The Force Awakens: Official Review Thread - ** SPOILERS ** — Page 133

doubleofive said:

TV’s Frink said:

Anchorhead said:

DuracellEnergizer said:

NeverarGreat said:

Use both at the end of every sentence, just to be sure?!

I wish the forum software supported the interrobang.

The what‽

Took me a moment to see what you did there.

I didn’t see it either. Great job!

I got as far as finding one so I could copy/paste it in response, hit the quote button, and only then did I notice.

When Rey slices Kylo across the face, was he bleeding? I can’t tell if that’s blood or not.

Doesn’t look like it to me.

Well, no. Kylo Ren does bleed in the film (in the same scene even), just not from that wound.

DominicCobb said:

Well, no. Kylo Ren does bleed in the film (in the same scene even), just not from that wound.

Once again, I’m not sure anyone has even seen this movie.

Poe Dameron also spends a couple scenes with blood all over his face.

You guys are making all this up. None of it happened in Star Wars so it couldn’t have happened in The Rehash Awakens.

NeverarGreat said:

TV’s Frink said:

You guys are making all this up. None of it happened in Star Wars so it couldn’t have happened in The Rehash Awakens.

Now I want hash browns again.

#HashbrownsForAll

Yes it is.

Hal 9000 said:

Humorous comparison between Rey and Luke: https://youtu.be/PE2at2Wo9sU

I would love to see a video that similarly misconstrues and ignores from the other way around.

DominicCobb said:

Hal 9000 said:

Humorous comparison between Rey and Luke: https://youtu.be/PE2at2Wo9sU

I would love to see a video that similarly misconstrues and ignores from the other way around.

What was misconstrued or ignored?

Nothing is misconstrued but someone could make a similar video though the comparison isn’t as strong as he’s a bit more balanced than she is.

Handman said:

DominicCobb said:

Hal 9000 said:

Humorous comparison between Rey and Luke: https://youtu.be/PE2at2Wo9sU

I would love to see a video that similarly misconstrues and ignores from the other way around.

What was misconstrued or ignored?

Are you really going to make me go point by point?

DominicCobb said:

Handman said:

DominicCobb said:

Hal 9000 said:

Humorous comparison between Rey and Luke: https://youtu.be/PE2at2Wo9sU

I would love to see a video that similarly misconstrues and ignores from the other way around.

What was misconstrued or ignored?

Are you really going to make me go point by point?

I can’t make you do anything, really, I was just curious what was wrong with it. Point-by-point isn’t necessary, but if there’s like one or two main points then I’d be interested in reading them, since I thought it was pretty funny myself.

Handman said:

DominicCobb said:

Handman said:

DominicCobb said:

Hal 9000 said:

Humorous comparison between Rey and Luke: https://youtu.be/PE2at2Wo9sU

I would love to see a video that similarly misconstrues and ignores from the other way around.

What was misconstrued or ignored?

Are you really going to make me go point by point?

I can’t make you do anything, really, I was just curious what was wrong with it. Point-by-point isn’t necessary, but if there’s like one or two main points then I’d be interested in reading them, since I thought it was pretty funny myself.

Well, I will say in general that this video is the nexus of the two main criticisms of the film - that it was too similar to ANH and that Rey is a (barf) Mary Sue - and in the process points out some flaws in the arguments for the former while also misrepresenting aspects of the latter to better conform to the both criticisms. Ultimately, like many critiques of TFA, it misses out on valuable details which counter both issues.

Basically I’ll just say that many things that are glossed over in that video extrapolate in ways that justify many of the things that people take issue with.

If I’m crazy enough I might post a full rebuttal later. If you want an example now I’d just say something like Rey raising herself vs. Luke being raised by his aunt and uncle glosses over that Unkar Plutt was her guardian so there was some help given, but also that that necessitated an independence at a young age which accounts for many of her skills that Luke did not have.

I didn’t find the video funny but I’ll admit videos that critique movies like this are a pet peeve of mine, regardless of how amusing they might be.

Because I am that crazy (and BORED)

Luke is a lone survivalist not subservient to his aunt or uncle

As I said above, Unkar Plutt was her guardian, so it wasn’t like she survived being a kid on a desert world all alone. Clearly she has been living at least a few years all by herself, but she is still constrained by her impoverished situation.

Luke steals R2 from a sand person on a bantha, who then just rides away

Equating Teedo with a Tusken is baffling. A Jawa would be the obvious parallel, in which case it’s a lot easier to see why he decides not to bother with Rey and BB-8 (who he was in the process of capturing, and Rey freed, not stole).

Luke can understand everything R2 says.

Rey, having lived much of her life independently and likely communicating with a variety of others in bartering situations, has learned droidspeak. Luke, who has lived a fairly isolated life on his farm, wouldn’t have needed to pick up this skill.

C-3PO is written out since he’s not needed to translate

This illustrates some key differences between the two films. ANH is a story partially told from the droids perspectives, which necessitates a duo with a translator. As well, the mission in which BB-8 finds himself in a small, covert one - there’d be no space on Poe’s X-Wing for a protocol droid.

R2 follows Luke around obediently instead of running away, and generally just thinks Luke’s awesome

This highlights another key difference. Luke is just an obstacle in the way of R2 finding Obi-Wan. Meanwhile, BB-8 needs someone like Rey to help him stay away from trouble while he waits for Poe. BB-8 is never “obedient” to Rey, and there’s nothing to suggest he thinks she’s awesome.

Luke tells Obi-Wan he’s a nobody. Didn’t even know the Force was real

And? I don’t get the point of this one. In the actual film, Luke has never heard of the Force before.

Obi-Wan hands Luke his father’s saber and then disappears from the movie, no training required

This kind of thing is where comparisons to ANH fall apart because the two films are simply too different. Obi-Wan serves a completely different function in that film than Maz does in TFA. The training one is a bit more debatable, but from what Maz says “Close your eyes. Feel it. The light. It’s always been there, it will guide you.” she does give Rey a way to tap into a potential that she has always had. Again, we’re getting into debate worthy territory, but I definitely think the film is implying that Rey is stronger in the Force than Luke was and thus why she is able to tap into it more quickly and easily.

Luke experiences a vision upon touching the saber for unexplained reasons. Magic lightsaber?

Yes. Lightsabers have always been connected to the Force (which makes them magic), and no more so than here. The vision was part of her call to the saber, the Force, Luke, and her destiny. None of it is spelled out nor should it be.

Luke enters the cantina and knocks down Ponda Baba and Dr. Evezan when they threaten him

Unlike Luke (who had never been to Mos Eisly), Rey frequented Niima outpost. As a lone scavenger, it is highly likely that this was far from her first altercation (and the fact that she carries the staff with her would imply as much).

Some stuff about Luke finding the Falcon with only Chewie inside and how they go and get Han or something

There’s really nothing to be said about this section because I don’t think it’s really criticizing anything and is really just bending over backwards to make the two stories fit together.

Luke fixes the Falcon’s malfunctions himself before Han can figure out what to do

Every time I see this complaint I wonder if people were paying attention. The Falcon has had a number of “upgrades” since Han last saw her, all of which Rey is familiar with (which makes sense, it being Plutt’s ship and her being good with tech stuff, she’s probably worked on it) and Han knows nothing about. One of those is a compressor which she bypasses. The comparison here makes little sense.

Han is so impressed with Luke, he offers him a permanent job

Let’s not forget Han does offer Luke a job in ANH, when he’s collecting his reward. In TFA it makes even more sense, Han getting older and all.

They sneak into the back door of the Death Star unnoticed, and somehow instantly find Leia’s cell

Well sneak makes sense they came out of light speed within the planet’s atmosphere. And they don’t ever find Rey’s cell, they just find Rey, sneaking around on the other side of the station. Just because it is tightly edited, doesn’t mean it was instant.

Luke uses the Jedi mind trick on the guards

I mean, I don’t really have any justification for this beyond Rey is clearly powerful in the Force in ways we haven’t seen before, and the Force is clearly acting through her in this scene (she doesn’t know how she did it). I’m not a fan of the scene honestly.

Leia says Luke is amazing and won’t stop talking about wanting to run away with him and devoting herself to him

Again, this is where comparisons fall apart. I can only assume this refers to Finn because of the running away with bit. But honestly, this behavior doesn’t describe Finn at all. He’s trying to run away yes, and asks Rey to come with him once (and doesn’t push it when she rejects). I guess Finn says Rey’s flying was amazing after they escape, but they’re complimenting each other in that scene for good reason.

Luke’s not interested, and says he just wants to be friends

This has nothing to do with anything in TFA.

Vader finds the heroes and Luke holds his own against him

Putting aside the obvious differences between Vader and Ren (one being a master of the dark side and the other being a much younger apprentice), do I need to repeat for the millionth time that Kylo was wounded or that Rey is alright skilled with melee weapons?

Luke force grabs his saber. This is the first time force grab is seen in the movie

Oh you mean like how Luke grabbing the saber in ESB is the first time in the films we see anyone use that power?

Meanwhile, Wedge leads a small squad to do a bombing run on the Death Star

The Wedge/Poe comparison is just silly. Poe is character introduced in the main crawl and is there throughout the film (not to mention he’s one hell of a pilot). Wedge is a terrible analog for Poe, he’s more like Snap Wexley. Also, small squad? It’s at least a size of the one in ANH if not bigger.

He easily hits the target without facing as much resistance, and the Death Star blows up

Except the X-Wings first run fails completely, and it isn’t until the heroes set off explosives from the inside that Poe can get in and do any real damage. They face about as much resistance from TIEs and turrets as the pilots in ANH did, minus Vader.

Luke is instantly selected to pilot a ship on a vital mission they’ve been waiting years to do

Which completely overlooks the fact the obvious fact that whole matter of the Force. Maybe if someone who wasn’t sensitive to the Force was in charge this logic would make sense, but for Leia the choice to send Rey is an obvious one.

So… yeah. Basically every point is misrepresenting the film in some way. That’s why I don’t like these videos.

DominicCobb said:

Luke fixes the Falcon’s malfunctions himself before Han can figure out what to do

Every time I see this complaint I wonder if people were paying attention. The Falcon has had a number of “upgrades” since Han last saw her, all of which Rey is familiar with (which makes sense, it being Plutt’s ship and her being good with tech stuff, she’s probably worked on it) and Han knows nothing about. One of those is a compressor which she bypasses. The comparison here makes little sense.

Also when did Han become an expert on fixing The Falcon? Was it in SW when the ship almost caught fire during the TIE Fighter escape or was it in ESB when he couldn’t fix the hyperdrive? Both of these things and the general condition of the ship leads me to believe that Han is just getting by but that’s just me.

Also when did Han become an expert on fixing The Falcon?

This kind of thing always makes me laugh, since Han’s whole act was just bravado. The other characters in ANH clearly know this and in ESB he never even fixes the broken hyperdrive.

Mocata said:

Also when did Han become an expert on fixing The Falcon?

This kind of thing always makes me laugh, since Han’s whole act was just bravado. The other characters in ANH clearly know this and in ESB he never even fixes the broken hyperdrive.

Speaking of ESB who can forget when Han showed his prowess by hitting the Falcon with his fist to get some shit to work? If that doesn’t make you an expert then what does?

On a side note I always loved that R2 fixed the hyperdrive given Han’s disposition towards droids