Star Wars Spoilers Thread [Spoilers]

So here's my review: 100% a Star Wars film which belongs with the original trilogy.

It's a transitional film, but it does it well. The new generation is really good.

I think the major death was kinda signposted a bit. You knew it was coming long before it happened. I felt worse for Chewie, but he, Rey, and BB8 make a great team.

Is this the first Star Wars film where nobody gets their hand cut off?

Luke lives in Ireland, eh?

Question: WHY was there a map to Luke, and why was it split into two? I feel like I missed something. For that matter, why a map and not just some coordinates? Seems like a random puzzle set up for the sake of it.

 

[Cristian Andreu]

I finally watched it last night, and I absolutely loved it. I'm already planning to watch it again with some friends next week.

The movie felt like a homage to the original trilogy; it's clear the plot is almost the same as Episodes IV, V, and VI combined, but rather than a copy with new paint, I got the impression they were trying to both recreate the impact of the old movies and pay their respects to the story that sparked the whole thing. It felt like a dignified way of telling the new generations "Now it's your time to enjoy this thing as much as we did the first time", while at the same time getting the nostalgia of the older fans into overdrive.

Three key moments I got from the experience:

1.-Hearing the Star Wars fanfare again inside a theatre was incredibly stirring.

2.-The scene when they fire the Starkiller while the First Order soldiers stand in formation, the laser occupying the entire horizon. The mix of fury and discipline, the cold brutality of the scene was by far the biggest visual impact of the movie for me.

3.-Han's death. Though as others have said you could see it coming, the collective gasp I heard in the theatre when it actually happened followed by like two minutes of utter silence from the audience created a truly shocking moment. Han Solo is now dead; damn. As far as emotional reactions go, that was the best part of the movie for me.

Loved the cast (BB-8 was great), the character interactions, the lines, the way they made Han and Chewie have crucial roles rather than cameos, how the fights looked like those of the old trilogy, the way they tried to make the Force a mystical and mysterious thing again, all the little hints meant to trigger nostalgia, and a long et cetera. And while I agree we got to see too little of Phasma (considering how much she was hyped), it feels to me they were setting up the structure for future plots or even entire movies (understanding that they want to go the same route as Marvel with multiple stories being told in parallel), so maybe it'll look better in retrospective.

 

[doctorbadwolf]

This, all of it.

Also they might just leave romance out of it entirely, three friends that need no romantic entanglements, more familial love than romantic love.

I wouldn't mind that, but I don't like when a movie or show or game tries to just ignore the whole idea of romance. It's more unbelievable than force lightning or Padme loving Anakin.

Which is saying something.

 

[Morrus]

I wouldn't mind that, but I don't like when a movie or show or game tries to just ignore the whole idea of romance.

Has that ever happened in the history of movies ever? Which movie which ignored the idea of romance is on your mind?

Though Ripley totally should have got it on with that Alien. Missed opportunity there! And that love scene between Arnie and the Predator will go down in history. Sexy!

And Clooney and Bullock should totally have engaged in zero-g sexy times. And the new Mad Max totally failed because Max and Furiosa didn't get it on.

Platoon was also awesome the way it focused on romance. Reservoir Dogs, too! Terminator 2's romantic plot is legendary. The Godfather is a noted romantic movie.

Sometimes things can be about things other than romance.

Oh, wait. Are you thinking of Deliverance?

 

[doctorbadwolf]

Your special "unbiased" status is not unique, or even rare. I am not a parent, nor have I read the books. My feelings about the scene are very different to yours though.

Same.

They set up Han's feelings with him and Leia, they set up Ben Ren's feelings in various scenes where he insists that Han means nothing to him, and they reinforce both on the catwalk. It also seemed pretty clear to me that Han represents his conflict between the Light and Dark, throughout the film.

I'm not sure how they could have made it clearer without getting ham fisted.

I would like that. Obligatory romances are kinda tiresome to me. I like to see other forms of relationship addressed in stuff. They do a lot with parent/child in Star Wars, and the themes of friendship and loyalty (and betrayal) are strong.

As long as they don't just abstain from showing any romance between anyone.

Can't stand that. DOn't want a romance between leads, fine. BUt don't try to sell me on the 100% BS notion that in times of crisis, people don't seek romantic entanglements.

 

[Morrus]

BUt don't try to sell me on the 100% BS notion that in times of crisis, people don't seek romantic entanglements.

Nobody tried to sell you this notion. They just didn't make a film about it.

 

[doctorbadwolf]

Has that ever happened in the history of movies ever? Which movie which ignored the idea of romance is on your mind?

Though Ripley totally should have got it on with that Alien. Missed opportunity there! And that love scene between Arnie and the Predator will go down in history. Sexy!

And Clooney and Bullock should totally have engaged in zero-g sexy times. And the new Mad Max totally failed because Max and Furiosa didn't get it on.

Platoon was also awesome the way it focused on romance. Reservoir Dogs, too! Terminator 2's romantic plot is legendary. The Godfather is a noted romantic movie.

Sometimes things can be about things other than romance.

Oh, wait. Are you thinking of Deliverance?

Don't be an ass.

There's a big difference between a movie like Alien or Predator and a movie like Star Wars, and you know it, so stop being aggressively obtuse just for the sake of it.

 

[Morrus]

Don't be an ass.

There's a big difference between a movie like Alien or Predator and a movie like Star Wars, and you know it, so stop being aggressively obtuse just for the sake of it.

Please remain civil. This is not appropriate. If you can't make your point without calling people names, please refrain from posting. Address the argument, not the poster. If you strongly disagree, do so in a civil manner. That means no name calling.

 

[doctorbadwolf]

Nobody tried to sell you this notion. They just didn't make a film about it.

What are you even talking about? I was responding to people hoping for a romance free film. So, that means I'm asking, rhetorically, that the people suggesting that a no romance movie would be a good thing to rethink that position. You are literally responding to nothing.

 

[doctorbadwolf]

Please remain civil. This is not appropriate. If you can't make your point without calling people names, please refrain from posting. Address the argument, not the poster. If you strongly disagree, do so in a civil manner. That means no name calling.

Will do.

Maybe as the guy running the site and moderating the forum, you should hold yourself to a higher standard of civility than others, instead of habitually condescending and/or being rude to others and acting like it's fine as long as you don't use any bad words.

 

[MarkB]

As long as they don't just abstain from showing any romance between anyone.

Can't stand that. DOn't want a romance between leads, fine. BUt don't try to sell me on the 100% BS notion that in times of crisis, people don't seek romantic entanglements.

And fortunately, in this case, we had Han and Leia, showing that despite their long estrangement, they still had feelings for each other, and still shared some hope for their son.