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Star War: The Force Awakens Review Thread

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Aiii

So not worth it
Wow, so it really is just a remake of the original Star Wars?

No, from everything we can gather, it's a continuation of a series: so it's the same, but a new story. Exactly what it should be and what George Lucas never understood when he made the PT.
 

mrklaw

MrArseFace
No, from everything we can gather, it's a continuation of a series: so it's the same, but a new story. Exactly what it should be and what George Lucas never understood when he made the PT.

This is what I'm reading from it. I think coming after the relative hatred of the prequels, something like this is necessary to segue smoothly from the end of the OT to a new series of movies. I want the language of the movies to be similar, but telling a new story.

Prior to these reviews, many people were worried Abrams would do a 'star trek'. Now that it appears he has been very conservative in his handling of the SW property, people should be relieved.
 
I hate when reviewers play with semantics. "It's not great, is good, far from bad, but not great". So fucking stupid.

That said this looks promising. I predicted a 70% in RT but i might be quite wrong.
 
I hate when reviewers play with semantics. "It's not great, is good, far from bad, but not great". So fucking stupid.

That said this looks promising. I predicted a 70% in RT but i might be quite wrong.

70 was never happening. you could have a black screen with SW music and you would get a 50 at least. JJ is also a decent filmmaker so he would deliver something that is at least okay.
 

firehawk12

Subete no aware
No, from everything we can gather, it's a continuation of a series: so it's the same, but a new story. Exactly what it should be and what George Lucas never understood when he made the PT.
Well, I meant a remake in everything but plot I suppose.

Its 1 part direct sequel, 1 part Super 8: Star Wars Edition, and 1 part Star Trek reboot.
It's the middle part that scares me, funny enough. lol
 

doop_

Banned
svRSkcJ
 

WillyFive

Member
One thing I noticed from the Star Trek and Super 8 movies is that JJ likes to remake and remix something rather than do something wildly different. Hasn't bothered me yet, but it's predictable and it's something that could be seen from the Star Wars trailers.
 

Trickster

Member
I hate when reviewers play with semantics. "It's not great, is good, far from bad, but not great". So fucking stupid.

That said this looks promising. I predicted a 70% in RT but i might be quite wrong.

Really? I think it's fine, it's a way of specifying what you should expect imo.
 

Moaradin

Member
Should be interesting to see how some of the faults play out with a general audience. A good number of the reviews seem to mention how the film feels like a remix of Ep.4. I imagine that's going to irritate a number of people, probably more than the critics themselves.

That was my main worry since the beginning. Hopefully the movie is still fun enough regardless, and they go interesting directions in the sequels.
 
That was my main worry since the beginning. Hopefully the movie is still fun enough regardless, and they go interesting directions in the sequels.

The movie needed to create a bridge between the old and the new, I believe that is the reason that it seems this movie has a feeling of the older movies.

Going forward I would expect the following star wars movies to be more of their own thing.



This movie sounds like it is what it needs to be.
 

guek

Banned
people had every right to. his directorial portfolio isn't exactly stellar.
Yeah. Critics really like Abrams. While that's not totally undeserved, my takeaway from the current reviews is that if you liked JJ's other movies, which many people do, you shouldn't worry about whether you will like Force Awakens. I'm still nervous though because I've been less than impressed with some of his other incredibly well reviewed films.
 

borghe

Loves the Greater Toronto Area
I mean the score makes sense given that RT is just a yes/no aggregator... But still... That response.. And 8.4/10 in actual critic ratings as well...

Goodbye media... Blackout for the next 36 hours. Fuck spoilers (as in those who actually spoil things)

Yeah. Critics really like Abrams. While that's not totally undeserved, my takeaway from the current reviews is that if you liked JJ's other movies, which many people do, you shouldn't worry about whether you will like Force Awakens. I'm still nervous though because I've been less than impressed with some of his other incredibly well reviewed films.
I get what you're saying, but I'm not worried... It sounds like Abrams did what all good storytellers do... He lifted another story and modified it to be his own (ironically lifting it from the original, which in turn lifted much of its composition from Kurosawa)
 

borghe

Loves the Greater Toronto Area
This. This this this this this this this.... This quote is exactly what I've wanted for 32 years. My 8 year old self may cry like a baby if this is in fact the case.

Abrams understands what George Lucas never quite figured out: that we’re less interested in the science fiction future than we are in revisiting the past. We don’t really want to see what happens next in that galaxy far, far away. We want to recapture what it felt like the first time we arrived, in 1977, with a movie called “Star Wars.” We want to go home. Star Wars: The Force Awakens takes us there.
 

Sethista

Member
will wath it tonight at midnight... expecting to see alot of crazy fans dressed up and screaming when we see han and luke and the whole gang.

It will be glorious
 

borghe

Loves the Greater Toronto Area
Yes, but my concerns about the film seem to have been met.


Sure. Can't really deny that.
I think the skepticism someone might have with your comment comes from a few points

1) you haven't seen the movie
2) the reviews that support your opinion are largely positive
3) the summary of those reviews are "yeah there are flaws, but the movie still manages to rise above them"
4) to confirm your bias (without having seen the movie), you basically throw out the good parts and hang onto the negatives

Everyone is entitled to their own opinion, but we have no basis for an opinion (yet), and to fully support your concern you have to ignore everything else in each of the reviews except for those small snippets.

I don't know. I'd say chill out, watch it, and just take it for what it ends up being. Then backlash against it on Friday like everyone else..
 
Really excited for the acting. Good stuff in the reviews about Daisy Ridley and Adam Driver, and you know Oscar Isaac is gonna kill it.


EDIT: Oh, 97% now. Cancelling my preorder.

EDIT EDIT: I predicted 92% in the prediction thread. Good prediction; guessing that's where it will settle once a few more contrarians weigh in.

EDIT EDIT EDIT: Forget this guys; "Alvin and the Chipmunks: The Road Chip" reviews are starting. How can you possibly look away from a movie about rodents on a road trip with the tagline "Boys on the Hood"?

EDIT EDIT EDIT EDIT: I am, honest to God, incredibly excited for Armond White's review. It's gonna pile up so much bullshit it'll be unreal.
 

d1rtn4p

Member
I think the skepticism someone might have with your comment comes from a few points

1) you haven't seen the movie
2) the reviews that support your opinion are largely positive
3) the summary of those reviews are "yeah there are flaws, but the movie still manages to rise above them"
4) to confirm your bias (without having seen the movie), you basically throw out the good parts and hang onto the negatives

Everyone is entitled to their own opinion, but we have no basis for an opinion (yet), and to fully support your concern you have to ignore everything else in each of the reviews except for those small snippets.

I don't know. I'd say chill out, watch it, and just take it for what it ends up being. Then backlash against it on Friday like everyone else..


Serious question because I haven't read any reviews (don't want to hit a spoiler). What are some of the common flaws people are pointing out?
 
Are any reviews praising the music? Hopefully there's some great new stuff mixed in with the well known themes.

The Hitfiix review did praise the music:

Suffice it to say that John Williams remains one of the most important players in the "Star Wars" universe, and the way he creates new themes that fit perfectly alongside the instantly recognizable score that he brings back is perfect.
 
I think the skepticism someone might have with your comment comes from a few points

1) you haven't seen the movie
2) the reviews that support your opinion are largely positive
3) the summary of those reviews are "yeah there are flaws, but the movie still manages to rise above them"
4) to confirm your bias (without having seen the movie), you basically throw out the good parts and hang onto the negatives

Everyone is entitled to their own opinion, but we have no basis for an opinion (yet), and to fully support your concern you have to ignore everything else in each of the reviews except for those small snippets.

I don't know. I'd say chill out, watch it, and just take it for what it ends up being. Then backlash against it on Friday like everyone else..
Those small things are huge issues to me which is why I made the comment. But your ultimately right, seeing the film is only to know if I feel the same way.
 

borghe

Loves the Greater Toronto Area
Serious question because I haven't read any reviews (don't want to hit a spoiler). What are some of the common flaws people are pointing out?
That its at its core a retelling of the original movie (themes, concepts, not literally). That its a very fun movie but isn't going to be picked apart for decades on its depth or storytelling, etc. The action and characters are way more compelling than the weaker story. The tone seems mostly that its fun, exciting, and while it'll be regarded as one of the best films of the year, it's not likely to end up on any Top 100 of all time lists or anything.
 

d1rtn4p

Member
That its at its core a retelling of the original movie (themes, concepts, not literally). That its a very fun movie but isn't going to be picked apart for decades on its depth or storytelling, etc. The action and characters are way more compelling than the weaker story. The tone seems mostly that its fun, exciting, and while it'll be regarded as one of the best films of the year, it's not likely to end up on any Top 100 of all time lists or anything.

Hmmm wow, I'm really not sure what to make of it :) I thought the depth and stellar storytelling were what made the OT so great.
 

borghe

Loves the Greater Toronto Area
Hmmm wow, I'm really not sure what to make of it :) I thought the depth and stellar storytelling were what made the OT so great.
Heh... They really weren't. And I was/am almost virtually a born Star Wars nerd (1975). I wouldn't say they were flat, but they were very simple stories laid upon universal and highly emotional themes. The "complaints" are that this is pretty much the same. Goes for the easy storytelling while keeping you on the edge of your seat and with a lump in your throat.
so, pretty much like Star Trek 2009. Good but not outstanding
I do get the picture that its better than that but we'll have to see. Though in the end that slight rise above might just be because of nostalgia (which really I'd be fine with). My biggest complaint with that movie (though I liked it) was that there was nothing really endearing it to the franchise outside of some names and classic quotes. If this one manages more than that (actually making it feel apart of that universe) that would be a huge plus for me.
 
Just looking at the cast, it's really inconceivable if the movie wasn't at least interesting to watch. Even if it's a mess.

Oscar Isaac, John Boyega, Adam Driver, Lupita Nyongo. C'mon.
 
Serious question because I haven't read any reviews (don't want to hit a spoiler). What are some of the common flaws people are pointing out?

One of the criticisms seems to be that the film is too slavishly devoted to Star Wars history, and not enough of its own thing. Too enamored with the old stuff, too eager to repeat certain themes and so on.

That's not really a surprise from Abrams. I don't think it's going to be Bryan Singer Superman Returns bad, but you always knew the old films were going to loom incredibly large. Maybe as the new trilogy progresses, it will gradually get more comfortable in being its own thing completely.
 
Wow 97% is really surprising. I was expecting like at most an 85% freshness. Hype!!! Even though I know the spoils of the movie its going to be nice to just watch it.
 
97%?! What the hell? I woke up this morning, saw the score, and thought, "ah must not be that many reviews." But no, there's plenty of reviews! Happy for everyone involved w/ the movie and for Star Wars fans.

I was expecting around 82%. I imagine it'll eventually drop to the low 90s like Guardians of the Galaxy. People were going to see this movie regardless, but I'm sure the overwhelmingly positive reviews will help.
 
You know what movie's tomatometer always gets me?

Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows - Part 2 - 96%

I mean, what the hell? It's such a mediocre wet noodle of a movie. I guess it exemplifies the principle that the tomatometer is far from perfect, because a mediocre but steady movie does better than a stunning but controversial movie.

But Deathly Hallows the Second also has an average rating of 8.3. Which makes its tomatometer and average score both almost identical to The Force Awakens. Now that frightens me. If The Force Awakens is as milquetoast, empty, and perfunctory as Deathly Hallows, then I will be disappointed.
 

samn

Member
You know what movie's tomatometer always gets me?

Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows - Part 2 - 96%

I mean, what the hell? It's such a mediocre wet noodle of a movie. I guess it exemplifies the principle that the tomatometer is far from perfect, because a mediocre but steady movie does better than a stunning but controversial movie.

But Deathly Hallows the Second also has an average rating of 8.3. Which makes its tomatometer and average score both almost identical to The Force Awakens. Now that frightens me. If The Force Awakens is as milquetoast, empty, and perfunctory as Deathly Hallows, then I will be disappointed.

Same with Dawn of the Planet of the Apes.
 
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