The Force Awakens – DEKKA129’s Review
Now that The Force Awakens has been out for a couple of weeks and most of you have undoubtedly seen it (perhaps even multiple times), I’ve taken the general “first impressions” notes that I jotted down on Opening Day and built a nice, spoiler-ey review around it. Read on for my take on TFA…
The Force Awakens… WOW!!
Okay, okay, let me expand on that just a wee bit, shall I?
I liked The Force Awakens very much, though my Opening Day viewing was all such a whirlwind for me (not just visually, but emotionally) that I need to see it again to really digest it. I did, however, blast my way through Alan Dean Foster’s TFA novelization not long after seeing the movie, which helped to solidify the story in my blissfully overwhelmed ol’ brain – so I think I can jot down a few reasonably lucid thoughts for you all.
First of all, I do have to say that I missed that Pavlovian response I’ve always had (and that I assume most of you have also had) to the 20th Century Fox fanfare as the lights go down at the beginning of a new Star Wars film. The Fox fanfare was almost like an invocation, bringing us all together into that old familiar space and raising the hair on our arms in preparation for that wonderful moment of silence that enveloped “A long time ago, in a galaxy far, far away…”
No more. And it did throw me just a bit.
However, I appreciated the fact that they did not try to replace it with anything. The lights went down, and there we were in that moment of silence. I think it’s very fitting indeed, and we’ll all grow used to it in the coming years.
Now, about the movie itself. It all went by very, very quickly and I must admit that I walked out of the theater having a bit of a flashback/deja vu of walking out of the theater after The Phantom Menace. In both cases, I was so stunned that I honestly didn’t know what I thought of the movie I’d just seen. However, where TFA was concerned, my feeling of “What WAS that?!” wasn’t accompanied by the sinking feeling in my gut that I had after Phantom Menace. Instead, my first remark to my girlfriend as we walked down the street after seeing TFA was, “That was a STRANGE story!”
And it IS a strange story. On the one hand, The Force Awakens is very similar to A New Hope, to the point where it’s caught some flak for being too derivative of the original 1977 film. Vital data hidden in a droid who’s set loose on a desert planet; a new “Death Star” type superweapon; a reggae-tinged take-off on the classic cantina scene; a desert-dwelling nobody who ends up being the key to the future of the galaxy… the parallels are there, and deliberately so. What’s also there, of course, is a lot of very Star Wars-ey humor and a sense of fun that runs throughout the entire movie. The action is fast-paced and the characters engaging. So, if there was to be a “reboot” of the original Star Wars, this captured a lot of what we loved (or at least what I loved) about ANH.
On the other hand, though, TFA is also a much darker, more sinister movie than ANH was: Finn’s stormtrooper helmet smeared with the bloody handprint of his fallen comrade; Poe being tortured by Kylo Ren; First Order troops executing an entire village and burning the place to the ground; Kylo Ren committing patricide… and yet, beyond the obvious “dark” elements onscreen, there was something even more unsettling. Whatever Supreme Leader Snoke and Kylo Ren are up to (and I’m not entirely convinced that they’re both working toward the same goal) I get the sense that it is something more than simple galactic domination. As evil as Emperor Palpatine was, he basically just wanted to rule the galaxy. It feels like Snoke is playing at something even more twisted than that.
So, what of the players? The new cast is straight-up fantastic. In my opinion, the casting on this film was far, far better than I had ever hoped it might be. I thought immediately that John and Daisy nailed it, and now that I’ve had some time to reflect, I think Adam did too. There are scenes I keep revisiting in my head, and more and more of them involve Kylo Ren. He’s… understated in a weird way (weird because he is NOT a subtle character for most of the film.)
John and Daisy have solid on-screen chemistry as Rey and Finn. No question about that. And really, so do John and Oscar (Poe Dameron.) But then, there’s also this brilliant adversarial relationship that develops between Rey and Kylo Ren, first when Rey resists Kylo’s attempts to wrest the star map from her mind (and ends up penetrating Kylo’s mind instead), and then when the two of them face off with lightsabers at the climax of the film. Mirroring Darth Vader’s attempts to turn Luke to the dark side in the original trilogy, Kylo Ren offers to train Rey in the ways of the dark side. What struck me was that Rey not only refused to be baited, but for a very brief moment before the earthquake physically separated them, it almost looked as though Rey was going to embrace the dark side and kill Kylo out of pure rage. I suspect we’ll see more of this in Episode VIII and IX, but given the fact that the sequel trilogy is reportedly a lot more focused on shades of grey, I also wonder if Rey might eventually end up somehow mastering both the dark and light sides of the Force.
When she holds out Luke’s lightsaber to him at the end of the movie, though, she’s all light and hope. And when we finally see Luke Skywalker turn and pull back his cowl, Mark Hamill shows so much in a single glance. As a fan, of course, I’m aware that I was reading an awful lot into that look, but still I saw loss, weariness, loneliness, guilt… and yet, also a faint reflection of the light and hope that Rey projected.
Carrie Fisher was excellent in her return as Leia. Older, of course, but still as strong-willed as ever. And… those eyes! She gives some looks in this movie that are RIGHT out of the original films. At the same time, you can also see the jaded optimism of somebody who has been fighting the same war for almost her entire life, and who knows that she’ll probably continue to fight it for her remaining years, but who also still sees the possibility of light at the end of that long, dark tunnel. Carrie is still Leia, and Leia is still the rock that she always was.
And then there’s Harrison Ford. I can’t say enough about his return as Han Solo. In short, Han is back, and it’s fascinating to see the person he’s become over the past 30 years. Familiar, yet… more. The passage of time isn’t merely apparent in his grizzled old face. There are also times throughout the movie when Harrison very accurately portrays the weight of all those years and all those experiences since we last saw Han on Endor. Han is still a cocky smartass, and is still an unbelievably gifted pilot. but like the others he’s seen far too much to still be what he was when we first met him in the original 1977 film, or even what he was when we last saw him at the end of Return of the Jedi.
Oh, and I know that when the teasers started coming out, I fretted more than a little bit in the Cantina forums and in the blog comments about BB-8 and the “cute factor” that I was afraid might weigh the movie down. Well, the little guy is cute, but not nauseatingly so as I’d feared he might be. Jar Jar Binks, he ain’t. He really fit the tone of the film, and I found myself enjoying the heck out of him. (That he began reminding me of my pet turtle after awhile certainly helped me connect with him!)
Now, to dive a bit more deeply into spoiler territory (though after two weeks in theaters, do any of the plot points still technically qualify as “spoilers”?) I can’t in good conscience review TFA without talking about the moment we’ve anticipated (and dreaded) for a long, long time. Let’s face it – whether it happened in TFA or not, Han Solo was bound to die in the sequel trilogy. And though I didn’t know for sure that he would die in TFA, I still saw it coming from a mile away. His final scene with Leia was exactly the blend of awkwardness and heartfelt honesty that it needed to be, but it was pretty obvious that this was their final goodbye. And of course, the second Han walked out onto that bridge and called his son’s name, I think we all knew what was coming.
And yet, it still knocked me sideways. So much so that I didn’t really find myself getting choked up until I saw Chewie sitting alone in the cockpit of the Millennium Falcon. But the bottom line was, Han died a good death. It wasn’t an act of sacrifice on behalf of the galaxy, as it would have been had he and Chewie flown the Falcon into the heart of the Starkiller Base with a classic Solo war cry. Han’s sacrifice ended up being far more personal – for the sake of his son. And even after his son ran him through with his lightsaber, Han’s final act before he died was to reach out and touch Ben’s face – a gesture that I suspect may stick with Ben no matter how far he falls into his “Kylo Ren” persona.
Then, of course, there’s Luke. We now know that the reason we never saw him in any of the trailers was that he had only one scene at the very end of the film. He is still very much a mystery to us, as far as who he’s become since the end of Return of the Jedi. We have some idea of what happened to him – he tried to train a new generation of Jedi before Han and Leia’s son betrayed him and slaughtered all of Luke’s apprentices, after which Luke retreated from the galaxy and hid himself away on a remote planet. What we don’t yet know is, who is Luke Skywalker now? How does he view himself? Is he planning to spend the rest of his life in hiding, or is he waiting for something? That he left a map behind would seem to indicate that he wanted somebody to eventually find him, but at this point we just don’t know.
And there’s another thing that really worked for me about TFA. It left us with quite a few things that we “just don’t know”, and did so in such a way that I can’t wait to find out as Episodes 8 and 9 crack those little mysteries for us. The prequel films had some little mysteries of their own, but whether it was because we all basically knew how Anakin’s story had to end up or because they just weren’t great movies (in my own case, I suspect it was a bit of both) I just didn’t find myself as compelled to see what happened next as I am with TFA and the sequel trilogy overall. Who are Rey’s parents and why did they leave her on Jakku? What is the future of the Resistance going to look like, now that the Republic’s capital world (along with the Senate and the Republic fleet) have been destroyed? And who is Supreme Leader Snoke, and what’s he really playing at?
The bottom line for me is, J.J. Abrams and company have done a tremendous job in creating something that is reminiscent of the original films, while also being very much its own animal. Sure, it’s got its imperfections, but overall I think The Force Awakens is a very worthy first step into the new generation of Star Wars films.
Imperfections, you ask? Whatever do you mean? Well, bearing in mind that I was almost completely unspoiled for the film and that I really do need a second viewing to absorb everything properly, here are a couple things I noticed.
First of all, some of the plot development felt to me like a fingernail that was cut a bit too close to the quick. Assuming that it wasn’t just my own perception, I have two theories as to why this may have been.
It often seemed like a three-hour movie that had been cut down to 2 hours and 15 minutes, and as we now know, the original cut of the film was indeed about 2 hours and 40 minutes. There were moments when things in the movie either felt unexplained or a bit too tightly edited. Pacing in TFA is fast. Very fast. And there were times when I had an image of the film as though it were running down a steep hill just a little bit too fast and ALMOST stumbling.
But here’s my second thought: I wonder if perhaps J.J. was making a deliberate point of avoiding exposition. One frequently expressed gripe about the Star Wars prequels was that too often the plot got bogged down in excessively long and overly frequent scenes of characters standing in a room (or on a landing platform) talking. And talking and talking. And then talking some more. In TFA, it almost seems as though J.J. tried to avoid this problem altogether. If so, it mostly works, but there also seemed to be times when it felt almost as though J.J. was trying to remove ALL exposition from his film. I’m sure it won’t feel quite so much like this once I’ve seen it a few times, but I admit to having had a few moments where I thought, “Hey, how’d they get THERE? How did they know THAT?”
I also felt like there was a bit too much of the modern-day “hand-held camera” style to many of the ship battle scenes. Then again, I felt that way about the very first shot we ever saw of the Falcon in the first TFA teaser over a year ago, so this wasn’t a shocker to me. And though I find the “shakey-cam” gimmick to be the bane of modern cinematography, for the most part the starfighter battles were EXACTLY what the doctor ordered.
I will also say, I had a few of the plot points worked out quite awhile before they played out onscreen. But then again, I’m also just kinda one of those friggin’ wise-asses who spot that stuff and TRY not to say anything to the folks I’m seeing the flick with. So this is another one that may mostly be on me. ;^)
But really, I think the rough points were few and far between. I had a blast with my first viewing of TFA, and I hope that most of you did too. How will it hold up to repeated viewings? Time will tell, but I think it’ll continue to be a fun watch for a long time to come. The new cast is going to carry this trilogy VERY well indeed, and the returning cast members… I’m SO glad they chose to be a part of this. They really pull it all together in a way that connects TFA to what went before without simply being a straight rehash of the Original Trilogy films (though it is also that at times).
I really want to go right back out and see TFA again. The first viewing was a roller coaster ride, as it should be. The novelization cinched it for me that I genuinely do like this story. Now it’s time to go back to the theater for another round, where I can sit back and watch TFA unfold as the increasingly familiar new friend that I feel it to be.
Star Wars is back. This much I can say without reservation. The visual spectacle, the drama, and the FUN are all right there, and they have me feeling like I’m about ten years old again. And that, of course, is the whole point of it all. We all love that place within ourselves, and The Force Awakens took me right there, right off the bat.
And that’s exactly what I needed it to do!
Luke should have died instead.
– Would have been more shocking
– It would established Kylo Ren as the most powerful force user
– Rey would have been in a more desperate situation
– He could have come back as a spirit in the next films
– Would have paralleled Qui-Gon and Obi-Wan’s death
– He’s too powerful of a character to leave alive
If he gone as Han did then it would also have shown that this trilogy is going in a very different direction had Luke not been able to redeem him and died from it.
I somewhat disagree. To me the mystery of Luke’s whereabouts helped keep the story moving and added a little something new. I think they’re saving his death for the next movie so he can begin Rey’s training and come back as a force ghost in IX. I don’t think Abrams, Kasdan and Ardnt wanted to imply that Kylo was the most powerful force user. He was bested by Rey in that field twice. If Luke died in TFA it would have mirrored A New Hope even more which isn’t necessary. I got the impression that they wanted this movie to mirror certain aspects of its predecessors while changing the pace at the same time. I do agree with your point that Luke’s death would have left us all lost as to what would happen in the next two movies. I can’t help but feel like some plot points that could have really shocked the audience were a bit too obvious.
Luke’s final moment in the film, when his expression changes and he “awakens” was a classic bit of filmmaking. Nearly a perfect moment, IMO. The whole movie builds to that scene & it’s both satisfying and intriguing. I want to see what he does next.
I’m with you there. That scene gave me chills to say the least. The post-ROTJ story still very much includes him; moreso than Han. To drag Han back for VIII would have been overkill for the actor and the story. Plus, it’s clear that Hamill is in a lot better physical condition than Ford. I’m also really hoping to see Luke use his green saber in the next one.
I think it’s also a matter of Luke being more vital to the overall story than Han would have been. J.J. (or was it Kasdan?) put it perfectly. Had Han survived TFA, he’d have basically just been a really cool piece of luggage, for all the effect that he’d have had on the course of events as a whole. Giving him a good death scene was the best thing they could have done for the character, which is exactly what Harrison’s point was over 30 years ago when he wanted Lucas to kill Han off in ROTJ.
(And I agree, I want to see Luke fire up that old green saber of his in Episode 8!)
Still can’t get through that scene without my eyes welling up, and I’ve seen it 5 times.
I love that scene as well. Great moment. I feel like if it went on for another 10 seconds or so, someone would have had to have said something as it would have been really awkward at that point. 🙂
Agree with everything you say except Luke will die in Episode IX. One of the biggest reasons why I believe that Rey is not a Skywalker is that the Skywalker story arc will come to an end during Episode IX. Luke and Kylo Ren will both be killed. Leia may or may not, but as she can no longer bear any more children the Skywalker bloodline will die with her. Episode X will centre on a totally new story arc.
Just to be clear, I said I believe he’ll die in episode VIII and return as a force ghost in IX. I really hope they don’t bring the saga around for another trilogy after this. I’d have no problem with them sticking to more original stories that branch outside of the core saga after episode IX is finished. I know Lucas’ original story was set for twelve parts, but that just seems like too much to me.
I don’t believe Disney will stop at 6 new SW movies. Especially if the new saga movies prove to be both popular and successful. Look at Bond, it’s currently looking at 25.
I would welcome a brand new trilogy, especially if it moves away from the Skywalker story arc. I imagine Rey’s character will not be killed off, leaving the door open for Daisy Ridley to return.
I don’t expect them to stop anytime soon. In fact, Bob Iger mentioned during an investor relations conference that Disney expects to be making new Star Wars material for the next 40 years. I just hope that the episodic saga ends with episode 9 because it’s meant to follow the Skywalker story and I think that the sequel trilogy is a good place to conclude that; a trilogy of trilogies. I don’t have to be the one to say that Star Wars is a very different kind of series than Bond.
Like I said before, I would have no problem with them sticking to more original stories that branch outside of the core story after episode 9 is finished. I’m very interested to see more of the unseen galaxy explored in the spin offs and other future material.
Whether the episodic series technically ends with IX or not, I don’t think it’ll be the last time we see Rey on the big screen. Not by a long shot.
They would be damn fools to kill off Rey anytime soon.
Word.
Disney could be really bold and finish Episode IX with Snoke or his equivalent being victorious.
It would have been the best way to get rid of him and then have Han, Leia, and maybe Chewie die in the Falcon in the next two. They really only focused on the whole Luke mystery for 5 minutes in the beginning and 5 minutes at the end, So it felt like the whole Sifo-Dyas copout we got in II where it was more of a plot device or Macguffin.
I don’t think Kylo is the most powerful but they needed to do something to show he was a threat to be taken seriously and killing an unarmed man with no force powers was not the way to do that.
“They really only focused on the whole Luke mystery for 5 minutes in the beginning and 5 minutes at the end”
You must not have been paying attention during the rest of the movie because that’s just not true. I also don’t think that Kylo killing Luke would have been the best way to let Luke go or prove to the audience that Kylo is a force to be reckoned with. In my opinion, the scene where he stops blaster fire in motion and kills Lor San Tekka with no remorse did that very well. Having him kill his own father to grow stronger in the dark side and overcome the light definitely made his character seem a lot more threatening and added a new struggle to the saga that hasn’t been done before. Plus, Luke was the primary hero in the originals. To kill him off in the first installment of the following trilogy would just be selling him short as a new, powerful Jedi Master. Concerning your comment about the 100 parallels: IMO the movie needed more originality in the story and that plot point would have made all the difference.
They mentioned it once or twice with Han and Leia but it was a B story compared with Starkiller, It wasn’t the focus of the film at all which is glaring considering it’s mentioned in the opening crawl.
It would have been more realistic as Han is the world weary cynic and would never be naive enough to walk unarmed up to a darksider with his lightsaber pointed at him. This is the guy who took a shot a Vader in Empire. Luke was always the idealist which is why he threw away his lightsaber in VI so it would have nade more sense had he done it here too considering he was his former master as well and therefore the most responsible for his fall.
He was all powerful in the old EU but for all we know, He’s just a tired old man like Obi-Wan in IV now with atrophied powers which is how they could have explained him losing to Kylo.
Lol. I remember early rumors that Luke went dark and killed Han. That would have surely ruffled some feathers.
He went dark in the old EU comics, So it wouldn’t be that unprecedented but then they’d just be doing the PT all over again.
Nice review. Those were pretty my my impressions too. It’s definitely in my top 4 Star Wars movies… maybe even top 3? Anyway. I liked the recurring “awakening” theme. Each character has an arc that takes them from the emotional/physical place they were “hiding” to the place they needed to be. Leia’s was, maybe the saddest (she awoke to the reality of her son). Obviously, Han’s was sad too. Becoming a hero again ultimately cost him his life. Luke’s is barely hinted at — I can’t wait to find out more in a few years.
“Finn’s stormtrooper helmet smeared with the bloody handprint of his fallen comrade” Where did that blood even come from?
You arrived late to the film isn’t?
It seemed like after being shot the trooper held his hand over the wound, but I see where you’re coming from. I don’t recall blasters ever causing much bleeding before. In the other movies they just kinda cauterized the blast wounds right away like a saber, but I thought that bit of gore was a nice touch.
Also – there was blood from Kylo Ren’s wound after getting shot by Chewie. That’s a new thing I thought it was a nice touch too.
It came from the need for there to be blood as symbolism in the movie. Don’t question it.
I’m so glad your review is a positive one 🙂 I absolutely adored The Force Awakens! I have to admit that I have only become interested in Star Wars a few weeks ago, actually after TFA’s release but I have fallen in love with it. I always started with the wrong foot, beginning my SW experience with The Phantom Menace. And then I’ve heard Rey’s theme on youtube and began to think about giving Star Wars one more try, this time beginning with A New Hope – and I was hooked, saw the rest of the original trilogy in less than a week and went to see TFA immediately after…
TFA had everything I might have been missing in the original films – surely it was very similar to ANH but I didn’t care a bit. It was such a strong experience to me that I have been thinking about it ever since I saw it a a few days ago and I have already booked my tickets for the second viewing. I loved every second of it, every single character, action scene, all of it. And I am thrilled to have discovered the Star Wars universe at last and to explore all of its corners 🙂
Welcome back and I’m glad you gave Star Wars another chance!
Thank you 🙂 I’m so glad I’ve stumbled upon Rey’s theme on youtube that made me give it another go – seems like John Williams is the one to thank 🙂 I always wanted to like Star Wars because I felt it should be my cup of tea and I was actually a little mad at myself for being so picky when watching TPM.
Welcome to the party! Drinks all ’round! ;^)
That’s so cool that TFA was what got you into Star Wars. Having grown up with it all, I can only imagine what the experience must be like for you. So much cool stuff to experience for the first time… and also, so many cheesy moments that have come to register as “charmingly awkward” with me after so many viewings over the years.
My advice is to watch the movies a few times each before you really start diving into the books and other stuff like that. Because when it comes right down to it, the movies are the heart of the whole thing, and it’s really easy for that to become blurred a bit from all of the other stories that have been written based on those movies.
But however you decide to explore the Galaxy Far, Far Away, I have only one real piece of advice for you: Have Fun!!!! ;^)
Thank you very much for such a warm welcome and advice! I’m certainly going to give them all a re-watch after I watch the prequels and then start exploring the rest 🙂 it’s a long wait for The Rogue One and even longer one for Episode VIII so it seems there’ll be plenty of time. Thank you again! 🙂
Dude, wait till you see it again. Speaking from my own experience, and many I’ve read, the film is even BETTER the 2 nd time, and you will love it more. Saw it a third time as well last weekend, which solidified what I already knew. And damn did I choke up- basically from the Han/Kylo scene to the end with Luke I was super emotional. Much more so than I was the first viewing which was surreal, trying to process every frame of a new Star Wars film. It’s great to relax once you know the story and enjoy the music, performances, character stuff etc. The biggest advantage it has over the prequels is the performances, which improve on each viewing. In the prequels I just found myself cringing over and over and finding new characters to hate
Surreal… yep, that’s exactly what it was. A new Star Wars movie, regardless of whether or not it’s a keeper, has always put me in something of an altered state of consciousness. And TFA was no exception. That first viewing was just trippy as hell for me, and I’ve been savoring that for the past few weeks now.
I’m pretty sure my reaction to my second viewing, when it happens, will be just what you say. I’ll be able to settle into it, knowing that I’m cool with where it’s all going (couldn’t help but to have a bit of that old TPM cringe throughout the movie… anticipating a boot to the schnutz that, thankfully, never came.)
Might just have to check it out again this weekend if I have the time… ;^)
^ This, this, a thousand times this. My 2nd and 3rd times cemented it for me. I love this chapter. It’s a very worthy addition. And that last scene of Luke’s face. Just brilliant.
Can I upvote you more than once? Totally agreed!
Jedi steps are my favourite moment, with Rey seing Luke. And then when she gets the saber. Also the introduction of Rey was great.
Astro, I just said the exact same thing above. The second viewing makes such a difference on a movie that has been this built up over the years, with so many expectations that we have, worried and wondering what will happen with each character, and trying to take in as much as we can with plot and dialogue and character motivations on screen in one viewing. The second viewing was so much better than even the first 9and really solidified how much I loved it), and then even more with the third viewing, but I finally saw it a fourth just to finally give the IMAX 3D at least a shot, and I was blown away by it. The fourth viewing was magical because of the IMAX 3D picture, in depth viewing, and much improved sound, and the movie continues to get better and better!
I finaly had the chance to see it about an hour ago. I didn’t return here (site) since opening day just to avoid spoilers or leaks. Fresh out of the cinema I must say I agree it being “short” or “up tempo”. I was longing for those slow moments sort of like a young teenager looking at the two suns setting over a dessert. Rey and Finn felt right. The strengthening of Rey was great. Han’s death was sad but I hope for a good reason. Rounding this story up I hope Rey is handing the lightsaber to her father and will return this jedi to the warmness of her loving family and new found friends.
I was in love with Poe when he opened his mouth to Ren. I thought the movie was perfect. On course to be legendary for the entire duration of Jakku. Then we ran into Han’s freighter and things started to spiral a little. That’s where it began to feel rushed. I have problems with TFA… but none of them are enough to ruin it. I still really liked it. I feel it’ll only get better as it goes on. Or rather I like the course it’s set on.
Yep, that’s about where I am on it too. And it proved once and for all what I always tried to tell folks intent on gusher-splaining to me why I was “wrong” for not really liking the PT films all that much.
IMHO, a Star Wars film doesn’t need to be perfect, nor does it need to cleave to some story that I’d already written in my head. All it really needs to do is to grab my interest with engaging characters and situations, and take me on that ride that I grew up on.
And that doesn’t mean it has to simply repeat stuff from 30-40 years ago. Like I said in my review, I could do without massive OT callbacks like yet another Death Star. BUT… the way they did it, TFA worked for me DESPITE retread material like that. From my point of view, TFA was good enough to transcend the “yet another…” factor, and in spades.
I’m right with ya, boss… I like the course this whole thing is set on right now. A lot.
I’ve seen it four times now, and am in the middle of reading the wonderful novelization and fantastic visual dictionary, which really help to deepen the journey. Anyway, I loved the film the first time, but it was a lot to take in, as well as my own expectations for what it should and shouldn’t be. Loved it then, but the second time was even better. Got to focus on all the extra details, the camera work, editing, soundtrack, supporting characters, unanswered questions, etc. Loved it even more. Third time saw it with my childhood best friend, loved it even more.
Finally broke down to see it for the fourth time, purposely this time to see it on IMAX 3D (which I had avoided), and that was by far the best viewing experience I’ve had. I would not go back to see it again without the IMAX 3D and amazing sound. The fourth viewing was incredible. So I will tell anyone who has only seen it once (especially if they have questions or problems with it or things they expected to go different), see it again for that second time (and read the novel or check out the Visual Dictionary), but that repeat viewing is a huge deal!
That’s how I feel about TFA as well, “I have problems with TFA… but none of them are enough to ruin it.” Well Said!
The unique thing about TFA is that I’ve yet to get bored reading other peoples’ reviews. Especially when they mirror my own thoughts. I can’t recall any other movie that has had that effect.
The big thing for myself that separates TFA from the prequels is the emotional context. TFA was peppered with them, my top three (which serve also my favourite moments are below). Contrast that with the prequels, where in my opinion there was only one moment out of the whole trilogy [the Sith ending with Owen and Beru holding Luke, looking out into the distance, with ‘Binary Sunset’ playing]. Star Wars biggest strength is its characters, this is where the prequels were sadly lacking.
Top 3 moments:
1. Luke’s lightsaber stuck in the snow, which eventually goes to Rey
2. The Millennium Falcon introduction on Jakku
3. The ending with Luke
“The big thing for myself that separates TFA from the prequels is the emotional context.”
Yes!!!
Exactly. That’s how I feel about it too.
And you know, much as the prequels tended to fall flat for me, when I first saw ROTS on opening day in 2005, I teared up at the very end with the “binary sunset” scene. First of all, it was almost exactly the way I’d always envisioned the prequel story ending, right down to the music. And it did exactly what it was supposed to do.
TFA had a lot of that kind of emotional weight, and that’s what really connects it to the OT films, IMHO. That emotional weight, and the pure fun factor.
Hope you go back and see it at least one more time on the big screen. It’s easily better the second time.
TONS better the second time.
Hell yeah.
Oh, I fully intend to. A second and possibly even a third time. Life’s just been getting in the way a bit lately (gotta say, after serious consideration and pondering, I’ve come to the conclusion that I much prefer Memorial Day weekend for SW releases than Christmas…)
Those are exactly my top three favorite things. 🙂
Good choice sir.
The ending with Luke could be a good idea but the scene is so plain,Luke is so regretful…. i didn’t feel a jedi mystique there…Maybe was hard to shoot on that island but I was really hoping JJ will deliver Luke’s take with FORCE…not
I’ve seen it 4 times. The 3rd time was the best. 😉 There are so many details that fly by but are actually small things that support the story.
The only wishy washy part to me is Maz’s castle. There’s some weird editing plot holes here but they’re minor.
I remember feeling like the middle of the movie got a bit muddled (if you’ll pardon the alliteration!) I think you may be right about Maz’s castle. It was the one part of the movie that seemed more like a plot device than anything. “Hey, we have to connect this part of the movie to that part of the movie, we need to explain this, Rey has to get the lightsaber, yaddayaddayadda…”
I think the biggest indication of this is the fact that Maz had so little to do after that scene that they cut her out of the rest of the movie with no explanation.
That being said, if that was the movie’s one big exposition-driven scene, it was at least a FUN one! And here we are, right back to why TFA works so damned well for me. ;^)
Yes it’s the most difficult part of any movie to write. This is where we needed to slow down and get exposition…
Maz knew Han arrived but didn’t know there were spies in her castle. Han lead FO straight to Maz and then the FO destroys her castle. Not something a long time friend would do. Finn had a gun but all of a sudden doesn’t. What happened to all the aliens in the castle during the battle? Maz just disappears, she should’ve at least boarded Leia’s ship… There’s obviously a lot more to this part of the movie according to the books and interviews with JJ, Daisy etc…
I really want the full cut of the movie.
Yeah, this does seem to be where a lot of the trimming down from 2:40 to 2:16 running time must have occurred.
Because although this is the part of the movie that we’d have expected they’d slow it down to allow for the necessary exposition, it never really does slow down all that much. It’s almost as though J.J. looked at the Maz’s castle bit as it originally was, and thought, “Oh, shit… Taxation of trade routes! Endless Jedi Council brow-furrowing! Sand gets everywhere! WE GOTTA CUT THIS DOWN AND SPEED IT UP!!!”
And in the process, all the points you mention cropped up. Including the fact that we never see anything of what becomes of Maz or any of the critters who were hanging around the castle. It’s almost like a reel is missing from the film at that point.
(And yet, even that didn’t kill the movie for me… that’s how good it is.)
Totally! It doesn’t hurt the movie at all. I LOVE TFA!
I really hope they release the long version though. I just want more!
Thankyou for summing it all up and putting a lot of my own thoughts on the movie into words…a really great review !
Thanks! I was actually a bit concerned that folks would think I was going overboard with the praise, but… well, this is my genuine take on TFA. It’s cool to see that it reflects what a lot of other folks hereabouts feel about it.
(Not that I don’t welcome dissenting views, of course! It’s what we do as fans, after all.) ;^)
Great piece Dekka! We definitely share a lot of similar thoughts on the film and from the comments, it looks like the feelings of many.
As a lot have said here and elsewhere in the Cantina, the film is amazing the first time, yet somehow manages to get better and better with each subsequent viewing.
Very good post DEKKA 129. I agree with everything that you mention. I will maybe just add that every time I see the movie again its geting even better. At least for me…
i think the first viewing, for me, was the best, but the 6th was right after it…. i just picked up all these things… so fun.
Saw it for my third time today. 2D first time, 3D second, 2D third. The 3D was well done for a conversion but I’m happy with 2D for now, too much cross talk and technical issues with (my) 3D cinema.
The first time was most definitely a whirlwind, and I had a few gripes with it that were mostly to do with pacing, but also Maz and Snoke’s CGI. After two more viewing all those gripes go away.
I definitely think that for a first time viewing it feels too fast, especially to a fan like me who’s mind is working overtime trying to take it all in. On further viewings there’s honestly not a problem with pacing. AT ALL. It moves briskly, but understandably so, and there’s never a dull moment. It truly feels like one of the most re-watchable films I’ve ever seen and I cannot wait for this on Bluray. I love the OT, sure, but even they can drag at times. Empire Strikes Back pacing probably most closely resembles TFA, where things progress steadily all the way through. Tattooine in ANH still feels like it goes on forever… even longer in ROTJ, lol. TFA sets up the characters very well indeed, especially Poe then onto Finn, I love that opening scene, so brilliantly done.
Today I bloody welled up the minute I saw BB-8 right at the beginning. So many other times throughout the film today I welled up and even got teary eyed. I LOVE these characters. Finn, Rey, Poe, they all are so earnest and full of heart, I love all their interactions. This film is FULL of emotion. That cannot be understated. The new cast have better chemistry than the OT cast ever did, and hey had great chemistry in those films. There’s SO much potential here to have a fantastic trilogy on our hands, I really hope the overarching story they’ve laid out is a great one worthy of these actors and characters.
Great the second time. It actually flowed better for me the second time and I was able to pay more attention to the score and how the different themes were woven together.
Does any one think the “Force Awakens” would have been better If the “Resistance” would have blown up “StarKiller” Base BEFORE it annihilated FIVE Planets?? I know I do! Theres not Much “Fun” in an entire star system wiped out or is it just me? Han Solo killed by his Own son was kind of depressing enough..% planets wiped out was a bit much, DEATH STAR ONE Blows up one Planet..(Alderann)..Death Star THREE…(Starkiller Base) Blows up FIVE=Just a Bigger more powerful Death Star that Destroys MORE Planets. L Kasdan,and JJ could have thought up something more original than that.
I think if they did think of something bigger it would have overshadowed the Rey/Kylo duel, which was the main event. The purpose I think was just for it to be fun and fireworks capping off the third act. Much like the Death Star 2 being a fun secondary storyline in Jedi to balance out the Luke/Vader drama. I think the Death Star had so much tension in ANH because it WAS the main event. Perhaps they didn’t want to blow their load in one film, or else how could they top it in the next two?
No i mean “Star Killer Base” destroyinh 5 planets is not my idea of “Fun Fireworks!” Could have come up with better bad guy weapons and villians..
It is a fun movie? yes it is. Rey is on of the best SW characters? yes she is. Great ship battle scenes? yes… but TFA it is also very irresponsible and superficial about SW universe as we know for 30 years. I didn’t like to see my hero LUKE been so defeated, I didn’t like the patricide( its awkward to see fathers and son in the theater togheter watching that scene) and 5 planets massacre could be avoided. Phasma is lame, Poe missing out the Tie Fighter crash is sloppy, I didn’t feel a mystique around the lightsaber, I would prefer not see Vader’s mask in that trailers, Hux is bad acting in his nazi faces, the rey’s scene inside the Destroyer was rushed :/ If I didn’t watched ANY TRAILERS it would be much more FUN for me TFA 1st screening….They put all the best takes in the trailers and made this spoiler secrecy out of nothing !!!
I agree pretty much with everything you say in the review – one thing you didn’t touch on is the score. When I walked out of the cinema from my first viewing, that was one of the few niggles I had as it didn’t completely grab me. However, I got the soundtrack at Christmas and having listened to it properly a few times now I think it’s fantastic – it’s just a much more subtle, sophisticated creature than any previous sw soundtracks – the final track in particular (the jedi steps) blows me away every time I hear it. As with the movie, it’s not quite up there with ESB but it comes in pretty close behind it.
The Jedi steps alone was definitely worth bringing Williams back for. Such haunting music that stuck with me after the film, along with that image of Luke overlooking the sea. I definitely hope it becomes his new recurring theme
Actually, I am still very underwhelmed by the score, even though I’ve listened to it a number of times.
To me, it’s sort of a general pastel wash of Star Wars-ey incidental music, rather than the epic theme-driven scores that marked Williams’ best work. With all due respect to John Williams (and my respect for him is and always has been nigh on immeasurable) for the most part the TFA soundtrack sounds (to my ears) tired, bland and uninspired.
There are some good moments in there (the finale is good, and Rey’s theme has some bits that approach the level of Williams’ classic character themes) but when I hear most of it, I just can’t help but thinking that our old favorite film composer is growing old, and it shows in his latest work.
Maybe the TFA score will eventually begin to grow on me, but it’s sure taking its time in doing so.
Sorry dude but everything with TFA are like this…even the Shadows of the Empire OST …an OST for a novel NOT a movie is way better that this one….Mr Williams is the best of all…but old enough too.
Well this Farce Has Ended finally…and all the myopia fan boys and girls have a blog sight where they can mumble and regurgitate about how great TFA was. Nobody seems to realize how bad this movie was….not because of the effects, or the cinematography witch were well made…but because of the awful script…because of the plagiarism.
Did i wanted another ANH? NO I HAVE THE ORIGINAL…did i wanted an idiotic babytears with issues main villain, incapable to defeat a 10min force sensitive scavenger? NOOOO…..did i wanted his ass kicked instead of him being a bad kick ass? NO…Did i wanted a 17million forced to play Harrison Ford? waiting (now killed ) his next Indiana chapter? or a sleepy past beauty?….
Did i needed to watch H.SOLO pass away like he was.. some other guy…other than the legendary HAN SOLO?….even Padme had a funeral.
I can write so many…MANY lines but is useless…most of the dudes here do not really know what it means to be a true fan and together have sense of what is really artistically good, of what is the difference between the creation of legends and the making of another cashcow blockbuster film…..SORRY JJ you have failed, the Star Trek recipe is not suitable for the SW Myth.
i dont know dude. every viewing i saw people loved it, and even my wife who was only converted to the original trilogy days before seeing the new film thought it was fantastically fun and can’t wait for the sequels. and this is someone who won’t bother with any sci-fi or fantasy genres.
most of your gripes are “me, me, me, me” (not actual criticism) with a slight against this site for not being “true fan(s)”…
witnessing the response to this film, and seeing first hand the magic in kids eyes as they leave the theaters and the sense of adventure my wife felt, i can confidently say the more “true fans” like you who are alienated by this franchise, the better.
these are stories for the masses… not LOTR in space.
I can’t say how much I agree with you on your points.
The “me me me ” expression is rhetorical dude….it is not about me, it’s about what an old fan boy “like me” would have not waited from another SW film. As for “true fans”,,,let me tell you this… a true fan is not someone just “in love” with with a notion,a hype, a trend and so on. A true fan embrace “the idea” and helps this idea to get better and evolve.
The “true fans”, “worshiping” TFA help in zero terms the SW universe to get evolved or to get better….or maybe you think plagiarism is evolution….
An entire new generation of children has embraced this movie and taken it to their hearts. That’s way more important to the future of SW than bitter people who throw their toys out the pram like you.
well i know many kids with the opposite opinion…but maybe you are right …maybe Disney is right on the target…. ” Aim the young ones – dispose all the old harcores they have given as already their money….we want money from the new generation” …..well “new generation” i have BAD NEWS….Disney has no ethics at all ….you are SCREWED.
1. About the “LOTR in space” comment….ha…maybe you are not so old…because LOTR is old and has endured through time, the original trilogy also…but TFA is not this kind of a movie it will not endure because it does not create something new just copy-paste it
2. My kid saw it also he is 12 and he hated it because he has seen all the six movies many times and he can think of when someone like Disney is trying to make fool out of him just making a copy of ANH.
3.Yes TFA was appealing like Transformers are or like Star Trek is or like Avengers are….but WAIT..what the hell that means???
IT MEANS TFA is another blockbuster made to be appealing to the masses ( nothing particular wrong with this – it’s a SW movie after all ) but it was made just that NOTHING MORE.
TFA has nothing to do with SW…because SW is not only movies…it’s way beyond that for decades.
All the prequel movies had build the SW universe..TFA is a bad copyof this – no new inspiration…even the TIE fighters after 30 years look the same….how lame is that?????
I agree,Han Solo’s Death was not handled well at all
The Force Awakens is a fun movie? yes it is. Rey is one of the best SW characters? yes she is. Great ship battle scenes? yes… but TFA it is also very irresponsible and superficial about SW universe as we know for 30 years. I didn’t like to see my hero LUKE been so defeated, I didn’t like the patricide( its awkward to see fathers and son in the theater togheter watching that scene) and 5 planets massacre could be avoided. Phasma is lame, Poe missing out the Tie Fighter crash is sloppy, I didn’t feel a mystique around the lightsaber, I would prefer not see Vader’s mask in that trailers, Hux is bad acting in his nazi faces, the rey’s scene inside the Destroyer was rushed :/ If I didn’t watched ANY TRAILERS it would be much more FUN for me TFA 1st screening….They put all the best takes in the trailers and made this spoiler secrecy out of nothing !!!
I totally understand and respect why you don’t like the movie and reason for doing so. But to start throwing around this True Fan statement is a bit unfounded. What justifies a “True Fan”. Do you have to say the Empire is the best movie and there are only 3 Star Wars movies, because that is BS. A True Fan to me is someone who loves some, most, or all of Star Wars. One that respects all aspects of the Star Wars. Yes some of it maybe not be what you like or how you want it to be. But that’s how it is and if it gets us new stories and more Star Wars I decide to take the good with the bad. I am not a prequel fanatic, but understand what was story was being told and take the good from the movies. Were they acted good, heck no. Does all the CGI hold up today, No. But I still love these movies because they are part of the story. It’s like that one crazy family member you like to talk about or can only be around so much. They are still family and you still love them and will try to defend them, at least that’s how it is to me.
As far as the Force Awakens goes, is it the best Star Wars movie? No. But in my opinion it is really good. A lot of people go into this movie forming an opinion of what should happen in the movie since 1983. 32 years of people speculating and building the movie in their head was a lot to live up to. Let’s also be clear that the story is not only made by JJ. Kasdan who helped write Empire and Jedi was a major part of the story, as well as the new story group for Lucasfilm. You can blame the directing part of this movie solely on him, but not the story. Which by the way I think the directing was spot on and that the story was good.
Also we are judging a movie that you have only seen probably once in a theater and it didn’t meet your 32 years of expectations. If were being honest and I went into the movie with that mindset it would disappoint me too. We have 2 more Star Wars films to fill out this film before you can be a major job of who this movie is. If you only saw A New Hope without seeing the next two you may have some of the same things to say.
So to everyone out there, go into this film without bias and trying to think how you think your Star Wars is supposed to be after Jedi. If you do that and you relax and enjoy the movie for what it is you will have a good time and see what was done, and how this is the best film that could be made to put Star Wars on top again. After all Star Wars in a generational thing and this movie appeals to all generations, stop trying to narrow Star Wars to your personal self and let every else enjoy what you have for so long.
“You assume to much” dude.
I am not an original trilogy only type of SW movie fan.
I am a SW universe type fan…aka EU fan.
I love and embrace all the 6 films even though i do not like for example JJ Bings or the Naboo romantic scenes or the nerdist concept of midichlorians.
I do not even like all the EU stories or comics…but is this the issue..NO
The issue here is that a “true” SW fan wants SW to get evolved even though the path is not always appealing to him/her. A real fan embrace the idea, the notion, the universe in all of its aspects and is waiting for the next chapter…He can be critical he can love he can hate…but this is the evolution itself.
TFA has no evolution…has only plagiarism…has behind it a multi billion company wanted to play it safe. Wanted to make big money and nothing else…then ok they added some bam bam…a tragic-but no so tragic death….some old faces for the sake of old fans..and and and…
THIS IS mocking in our faces…IF YOU cannot see that then you are happy like Cypher in Matrix ….”ignorance is bliss”
So you don’t understand Star Wars?
OK, it started a long time ago in a galaxy far far away.
JJ was not making a Star Wars film for HIMSELF or YOU.
He took what was on the table and attempted to make the best film for all, he did outstanding.
Go wrote your own and read it quietly to yourself.
Well i do understand SW likely better than you. JJ was making a film not for me obviously but not for you either or all the fans out there. Do you need i mile thick googles to see that? He made a film it was supposed to do ordered not be some artistic talent or myth creator like G.Lucas …he made a movie ordered by a board of shareholders….GET IT? CAN YOU FEEL THE DIFFERENCE Mr.SW understanding?
I am not a native in english language you are lucky…otherwise i would go on for miles of writing about what is wrong with TFA.
And maybe soon we will write our own and read it loudly to the masses in order for them to understand how a SW story is supposed to be told….
…and for the record in order to be fair and square with it 3TIMES: 2 in 3D and 1 in Dolby Atmos we do not have IMAX around here.
Cool review.
“Han’s final act before he died was to reach out and touch Ben’s face – a gesture that I suspect may stick with Ben…”
Agreed. Like that touch. I think this little gesture will be so important. My thoughts are this gesture will save him, with some Leia final involvement. To save him completely or in his final breath before die, like Vader.
Oh yeah, the factor of what Leia’s gonna do to help Ben hasn’t even occurred to me, but yeah, that scene has got to be awesome, when the two [hopefully] confront each other, the mom who forsook being a jedi and the son who tried and failed at it. Ton of potential for a great scene there. There isn’t enough “I am your mother!” moments in star wars, it’s all daddy-centric, time for a change of beat.
Your review really captured my opinion of the film [those rathgars are lame though].
One problem. I hated Godzilla, and I’ll probably hate Jurassic World when I stumble upon it on TV.
WHY OH WHY couldn’t they keep J.J, to direct ALL THREE??
He got it good! Just give it to him!
TFA is a fun movie? yes it is. Rey is one of the best SW characters? yes she is. Great ship battle scenes? yes… but TFA it is also very irresponsible and superficial about SW universe as we know for 30 years. I didn’t like to see my hero LUKE been so defeated, I didn’t like the patricide( its awkward to see fathers and son in the theater togheter watching that scene) and 5 planets massacre could be avoided. Phasma is lame, Poe missing out the Tie Fighter crash is sloppy, I didn’t feel a mystique around the lightsaber, I would prefer not see Vader’s mask in that trailers, Hux is bad acting in his nazi faces, the rey’s scene inside the Destroyer was rushed :/ If I didn’t watched ANY TRAILERS it would be much more FUN for me TFA 1st screening….They put all the best takes in the trailers and made this spoiler secrecy out of nothing !!!
I agree with everything you say….It would have been better to see the “Resistance” blow up “Star Killer” Base BEFORE it destroyed 5 planets! Han Solo’s Death could have been written better too…it would have been good to see him with Luke Skywalker Again one last time! Good Movie but not really for kids lol
TFA excellence and proof of time…. depends on ep8 now
all them words and nary a mention of my favorite new character, HUX? hux don’t need no stinking clones, not when he can steal babies and train them up. while kylo is pitching an emo fit and probably cutting himself, hux is getting stuff done.
and you didn’t mention my 2nd favorite character, wiz khalifa either. sorry, but worst review ever.
#HuxIsNotACutter
By Jove, I do believe you’re onto something here! ;^)