Star Wars: The Force Awakens (12/18/15)

[Khev]

Are Rey, Finn and Kylo not teenagers?

Daisy and Boyega are 23, Driver is 32. I got no indication from the film that they were supposed to be teenagers.

 

[Khev]

Great review from hometheaterforum.com:

Took me a while to think how to review this and try to be objective

The incredible expectation for the film makes it tough to review and perhaps time may well lead to a change in how well it is viewed. Objectively, Abrams leans heavily on the original trilogy to drive the plot, not just including countless references to them, but also familiar story beats -
a vital piece of information hidden in a droid, an attack on a seemingly impregnable base with one flaw
- the list is endless such that the film could very well be a Greatest Hits package of the originals.

And yet the film just works, principally because Abrams recognises what made the original films tick - the characters and the interplay between them, the relentless pace and above all the fun and exuberance that made those first three films so special. Everyone going into this was looking forward to seeing the original characters, but what is perhaps most surprising is that every major new character is equally compelling and the dynamics that he has created between them leaves the audience wanting so much more.

In Kylo Ren, they have somehow managed to create an antagonist every bit as interesting as Vader, if not quite as downright cool and menacing, and his backstory and future are so ripe for development, it leaves Episode VIII a somewhat daunting prospect for the filmmakers who need to get this one right, especially given what happens here. Both Oscar Isaac and John Boyega seem to be having a great time and they embody in many ways the wish fulfilment of the audience to be transported to that galaxy far far away - it's hard not to grin at Poe having so much fun flying an X-Wing fighter or TIE fighter ("Wow this thing really moves!") or the moment a completely untrained Finn fires up a lightsaber to fight (and full credit to the filmmakers for making lightsabers feel dangerous again).

With Daisy Ridley, they have found a wonderful central protagonist for the new trilogy. Rey's background may still be unknown (though there is clearly an obvious link the filmmakers want you to make wrongly or rightly) but her growing awareness and more importantly her growing belief in her own strengths and abilities make for a compelling through line to the film right up to the final shot that underlines the journey she has been on.

None of the returning characters feel shoehorned into the plot at all, and each get their moments (or in one case, a single moment) to shine. And perhaps unsurprisingly, Harrison Ford carries the lion's share of the film, but it is hard to overstate how good he is here and how much fun it is to see Han and Chewie in action again.

Fun, exciting, tragic, adventurous, full of wonder and awe, this is a reminder of what Star Wars was all about and while the central story may well be the sticking point for many, it feels harsh to criticise when it has been reworked so well to suit the introduction of a new set of characters. Episode VIII can't come quickly enough.

 

[DiFabio]

Daisy and Boyega are 23, Driver is 32. I got no indication from the film that they were supposed to be teenagers.

I can see Driver because admittedly, even with his close shaven face he looked older, but not even Rey?

Mark Hamill was 26 for Star Wars, but Luke was 19.

 

[Khev]

I guess I could go with Rey maybe being 19.

In other news I just saw that Kasdan is writing the Han Solo film and not Episode VIII. Damn, the banter in TFA was so good, particularly Poe/Finn, Han/Finn. Poe's fist line to Kylo had me laughing out loud. I hope the quality of writing stays high for the next two episodes.

 

[xipotec]

Worst Uncle ever.. That's why

Seriously I kinda hate that Luke loses his nephew to the Dark Side and there is a new powerful military trying to take over the Galaxy and he just decides to Hide.

But I need to start thinking more of the big picture... All of this may be explained later.

Good old Luke....So excited to fight the rebellion...but what did he get for it?

Dead Aunt and Uncle
2 dead mentors
loss of his hand
Realization his love int erst was his sister
Realization his enemy was his father
Near death of everyone he cared for
Death of his father
Lonely life after.....

If you accept my next post as a possibility....

Loss of his spouse
Responsibility for allowing his Nephew to fall to the dark side
Responsibility for the death of the new Jedi Children
Responsibility for Han's death
Responsible for his daughters loneliness and isolation....

Yeah, hes gonna want to jump right back in and become a jedi again.....WHAT COULD GO WRONG?????

See below for the plot explanation....

 

[Deckard]

According to one of the writers Rey is about 17-18 and Ren is about 29-30. I don't think he mentioned Finn.

 

[The Clown Prince of Crime]

Just please have Luke be cool and be involved in the sequel please. That's all I ask. Right now what we know about him and his 30+ years, he looks like a completely wasted chump.

He better be the baddest dude in the galaxy. The Pai Mei of SW.

 

[Deckard]

This was all I could think of when Finn was talking to Han about working at the Starkiller base.

 

[DiFabio]

 

[Rorywan]

There are two beautiful new pieces on the soundtrack. "Rey's theme" and "the Jedi steps" the rest while beautifully orchestrated are generic Williams SW music.

 

[jye4ever]

They should've used Duel of the Fates or Battle of Heros for the lightsaber battle.

 

[Kamandi]

I'm glad Williams didn't reach for the Imperial March theme again for the First Order. That said, the FO doesn't really have a theme or anthem yet, just boilerplate ominous motifs.

 

[pturtle]

I'd like to know what happened to the Force Ghosts of Yoda, Obi Wan, and Anakin at the end of the Jedi. I wonder if that'll be explained in the upcoming film.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[DiFabio]

With some help, I found what Rey's theme reminded me of. That Jim Carrey movie from the 2000s. When she was sliding down that desert slope by the star destroyer I was like "what was that movie with that music". Bits of the Drummer boy too.

 

[Khev]

So who's making a 1:1 replica of that mangled Vader helm? I need it. I also want Poe's Robotech X-Wing helmet.

 

[Khev]

Looking through the "Art of the Force Awakens" book (which is great) I'm really glad that Abrams and Kasdan ditched Arndt's idea of an underwater battle. WAY too "Rise of Cobra" for me.

 

[jye4ever]

I'd like to know what happened to the Force Ghosts of Yoda, Obi Wan, and Anakin at the end of the Jedi. I wonder if that'll be explained in the upcoming film.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

None of that stuff matters, what you need to focus on is Kylo summoning Satan while listening to heavy metal music.

 

[Khev]

I was actually wondering if we'd see a "surprise" return of

Spoiler

Boba Fett. I thought that Kasdan and Abrams might want to bring him back for a more dignified rematch with Solo. Obviously that will never happen now and since if Fett DOES return I'm sure he'll be voiced by Morrison I hope he just stays dead.

 

[The Clown Prince of Crime]

None of that stuff matters, what you need to focus on is Kylo summoning Satan while listening to heavy metal music.

If Jack Sparrow was in the film, he'd give Kylo Ben this advice

 

[Kamandi]

I also want Poe's Robotech X-Wing helmet.

Macross. There is no Robotech. It is a lie.