FWIW, I felt TFA had too many PT tie-ins (haven’t seen R1). By “too many”, I mean they were:
- not in any way necessary to advance the story or characters, and
- more likely to cause a “WTF” reaction from moviegoers who have not committed the PT to memory, which I’d say is a sizeable contingent
As I understand it, there were a few PT references in the film that were just fine–I understand there were flags referencing the PT in one scene, and while those didn’t advance the story or plot, they did not trigger any WTF moments or trip up the viewer–so those are fine by me. On the other hand, needlessly mentioning the Sith (what the hell’s a Sith?) and Clones (weren’t they ancient history at the beginning of Star Wars? Why are they even relevant by the time Episode VII rolls around?)–those just needed to go.
What? Are you serious? Both are throwaway lines. Mentions that should only serve to build a larger, unknown universe for anyone who hasn’t seen the other films. Was mentioning the clone wars a “WTF” moment in the original film?
And who says clones are ancient history? Just because we don’t see them used in the OT doesn’t mean they aren’t still a possibility in the ST timeframe.
I am serious. In the “Sith/Empire/First Order” line, you’ve got two things already established as the Big Bad, and a wacky made up lispy name. One of those things was not like the others, and it definitely made me slow down and say “Wait, what did he say? Sith?”
Same with clones. Had the been any indication at all of clones being a real contemporary thing, no problem. But the last mention was three movies and a whole generation back, and even then it was approaching the age of legends. So the reaction on hearing that was “Wait, are those still around?” And then the movie kept going and it seemed the answer was no, actually we were just jerking you around.
The problem is that they should have been throwaway lines, but they jerked me right out of the movie trying to sort out their relevance. YMMV.
I don’t know man, that’s really pretty silly. Honestly doubt many others had the same reaction you did.
Maybe not. Nevertheless, both essentially booted me out of any sort of immersion in the film, and neither was in any way necessary, so I think it would’ve been better without either. In that respect, they’re really not any better than that shaggy Alf impersonator singing in ROTJ:SE, had that been the original cut of ROTJ.
Just when I thought you couldn’t get any sillier…
The Alf guy had a fair amount of screetime and literally yelled into the camera. That’s basically as bad as it gets.
“Perhaps leader Snoke should consider using a clone army.” Are you honestly saying that’s comparable to a '97 quality CGI effect taking up the whole screen and singing the worst song ever recorded?
In the sense that it pulls you right out of the movie, it’s exactly the same. In other senses, I freely admit Alf is worse.
As for Maz’s line, it’s literally two words - “the Sith.” Were you pulled out of the film when Han mentioned King Prana? Or when Rey mentioned the Irving Boys or Ducain? Because I still have no idea what those things are but they never jerk me out of the film when I watch it.
Of course not–talk about silly. Neither of those things are presented in a string of Very Serious Known Quantities as the wacky odd man out (like Sith), nor are they things that are known to the universe but terribly anachronistic in the way they’re presented (like clones). They’re just details of the larger world we don’t know about, like the original mention of the Clone Wars, or Captain Antilles.
Look, it’s clear you disagree. And that’s fine. May I disagree as well?