I just got back from watching Star Wars: The Force Awakens.
I won’t give any spoilers, so don’t worry if you’ve not seen it yet!
Overall I thought it was a really good film. I went to see it with some friends and their kids, so ages in our group ranged from 6 to 60+. Everyone came out saying it was good, and the kids wanted all the toys and were arguing over which one of the characters they would be… So they pretty much nailed it as far as setting up this trilogy! 🙂
A move back to physical sets was really welcome. Everything felt so much more real in this film compared to Episodes 1-3, which felt like 100% green screen.
I watched the film in 3D IMAX. There was once seen where a space ship was totally sticking out at me and it took all my will power not to reach out and try and touch it! It was pretty amazing. I still don’t like 3D, but this was a pretty good experience.
Having said all that, this was basically a remake of Episode 4. There is pretty much a 1:1 mapping between most of the characters in this film and those of Episode 4. I don’t think that is a bad thing and it probably needed to happen so that all generations could come away happy. I just hope the next films take a different route. It would be very easy to recycle the past again and they would be enjoyable, but I think it’s important the next two films have their own identity and secure the legacy.
Cheers
Tim…
It is really hard to expect any sequel film to have an identity. Though this episode was awesome, indeed. 2 hours and 16 minutes felt like 10 minutes. It also was kinda sad to accept the destiny of one of the characters.
Hi Tim,
I’ve seen the Film today in Germany without IMAX 3D.
It was great to sit in the Cinema and hear the unique Music With the Start of the Movie i was seit back to 1978.
Your’re right, ist was a kind of Hommage to the very first Star Wars Film. But i’m with you and hope the upcoming sequels will have an own Soul.
Stefan
Watched it twice in the first week, 3D only.
The chase of the Millenium Falcon by the Tie fighters inside the wrecked star destroyer is worth the extra price for 3D. Had me reaching for the chair’s arms more than once! And that arrival on the Starkiller Base (mega death star) straight from faster-than-light onto the atmosphere and surface had me grasping the chair as hard as I could!
Entirely agreed that it is a remake of Episode IV. But the plot twists in this one are superb. That Maz canteen in Takodana is truly the stuff of genius and a definite improvement on the Tatooine one!
There’s one thing I definitely wish for the next two: I’d like to see a lot more of the Corellian universe. If nothing else so we could get a zillion more Millenium Falcons!
It’s an original Corellian freighter and any civ capable of building a heap of junk as fast as that has to result in a riveting plot line!
Ah well, roll-on May 2017 for the next one.
Do I need to mention it’ll be released on the 4th? 😉
I agree, it’s hard to completely rate this one until the next movie arrives.