The thoughts are late because I waited until last night to see it. Starz had it on all their channels at the same time, which was rather unusual, and I prefer DirecTV’s HD broadcasts to sitting in theaters.
I must say that I was taken completely by surprise. I expected the usual Abrams excessive effects and forced nostalgia. Some of that was present, but mostly the effects were in correct proportion to the drama and the nostalgia was usually subtle and appropriate. If I didn’t know better, I would say that JJ is developing a sense of taste.
The old characters were sort of shockingly old, but I did the math and realized that Episode IV was made almost forty years ago, so yes: they really are that age. Nonetheless, the movie sold the notion that even though Han Solo is a geezer, he’s still Han Solo and still doing exactly the same things he did in days of yore. Leia, on the other hand — well, I don’t think she’ll be wearing the slave bikini any time soon. I guess wookies age differently because Chewy was . . . erm, still Peter Mayhew in a costume (which did not look as convincing as muppet’s masterpiece).
I also did not expect to like the new characters as much as I did. Let me go ahead and get Kylo Ren out of the way first. Sorry, but this guy just didn’t work for me. The concept and identity weren’t presented well, and Adam Driver wasn’t able to sell Ren’s dark side or his conflict with the light. He reminded me of that neighbor kid who went off to college and became a disappointment, but the family is still working on him. The new “Luke” — Daisy Ridley as Rey — was very good. I think they made the right choice there. The big surprise was John Boyega as Finn. I did not expect to care about this character, but I did — a lot more than Poe (a.k.a. the new “Han” or really a new Han/Luke hybrid of some kind). I think Driver may be able to do better work with Ren in succeeding episodes, and let’s be fair: Oscar Isaac’s Poe was not very deep and had a lot of dumb lines — I would say that Isaac did a good job with what he had. I think Finn will be revived and we’ll get to see more excellent work from Boyega. I expect big things from Miss Daisy as the series progresses.
Obligatory notice of BB-8: aww, so cute — will sell a lot of Pez dispensers.
The writing, to me, was nicely done. The plot made sense in most places, and I don’t really care that much about Star Wars “lore,” so I wasn’t cognizant of any horrible sins in that department. The music was excellent, of course.
I think the whole thing shapes up as a successful reclamation of the Star Wars franchise, now that it’s out of the hands of the Episodes I-III quacks. Some things could have been better: (1) I wasn’t really impressed by either the First Order or the Resistance. Neither had the definitive Saturday matinee identities of the Empire and the Rebellion. (2) Too many “incidental” resuscitations were made of old Star Wars alien types and scenes. The best example is the final X-Wing assault on the improved Death Star, which was almost a remake of the original, right down to the droopy faced alien and the fat-guy-friend-of-George-Lucas. (3) The villains weren’t really too dire, and the threats weren’t very threatening, even though it was clear that The Force Awakens is an intentional homage to A New Hope (you might even say a remake, as so many scenes and events were nearly identical to those in the first movie). At least George Lucas sort of believed in his hokey Empire, whereas I never get that sense from Abrams’ First Order.
But otherwise, our young Abrams does a surprisingly good job with a massive responsibility. I was expecting to hear millions of voices suddenly cry out that they were being asploded in a Transformer movie — or worse, that they were stuck in a new Star Trek movie — but it may be that JJ has grown up and the Force is strong in this one. The new episode isn’t perfect, but I think the series is moving in the right direction. I’m anxious to see what Luke does with Rey, and speaking of Luke: that may be the best ending scene in any movie ever. Is old Luke cool or WHAT?
I also really liked it. The current ownership really went out of their way to reassure audiences that 1) its OK if Disney owns it, its still Star Wars, see? and 2) sorry about Episodes 1-3, we got this now.
I totally disagree with you wrt Driver though. I thought he captured man child whiner needing to project power and dominance to fill his void of self doubt and fear of ever filling in the shoes of his famous parents really really well. He cannot be viewed through the lens of Darth Vader (yet) as he is young and still not fully trained. I really look forward to where this is heading.
“and speaking of Luke: that may be the best ending scene in any movie ever. Is old Luke cool or WHAT?”
I thought the helicopter shot, never used before in Star Wars, was jarring TBH. I did love the rest of that final scene though.
The helicopter shot made me roll my eyes in the theater.
I also loved the movie overall, but I think it may be post-prequel relief, have similar reservations about Kylo, too.
I’m still annoyed at how much of it was unapologetically an Episode IV reboot.
I agree the new Chewie doesn’t do it for me. I do think my head is better. 😉
I think the movie kind of subsumes you the first time you watch it.
Took me five viewings to get annoyed at all the cheap shit. 😉
My strongest impression now after 6 viewings and half a year is “Wow, JJ didn’t COMPLETELY fuck it up!”
Bili: Okay, I’ll accept that Ren is in development. From that angle, he’s more interesting. I’ll admit that when he took off his helmet, I thought, “But he’s just a kid.”
Bili/mup: I wasn’t even paying attention to the helicopter shot. I was just looking at Mark Hamill’s face. The expression was like “I disappeared for a reason. Don’t drag me back into this. Also, I thought you were the UPS guy with my FreshDirect order. Don’t tell me he got lost again. Do you have any idea how hard it is to get groceries up here?”
“Okay, I’ll accept that Ren is in development. From that angle, he’s more interesting. I’ll admit that when he took off his helmet, I thought, “But he’s just a kid.””
My favourite bit was when he was having his temper tantrum, whacking the console with his light saber, and the two troopers turn the corner, hear what is happening, then quickly nope out.
Rey: “But I’m here to be trained. Look, I brought your light saber.”
Luke: “How did you find me? Wait, don’t tell me. It was Abrams. I already explained to him I was through with that whole Hollywood hive of scum and villainy.”
Rey: “Oh please. We’ve given the First Order a decisive blow, but the Resistance has a long way to go. The Jedi must return. Help us, Master Luke. You’re our only hope.”
Luke: “The First What? The Resistance? What kind of cockamamie names are those? Who won the last thing? Never mind. Listen, tell Abrams to get off my island. I know I’m not as big as Ford, but I still have my dignity.”
Rey: “You don’t understand. I think the Force is strong in me . . . myself. Is it me or myself? I’m so not ready. You could teach me usage.”
Luke: “I’ll bet Ford got $30 million and a percentage of the net.”
Rey: “I heard it was even better than that. Plus, he insisted that they kill him off.”
Luke: “You should leave. I’m going to throw up.”
Rey: “But we need your help. I know a lot of Jedi stuff. I can already do the mind trick and telekinesis. Oh guess what: I also defeated a powerful kinda sorta Sith guy in a sword fight because the Force is strong in me and I used my feelings and I’m the One Foretold or something. But you can teach me how to be all deep and wise and stuff.”
Luke: “I don’t know. Have you had your hand cut off yet?”
Rey: “What? No! God . . . that’s disgusting.”
Luke: “I can’t help you until you get your hand cut off. Also, you should bring me the broomstick of the Wicked Witch of the West.”
Rey: “Oh come on. You’ve got to train me. Please! Please please please please . . . ”
Luke: “Is Yoda still alive? You should seek him out. I think I hear him calling to you. Yes. You can just hear him: ‘To me the girl must be sent. On the planet with sponge creatures I dwell.'”
Rey: “Please please please please . . .”
Luke: “All right. Shut up. Geez. Come with me.”
Rey: “Where are we going?”
Luke: “To a cave. You need to have a sort of Native American vision where you fight a terrible villain wearing a helmet.”
Rey: “I already did that.”
Luke: “When you saw his face, was it your own?”
Rey: “No, it was a guy with ’80s hair.”
Luke: “Not the same thing. Also, we have to get that hand cut off.”
Rey: “Ewww. . . ”
Luke: “Just be glad you’re not Uma Thurman in Kill Bill Volume 2.”
“You could teach me usage.”
LMFAO
also