Hi Hal, here for another review.

This was an awesome edit. I’ve always felt that though TFA is a very fun film, it was in need of two things: a bit of careful polish, and more innovation. This edit supplies both in spades.

The biggest change is of course the movement of the New Republic’s destruction. The impact this change has on the weight, emotion and general feel of the film as a whole is immense. It allows the film to echo ANH while also updating it, rather than wallowing in it. It massively increases the emotion of the third act, making the good guys actually lose before they earn their victory. It makes the finale feel considerably more epic and tense. And the actual sequence itself was beautiful; the original laser-firing sequence was always one of my favourite parts of TFA just because it was visually and musically beautiful, but this new sequence was just awesome, flawlessly edited as well. I got serious chills.

Aside from that, all the small changes throughout the film were pretty much universally great. Quick cuts to dialogue for better characterisation, less wasted time and greater focus can go a long way, and it makes the film feel a lot more polished, less like it’s trying too hard to pander to its audience.

Another particular favourite change was the subtle teases of Palpatine. The three notes of his theme when Kylo speaks to the helmet were awesome, and would be great for a first-time viewer. Rey’s expanded vision was also great; using the Rathtar chase to show her separated from Finn makes it feel more personal, more connected to the rest of the film, and it was inserted into the sequence flawlessly.

As a whole, this edit makes TFA feel not only like a more bold film, but like a more confident film, which is something that TFA, and really the entirety of Disney canon, is in desperate need of. Without question, this edit has replaced TFA for me; more emotional, more compelling, and more involving. I loved it!