Star Wars: Episode VII - The Force Awakens

[Ramy]

[CONTAINER][MOVIE1]Title: Star Wars: Episode VII - The Force Awakens

Tagline: The Force Lives On...

Genre: [GENRE]Action[/GENRE], [GENRE]Adventure[/GENRE], [GENRE]Fantasy[/GENRE], [GENRE]Science Fiction[/GENRE]

Director: [DIRECTOR]J.J. Abrams[/DIRECTOR]

Cast: [ACTOR]Mark Hamill[/ACTOR], [ACTOR]Carrie Fisher[/ACTOR], [ACTOR]Harrison Ford[/ACTOR], [ACTOR]Anthony Daniels[/ACTOR], [ACTOR]John Boyega[/ACTOR], [ACTOR]Daisy Ridley[/ACTOR], [ACTOR]Adam Driver[/ACTOR], [ACTOR]Oscar Isaac[/ACTOR], [ACTOR]Andy Serkis[/ACTOR], [ACTOR]Domhnall Gleeson[/ACTOR], [ACTOR]Max von Sydow[/ACTOR], [ACTOR]Peter Mayhew[/ACTOR], [ACTOR]Kenny Baker[/ACTOR], [ACTOR]Gwendoline Christie[/ACTOR], [ACTOR]Lupita Nyong'o[/ACTOR], [ACTOR]Warwick Davis[/ACTOR], [ACTOR]Greg Grunberg[/ACTOR], [ACTOR]Greg Grunberg[/ACTOR], [ACTOR]Maisie Richardson-Sellers[/ACTOR], [ACTOR]Miltos Yerolemou[/ACTOR], [ACTOR]Pip Andersen[/ACTOR], [ACTOR]Dixie Arnold[/ACTOR], [ACTOR]Christina Chong[/ACTOR], [ACTOR]Jessica Henwick[/ACTOR], [ACTOR]Billie Catherine Lourd[/ACTOR]

Release Date: [RELEASE]2015-12-18[/RELEASE]

Runtime: [RUNTIME]0[/RUNTIME]

Plot: [PLOT]A continuation of the saga created by George Lucas, set thirty years after Star Wars: Episode VI – Return of the Jedi.[/PLOT][/MOVIE1][POSTER1]

[/POSTER1][/CONTAINER]

 

[Ramy]

Can't wait for this one.

 

[Magic Static]

Awesome trailer! This may be the best looking one yet. Going to be a long year

 

[Ramy]

The second trailer is better than the first.

 

[TNGTony]

This post is a review of the movie. There are no spoilers here, but if you don't want to know anything about the movie, stop reading this now.

The Force Awaken is good. But for me, something was missing. The music didn't have the punch. The music was just there as opposed to the way it was in the three original movies. Even the first music punch in at the beginning of the movie seemed subdued. But let's overlook that.

Some say this movie had the feel of a reboot. I can see how some would see that, but really every Star Wars movie, more broadly every movie with a quest, has the same structure. Introduce the good guy. Introduce the bad guy. Introduce the quest. Introduce the sage to help the good guy. and go!
The movie was long, but time melted away for me. The only time the movie came to a crashing halt for me was when obvious nostalgia moments were brought in and milked. Some love this kind of thing, I don't. I like nods to the audience, not full-blown curtain calls. Don't get me wrong, they didn't really overdo it too bad. But the emotion they were going for was totally lost on me.

The bad guy in this movie was just as evil as our dark-suited friend in the original trio of movies. But the reveal of who was under that mask came way, way, WAY too soon. I am wondering about the motivation behind this. I guess it was for us to build emotional ties and to set up one specific scene I saw coming 15 minutes before it happened. I even spoke the line of dialog (wrong words, right idea) 1 minute before it was spoken.

Since the movie was not so original, it was really missing that spark that made me go nuts after episode 4. It was more of the same, which is good.

This brings me to the originality in dialog. There is none. I was reciting lines before the actors on at least 7 separate occasions. (quietly as to not disturb the couples' conversation behind me. The progression of the action after the initial set-up was 100% predictable, including that "one scene".

The ending of this movie did not have the same punch as the endings of 3, 4, 5, or 6. This is not really a spoiler about the end of the movie, but I will cover it up jut in case.

Spoiler

The last 10 minutes of the movie were nothing more than a set-up to the beginning of the next movie rather than a definite ending to this movie. Even in episode 5 where the rebellion suffered a humiliating defeat and we all knew there would be an episode 6, it had an end with an emotional punch and not dangling bits as to say "Come see our next feature!")

At the end of this movie I was begging to know more about the back story to the main character. I wanted to know the who, the why, and the how. It was an unanswered question I hope someone asks really soon!

One other thing I noticed... BLOOD! There was blood in this movie. Not a lot. Just a little. But that blood was more than we'd seen in any of the previous movies if I am not mistaken. Yes, we've seen lots of death and destruction, but not blood. This particular phenomenon is used to set up the motivation fr a particular character very early in the movie.

So, did I like this movie? Yes! Did I think this movie was better than any of the original series of movie? No. It could be because I'm so fond of the original trio, but no... I still think that the original 3 movies are better than this one as it stands alone so far. I know I am in the minority, but I actually liked Episode 3 as well. I put this movie just above episode 3.

Do I recommend Star Wars fans watch this movie? Sure. But don't expect anything new other than special effects that are so real you don't even notice them.

As I waked out of the theater, I was not fully satisfied. But what was I expecting? I got 100% Star Wars. I got 2½ hours of action-packed visual nirvana, I got a touch of nostalgia. I got my money's worth. I just didn't get anything really new.

And one other major thing happened last night: I remembered why I haven't seen the inside of a movie theater in nearly a decade.

 

[jevans64]

I won't be setting foot inside a movie theater for this one. Folks are incredibly rude these days. Plus the crap sound and sticky floors.

 

[dangue]

I won't be setting foot inside a movie theater for this one. Folks are incredibly rude these days. Plus the crap sound and sticky floors.

I think that's a mistake. Seeing this on the big screen is the only way to go. I'll own it and watch it at home, but unless you have an amazing setup, home won't do it justice.

 

[mike123abc]

I saw it and liked it. ESB is still my favorite one, but this one was not annoying, it was satisfying. I want to see it in IMAX 3D once the crowds die down some. I have a ticket to see in 2D with my brother next week (opening night was 3D normal theater). I will work in an IMAX showing, it looks to be amazing in IMAX given how good the effects were in the regular theater.

 

[jevans64]

I think that's a mistake. Seeing this on the big screen is the only way to go. I'll own it and watch it at home, but unless you have an amazing setup, home won't do it justice.

Probably not a normal theater but maybe the dedicated IMAX theater where the audience is a little bit more refined plus no food and drink allowed.

I feel that I have a fairly good system... 3400 watts of amplification spread among 11 speakers in an Atmos configuration, 3600 watts of sub-woofer power, and 9' away from a 75" 4K display. Only drawback is the room it is in, which is unsuitable for a PJ and limited on screen size. An 8" Paragon popper and those big boxes of candy sold at Wal*Mart complete the package. LOL

 

[Ramy]

I really liked the movie. There were some stuff I wish they had done differently but it is what it is. I like Tony, wished they had gone a little deeper in the characters back story, but oh well.

I myself would rank it 3rd over all the movies. My list goes like this:
1. Star Wars (Yes Star Wars was the name originally, not A New Hope)
2. Empire Strikes Back
3. The Force Awakens
4. Return of the Jedi
5. Revenge of the Sith
6. The Phantom Menance
7. Attack of the Clones

 

[TNGTony]

That's pretty close to my list, only swap Jedi with Sith for me.

George Lucas originally wanted to release "Star Wars" with an episode number. He said on multiple occasions that he was going for the feel of the old movie serials where you never seemed to catch the first episode. Every time you went to the movies you would always see a serial and never seem to catch the beginning. It was 20th Century Fox that didn't allow him to do that because they thought the audience would be confused if there was an episode number. I can't speak to the sub-title of the movie "A New Hope", but the episode number (Episode 4) was the original number before 20th Century Fox removed it. It was only a month after the movie was originally released that Lucas was allowed to add "Episode IV: A New Hope" to the prologue.

EDIT--- After trying to look up the actual video I saw this on, I see a lot of articles without citations or backing evidence that say otherwise, but I will take the word of the creator of the movies over the opinions of the writers of these articles without citations. Yes. The original movie was just "Star Wars", but episode 4 was also the original episode number.

 

[Ramy]

I know that he wanted it to be like the old serial series and he did want the number in front, but I just call it Star Wars. LOL

 

[jayn_j]

1. Star Wars (Yes Star Wars was the name originally, not A New Hope)

Agree with your ranking, but It was always Episode 4 - A New Hope. Was a big secret and everybody in the theater gasped when that came up in the opening credits. I, like many others here, saw it on opening night and remember this clearly.

 

[fred555]

This post is a review of the movie. There are no spoilers here, but if you don't want to know anything about the movie, stop reading this now.

The Force Awaken is good. But for me, something was missing. The music didn't have the punch. The music was just there as opposed to the way it was in the three original movies. Even the first music punch in at the beginning of the movie seemed subdued. But let's overlook that.

Some say this movie had the feel of a reboot. I can see how some would see that, but really every Star Wars movie, more broadly every movie with a quest, has the same structure. Introduce the good guy. Introduce the bad guy. Introduce the quest. Introduce the sage to help the good guy. and go!
The movie was long, but time melted away for me. The only time the movie came to a crashing halt for me was when obvious nostalgia moments were brought in and milked. Some love this kind of thing, I don't. I like nods to the audience, not full-blown curtain calls. Don't get me wrong, they didn't really overdo it too bad. But the emotion they were going for was totally lost on me.

The bad guy in this movie was just as evil as our dark-suited friend in the original trio of movies. But the reveal of who was under that mask came way, way, WAY too soon. I am wondering about the motivation behind this. I guess it was for us to build emotional ties and to set up one specific scene I saw coming 15 minutes before it happened. I even spoke the line of dialog (wrong words, right idea) 1 minute before it was spoken.

Since the movie was not so original, it was really missing that spark that made me go nuts after episode 4. It was more of the same, which is good.

This brings me to the originality in dialog. There is none. I was reciting lines before the actors on at least 7 separate occasions. (quietly as to not disturb the couples' conversation behind me. The progression of the action after the initial set-up was 100% predictable, including that "one scene".

The ending of this movie did not have the same punch as the endings of 3, 4, 5, or 6. This is not really a spoiler about the end of the movie, but I will cover it up jut in case.

Spoiler

The last 10 minutes of the movie were nothing more than a set-up to the beginning of the next movie rather than a definite ending to this movie. Even in episode 5 where the rebellion suffered a humiliating defeat and we all knew there would be an episode 6, it had an end with an emotional punch and not dangling bits as to say "Come see our next feature!")

At the end of this movie I was begging to know more about the back story to the main character. I wanted to know the who, the why, and the how. It was an unanswered question I hope someone asks really soon!

One other thing I noticed... BLOOD! There was blood in this movie. Not a lot. Just a little. But that blood was more than we'd seen in any of the previous movies if I am not mistaken. Yes, we've seen lots of death and destruction, but not blood. This particular phenomenon is used to set up the motivation fr a particular character very early in the movie.

So, did I like this movie? Yes! Did I think this movie was better than any of the original series of movie? No. It could be because I'm so fond of the original trio, but no... I still think that the original 3 movies are better than this one as it stands alone so far. I know I am in the minority, but I actually liked Episode 3 as well. I put this movie just above episode 3.

Do I recommend Star Wars fans watch this movie? Sure. But don't expect anything new other than special effects that are so real you don't even notice them.

As I waked out of the theater, I was not fully satisfied. But what was I expecting? I got 100% Star Wars. I got 2½ hours of action-packed visual nirvana, I got a touch of nostalgia. I got my money's worth. I just didn't get anything really new.

And one other major thing happened last night: I remembered why I haven't seen the inside of a movie theater in nearly a decade.

I have not seen it yet and don't plan on seeing it in a theater. The Grand heyday of theaters has passed long ago.
I think it was getting pretty bad with the rude people but I think the constant tweeters and texters have pushed it way over the edge from what I hear.

Anyway after I read your review and others, I have heard that the plot is a rehash of the first film?
Find the map or hologram or whatever, go somewhere save someone?

The music was about 50% of the experience of the original movie to me.
Too bad the score did not have that punch.

Not enough impetus to spur me on to see it from what I've heard so far.
It will be just as new to me when it comes on over my antenna as an ABC movie of the week or something.

 

[Bronxiniowa]

Agree with your ranking, but It was always Episode 4 - A New Hope. Was a big secret and everybody in the theater gasped when that came up in the opening credits. I, like many others here, saw it on opening night and remember this clearly.

Don't know if others have mentioned this, but the "Episode 4" moniker didn't occur until the re-release in the 1990s. The first three movies were: Star Wars; Star Wars: The Empire Strikes Back; and Star Wars: Return of the Jedi. There were no episode numbers initially.

 

[Ramy]

Agree with your ranking, but It was always Episode 4 - A New Hope. Was a big secret and everybody in the theater gasped when that came up in the opening credits. I, like many others here, saw it on opening night and remember this clearly.

I'm sorry but you are wrong. It didn't get a number until the 1981 re-release after Empire.

 

[Ramy]

Don't know if others have mentioned this, but the "Episode 4" moniker didn't occur until the re-release in the 1990s. The first three movies were: Star Wars; Star Wars: The Empire Strikes Back; and Star Wars: Return of the Jedi. There were no episode numbers initially.

Empire and Jedi did have numbers when they were initially released.

 

[king3pj]

I have not seen it yet and don't plan on seeing it in a theater. The Grand heyday of theaters has passed long ago.
I think it was getting pretty bad with the rude people but I think the constant tweeters and texters have pushed it way over the edge from what I hear.

Anyway after I read your review and others, I have heard that the plot is a rehash of the first film?
Find the map or hologram or whatever, go somewhere save someone?

The music was about 50% of the experience of the original movie to me.
Too bad the score did not have that punch.

Not enough impetus to spur me on to see it from what I've heard so far.
It will be just as new to me when it comes on over my antenna as an ABC movie of the week or something.

I understand not wanting to go see it in the theater but I think you are underselling this movie. It's got a 95% rating on Rotten Tomatoes which is basically universal acclaim and that's the highest score of any in the series. I'm not saying its the best movie of all time or even the best Star Wars movie but a higher percentage of professional critics recommend it than any of the others.

Again, I get the reasoning for not wanting to go to a theater. I usually don't myself but I made an exception for this one. Why not rent it as a PPV or a Blu-ray though? You are going to be waiting YEARS if it ever comes to ABC. Have the Avengers or any of the other Marvel/Disney movies been broadcast on ABC?

 

[KAB]

It will be just as new to me when it comes on over my antenna as an ABC movie of the week or something.

Enjoy all the commercial breaks if and when.

 

[fred555]

I understand not wanting to go see it in the theater but I think you are underselling this movie. It's got a 95% rating on Rotten Tomatoes which is basically universal acclaim and that's the highest score of any in the series. I'm not saying its the best movie of all time or even the best Star Wars movie but a higher percentage of professional critics recommend it than any of the others.

Again, I get the reasoning for not wanting to go to a theater. I usually don't myself but I made an exception for this one. Why not rent it as a PPV or a Blu-ray though? You are going to be waiting YEARS if it ever comes to ABC. Have the Avengers or any of the other Marvel/Disney movies been broadcast on ABC?

Don't have too many choices, no PPV or streemable Internet available.
I have an antenna on the roof and a big FTA dish farm listed in my sig.
Do have a DVD player (all regions even) though. Buddy down the street buys all the movies when they come out. Maybe he will let me watch his DVD.

Enjoy all the commercial breaks if and when.

Bathroom and food breaks are what I call'em.