopers with a chase so Han and Chewie could approach with explosives? Maybe a cut sequence but a bit of a continuity error.

    Overall I enjoyed it more and have moved it up to #3 in ranking.

  • December 21, 2015 at 6:01 pm
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    It was a great Star Wars movie. About ten minutes in I stopped thinking about how it compares to the other films and became engrossed by the story and characters (new and old). Did it fill me with unbridled wonder and joy like the Original Trilogy? No. But that’s because I’m 31, with a job and a mortgage. So being able to enjoy a new Star Wars movie in the theater is more than enough for me.

  • December 21, 2015 at 8:20 pm
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    Didn’t like the first time, and the second time was way better. Now I think it’s a good movie, but it’s very diferent from the others, maybe it’s darker and less innocent…better than the prequels

  • December 21, 2015 at 8:42 pm
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    Saw it last night, plan on seeing it again because…..meh.

    Wasnt amazing, didnt suck, so i’m somewhere in between. I will say that Star Wars is back for sure, JJ did a decent job and the visual effects and production value were awesome.
    HOWEVER, I will echo others that felt this was ANH 2.0. Really, were gonna get a bunch of ppl together that dont know each other to go slay X superweapon, have 1 person die, and come out with a WIN with an impossible scenario. (An entire bases TIE fighter flotilla against, what, maybe 25 xwings, really?)
    Although thats not even my biggest gripe. And here we go with whos a true star wars fan or not, those people please try and call me out on this one…
    Everything we’ve seen from Jedi shows that they get SOME amount of training before doing mostly anything. From the prequels to the originals, this has always been the case. Luke had Ben and Yoda, Anakin had Obi, younglings had the school, yadaa yadda.
    Rey learns she MIGHT be force sensitive, gets captured, and within HOURS of that revelation not only resists the mind scan or whatever from Kylo, but also does a force mind trick on a trooper AND bests Kylo in a lightsaber duel…with no training. Against a guy who supposedly has had training for years. Really? REALLY? If thats not the biggest bunch of BS in our galaxy, I dont know what is.

    • December 21, 2015 at 9:00 pm
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      I am sure they are going to explain it but Rey read Kylos mind and learned about him and got an insight to do the mind trick and stuff. It’s a weak explanation and definitely something they are going to have to explain.

    • December 21, 2015 at 10:32 pm
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      Yeah, just like Luke became almost a full Jedi in ESB while Han and Leia were chillin in an asteroid field. So, Luke also became uber powerful in a few hours too, but ESB always gets a pass on that glaring issue.

      • December 21, 2015 at 11:01 pm
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        um… i wouldn’t sound picky but who have said it was only a time of few hours. we don’t have enough elements in the movies to tell precisely how much time had passe. it’s the same for 7 movies IMO. Maybe Luke has passed one week or more. all the Jedis have to do is to be aware of their connection with Force. maybe as easier to breathe. she fail the first time then you see the moment where she feels the thing. I like your theory about Rey btw, seems pretty logic and realistic for me. in the vision we saw a ship and rey crying as a child

      • December 22, 2015 at 12:53 am
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        Luke DIDN’T really become uber-powerful though – he’s got nothing on the Jedi of the PT era. My take is that Yoda drove him hard, trying to give him just enough tools to be the Vader-killer he and Obi-Wan thought they needed.

    • December 21, 2015 at 10:59 pm
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      You’ll love it the second time. Drop the emotional baggage of 30+ years of Star Wars neglect, lol, and its a very good film (not going to say great, and no film will ever be ANH or ESB, but this is a good film).

      • December 22, 2015 at 1:51 am
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        Yeah, the first time it’s about emotional, anxiety the second time you begin to undestand what’s this new trilogy is all about…and i’m sure many strange things will be answered on the next movies, don’t need to worry…

    • December 22, 2015 at 3:52 am
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      Getting bored of this argument. I really don’t think the title of the film was by accident and isn’t of some great significance.

      I mean, for everything people are saying about Rey no one seems willing to bring up Anakin winning the pod race. A race against hardened experienced pod racers, he gets off to a false start where he has to recover from, he has a sabotaged pod that holds him back even further in the middle of the race, and Sebulba trying to kill him. He was what, 10 years old, had NO training other than Qui Gonn giving him some sage words. He won.

      Kylo is messed up, he’s not a fully trained Sith or anything himself. Rey is clearly very capable, and the film shows us this throughout the film, and then she clearly has a pretty big “awakening”. It might be possible she is a convergence of the force the way Anakin was, she is the truly powerful Jedi vs Kylo Ren who was damaged good from birth, and doesn’t he know it and hates the fact! I’m sorry but this is also a bloody fantasy film, with a TON of incidents in previous films being quite ridiculous.

      It’s weird for everyone hating on the film for copying some major plot elements, all of a sudden, when something new happens, such as Rey’s discovery of the Force, all of a sudden everyone wishes her to have a trajectory identical to Luke, as if to do it any other way is impossible. This is new territory here, she might be the most powerful force user in the galaxy and the events of this film, looking back in the future, will show the first signs of this.

      • December 22, 2015 at 1:01 pm
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        Bravo!

      • December 25, 2015 at 4:02 am
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        Anakin had raced pods before, he just never finished a race. So it’s not like he was completely new to it. If Rey had used swords it’d be more believable.

        If Anakin had no training until he was a young man and randomly picked up a lightsaber and beat Darth Maul, I’d call BS on that too. Just because it’s a fantasy movie doesn’t mean we should accept anything they hand to us no matter how ridiculous it is. At least be consistent within the universe.

        And both the recycled major plot points and the nonsensical new plot points are a problem. If the new plot points made sense (like Finn losing to Kylo in battle) I don’t think anyone would be complaining. The fact that a significant amount of people are pointing this out at least means that the people that made the movie should’ve been clearer, even if we’re mistaken. We shouldn’t leave the theater scratching our heads going “… wait… how did she do that?”

  • December 22, 2015 at 12:48 am
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    Ok, hit it!

  • December 22, 2015 at 7:05 am
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    Idea. Rey is a descendant of Obi-Wan. Correct me if I’m wrong (and it’s totally possible), but what other good guy in the SW universe speaks with an english accent?

  • December 22, 2015 at 7:47 pm
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    Well… Where do I start…?

  • December 22, 2015 at 11:30 pm
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    I don’t think it’s the best movie, but it did feature the best acting of all 7 so far. As much as I love the original movies, some of the acting was pretty cheesy. Obviously the prequels suffered from really poor acting for Padme and Anakin. However Finn, Rey and Kylo were very well played along with Maz and Poe.

    One thing among many I don’t understand is the map to Luke. Why do they need the red line and why do you need both parts of the map? Do they have to travel a predetermined path to find the planet to unlock a wormhole or something? I mean all they need is some coordinates to find his location right? It would have made more sense if the 2 parts of the map were two parts of the coordinates, but maybe mapping technology is really different in this galaxy

    • December 23, 2015 at 12:49 am
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      And I’ll repeat – with as big a chunk of the galaxy as that one piece represented, how did NONE of the star systems line up against the galactic map? That plot device needed another pass through writing.

  • December 23, 2015 at 1:54 am
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    I heard by the end of episode 9 that JJ is going to time travel back to episode 4 and have the Death Star destroy the rebel base and start a new parallel universe with Vader and emperor back as the main villains. Sound familiar?

  • December 23, 2015 at 4:09 am
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    I will re-iterate this again….
    I have to say this. Everyone’s saying it’s not as good as ANH. Everyone’s harping on how quickly Rey became “powerful”. She uses the Jedi mind trick, force grabs the light-saber and then defeats a wounded and not-so-powerful Kylo Ren(No Darth Vader). But yet…. no one seems to be harping on Luke on ANH when he blows up a freaking Death Star by using the force with hardly any training….
    Have we lost the magic?

    • December 25, 2015 at 3:52 am
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      There’s a difference between one shot using the force, and beating a trained sith in combat.

      How did she know the jedi mind trick existed? If that were me and I just found out about the force, I wouldn’t know what the heck I could do with it and I wouldn’t suddenly know how to hypnotize stormtrooper guards.

      If Kylo Ren is weak enough to lose to Rey, flesh wound or not, then he sucks. If Darth Maul had that wound he would’ve still kicked Rey’s ass, and he was only an apprentice.

      That’s like losing to Luke in a lightsaber battle at the end of ANH. He’s still a newbie.

      • January 16, 2016 at 11:26 pm
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        Not a sith. Not fully trained.

  • December 23, 2015 at 6:39 pm
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    Had mixed feeling like the rest of you, a huge improvement over the prequels by far.

    This feels like a reboot of A New Hope instead of a sequel to Return of the Jedi.

    Too many inconsistencies with the technology and the laws of physics. I know this is Space Fantasy but the Death Star’s main weapon is more believable than Star Killer Base’s main weapon.

    Too many questions left unanswered, I know there is 2 more films that will hopefully answer these.

    I hear Poe was suppose to be killed off in the beginning of the film, The “Bro”mance with Finn.

    Perhaps Poe is gay and there will be some sort of space love triangle between Finn, Poe and Rey with Finn in the middle.

    Finn’s cowardliness for wanting to run at first, than suddenly he wants to be the Hero does not redeem him for wanting to run at first. I was very confused by this, and lost whatever interest I had in this character.

    3PO’s Red arm, felt like a nod to M. Knight’s Six Sense.

    Now I am very interested what Lucas’s treatments where for the sequel trilogy.

  • January 16, 2016 at 11:34 pm
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    So many expectations and hype could only lead us to this point. Disney spent more money marketing this movie than they did to create it. Understand what you saw before you saw it, another reboot. Another financial ploy for families and rich people to suck from. JJ did the best he could with the tools he had. I don’t think any of you mixed feelers could have done half the job he did. Episode 8 and 9 have yet to be released. ANH gave us a piece of this story we know now, as did TFA.

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