I hadn't watched any trailers aside from the first teaser so went in blind except I knew Kylo Ren was Han and Leias son as my nephew (granted I ask) told me but aside from that and knowing Poe would survive the start as I saw him in the X-Wing in the teaser I didn't know anything.
It's a 9 or a 9.5 from me. I loved pretty much everything.
STORY
I really missed the opening 20th Century Fox fanfare. That's a part of Star Wars and its absence was noticeable.
I felt the story and pace moved really well until the last 25-30 minutes which was just wrapping things up.
The opening battle on Jakku was memorable for me not because it was particularly a good battle but because it looked so real. You could tell it was shot on a set with actual props rather than CGI green screen.
Loved the First Order and their whole design being modernised Empire tech though I found the Knights of Ren name dropped but not explained at all and first order being around while their is a republic and not seeing the republic odd. It's like there's a republic and resistance and first order and the republic isn't doing anything to stop the first order taking over the Galaxy while the resistance is.
The only thing I didn't like about the movie is the constant not only nods but the parallels to the OT.
Things like:
- Rey being an orphan force-sensitive on a desert planet = Luke
- Ren sensing Han had landed on the Starkiller base = Vader and Luke sensing each other in ESB
- The Starkiler base right down to the one vulnerable part, the briefing and attack = ANH and Death Star, this can be similiar as missions have briefings but if felt beat by beat like the same scenes
- Starkiller base detention area being reused and the garbage shute thing = ANH
- "I'm a Stormtrooper and I'm here to rescue you"
- Rens Torture chair/table = Vaders torture chair/table
- The bar scene = Cantina scene, right down to shots of each table
- BB-8 carrying the Map = R2 carrying the Death Star plans
And the one moment I liked as well as hated was Hans death. The scene was good and Drivers acting made you believe he was needing the strength to leave the dark side as opposed to the strength to leave the light forever but with Finn and Rey watching the whole scene telegraphed the whole thing as basically the death of Obi-Wan down to the NOOO!!!! from the spectators.
One thing this didn't do as good as the OT and yes, even the the PT is flesh out the Galaxy as much. I don't recall the names of any planets aside from Jakku and the only notable ship was RENs shuttle whereas the planet names and ship variants were more pronounced and was more of them in previous movies.
CHARACTERS
Rey.
Really liked Rey and thought Ridley did a great job. However I felt they hammered home the 'yes she's a woman and no she's not a damsel' message far too much. The first "You can fly?" Moment from Finn made sense as I can't recall any female pilots in the OT but her being able to fly better than Han? No sorry, that'd be okay if she wasn't excellent at everything. She not only could fly amazingly but she could fix anything and could learn enough about the force really quickly to rival most Jedi and finally she's great with a lightsaber despite having never trained once.
Her mysterious backstory was good and it did its job of having the audience ask questions and pose theories. Mine being that I reckon she's either Luke's daughter and that's why she's so good at fixing things and flying, as he was and so was his Father and the whole 'This lightsaber belonged to Luke and his Father and now to you" thing. If not Luke's daughter perhaps one of his young king students who he placed with a family on Jakku for protection and she was kidnapped from them as inferred in her vision or perhaps Luke put those memories in her head.
With the parallels to Luke and Anakin I think it likely she'll be related to them somehow though I'd prefer not as Ren was Han and Leias son and having another principle character be a child of the OT actors would feel like the next movie will do the same thing this did with Ren. Not to mention it would suck if Skywalker came wasn't raised by their parents Parents as Vader never raised Luke and Leia and Anakin well he was raised by his Mum but he left and Ben Solo left his family by choice to train with Luke so as of now most hadn't been raised by their real Parents and left as young adults.
Finn
Until it was revealed that Rey was the force sensitive I though Finn would be the Jedi due to the Hot Toys figure and how the awakening could be seen at that point as him being Force-sensitive from the lingering look Ren gave him post-battle on Jakku.
Thought he had some great humour and heart for Rey though their relationship became intense pretty damn quick I almost thought she'd kiss him back to life at the end and speaking of, him at the end was kinda vague in the is he or isn't he alive. Looks like he's in a coma or something.
Kylo Ren
I liked him, with and without the mask. Liked how how was quick to lose his temper and didn't exert the compare of Vader showing that while he wants to be like Vader it's obvious he truly never him.
Han Solo, Chewie & Leia
Han and Chewie were fine, nothing truly special. I found his bond with Rey to be good, didn't like how in all their years together he never once used Chewies Bowcaster. Leia was mostly non-existent for me, she was there hut not really of any importance, her and Hans reference to their "Son" made it so obvious that his real name would be revealed in a dramatic moment, that kinda makes sense for that dramatic moment but felt so wrong to refer to him as "Son" all the tim. I found that that Han and Leia not kissing really put a damper on their relationship. They may not be together but to hug her instead of Kiss just showed a distance between actors more than characters.
Poe Dameron
Really liked Poe. He came off so likeable and his reunion with Finn was great. He also didn't sound or look like Apocalypse at all which showed me the range of Oscar Isaac. His Luke/R2 relationship with BB-8 was nice too.
BB-8
One word; Cute. So damn cute
Luke Skywalker
I liked how the "where is Luke?" plot was mirrored in the public having the same question. I knew he wasn't Ren but I thought he could be Stoke who like the First Order needed some more exposition and backstory. Why he s off on this planet needs answering. I like how 'Old Ben' he looked with the beard and outfit.
OVERALL
I really enjoyed it, it was immensely fun and felt like authentic Star Wars and the only things that bugged me were the parallels to the OT and the only thing I didn't like was telegraphing Hans death.
Psyched to see the next one and will see that opening day
