Throwing out another random idea here.
One of the biggest issues with this film is the pacing. It is way, way too fast and feels like we never get to just spend some time in one place. So I’m wondering if moving around some smaller sequences could help?
For example, in a period of just over a minute:
- On Pasaana, Rey and Kylo Ren finish their Skype session
- He snatches her necklace
- She runs back to Poe, Finn, and crew
- Scene jumps to Kylo Ren’s Star Destroyer, they’ve ID’d the necklace
- Our heroes are caught immediately by a stormtrooper
- Lando appears
- TIE fighters arrive
I’m proposing this scene be re-worked a bit:
- On Pasaana, Rey and Kylo Ren finish their Skype session
- He snatches her necklace
- She runs back to Poe, Finn, and crew
- Landy appears
- Scene jumps to Kylo Ren’s Star Destroyer, they’ve ID’d the necklace
- Back to Lando, TIE figures arrive
Totally remove the sequence where the stormtrooper finds them, and move the Star Destroyer scene to take place after Rey and Co. get onto Lando’s transport. Add in a classic Star Wars wipe upon returning to the Lando scene and it slows the pacing considerably.
I made a VERY rough version (I edited this on my phone — traveling right now), but this might give you a feel for the improved pacing. Watch the original scene, and then watch this cut, and I think you’ll find this change makes it feels a little more like Star Wars.