Just got in from seeing Star Wars: The Force Awakens

§ December 21st, 2015 § Filed under star wars § 4 Comments

…and I thought it was a lot of fun. All killer, no filler, and contained some actual emotion instead of that pretend emotion from the prequels.

I’ve got more to say, but it’s late as I write this and I didn’t want to let another Monday go by without a post. Check back Tuesday…I plan on having some spoiler-free (or, at the very most, spoiler-lite) discussion about it.

If you’ve got spoiler-heavy comments about the film, go ahead and leave ’em on this post, so anyone who hasn’t seen it yet, consider yourself forewarned. I may do a more spoiler-heavy post in the future if I feel the need to respond in excess to what you have to say (and gee, when do I ever do that?).

4 Responses to “Just got in from seeing Star Wars: The Force Awakens…”

  • philfromgermany says:

    Agree with your assessment of the movie. Awesome!

    However, would you agree that it makes the happy ending and galaxywide celebrations at the end of RotJ seem a bit pointless or at least overly positive?
    The galaxy seemed liberated and everyone was celebrating but looking ahead 30 years not so much seems to have changed.
    The Emperor is back, so Vaders sacrifice was in vain. Unless he is just a 2Pac-like hologramm with a Wizard of Oz throwing his voice in that big throne room.

    The Empire’s single most glaring setback was a namechange. They have a bigger, badder Deathstar, countless troops, ships and tech. The rebels have even fewer starships than in the original trilogy, many of the same tired looking personel and seemingly very few worlds under their control. As if they just dropped the hammer/blasters after the festivities and went home totally forgetting what the Star War was all about.
    I think the post Battle of Endor period was better planned in the original extended universe. There you still had some sectors under imperial control, some were neutral or lawless, but the Galaxy Core was free and steps were underway to ensure the Empire would never rise again.

    That being said, this is nothing but a minor gripe just wanted to know if anyone else thought so. I loved the characterization/action mix and ratio. I love the new characters, especially Poe. Glad I avoided spoilers. Also loved seeing old favorites back.
    Space battles, lightsabres, droids, cantina music, the cousins of the monster from the first Hellboy. And Chinese space pirates…. Much funny dialogue. Even a funny scene with stormtroopers. Definitely gonna see it at least once more in the cinema.

  • joe c says:

    But if the last few decades have been relatively peaceful, wouldn’t it have been worth it? I’m guessing things started really going bad after Kylo Ren came over to the Dark Side.

    I’m amazed I avoided spoilers for the biggest surprises. But now that I’ve gone back to see some of the trailers I love how they underplayed Rey’s true role (and she already looked pretty darn capable).

    It’ll be interesting to see if the next part adds this many elements from the original trilogy or if that was just the plan for Episode VII to get ’em in the seats. At least we don’t have to wait two whole years to find out.

    But it truly was a spectacular movie that exceeded my unrealistic expectations. I was transported back to 12-year old me, and it was glorious.

  • Earl Allison says:

    Haven’t seen the movie, but not worried about spoilers.

    philfromgermany, you make a decent point, and it’s probably a correct one insofar as the ending of Jedi being unrealistic, but while that is technically correct, it flies in the face of the message Jedi was selling, that Good had defeated Evil.

    Yes, simply killing the Emperor and destroying the second Death Star didn’t affect the hundreds or thousands of ships and systems the Empire controlled, but that wasn’t the message of the movie (IMHO). And you are spot-on about the novel universe post-RotJ, which is what I think Abrams was cribbing from a little (at least in concept of “it ain’t that easy”).

    From what I HAVE heard about the movie, it sounds like it hit all the notes of the original trilogy in much the same way, which might explain the problem of the Empire not really being stopped (they in essence are telling the same story again). I have also read theories that they did all of this for this movie only so that they can tell newer (or at least less “blatant homage to earlier films) stories and beats.

    I’ll see it when the crowds lessen somewhat, and I expect to be entertained. I was six when the original came out, so if all this does is rehash the emotional moments of the original trilogy?

    I will be a happy man :)

  • King of the Moon says:

    Are you telling me that the Rebels policy of regime change didn’t immediately result in peace?

    I am shocked. Shocked I say.