Again, how much did we know about the Empire or the Rebellion going into the original film?
Rey is frightened and scared. Maz is trying to reassure her and set her on the right path.
Maz looked pretty darn good in 70mm.
You definitely don’t get much information about the background of the Empire or Rebellion in the original Star Wars. However, we have three films that follow the Rebellion and the Empire (and its eventual demise). For them to almost ignore the ending of Return of the Jedi seems a bit jarring IMO.
Think about the original trilogy though. When Luke enters the cave in Empire Strikes Back and has that terrifying vision we are left to imagine things instead of having Yoda explain what just happened. I am no film critic, but I always believed in the concept of less being more in most situations (which Kasdan seems to have forgotten). Why did Maz have to say the Lightsaber was calling to her, when the audience literally heard it calling to her earlier? Do the writers think the audience is dumb and needs to be told what they just saw a few minutes beforehand? Why does Finn have to be told a lightsaber is a weapon?
It’s not that I am an opponent of Maz’s character design or anything, it’s just that all her dialogue and interactions in the movie do not add anything to the plot and just retell you things you saw earlier.
As for the CG, maybe it was just the theaters I saw it in, but it really did seem to stand out to me. Furthermore, for all the publicity the film received about practical effects, it’s interesting to have two important characters (Maz/Snoke) as CG.
Heck, it could have even been in the title crawl.
Episode VII
THE FORCE AWAKENSLuke Skywalker has vanished. In his absence, the sinister FIRST ORDER has risen from the ashes of the Empire and will not rest until Skywalker, the last Jedi, has been destroyed.
With the support of the REPUBLIC, General Leia Organa leads a brave RESISTANCE. She is desperate to find her brother Luke and gain his help in restoring peace and justice to the galaxy.
Leia has sent her most daring pilot on a secret mission to Jakku, where an old ally has discovered a clue to Luke’s whereabouts….
Yes, I should have clarified this. I do remember that First Order line being in there, but it does not give you background on them. For the most part I usually agree that less is more, but this is one case where I feel there is not enough background for anyone to get an inkling of what the First Order actually is or how they came to be.
Are they ex Imperial workers gone rogue? Did the diminished Empire continue but rebrand itself after the events of Return of the Jedi? Are they imposters trying to be what the Empire once was? How do they have so much money and resources? What became of the Rebellion? Is it the Resistance? Did the Rebellion never further progress? All of these questions are a mystery.
Please keep in mind I am not trying to rag on the entire movie here. I loved the film and saw it 4 times and theaters and am anxiously awaiting the home video release. I just feel that minor changes to the movie could have made it so much better.