Star Wars Force Awakens Discussion Thread (SPOILERS!!!)

[swimmingbird]

Just got back from seeing the new Star Wars film

Was pretty awesome - please use spoiler format when discussing plot points (I'm sure pretty much everyone on here will anyway)

What did you guys think?

[tp4tissue]

Just got back from seeing the new Star Wars film

Was pretty awesome - I'm not going to post any spoilers yet just in case people are using Spy or Unread but I'd highly recommend people go see it (I'm sure pretty much everyone on here will anyway)

I won't, not even sure it's out here in China yet..


I'm actually looking to get into a more realistic "futuristic" universe..

Like Startrek but "New"


Startrek made sense, and people and beings given their ability behaved much more appropirately vs the current crop of scifi universes.

[lolpes]

Saw it, loved it shame about 5 second Luke tough...

[tp4tissue]

Saw it, loved it shame about 5 second Luke tough...

Is it Soooo good,  like Iron Man 1,   that you can watch a cam-ed version,, and still be like, holy ****,  let's see that again..

[swimmingbird]

Saw it, loved it shame about 5 second Luke tough...

SPOILERS yah I thought that was weird considering how he was listed as the number two credit SPOILERS

[lolpes]

The spoiler warning is already on the Tittle so free game from here on? xD

[tp4tissue]

The spoiler warning is already on the Tittle so free game from here on? xD

You shoudl prolly still put the spoilers in the FRONT of the title, because sometimes on smaller screens the title gets cut off at the end.. with.....

[Findecanor]

I liked aspects of it. I saw it on Tuesday night European time (pre-screening Gala premiere in costume. Special invite from Disney. Woohoo!) and had a ticket for Wednesday night also, but the bad aspects of the movie curbed my enthusiasm for seeing it a second time, so I didn't. Maybe I'll go again some time after Christmas.

The two main characters are great. Han Solo was great. Leia delivered. Dialogue was great. No stupid alien or droid-humour, I heard only a burp once. The new droid is awesome: very cute and likeable. It is fast and action-paced while having slow moments also. There is maybe a little bit too much fan-service.
The worst thing is that the framework for the story is ... unoriginal. You know how J.J. Abrams made a reboot of Star Trek and a reboot-remake of the movie Star Trek - Wrath of Kahn? Well.. now he has done the same thing with Star Wars!
If you have seen the poster then you have already seen that there is a friggin Death Star! Literally, it is a cold place.
People already ridiculed Return of the Jedi back in 1983 for having a new Death Star, and now there is a third! What were they thinking?
But they don't call it a Death Star . They even use charts and graphs to try to convince the audience that it isn't one ... *facepalm*.
But what happens with the Death Star? Well... the rest of the framework is just the same as in ANH, with a tiny bit of the ROTJ Death Star story thrown in for good measure.
And do let's make it super-easy for someone who has never flown a starship before to start flying one, and let's make it super-easy for someone who isn't a trained jedi and not even force-sensitive to use a lightsaber and almost hold his own again the baddest mofo in the galaxy, and forget about he navigation computer taking time to calculate how to fly through hyperspace (it is not like dusting crops, boy!) - we can now enter hyperspace directly out from a hangar even though it now has unknown modifications, and we can leave hyperspace in atmosphere and pull up just right before we would otherwise hit ground ... *whew* *exhale*.

The movie leaves with even higher expectations on the next movie. Cliffhanger. Well.. they are on a cliff anyway.

[swimmingbird]

I liked aspects of it. I saw it on Tuesday night European time (pre-screening Gala premiere in costume. Special invite from Disney. Woohoo!) and had a ticket for Wednesday night also, but the bad aspects of the movie curbed my enthusiasm for seeing it a second time, so I didn't. Maybe I'll go again some time after Christmas.

The two main characters are great. Han Solo was great. Leia delivered. Dialogue was great. No stupid alien or droid-humour, I heard only a burp once. The new droid is awesome: very cute and likeable. It is fast and action-paced while having slow moments also. There is maybe a little bit too much fan-service.
The worst thing is that the framework for the story is ... unoriginal. You know how J.J. Abrams made a reboot of Star Trek and a reboot-remake of the movie Star Trek - Wrath of Kahn? Well.. now he has done the same thing with Star Wars!
If you have seen the poster then you have already seen that there is a friggin Death Star! Literally, it is a cold place.
People already ridiculed Return of the Jedi back in 1983 for having a new Death Star, and now there is a third! What were they thinking?
But they don't call it a Death Star . They even use charts and graphs to try to convince the audience that it isn't one ... *facepalm*.
But what happens with the Death Star? Well... the rest of the framework is just the same as in ANH, with a tiny bit of the ROTJ Death Star story thrown in for good measure.
And do let's make it super-easy for someone who has never flown a starship before to start flying one, and let's make it super-easy for someone who isn't a trained jedi and not even force-sensitive to use a lightsaber and almost hold his own again the baddest mofo in the galaxy, and forget about he navigation computer taking time to calculate how to fly through hyperspace (it is not like dusting crops, boy!) - we can now enter hyperspace directly out from a hangar even though it now has unknown modifications, and we can leave hyperspace in atmosphere and pull up just right before we would otherwise hit ground ... *whew* *exhale*.

The movie leaves with even higher expectations on the next movie. Cliffhanger. Well.. they are on a cliff anyway.

I thought the ending was really muddled

Han Solo should have died halfway through the film so that you would have had a clear emotion at the ending

I also thought it was weird how they chose to put Luke Skywalker in at the end - unless they start the next film at that exact moment we are going to miss their first real dialogue....

Funnily enough I thought that the nostalgia crap was the worst part of the film - if it didn't have that it would have been perfect

[hwood34]

I liked aspects of it. I saw it on Tuesday night European time (pre-screening Gala premiere in costume. Special invite from Disney. Woohoo!) and had a ticket for Wednesday night also, but the bad aspects of the movie curbed my enthusiasm for seeing it a second time, so I didn't. Maybe I'll go again some time after Christmas.

The two main characters are great. Han Solo was great. Leia delivered. Dialogue was great. No stupid alien or droid-humour, I heard only a burp once. The new droid is awesome: very cute and likeable. It is fast and action-paced while having slow moments also. There is maybe a little bit too much fan-service.
The worst thing is that the framework for the story is ... unoriginal. You know how J.J. Abrams made a reboot of Star Trek and a reboot-remake of the movie Star Trek - Wrath of Kahn? Well.. now he has done the same thing with Star Wars!
If you have seen the poster then you have already seen that there is a friggin Death Star! Literally, it is a cold place.
People already ridiculed Return of the Jedi back in 1983 for having a new Death Star, and now there is a third! What were they thinking?
But they don't call it a Death Star . They even use charts and graphs to try to convince the audience that it isn't one ... *facepalm*.
But what happens with the Death Star? Well... the rest of the framework is just the same as in ANH, with a tiny bit of the ROTJ Death Star story thrown in for good measure.
And do let's make it super-easy for someone who has never flown a starship before to start flying one, and let's make it super-easy for someone who isn't a trained jedi and not even force-sensitive to use a lightsaber and almost hold his own again the baddest mofo in the galaxy, and forget about he navigation computer taking time to calculate how to fly through hyperspace (it is not like dusting crops, boy!) - we can now enter hyperspace directly out from a hangar even though it now has unknown modifications, and we can leave hyperspace in atmosphere and pull up just right before we would otherwise hit ground ... *whew* *exhale*.

The movie leaves with even higher expectations on the next movie. Cliffhanger. Well.. they are on a cliff anyway.

THEY EVEN BEAT THE DEATH STAR THINGY IN THE SAME DAMN WAY. **** UP THE SHIELD, SHOOT THIS LITTLE THING THAT ****S THE WHOLE THING UP

[romevi]

It was great, but I hope it was repetitive just to bring in the old fans and that they do new stuff for the next films.

The ending REALLY bugged me, though.

[jbondeson]

The biggest thing that bugged me was how bloody telegraphed the Kylo Ren - Han Solo interaction was.

[...]and let's make it super-easy for someone who isn't a trained jedi and not even force-sensitive to use a lightsaber and almost hold his own again the baddest mofo in the galaxy,

You got a much different feel from Kylo Ren than I did. He seemed much more "confused kid with daddy issues and an anger problem" than "baddest mofo in the galazy" to me. Easily the worst new character. His characterization seems more at home with a 16 year old than the twenty-something they're trying to make him.

and forget about he navigation computer taking time to calculate how to fly through hyperspace (it is not like dusting crops, boy!) - we can now enter hyperspace directly out from a hangar even though it now has unknown modifications, and we can leave hyperspace in atmosphere and pull up just right before we would otherwise hit ground ... *whew* *exhale*.

Technology in Star War has always been flat out dumb. I, II and III had much more technology than IV, V, and VI. And if you didn't have characters for reference you'd think VII was shot within 5 years, not the 20-30 years they're going for. And the extended universe of the books just makes the technology issue worse.

It was great, but I hope it was repetitive just to bring in the old fans and that they do new stuff for the next films.

The ending REALLY bugged me, though.

I very much got the feeling that this was a "lets bring back the old fans" intro movie.

[jdcarpe]

I very much got the feeling that this was a "lets bring back the old fans" intro movie.

Yes, in the same way that Abrams' Star Trek reboot film was.

[jbondeson]

Yes, in the same way that Abrams' Star Trek reboot film was.

See I had the opposite reaction to the Star Trek reboot. I hated that reboot. Still haven't even bothered to see the Wrath of Khan retread.

If we have to suffer through a V and VI retread I'm going to be really, really disappointed. Frankly I think they would have been better off simply pulling inspiration from the extended universe rather than this "RECYCLE ALL THE THINGS" kick they're on.

And now I realize I'm sounding really critical. I rather like the feel of the movie, just with they were more original on the script.

[keshley]

My take on Kylo Ren: Knows some pretty bad-ass dark side powers, but is incomplete when it comes to other Jedi skills. Unlike Luke, and the Jedi in the prequels, he never once reflected a blaster shot back at the attacker. I think this is why Rey was able to hold her own in the lightsaber battle. Hell, even Finn was able to hurt him, and as far as we know, he's not a Jedi (although I feel that is kinda left open at this point - he could be a 'lesser' Jedi in comparison to Rey, or he could simply be a fast learner).

So, in my estimation, what we saw was a partially trained Jedi (Kylo Ren) fighting an untrained Jedi who's a natural with martial skills (Rey).

[tp4tissue]

any other cool tech ?

I no gets to see the movie..

[jdcarpe]

any other cool tech ?

I no gets to see the movie..

A planet-sized death star weapon, which sucks up the energy from its star and fires it at other planets. This was typical J.J. Abrams plot device, to me. Like the planet core drill on Vulcan...

BB-8 is a cool little droid. But I suppose the 'BB' series of droids only ever had 10 units manufactured. )

[Jokrik]

Just watched the movie,
It's good, but my favorite is still Ep.V

Han Solo, is the best part of the film and have always been in my opinion of all the star wars saga

but my head just confused right now with what Disney has done to the expanded universe, I was expecting that there will be links or even hint for Ben Skywalker

hnnnggggg

[jdcarpe]

but my head just confused right now with what Disney has done to the expanded universe, I was expecting that there will be links or even hint for Ben Skywalker

I don't read expanded universe; I've only watched canon. But I can hazard a guess that there may be another moment like: "That girl is our last hope. No, there is another."

[jbondeson]

any other cool tech ?

I no gets to see the movie..

The rebels fly the same X-Wing fighters, but apparently the First Order has thrown some new badass paint jobs on their TIE-fighters. The rebels seriously need to step up their fund raising game. The Empire/First Order can build planet sized weapons that destroy worlds, but they can't even get new damn fighter planes.

Just watched the movie,
It's good, but my favorite is still Ep.V

Han Solo, is the best part of the film and have always been in my opinion of all the star wars saga

but my head just confused right now with what Disney has done to the expanded universe, I was expecting that there will be links or even hint for Ben Skywalker

hnnnggggg

This movie essentially ****-canned the entire extended universe that was built post-Ep VI.  Everything went to "non-canon". Vector Prime and Chewbacca's death are out the window along with everything else.

[romevi]

Just watched the movie,
It's good, but my favorite is still Ep.V

Han Solo, is the best part of the film and have always been in my opinion of all the star wars saga

but my head just confused right now with what Disney has done to the expanded universe, I was expecting that there will be links or even hint for Ben Skywalker

hnnnggggg

Yeah, I thought the film overall was great. I get why did what they did to Han Solo. I guess I just would've liked him to have more...something...about it. The final scene really, really bugged. I would've just liked if they ended it at Rey and Chewie leaving to find Luke.

Also, the EU is completely erased. Like, it never happened. Could they get inspiration from it? Sure, but just pretend that up to 2012 nothing happened since 1983.

[Jokrik]

but my head just confused right now with what Disney has done to the expanded universe, I was expecting that there will be links or even hint for Ben Skywalker

I don't read expanded universe; I've only watched canon. But I can hazard a guess that there may be another moment like: "That girl is our last hope. No, there is another."

I will be looking forward what Rogue One has to offer
There are more stories other than Jedis in Star Wars, really hoping to find more of them in the big screen

but man, I know that he's gonna die way before today but why I'm still emotionally impacted T_T

[BUDA]

So, in my estimation, what we saw was a partially trained Jedi (Kylo Ren) fighting an untrained Jedi who's a natural with martial skills (Rey).

For me Rey was already trained (may be by Luke) when she was a little child (best age to be trained). A trauma in its childhood trouble is memory and she was hidden on Jakku because Knights of Ren tracked and killed all new Luke's Padawans (Knights of Ren killing people pictures during the flashback/flashforward scene of Rey with the Luke's lightsaber).
Its Mind Control skill and fight skill is to high to be natural. Rey's martial art skills are aftermath not causes. The Master Jedi training is too important into the saga. The history/background of Rey seems to be fat.

[romevi]

So, in my estimation, what we saw was a partially trained Jedi (Kylo Ren) fighting an untrained Jedi who's a natural with martial skills (Rey).

For me Rey was already trained (may be by Luke) when she was a little child (best age to be trained). A trauma in its childhood trouble is memory and she was hidden on Jakku because Knights of Ren tracked and killed all new Luke's Padawans (Knights of Ren killing people pictures during the flashback/flashforward scene of Rey with the Luke's lightsaber).
Its Mind Control skill and fight skill is to high to be natural. Rey's martial art skills are aftermath not causes. The Master Jedi training is too important into the saga. The history/background of Rey seems to be fat.

I was wondering who left Rey there. This actually makes sense. And could help explain Luke's dumbfounded look when he sees her, which is the scene that bugged me most in the film. Right after Han's, but I guess it had to happen sooner or later.

Also, I thought Boyega was great. Isaac was excellent too, but we didn't much screen time with him.

I watched it last night!
I held my pee for a good hour throughout the movie T_T

Me too! Even though I went twice before the movie started. 

Anyways, being my first star wars movie (i know)

how

[pichu23]

I watched it last night!
I held my pee for a good hour throughout the movie T_T
Anyways, being my first star wars movie (i know), I wasn't sure who was who, and what was what lol.
I'd probably go on a marathon to watch the previous ones later on.
BB-8 was super cute though.

[jdcarpe]

When you saw Greg Grunberg as an X-Wing pilot, did you think of him as this generation's Porkins? )

[Jokrik]

When you saw Greg Grunberg as an X-Wing pilot, did you think of him as this generation's Porkins? )

Hahahaha! Exactly!
But seriously, first time I saw him I think more of him as Matt from Heroes

[jdcarpe]

When you saw Greg Grunberg as an X-Wing pilot, did you think of him as this generation's Porkins? )

Hahahaha! Exactly!
But seriously, first time I saw him I think more of him as Matt from Heroes

LOL. What is Matt Parkman doing flying an X-Wing?

[romevi]

When you saw Greg Grunberg as an X-Wing pilot, did you think of him as this generation's Porkins? )

Yup. Thought he was going to be the first to die, too.

[jdcarpe]

Also, I didn't realize how small BB-8 was until I saw him standing next to R2.

[Jokrik]

Also, I didn't realize how small BB-8 was until I saw him standing next to R2.

Remember that scene when Finn shouts to Poe when they hit the Order at Maz
I never thought that the best pilot of the rebel is as good as that, my eyes just couldn't get off from the X-Wing and how good he maneuvered it

one of the best moment in the movie

[pichu23]

Also, I didn't realize how small BB-8 was until I saw him standing next to R2.

Makes want to get this lil bugger too.

The price though on the other hand.. 

[Jokrik]

Also, I didn't realize how small BB-8 was until I saw him standing next to R2.

Makes want to get this lil bugger too.

Show Image

The price though on the other hand..  :confused:

I'd rather get this
https://www.sideshowtoy.com/collectibles/star-wars-rey-and-bb-8-hot-toys-902612/

or until they release the bb-8 alone

[jdcarpe]

Oh yeah, I also loved the cantina scene at Maz'

Pure flashback to Mos Eisley.

[Findecanor]

One detail that I loved about the movie is that we really see that Leia is Force-sensitive, when she senses Han's death..

Also, Rey and Finn are the best. One thing that is often overlooked with the old trilogy is how genuine the characters were. Boyega and Ridley brought that back.

You got a much different feel from Kylo Ren than I did. He seemed much more "confused kid with daddy issues and an anger problem" than "baddest mofo in the galazy" to me.

That is not what I meant. What I meant was that he was the most dangerous opponent he could ever face.
I think that the character was well made - both in concept and acting. He is definitely not one-dimensional.

I very much got the feeling that this was a "lets bring back the old fans" intro movie.

Yes, in the same way that Abrams' Star Trek reboot film was.

Yep. Old Star Trek fans hated the reboot. The new Star Wars movie appeals more to the casual movie-goer who does remember only something of the old films from way back more than hardcore fans.

Many hardcore fans have read lots of Star Wars novels set in the time after Return of the Jedi. Lucasfilm has chosen to "undo" all of them... instead inventing a new continuity.
I have counted to seventyfive novels after Return of the Jedi, but there might be more. That is not an insignificant number. Sure, some of them are really bad and some of them contradict each other on minor details...some of them are really good and have interesting characters that fans love. Invalidating the Star Wars libraries of thousands of fans is giving the the fans a raised middle-finger. And that's just novels. There are also comic books and video games whose continuity has been deemed invalid.

A common theme in some of the worst novels are that they introduce new superweapons. Those books are the ones that are the most ridiculed by fans.
Then why did someone at Lucasfilm think that introducing a new Death Star in the new movie was a good idea?
Surely this time it is not George Lucas that is out of touch ...

[drewba]

Also, Rey and Finn are the best. One thing that is often overlooked with the old trilogy is how genuine the characters were. Boyega and Ridley brought that back.

Those two made it for me. Their first interaction on Jakku was hysterical & when Finn finally admits to Rey that he came from the First Order, NOT the resistance, I pretty much fell in love with them.

Sidequest, I only heard one Wilhelm Scream near the beginning. Did anyone else catch others?

[jbondeson]

You got a much different feel from Kylo Ren than I did. He seemed much more "confused kid with daddy issues and an anger problem" than "baddest mofo in the galazy" to me.

That is not what I meant. What I meant was that he was the most dangerous opponent he could ever face.
I think that the character was well made - both in concept and acting. He is definitely not one-dimensional.

I wasn't feeling Kylo Ren's character at all. It all seemed really forced. There are so many blanks between RotJ and FA that you have zero insight into him other than the multiple violent outbursts and his monologues. Overall I think he just reminds me more of Hayden Christensen's whiny Anakin than any of the intimidating Empire figures.

Of all the new character's he's the one that needs the most back story -- Finn and Rey are pretty easy to understand since they are blank slates. But there wasn't any real time left to develop Kylo Ren's history, and yet he's the one who's at the center of what is supposed to be the most emotional part of the film. That whole sequence would have been more powerful after developing his character (say in VIII or IX), and instead it just left me saying "yep, saw that coming."

[lishi]

Wow, that was a great movie. I'm not the world's biggest Star Wars fan at all. In fact, I seem to have actually forgotten whole chunks of the original trilogy since it's been over a decade since I last watched them. But overall, the film felt very "JJ" at times but also INCREDIBLY Star Wars-y in a way the prequels never really achieved.

After watching people come out of The Phantom Menace premiere completely blown away and calling it the best movie ever I was really trying to stay level headed about it. While there are definitely parts of the movie that were really convenient and the ticking time bomb giant laser beam in the sky mechanic had been seen in a lot of action movies before, as well as previous JJ movies, that's not really a bad thing.

I did get the Kylo Ren being Han's son and Han dying to Kylo spoiled to me and overall the delivery was ok but could have been a lot better.

BB-8 was probably my favorite new character from the movie, followed closely by Rey especially when she wields Luke's lightsaber against Kylo  , and then Poe and Finn's bromance

Also, I can't believe Captain Phasma's character was so underutilized. I was expecting her to be like the next Boba Fett, instead she just noped the f out of starkiller base after Finn and Han capture her? Isn't she supposed to be some kind of bad ass? Her whole character just seemed kind of useless

So great to have so many returning actors too, felt like a natural progression from ROTJ and passing of the torch to the new cast.

So, who are Rey's actual parents? I have a hard time believing the people that she thinks are her parents are actually her parents. With her being so force sensitive and the whole finishing Han's lines, getting the falcon, and some leaks that came out before filming that the new film was about two force sensitive siblings with one of them turning to the dark side (Kylo, obviously) and another female one, in my mind she's the daughter of Han and Leia who possibly? was trained by Luke and then force wiped the memories from her on Jakku (which would address her fighting prowess against Kylo Ren

One detail that I loved about the movie is that we really see that Leia is Force-sensitive, when she senses Han's death..

Was it ever not obvious that Leia was also force sensitive? Considering the fact that she's Luke's sister and daughter of Anakin?

[fohat.digs]

Old Star Trek fans hated the reboot.

Haven't seen the new Star Wars yet but I was never passionate about Star Wars like I was about Star Trek. It always seemed to be too focused on selling dolls, although The Force and the Jedis were interesting.

Against the tide, I liked "Star Trek - The Motion Picture" moderately well, and disliked the others (except the whale one was great camp).

When I first saw the Star Trek reboot I hated it, but (with teenage kids) after seeing it multiple times it has grown on me considerably.

The second one just plain sucks ass. Sherlock as Khan? I don't think so. Even when I was a teenager, I thought that the original Khan episode was weak and could not imagine why they would waste their time writing a movie out of it.

[jdcarpe]

The second one just plain sucks ass. Sherlock as Khan? I don't think so. Even when I was a teenager, I thought that the original Khan episode was weak and could not imagine why they would waste their time writing a movie out of it.

Haha, yeah I agree you about with the casting choice. The whole reason they made the reboot Khan movie is because STII:TWoK is every trekkie's fave. But because RICARDO MONTALBAN! He made you want to buy a Chrysler just to sit in that Corinthian leather.

[lishi]

The second one just plain sucks ass. Sherlock as Khan? I don't think so. Even when I was a teenager, I thought that the original Khan episode was weak and could not imagine why they would waste their time writing a movie out of it.

Yeah... while I didn't hate Into Darkness, the whole "he's actually Khan" bit was just so stupid. JJ's proclivity to keeping the mystery of his movies contained can back fire terribly. Luckily, I'd say there isn't really a Khan situation in The Force Awakens, however

[romevi]

Luckily, I'd say there isn't really a Khan situation in The Force Awakens, however

Darth Vader is Luke's father.

[jdcarpe]

Luckily, I'd say there isn't really a Khan situation in The Force Awakens, however

Darth Vader is Luke's father.

* jdcarpe gasp

[jdcarpe]

Wow, that was a great movie. I'm not the world's biggest Star Wars fan at all. In fact, I seem to have actually forgotten whole chunks of the original trilogy since it's been over a decade since I last watched them. But overall, the film felt very "JJ" at times but also INCREDIBLY Star Wars-y in a way the prequels never really achieved.

After watching people come out of The Phantom Menace premiere completely blown away and calling it the best movie ever I was really trying to stay level headed about it. While there are definitely parts of the movie that were really convenient and the ticking time bomb giant laser beam in the sky mechanic had been seen in a lot of action movies before, as well as previous JJ movies, that's not really a bad thing.

I did get the Kylo Ren being Han's son and Han dying to Kylo spoiled to me and overall the delivery was ok but could have been a lot better.

BB-8 was probably my favorite new character from the movie, followed closely by Rey especially when she wields Luke's lightsaber against Kylo  , and then Poe and Finn's bromance

Also, I can't believe Captain Phasma's character was so underutilized. I was expecting her to be like the next Boba Fett, instead she just noped the f out of starkiller base after Finn and Han capture her? Isn't she supposed to be some kind of bad ass? Her whole character just seemed kind of useless

So great to have so many returning actors too, felt like a natural progression from ROTJ and passing of the torch to the new cast.

So, who are Rey's actual parents? I have a hard time believing the people that she thinks are her parents are actually her parents. With her being so force sensitive and the whole finishing Han's lines, getting the falcon, and some leaks that came out before filming that the new film was about two force sensitive siblings with one of them turning to the dark side (Kylo, obviously) and another female one, in my mind she's the daughter of Han and Leia who possibly? was trained by Luke and then force wiped the memories from her on Jakku (which would address her fighting prowess against Kylo Ren

One detail that I loved about the movie is that we really see that Leia is Force-sensitive, when she senses Han's death..

Was it ever not obvious that Leia was also force sensitive? Considering the fact that she's Luke's sister and daughter of Anakin?

You pretty much summed up my feelings about TFA there.


I do think Rey is Luke's daughter, though. With whom, I have no clue.

[njbair]

There is no way this movie ever could have lived up to the hype. That said, I liked it. It didn't always feel like a Star Wars movie, but I think it set a great tone for future movies to come. And I think in ten years it will hold up much better than episodes 1-3 have.

I do think the whole "totally not just another death star" thing was a bit disappointing, there are probably better ways to establish the First Order as ruthless and evil.

I do have one question, though:

Did they succeed in destroying the Senate, or was that group of planets just an innocent victim of a weapons test?

[jdcarpe]

With the inverse square law, doesn't anyone else think that by the time those beams of energy reached those distant planets, the beams would be wide cones with such low energy, that any atmosphere at all would have absorbed or deflected the remaining radiation?

[njbair]

With the inverse square law, doesn't anyone else think that by the time those beams of energy reached those distant planets, the beams would be wide cones with such low energy, that any atmosphere at all would have absorbed or deflected the remaining radiation?

If hyperspace involves the folding of spacetime, then the distance traveled would be reduced.

[HoffmanMyster]

Alright, I just saw the movie tonight.  I went into it having literally zero exposure to anything related to the film, save a glimpse at the new lightsaber.  To me, the movie had absolutely no hype to live up to, and it ended up being basically everything I was hoping for.  I loved the characters and I loved that it wasn't cheesy.

Some are complaining that the story was exactly IV again, but I really didn't mind.  To be fair, the goal is always "destroy the big planet-sized weapon", and we shouldn't exactly be surprised by that.    But moreso, I think it serves as a decent re-boot to the series and kind of re-sets everything to launch off of, just like IV did.  I wouldn't anticipate VIII and IX being rehashes of V and VI and would be disappointed if they are.

The only moment that I thought to myself "huh, I wouldn't have done that" was when Ren took off his helmet, but thinking about it it kind of makes sense.  I was initially bothered for two reasons.  1, he simply doesn't look terribly intimidating; 2, it takes away from the mystery and makes him even less intimidating still.  But that might have been intentional, since a big part of his character is how immature and young he is - so those features/behaviors would make sense for his character.  Hmm.

As for Finn using a lightsaber, I agree that it's possible/likely that he can use the force to some extent.  Also agree that since Ren is a relatively inexperienced/angst-y fighter, he's prone to make quite a few more mistakes than someone like Vader. 

I do wish we saw a bit more backstory though.  I want to know what became of the "old" system classifications; does the First Order control more or less territory than the Empire did?  To what capacity is the Republic still functioning?  I want to know a bit more about how we got to now.

But like I said, overall a very enjoyable movie for me. 

[heedpantsnow]

The main thing I didn't like was the "supreme leader" and how he looked like an old Gollum. C'mon, could've done better than that!

[rainb1ood]

The main thing I didn't like was the "supreme leader" and how he looked like an old Gollum. C'mon, could've done better than that!

I agree, they should've used make up to a human actor instead. I mean look at the TV Walking Dead zombies.