I get what you’re saying, actually. But short of JJ shunning modern cameras and effects and only using outdated techniques from the 70s, what are you gonna do? I’d go see a 100% retro Star Wars VII with models and matte paintings but I don’t think modern audiences would accept that, which would mean the film would flop and episodes VIII and IX would never happen.
One thing I do think they could have done is stick to puppets instead of CG characters. That would have made it feel more like Star Wars, in my opinion.
Oh I completely understand. I meant more that I think my own personal definition of how the franchise should look just isn’t going to happen. I think that if they actually tried to recreate the 1970s Star Wars it would’ve been a disaster and people, understandably so, would not have accepted that. I think it’s more of my own disconnect with the franchise at this point that hindered my enjoyment.
I should clarify that after sleeping on it and reconsidering things I think I really did underestimate the movie, and I enjoyed watching it until what I felt was an unsatisfying end to one of my favorite characters in all of fiction. I had to vent on some of my grievances after being frustrated by the abrupt death of Han; up until that point I was actually really pleased with most of it, albeit with some gripes here and there. I would say that it was somewhere between a 6 or 7 out of 10 after taking a step back and looking at the whole movie not considering my main complaint. I need to see it again and maybe it will grow on me, the action scenes were certainly exciting and felt much more real than the prequels, specifically the lightsaber duel. It also didn’t help my experience that a screaming infant was somewhere in the theatre, but thankfully they left halfway through. I also thought Harrison Ford was good throughout the whole movie as it really felt like I was watching Han Solo (which was not the case with Indy in Kingdom of the Crystal Skull), and I loved Luke’s reveal at the end along with the concept of Luke being in hiding and the rebels looking for him. The three new main protagonists were very good too so I’m optimistic about future installments. After rereading my previous post it came across that I hated the movie, which is not the case, and I will be seeing it again sometime within the next few weeks to reappraise it.