Star Wars: The Force Awakens Reactions - SPOILERS HERE ONLY

[Ace]

It wasn't Coruscant, but it was the home of the New Republic Senate.

[The Unholy Dragon]

I can't remember the last time a movie surprised me so little with me still enjoying it a ton. Saw Han's death coming from the moment we found out Kylo Ren was his son, but Ford has wanted for years to kill off Han so that's no shock. Loved all the new leads, so that works. Needed more of Finn and Poe bromancing. Rey is great as the new Luke (and almost 100% his daughter).

It took me until the end of the fucking movie to realize Vader is Ren's grandfather. The hero worship clicked at that point. I love that he's strong enough to catch blaster fire with the Force but he's also an angry, petulant child.

Really wanted Phasma in the role of Jackoff Tarkin, only sans the cowering at Ren. So much wasted potential there. Also wish Ren was Jacen but that's more fanboy gripes. Most of my criticisms are either minor, preferences that don't affect the quality, or fanboy criticisms. It's pretty damn good all said.

[Basara]

Went to see it last night, I was a little unsure about going opening night but fortunately there were no crazies dressed up as god knows what at our showing. Quite a strange experience for the cinema. They had a live band set up playing Star Wars music at the entrance and they were photographing and filming people 'watching' the film. Despite the fact that it didn't start for another 20 mins and it was just trailers on the screen. It was a good atmosphere.

First film I've watched in 3D at the cinema since Avatar.

Loved it, felt like a proper Star Wars film. I'm glad they got the Kylo Ren reveal over with in the first film. I think it would have come off as a little cheesy leaving it to the second. Plus in this day and age I'm sure it would have been spoiled a year before the next ones out anyway.

My only minor complaint is the last part of the movie felt a bit rushed. I'm not a fan of big blockbuster epic movies running 2hr30-3hrs for the sake of it but at 2hrs15 this didn't seem long and felt like it could have benefitted from the extra 15 mins towards the end.

[Playa Shunna Ver 3.0]

Fucking awesome.

[Lawful Metal]

I loved it.  Thought it was worthy.  Obliterated the prequels.  Didn't want it to end.

[MADCAP]

Saw it last night. Reverted to a little kid for two and a half hours. Going to go see it again tonite.

Two minor squabbles:

1. The bridge where Kylo and Han had their final scene: I hate the the Empire/New Order doesn't use railings (i.e. Obi-Wan turning off the tractor beam). It fucks with my vertigo.

2. The only suspension of disbelief that I struggled with was how Finn and Rey got the Falcon off the ground before it got destroyed during the attack in Jakku. I mean, they were bombing everything visible , but yet they had time to get in,get powered up and take off. That was a bit of a stretch.

Again, a minor gripe, but I'm nowhere pretentious enough to let that dissuade my feelings about the movie. This fucking rocked...

[TimLivingston]

My point with all gripes with Star Wars is that if it truly takes away from your enjoyment of the movie, you need to re-assess how you enjoy movies. Not all movies need to be 100% airtight and perfect. The most beloved movies of all time have issues with them. 

[John from Cincinnati]

A handful of people in my theater giggled when Adam Driver took off his mask. I had a feeling it would happen, and I couldn't have been happier. 

 

"Oh my gerd, dad. I'm a sith lord. This isn't a phase. This is who I am now!"

[Spritenaut 32]

Went to see it last night, I was a little unsure about going opening night but fortunately there were no crazies dressed up as god knows what at our showing. 

 

Judging by our local newscasts, local crazies were out in full force last night.  While one reporter was doing her piece, a squad of guys dressed like Darth Maul (supposed to be Sith Lords, I guess) were in formation carrying out.... lightsaber training drills (?) in unison.

 

I'm glad I wasn't planning to go.  I can imagine the wife seeing something like that and deciding we don't really need to go for a couple weeks.

[Ace]

We just had a couple people in costume, and two douchebags with lightsabers.If they'd lit them during the movie, they would've been lynched. We did have one person who brought their baby though. Kid cried once and the person who told her to take it outside got applauded.

[Ramsey]

I said it in the non-spoiler and I'll say it here.

 

That movie fucking rocked. It was fucking spectacular.

[The Unholy Dragon]

I love where I live for stuff like this. Population 95k, directly borders Toronto, and yet theater was less than half full. Maybe 25 people, no one in costume.

It's like this for every blockbuster and it's awesome. There's always a Thursday prerelease and it's always dead. Got in a non-3D showing too which was a joy.

[supremebve]

Didn't want it to end.

When the movie was over, this is the overwhelming feeling I had.  I started Googling, because I hoped there was an after credit scene.  I wished there was someone there to answer a couple questions.  I didn't want to wait two years to see what happens with this group of characters who I already care too much about.  I felt like a 2 1/2 hour movie was too short.  That should tell you everything about how I felt about the movie. 

 

Questions I had about the movie.

 

What the hell happened with Poe after they crashed the Tie Fighter?

I'm sure Captain Phasma will be in the next movie, but did we really need her in this one?

How severe are Finn and Kylo Ren's injuries?  

So we know that Leia is force sensitive, did Luke train her in the force at all?

How strong is Kylo Ren in the force?  He stopped a blaster bolt in mid air and just held it there while he walked around and had conversations and shit, but he also almost died in a lightsaber fight with someone who seemingly doesn't have any force sensitivity and someone who just figured out she is force sensitive. 

Why isn't Episode VIII out yet?  Why do I have to wait 2 years?  Why didn't everyone see it last night so I don't have to wait to talk about it?  When can I see it again? 

[The Unholy Dragon]

Poe explained that. He got thrown clear/KO'd, woke up after everything exploded, and made his way back.

Phasma was wasted here. One of my friends called her the new Boba Fett for having an amazing design and saying/doing very little.

Luke may have trained her a little, but it seemed like she just had enough natural ability to sense people she cared about.

Kylo Ren is on the high end of power for Sith that we've seen. Above Vader, Maul, and probably Dooku but likely below Palpatine. That said, he's sloppy and undisciplined. He has amazing tricks when he's calm, but he loses his shit when stuff isn't going his way as we saw with those tantrums. When he faces Finn and Rey, he's just killed his father and is sporting a gut wound from Chewbacca shooting him. Finn barely holds his own but gets that shoulder wound. Then Rey, who saw his father as a father figure and who got into his head/resisted his control...Rey gets Luke's lightsaber instead of him. Totally untrained but she keeps outdoing him. He's losing his shit and thus gets messy. There's also the implication he relies heavily on his Force powers and isn't actually great with his lightsaber. Remember...the Jedi use the Force to see slightly into the future which gives the illusion of amazing reflexes. Rey is more in touch with the Force at that point than he is and we already know she's a practiced fighter, so she ends up winning.

Whether she couls take him at 100% is another matter entirely.

[John from Cincinnati]

FWIW, I'll be happy as a pig in shit if Rey doesn't turn out to be the daughter of anyone of significance. The daughter of Luke stumbling upon BB8 is one stretch of credulity too far.

 

Still loved it though. 

[Ramsey]

Here's a question....who was Max Von Sydow's character?

[The Unholy Dragon]

Given the whole deal about the lightsaber being the Skywalker family lightsaber (rather than Luke's green one) I don't see any way she isn't Luke's daughter.

Also how the hell DID that orange lady get that? The fall from Cloud City should have shattered it.

Also also I totally laughed at the Luke reveal because for some reason it just felt TOO dramatically staged and I thought "I've been standing here for 20 years waiting for someone to come see me looking cool." And the hobo beard just sold it. It wasn't made better when Rey held out the lightsaber just a LITTLE too long without either of them doing anything. Accidently hilarious ending.

[John from Cincinnati]

How strong is Kylo Ren in the force?  He stopped a blaster bolt in mid air and just held it there while he walked around and had conversations and shit, but he also almost died in a lightsaber fight with someone who seemingly doesn't have any force sensitivity and someone who just figured out she is force sensitive. 

Rey's a quick learner who'd already shown she has an innate level of force-ishness (shut up) capable of countering Ren's own level of foce-ishness (shut up) and training during the attempted mind-reading. Also, wasn't Ren stumbling around at the time with a Chewy-induced leaky gut? 

[J.H.]

It a good, fun movie but had its problems. I'd see it again but probably not at full price

 

James

[John from Cincinnati]

Given the whole deal about the lightsaber being the Skywalker family lightsaber (rather than Luke's green one) I don't see any way she isn't Luke's daughter.

 

Casual fan. Not an expert. Didn't bother with a rewatch during the wait for VII. So I honestly need to ask: Has it been established that family ties are the best way to transfer lightsaber ownership from one person to another? Do lightsabers recognize themselves as having an owner like the wands in Harry Potter? Because I remember none of that. I always saw them as silly laser swords wielded most competently by people with a strong connection to the force, thus explaining Finn's comparative lackluster performance against Ren and that Stormtrooper. When Obi-Wan gave Luke the lightsaber in A New Hope, was it implied that it would be especially powerful in Luke's hands because of its connection to Darth? Or was that simply meant to give it sentimental value?

 

Help a brother out.

[TimLivingston]

Here's a question....who was Max Von Sydow's character?

 

Lor San Tekka, who had the last piece of the puzzle for Luke's whereabouts.

[John from Cincinnati]

If the lightsaber survived Cloud City, Luke's hand probably did as well. Maz likely has it stored in a jar like the tenth Doctor's hand so that its connection to the force can be used on a rainy day. 

 

I expect Luke to be on death's doorstep at the end of VIII. Cliffhanger. IX will open with jar-hand-related technobabble. 

 

This stuff writes itself. 

[Zimbra]

 

Here's a question....who was Max Von Sydow's character?

 

Lor San Tekka, who had the last piece of the puzzle for Luke's whereabouts.

 

 

According to some of the extra-textual stuff, he's a member of the Church of the Force, which is pretty much exactly what it sounds like

[John from Cincinnati]

FWIW, it looks like the honeymoon with critics is already over. Peter Rosenthal of the Onion's Film Standard has weighed in saying JJ failed it recapture the magic of A New Hope. 

[The Unholy Dragon]

Given the whole deal about the lightsaber being the Skywalker family lightsaber (rather than Luke's green one) I don't see any way she isn't Luke's daughter.

Casual fan. Not an expert. Didn't bother with a rewatch during the wait for VII. So I honestly need to ask: Has it been established that family ties are the best way to transfer lightsaber ownership from one person to another? Do lightsabers recognize themselves as having an owner like the wands in Harry Potter? Because I remember none of that. I always saw them as silly laser swords wielded most competently by people with a strong connection to the force, thus explaining Finn's comparative lackluster performance against Ren and that Stormtrooper. When Obi-Wan gave Luke the lightsaber in A New Hope, was it implied that it would be especially powerful in Luke's hands because of its connection to Darth? Or was that simply meant to give it sentimental value?

Help a brother out.

Not that I know of. It's more the story the film seemed to be telling with the lightsaber calling to Rey/giving her trippy Force visions/'choosing' her over Ren as well as the speech about how it was Luke's and Luke's father's before him. With so much emphasis on the lineage it just seems to be pointing that way.