I haven’t really posted here before, but i started coming back to this forum a lot with the lead up to TFA, and wanted to share my thoughts on this movie as well. I have seen this movie three times now, and the short and sweet of it is that i love this movie, it gets more enjoyable to watch each time i see it, and i can’t wait to see the story continued.
Before TFA, i watched all the star wars movies in a marathon with friends for my birthday, and that was so fun. it was a great time to also watch the Despecialized which was the first time i saw that version (i grew up with the Special Edition VHS after seeing the Re-Release in theaters when in middle school), so i was so impressed on how perfect those movies are in their original releases. I must admit, the non-SE ending to ROTJ was a shock however).
The first time i saw it was in IMAX 3D (i generally avoid 3D, but why is it that IMAX never has 2D options anymore, pet peeve of mine…). I was really excited for it, but also somewhat reserved as i have mixed feelings about JJ and his remakes, specifically star trek into darkness. Overall thoughts the first time: I didn’t really ‘get’ Poe Dameron, he was ok, but i didn’t connect with him. Blood on a storm trooper also struck me as being, well, different, but i understood that it helped identify the character in the following scenes so whatever. Kylo Ren, wow how cool and powerful he seems, i like it. the blaster being frozen in air is also a different use of the force, not sure how i feel about it, but it is cool whatever else it is. I loved Rey’s introduction, and her first interactions with Finn, and the whole play on him trying to ‘help’ her, but Rey obviously not the one needing help. this was very funny and smart i thought. Han solo, man he looks old, uses lots of hand gestures, and Rathars, i hated this. suddenly i see something that looks like it isn’t even in the frame, that was bad CGI when the actors struggle to interact with it. similar reaction to Maz, the GCI stood out horribly. I loved the force visions she had, too much to understand what was going on. A bit dissapointed that Finn is using the lightsaber. On and On.
Sorry that was more of a ramble that i wanted it to be, so i cut myself short with that.
Second time was 2 days later, in standard 2D showing near our house so that i could go with my Wife, while my parents watched our 4 month old daughter (i can’t wait till she can watch star wars with me!). Main impressions, still really enjoying this movie. The terrible CGI must have been a 3D thing, in 2D those scenes don’t stick out as being FAKE, but i still don’t like the rathtars. scene.
then kept reading reviews and reading on here, and was honestly annoyed at how many people were so critical about this movie when i enjoyed it so much. so when i got tickets to see it again on new years eve, i was curious if i would still love it after 2 weeks had passed.
3rd time, even better in my opinion. the scenes that bug me are just minor blemish’s on a story i am starting to love. the things that still irk me: when Rey and Finn are on the Falcon and the ship starts leaking, and Rey says ‘help me with this!’ or whatever she says. seems like terrible writing, acting, pacing, editing, everyting. The Rathtars. i just don’t like their design, i agree that they feel like MIB monsters. but whatever. its in the movie now. The only other thing that sort of bugs me is in the final snow lightsaber battle (which i love btw), the purplish haze of the two light sabers, the lighting kind of bugs me in some of those shots.
But overall, i think this is great. I was talking to my Aunt on New Years day, and she said she has seen it twice and thinks is a good movie. lots of fun, just like when the first Star Wars movie came out (which she saw in theaters, she was in or out of college at the time). I disagree that this is a rehash of the previous movies. On paper yes, a plan, a droid, a person strong in the force with a destiny, etc. but what does that matter, it is telling the story of some new characters, i don’t care if you call it plot, story , whatever, the ‘feel’ of what is being told is certainly new in my opinion. I like that they are showing some different uses of the force with Kylo Ren, it seems legit in my book.
If anyone read all this, thanks. i just wanted to make my voice heard as someone who loves star wars, and loves TFA as well!