Star Wars: Episode VII - The Force Awakens
Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures | Release Date: December 18, 2015
6.7
USER SCORE
Generally favorable reviews based on 7984 Ratings
USER RATING DISTRIBUTION
Positive:
5,073
Mixed:
1,217
Negative:
1,694
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6
AchooMay 9, 2016
Some dodgy directing imo, and therefore some dodgy performances at times. At times it tries to lighten the mood with some slight jokes, but it just cheapens the movie. It borrows a little too much from the old films, but doesn't have theSome dodgy directing imo, and therefore some dodgy performances at times. At times it tries to lighten the mood with some slight jokes, but it just cheapens the movie. It borrows a little too much from the old films, but doesn't have the same directing and performances as they do, and therefore differs in tone. It definitely has a little Disney to it now.
Overall a let down after reading the positive reviews, which just reinforced my disillusionment with mainstream reviewers in most art forms atm… Expand
6 of 10 users found this helpful64
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6
isg1983Dec 21, 2015
It's some sort of a rework of 4.film. Some nostalgia here and there but that's all. No striking character to move it on, no great fight scene, weird and inconsistent additions to lore and overall, even there is no striking music theme...It's some sort of a rework of 4.film. Some nostalgia here and there but that's all. No striking character to move it on, no great fight scene, weird and inconsistent additions to lore and overall, even there is no striking music theme... Nothing exceptional, even bored me more than 1. film. If you rate this movie more than 5-6 you seriously need to revise your film knowledge generally.… Expand
12 of 21 users found this helpful129
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6
TSTINKERSJan 8, 2016
I have to give this movie a 6/10 because the story line was unoriginal. too many ideas taken from the originals. Get the guy from Game of Thrones to write the next star wars to give this one what it was missing. Predictability, ProperI have to give this movie a 6/10 because the story line was unoriginal. too many ideas taken from the originals. Get the guy from Game of Thrones to write the next star wars to give this one what it was missing. Predictability, Proper Dialogue etc.… Expand
22 of 39 users found this helpful2217
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6
TheNikusFeb 16, 2016
This movie was very painful to watch for me. Everything that is wrong with it is perfectly illustrated by the scene where Fin holds Luke's training sphere in front of the camera on the Millennium Falcon. This isn't fan service anymore, it'sThis movie was very painful to watch for me. Everything that is wrong with it is perfectly illustrated by the scene where Fin holds Luke's training sphere in front of the camera on the Millennium Falcon. This isn't fan service anymore, it's more like providing certain manual adult services to the audience. The film offers exactly nothing new. No new ideas--maybe only gimmicks like Kylo Ren's sword or BB8's design. I dread a day when I might have to rewatch it for whatever reason.… Expand
16 of 99 users found this helpful1683
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6
Eva-UnitOneMar 23, 2016
JJ is ruining series left and right. It should be written in some form of United Nations convention that one person cannot direct Star Trek and Star Wars...or be allowed to ruin them both.

It does't have the Star Wars feel... It has JJ'sJJ is ruining series left and right. It should be written in some form of United Nations convention that one person cannot direct Star Trek and Star Wars...or be allowed to ruin them both.

It does't have the Star Wars feel... It has JJ's feel... a feeling that he's trying to let the audience know that he knows about other movies or something, where the film feels like it's a series of homages/references to the other star wars films so the whole movie just feels like a damn meme.

The dude lacks originality, and lacks the ability to stay true to someone else's creative vision.… Expand
9 of 38 users found this helpful929
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6
lifeofbrianDec 22, 2015
Take episode 4 and give it better graphics and modern language (like the use of "boyfriend") and you've got JJ's Star Wars. Its an entirely forgettable movie. Its better than the prequels, but still worse than all of the originals.
11 of 24 users found this helpful1113
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6
Batman6794Dec 29, 2015
The good: The effects look good for the most part, particularly the light sabers. There is some good banter and funny dialogue throughout.

The bad: The script follows the pattern of the original almost beat for beat without adding anythingThe good: The effects look good for the most part, particularly the light sabers. There is some good banter and funny dialogue throughout.

The bad: The script follows the pattern of the original almost beat for beat without adding anything valuable. The new characters don't develop much depth. The story lurches from one set piece to the next, connected only by forced coincidences that strain credibility at first, and then push well beyond it.

Not as ugly as the painful prequels, but not very good either.… Expand
12 of 26 users found this helpful1214
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6
SweetewJan 5, 2016
In my opinion there's a lot of wrong with episode 7 the force awakens. I'll start with the positives first though.
First of all, i'm really happy that they went back to practical effects instead of all CGI like the prequels. The prequelsIn my opinion there's a lot of wrong with episode 7 the force awakens. I'll start with the positives first though.
First of all, i'm really happy that they went back to practical effects instead of all CGI like the prequels. The prequels looked boring and sterile. What CGI was used looked really good, both in 2D but also 3D. I did prefer the 2D version, but that's just a preference. The old cast still have it! Especially Han solo lifts this movie with his acting. I also like Ren as a character, although many thinks he's too whiny.

Now the bad:

Where to start. Well first of all, The force awakens (TFA from now on) copies episode IV: A new hope. In fact I wouldn't really call it copying but plagiarism. You see, all the major story arcs of TFA is identical to the ones presented in A new hope. So essentially old meat in a new packing. Now some people might be okay with this, but I am not and neither should you. You see from episode 1 (prequel) to episode 6 there's is a distinct line of plot. Each movie builds upon what happened in the last movie and so forth. But that is not really the case with TFA. Instead there's a huge gap of things we are not told in TFA. How did the First Order come to power? What exactly happened to luke that would make him forsake the whole galaxy? (the movie glosses over this really quickly, and we're supposed to accept that) How did someone not know that Starkiller base existed? These are just 3 questions, but there are so many more. TFA fails to explain what happened in the 30 years after the emperor was killed. Instead we get some half baked explanation on what happened.

Did we really need another Deathstar? Yes starkiller base is a deathstar, it's just bigger that's all. I mean with starkiller base we got 3 deathstars in 7 movies, so almost half of them. That really lacks any originality. Why do Rey live on a planet that is almost a carbon copy of tatoiine? But wait it's not tatoiine, its Jakku! Well they're identical. If you wanted a barren planet, at least use one of the barren types that exists. Speaking of Rey, why can she do anything without any guidance? She's a mary sue. Luke the strongest force user (canon) in the galaxy, needed a ton of guidance and help from Obi wan. It took him three movie to be good with the force and his saber, yet we're to believe that Rey can do this within the single span of a movie. Yes i'm aware of all the theories. She might be a skywalker and yes she might have been trained before but still It takes the drama out of the movie. She's never been in the millemium falcon before, yet she knows it like the back of her hand, and flies it better than Han Solo himself. These are just some of the issues I have with Rey.

JJ. abrams didn't do Star wars justice in my opinion. There's so much action in the movie, that half way through you'll be craving for some actual character development. Finn could have been an interesting character, but he's not really. He grieves over a dead stormtropper in the opening sequence, yet when he flees from Starkiller base with Poe, he kills maybe 20-30 stormtroppers without blinking an eye. That doesn't make sense really does it? Sure if this had happened over a long time of character development, but this is within the first half hour of the film. he's also a worse soldier than a person who has been surviving on a desert planet alone, yet Finn has been training his whole life to be a soldier. That doesn't make a lot of sense now does it. How is he handling a lightsaber again? A lightsaber is a weightless weapon and unless you want to cut off your own limbs, then you need to receive training to use it. And yes general grevious had training to use them. Now this is just a small nitpick, but it mirrors a larger tendency with TFA. It doesn't respects its own lore, and it's filled with plotholes the size of moons. The original movies also had a lot of flaws, but at least the characters were consistent and didn't do something totally out of their character. The original movies also build up character development without only using action sequences, which made a more balanced movie. The force awakens awakens is nearly a carbon copy of a new hope, yet a new hope was better, 30 years ago.… Expand
20 of 34 users found this helpful2014
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6
macharius39Dec 26, 2015
I honestly didn't enjoy it nearly as much as I thought I would. The hype was over the top and the movie just let me down. They played it too safe. I can't believe that they went with Death Star Mk III, just without Ewoks to help the rebelsI honestly didn't enjoy it nearly as much as I thought I would. The hype was over the top and the movie just let me down. They played it too safe. I can't believe that they went with Death Star Mk III, just without Ewoks to help the rebels destroy it, and with Emperor Palpatine Mk II. And they made Luke into a washed up has-been. I admit that I liked it better than Episode I-III but not as much as Episode IV-VI. Unless they can pull things together in the next film, I'm not going to bother with this franchise anymore (outside of the novels).… Expand
14 of 22 users found this helpful148
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6
theRobotDec 18, 2015
Good thing about this movie is that it doesn't suck like episodes I-III. Almost no cringe moments, cheesy dialogues and plain stupid things, that were driving me mad in the aforementioned 3 episodes. On the other hand, it's a movie aboutGood thing about this movie is that it doesn't suck like episodes I-III. Almost no cringe moments, cheesy dialogues and plain stupid things, that were driving me mad in the aforementioned 3 episodes. On the other hand, it's a movie about nothing - it can be spoiled literally in 2 sentences. They just pumped it so much with action, action, action, ACTION, that there's barely room for anything else. Surely it's better than talking about retarded boring **** like in the first 3 episodes, but on the other hand, it's like a diet coke - you don't really feel filled after drinking it.

Sadly, art is also pretty much gone. Jakku and Ren planet are the only locations worth remembering, while BB8 is probably the only interestingly designed character. It feels kinda soulless, even compared to the new trilogy, not to mention the old one.

I even like the new protagonists, even though they are as hilariously politically correctly diversed as possible - I'm surprised there was no asian protagonist pushed somewhere. But they are likable, especially the black guy. On the other hand, the antagonists appear to be rather pathetic - Lord Voldemort's space clone and his wimpy, pathetic minion are lame even compared to generic Count Dooku and robot sith, whatever the hell his name was.

That being said, the movie was not boring. It might have been pretty generic, but it was not making me sleepy, like Episodes I-III or Hobbit: Battle of Five Armies were doing. It's good to see a blockbuster, that doesn't totaly suck. Some people might have expected more and they are disappointed now, but I was expecting total crap and it turned out to be above my expectations.… Expand
14 of 34 users found this helpful1420
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6
GuntherUltrabolDec 30, 2015
The plot was too familiar. The villian... watered down. The hero... watered down. Scene after scene I kept saying to myself; "I've seen this before in another Star Wars episode". I think anyone Star Wars fan will leave this movieThe plot was too familiar. The villian... watered down. The hero... watered down. Scene after scene I kept saying to myself; "I've seen this before in another Star Wars episode". I think anyone Star Wars fan will leave this movie feeling the same way.… Expand
12 of 26 users found this helpful1214
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6
kubrickianDec 18, 2015
This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. This movie had a very small feel to it. Gone are the big galactic fleets with many different makes and models. Gone are the variety of creatures we once were familiar with like Trandoshens, Nautilins, Devenorians or Rodians. Instead you have JJ's re-imagined Disney financed sand box that is less of a merging of science and fantasy leaning more toward good versus bad.

But more about the 'small' feel of it all. The desert world seems far less diversified than Tatooine, the rebel/resistance base looks too much like an old NIKE or WW2 base. What happened to the A-wings B-wings and the giant Mon Cal type cruisers. Instead we have some miniature sized X-wings that the pilot jumps into without a ladder. The resistance general arrives at the battle in a ship no larger than a Winnebago. Why destroy the continuity of the Star Wars galaxy just to connect family plot points?

All of the planets visited after the first were entirely normal in Earth terms. While it's fun to hate on the prequels at least they gave us visually diverse and unusual worlds. JJ's Star Wars sand box looks identical to his Star Trek sandbox. Again, the lack of hardware and alien species made this a very un-Star Wars movie for me. And if you have seen all the movies in the theatres going back to the original you might know where I'm coming from.

One other thing. With the exception of the returning cast everyone in the movie is under the age of 30. The general is that ginger twenty something boy form Frank. The X-wing pilots looks like the teenagers from a Disney XD sitcom.

I'll never buy this movie. As bad as the clone wars and prequels were to many I still find it more authentically Star Wars than what I just witnessed. Depressing plot turns to say the least.… Expand
16 of 48 users found this helpful1632
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6
joshmorgan64Dec 27, 2017
Memberberries memberberries memberberries memberberries memberberries memberberries memberberries memberberries
2 of 2 users found this helpful20
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6
TAFM17Jan 9, 2016
Overall, it's episode 4 with new characters. Pretty much the same film. Now I need 150 characters, but there's not much more to say. So I'm gonna just... 158!
14 of 28 users found this helpful1414
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6
FraggyMuffinDec 28, 2015
Not a bad movie but not a classic. Lots of action and nostalgia although at times it felt really forced. The two "factions" are never explained and what their motivations are aren't clear. The same can be said for the main characters, whyNot a bad movie but not a classic. Lots of action and nostalgia although at times it felt really forced. The two "factions" are never explained and what their motivations are aren't clear. The same can be said for the main characters, why they do what they do is a mystery. Overall a solid film that holds interest and has a decent flow but I wouldn't want to watch it again… Expand
3 of 13 users found this helpful310
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6
sewandsewsDec 19, 2015
Star Wars The Force Awakens
As much as i enjoyed the film i came away with the feeling i had seen it all before. The George Lucas films were all original from a complete story he already had in his head. This film was a clone of the firstStar Wars The Force Awakens
As much as i enjoyed the film i came away with the feeling i had seen it all before. The George Lucas films were all original from a complete story he already had in his head. This film was a clone of the first three films, nothing original same story line with a few twists here and there. A droid had an important message a Jedhi had been turned to the dark side, plus a similar kind of Death Star energy weapon that could destroy planets. Too many similarities to mention, just a reboot of an old story.… Expand
12 of 26 users found this helpful1214
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6
Brent_MarchantDec 19, 2015
Despite its skillfully handled technical attributes and the introduction of a few new wrinkles, this latest installment in the series feels more like a warmed-over recycle job than anything especially new or different. The story lineDespite its skillfully handled technical attributes and the introduction of a few new wrinkles, this latest installment in the series feels more like a warmed-over recycle job than anything especially new or different. The story line (especially in the first 30 and last 30 minutes) plays out like a rehash of the narrative in Episode IV, the film that launched the series. And, except for the somewhat surprising larger-than-expected role that Harrison Ford plays in the story, the reintroduction of vintage characters, catch phrases and images comes across more like checking off items on a laundry list of cinematic obligations to fulfill before the film's end than an inventive integration of said elements into a new context. To be sure, the film is mildly entertaining, but this is far from groundbreaking cinema, in much the same way as many of this year's other technically proficient but ultimately tepid franchise reboots.… Expand
26 of 45 users found this helpful2619
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6
43in2014Jan 17, 2016
This is a utter rip off of A New Hope! So many elements of that early film is use here to bait viewers back into the franchise that plagiarism charges should be considered. The worse of this can be seen in the most commonly seen A ForceThis is a utter rip off of A New Hope! So many elements of that early film is use here to bait viewers back into the franchise that plagiarism charges should be considered. The worse of this can be seen in the most commonly seen A Force Awakens poster. If you have seen HISHE's parody of Return of the Jedi, then you would understand why a second time around there was already quite dumb and third time around here is ridiculous!

Other poor elements here are the acting by the two young cast members. Daisy Ridley had the desperate expression whenever there is a close-up of her while Oscar Isaacs is way too enthusiastic whenever he meets his friends, as if he is mirroring A New Hope. Finally the rules behind who can use the force are totally disregarded and the film loses a lot of credibility here.

This is definitely a lazy job and I was quite bored during the film. At the end of the film I was hoping for a Marvel post-credit scene, but there was none. JJAbrahms should be ashamed of himself! He had a grand opportunity to reboot the franchise and he tricked us all with his trailers into watching this cheap sequel.

Score: 3/5 (no half score). Save your money and watch it on TV.… Expand
19 of 34 users found this helpful1915
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6
sadwomanDec 19, 2015
This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. Lacks the magic of the original, which I think stems from a focus on rushing our characters from one action setpiece to another, denying them the time needed to interact with each other, develop their characters, form meaningful relationships, and ultimately grow on the audience.

The commitment to practical effects and costumed actors as aliens waivers with the introduction of two mo-cap cgi abominations that couldn't have looked more out of place. (Maz and Supreme Leader Snoke)

I haven't decided whether the fan-service moments were over the top or if my cringing was due more to the reaction of the audience that cheered and clapped every time they saw something they recognized.

There were still a few effective moments despite how boring the movie ultimately was. A certain someone's death is felt by Leia as a painful disturbance in the force, a nice character moment. Rey picking up a lightsaber to defend her friend despite having no training is also impactful.

Ultimately, it looks like a Star Wars movie, but it's been reduced to generic action schlock, and you're likely to walk away having little to no interest in revisiting this cinematic universe.… Expand
12 of 26 users found this helpful1214
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6
TheMasiMan1Jan 22, 2016
Is the plot recycled for the third f**king time? Yes. Is the music good? Yes, but not as good as the previous Star Wars films. Is it a good movie? Kinda. Do I hate it? No.

Force Awakens is a good way to start off a trilogy. Snoke justIs the plot recycled for the third f**king time? Yes. Is the music good? Yes, but not as good as the previous Star Wars films. Is it a good movie? Kinda. Do I hate it? No.

Force Awakens is a good way to start off a trilogy. Snoke just feels like a s**t character. Kinda like the dark sides Jar Jar Binks. Why is my score so low then? Two words: STARKILLER BASE. The plot of this almost-to-2-billion-dollars movie has the same plot as did A New Hope back in 1977!… Expand
12 of 37 users found this helpful1225
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6
LongshotsJan 1, 2016
This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. terrible dialog. anything that Han Says is gold. like seriously. G O L D . but everyone else not so much. especially Leia. shes Ship and forced. we could have had someone new BUT NOOOOO WE NEEDED HER. funk that. C3P0 was forced. R2 was stupid. BB8 WAS FUNNY AND GREAT. id prefer not seeing not Leia, not Luke(at least his face), not C3P0. and not R2 (besides that 1 shot with Luke).

the movie would have not felt like a cockrub to fans if it did that. if it removed these characters. if it kept us waiting. expecting. excited to see them as SIDE CHARACTERS. they should have just kept Han and Chewie as big side characters. wasted potential.

it also is EPISODE IV 2. same plot. this and what i said before connects to the fact that the movie doesn't have an identity. it feels like its a tribute to the originals. something that the prequels did way better. they had their own characters and story. this movie doesn't work in that aspect, which is because they kicked George Lucas's ideas were kicked along with him from the movie. this is why i'm happy JJ isn't making the next film . these movies need an identity. it has to have one. acting is also all over the place. Rey is stupidly outrageous in some scenes and i just laughed in the theater.

im disappointed but trilled to watch it again because its SO FUN! the movie is SO FUN and i cant wait to watch it again tomorrow!… Expand
4 of 19 users found this helpful415
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6
pdesaab07Dec 18, 2015
This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. For those who never saw star wars (or saw it once), they'll give an 8/10. Those who have seen the movies since their childhood, like me, will feel the same way as I did :

1. Visually speaking it's a great movie. It captures the star wars universe for sure.
2. The combo Solo / Chewi is still spot on and hasn't lost its charm
3. New characters are well chosen... especially Daisy Ridley.

That being said:

1. I understand JJ Abrams wanted to satisfy the fans and this movie must have been a lot of pressure. But he played it too safe... It has too many clichés and "déjà vu".. the pace of the movie is like Episode IV : a droid with secret mission in a desert planet finds a lonely person in a scrapyard (like Anakin in episode I) who helps return it to its master.
2. Rey's character is great : but she turns in 24 hours from a girl selling junk to mind control specialist, light saber master, leading to beating the villain who had years of training... to fast to soon.
3. They built another death star after having 2 destroyed ? Someone needs to hire an new Chief Operating Officer
4. Oscar Isaac (who is SUCH a great actor) and Gwendoline Christie characters are not enough exploited.

To summarize: let's wait for the whole trilogy to give a realy review… Expand
15 of 40 users found this helpful1525
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6
AxefaceJan 6, 2016
I dont think copying everything that was good about the previous films and capitalising on nostalgia is good film making, I think it's capitalising. When I dissect The Force awakens - strip away the rape of the old films - all thats left isI dont think copying everything that was good about the previous films and capitalising on nostalgia is good film making, I think it's capitalising. When I dissect The Force awakens - strip away the rape of the old films - all thats left is some pretty good new characters and very nice effects - 6, maybe 7 out of ten? Upsetting. I wonder if they are actually capable of coming up with their own content for the inevitable followups.… Expand
22 of 39 users found this helpful2217
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6
zurnzurnDec 20, 2015
"That's not how the Force works!"

Frikkin' HILARIOUS!! Seriously that line was legitimately funny, well built up and delivered. I laughed *at* the Ren temper tantrums, but *with* Han and Fin on that line. It's what I'm taking from the"That's not how the Force works!"

Frikkin' HILARIOUS!!

Seriously that line was legitimately funny, well built up and delivered. I laughed *at* the Ren temper tantrums, but *with* Han and Fin on that line. It's what I'm taking from the movie.

JJ nailed it with Star Trek but the rest has been fan-service retreads that betray a lack of storytelling prowess. It's all for effect, with no depth, nothing to pull you in. I'm just glad I didn't see the trailer, because the promised emotional weight would have gotten me too pumped to not walk out of the theatre supremely annoyed.… Expand
16 of 29 users found this helpful1613
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6
ToFewViewsDec 25, 2015
So the day has come, Disney has pulled Star Wars from George Lucas's grasp after sweetening the deal with 4+ Billion Dollars. Now with that much money spent on the rights alone you'd think the movie would come out somewhat of a masterpiece?So the day has come, Disney has pulled Star Wars from George Lucas's grasp after sweetening the deal with 4+ Billion Dollars. Now with that much money spent on the rights alone you'd think the movie would come out somewhat of a masterpiece? maybe a new "A New Hope"? But sadly elements of the film take away from the experience and causes the film to feel like the Step Child who's slightly Different to the rest. Fans of the Star Wars series(ie myself) will find it extremely easy to blindly love this movie but if you take a step back to observe the film the flaws may become more apparent. Things like sound design, Sets, Action and CGI was all done well, The movie almost always looks good, sounds good and its all around good looking. But then things like some main characters who don't fit their role at all and ruin the character or other main characters don't actually do anything in the entire movie. Watching the movie as a true die hard Star Wars fan what kept coming to mind for me was other ways the story could have been, With darker or more interesting story arcs and maybe using the absolutely massive extended universe that has been created for the Star Wars world from Books,Games Etc. With Disney planning on making a new Trilogy I really hope they can take the world and characters they have and making something truly amazing with it....not just something to "Break the Box Office"… Expand
20 of 36 users found this helpful2016
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6
RoqueNENov 11, 2018
This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. Another lost child on a desert planet that knows nothing about its power. Another villain in a mask with torn feelings. This time it is the father who wants to bring the son back to the light side. Another death star alias Starkiller. Another little droid as Sidekick.

Big action, weak story. All in all mediocre.… Expand
0 of 0 users found this helpful00
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6
onenaghiDec 21, 2015
The Force Awakens plays it safe. It is not a bad movie, by any means. The new characters, Rey and Finn are interesting enough, and the acting and action are overall very satisfying. However, the plot is unoriginal and the story and worldsThe Force Awakens plays it safe. It is not a bad movie, by any means. The new characters, Rey and Finn are interesting enough, and the acting and action are overall very satisfying. However, the plot is unoriginal and the story and worlds are lackluster. Neither does Kylo Ren have the presence of other Star Wars villains. Some of the better moments of the movie depend on the nostalgia of the audience. What does Star Wars become when it is left uninspired and unimaginative? It becomes an exercise in the routine, just another Hollywood blockbuster. It is certainly the weakest of the 7 movies so far, but there is still plenty of hope for this new trilogy if Disney can find some better writers.… Expand
7 of 16 users found this helpful79
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6
atomic_tomatoDec 23, 2015
It was like, when you order your favorite pizza that was brought back after a while being off the menu and your excited for it... but its a new chef and the pizza tastes funny. That's pretty much the feeling I got from this movie. It wasIt was like, when you order your favorite pizza that was brought back after a while being off the menu and your excited for it... but its a new chef and the pizza tastes funny. That's pretty much the feeling I got from this movie. It was just.... off. Every scene felt rushed and nothing really made a lot of sense. Special effects were great.… Expand
23 of 41 users found this helpful2318
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6
Toophat82Dec 20, 2015
Honestly while not a bad movie it wasn't great either as a fan of the movies and original canon of books I would give it a 6 out of 10 rating as the movie script wise would have been a lot better had it been able to and followed the originalHonestly while not a bad movie it wasn't great either as a fan of the movies and original canon of books I would give it a 6 out of 10 rating as the movie script wise would have been a lot better had it been able to and followed the original canon and story of the books with solo twins as if you read books and then watched this movie you would easily understand what could have been as story wise it was on the weak side compared to what it could have been.Hopefully next film is a lot more then this first outing. Some of the character potrayals seemed off point and not genuine to the characters being played and let's just say some of the cast was young and it showed as you wouldn't expect a storm trooper to act all as goofy and childish as Poe did in the movie but instead a bit more hardened from his training and time with them considering all he must seen and gone through and nevermind the way Rey and Poe acted around each other and together made me think I was back in high school again and not in a Star Wars film that's is for sure and while maybe that had nothing to do with it and probably had more to do with the direction and what was given to them to play then the actual acting itself. Nevermind that at times movie left you with more questions then actual answers and wondering what's what and how did this get to this point in first place les just say I hope the next film has a lot more then what this first outing gave us and was that's for sure. As a Star Wars fan of course I will always want to watch any Star Wars film and reccomend anyone to do same that's just the fan in me but I won't lie or hype up a movie no matter how much of a fan I am and always be genuine in how I felt about movie.… Expand
7 of 16 users found this helpful79
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6
Mojodog360Jan 4, 2016
I remember having a "bad feeling about this" when Disney purchased Lucasfilm, and it turns out my fears were warranted. What they delivered is a passable popcorn flick populated by Star Wars costumes. So many things went wrong with thisI remember having a "bad feeling about this" when Disney purchased Lucasfilm, and it turns out my fears were warranted. What they delivered is a passable popcorn flick populated by Star Wars costumes. So many things went wrong with this film. But mostly it feels both forced (pun intended) and rushed. It's not hard to feel the "film production by committee" vibe going on. Character stories were shoehorned in, breaking the holy grail of writing rules: Show, don't tell. I'm sure they want to establish a lot of foundation for later movies, and maybe those will be better. But I doubt it.… Expand
25 of 46 users found this helpful2521
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6
DBPirate1129Dec 26, 2015
This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. SKIP TO THE END FOR REVIEW SUMMARY.

The Force Awakens has been touted as one of the best films in the Star Wars saga. Why? Because it's not the prequels. Unfortunately, it's just not that simple.

When it comes down to it, The Force Awakens is a complete rehash of Episode IV: A New Hope. A rebel gives something to a droid who travels across a desert planet and finds a Force-sensitive person. The person meets an old veteran of a previous war and they travel to the rebel base. They then destroy a planet-killing super weapon. The problem is, this time, the plot is held together by coincidences instead of purpose. The Force Awakens is well acted, with Harrison Ford as Han Solo being the standout. The main character, Rey, who has unimaginable power and is able to do anything throughout the entire film is not really interesting so former stormtrooper Finn and brash, angsty Kylo are left to pick up the slack.

Despite its flaws, Episode VII is an entertaining film -- it's just not necessarily one with a lot of depth. The visual effects are great and the soundtrack is, well...John Williams. Do I really need to say more? The problem with this film is J.J. Abrams played it much too safe and laid a poor foundation for The Last Jedi.

Overall, The Force Awakens is a fun film that suffers from a lack of originality and a retread of old material that relies a little too much on nostalgia.

Review was redone ahead of The Last Jedi.… Expand
6 of 35 users found this helpful629
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6
BlackriftDec 18, 2015
This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. Well how should I start this... I love Star Wars but I was very skeptical when I heard Disney bought the rights and is continuing the franchise. Why? Because to me, that's a sign of just another corporation trying to milk every last dollar of something amazing and in the process reducing it to garbage. We see this often in the gaming industry nowadays (CoD, EA & Ubisoft products) as well as the film industry (Terminator franchise, Batman franchise, The Hobbit, etc).
But as much as I had my doubts, I still decided to give this a shot so I can judge for myself. When the trailer came out my first thoughts were 'meh, could go both ways'.
So when the movie came out, I went to the premiere. To be fair, it's quite alright for an action movie. The SFX are spot on, the scenery's cool and after all, it is set in the Star Wars universe and does a pretty good job at nailing it. But that's about it. The new characters introduced here are weak. The most interesting character I found was BB and that's saying a lot. I also believe the actor playing Kylo Ren was horribly miscast. Awesome outfit, awesome voice, kick-ass mask... and then his face. A watery eyed nerd, really?
The story is no real story at all. It's just the original story but instead of the Rebels and the Empire, you have the Resistance and the First Order. Otherwise, it's pretty much more of the same.
What really bugged me as well was the fact that they portray Kylo Ren as an awesome Sith Lord and then he gets completely owned by a teenage chick who just realized she has the force? Really? Is that all they could come up with? And I thought only jedis/siths can use lightsabers. So why was Finn suddenly fending of Ren like a pro?
Another mistake was killing of Han Solo, who was by far the coolest thing to happen to this film.
I want to like it for the sake of Star Wars... Like I said, the world, visuals, sound effects and soundtrack are awesome but the story has so many holes it's a bit ridiculous.… Expand
14 of 35 users found this helpful1421
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6
rtoaleDec 18, 2015
I will keep this review short and sweet. I am a huge SW fan and saw the original trilogy in the cinema when they were released. This movie is not Star Wars, it looks a bit like SW but under the surface it is something totally different. II will keep this review short and sweet. I am a huge SW fan and saw the original trilogy in the cinema when they were released. This movie is not Star Wars, it looks a bit like SW but under the surface it is something totally different. I dont care what anyone says, the prequels felt like SW even with their silly characters and bad acting, they had the Lucas touch and that is what is sadly missing here. SW is George Lucas baby and without him it is something else entirely. Even the aliens didnt look right. As for the villian, i will bet my left nut that he is redeemed in ep9, Rey is looks daughter and Snoke gets destroyed. All JJ did was take the original ideas, shake them up a bit and release again. Same as the Khan idea from Star Trek. A 6 for this.… Expand
37 of 78 users found this helpful3741
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6
Kelembribor21Dec 20, 2015
This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. Though i am fan of original Star Wars trilogy , and have respect for the Force Awakens desire to be true to originals unlike prequel trilogy , i must say it lacks originality for movie that should light the fantasy of the viewers.
To much of the plot points are same to the original movies even characters and locales remind too much of the previously seen movies.
You have death star , comic relief droid , incompetent Stormtroopers and their commanders, Jaaku is cloned Tatooine, bit of sentimentality is fine but here is just too much,
And villains / antagonist aren't at all impressive or fleshed out except for Kylo Ren who is biggest disappointment of all new characters. ( true Darth Vader wannabe/Adam Driver was also wrong for the rolle in my opinion )

Movie has great effects, nice sentimental moments with old cast, Ray and Finn are ok, and ball droid was funny.

It is nice movie better than most blockbusters recently, but much worse than any of the original trilogy.… Expand
5 of 13 users found this helpful58
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6
UltraTektiteMay 27, 2016
Meh rehash of the original Star Wars movie. Rey is not a very interesting character, and it relies too much on characters and plot points from the original trilogy. There is a nice "brohood" dynamic between Finn and Poe, but that gets littleMeh rehash of the original Star Wars movie. Rey is not a very interesting character, and it relies too much on characters and plot points from the original trilogy. There is a nice "brohood" dynamic between Finn and Poe, but that gets little screentime.… Expand
0 of 0 users found this helpful00
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6
CoNn3r_BDec 29, 2015
This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. I wanted to like this movie, I really did but there are just too many underlying issues that just ruins this movie for me:

The good:

The action scenes in this movie are phenomenal, I expected them to be good but I was taken by surprise with how engaged I became especially with scenes like the Millennium Falcon dog fight that was nothing short of captivating. The light saber battle between Kylo Ren and Finn was one of the most intense saber battles I've ever seen in a Star Wars movie I would put it in the same league as the fight between Vader and Luke in episode V.

I was surprised with how much I like BB-8. when I first saw the design I was reprehensive because it was obvious they one up the original trilogy which draws some comparisons you just don't want, all in all he was a functional and fun character and a worthy successor to R2-D2.

Finn was a great character and I really connected with him, his underdog roots and his complicated life made for a compelling character.

The original characters were more than gratuitous cameos and actually had bearing on the plot.

The bad:
This movie is terrible at pacing, the movie flies by in an instant which can be a good thing but in this case it just feels rushed, for example; the destruction of Starkiller base which had no impact at all when it happened, I wasn't captivated with this movies story. In fact I was rather bored with the whole story because it blatantly rips off episode IV at almost every turn.

Unimaginative locations, if I see another desert planet I'm going to stab someone. All the planets look familiar because they lack in creative imagination. Jaku is Tatooine, the forest planet they go to looks like Endor and most of the movie is filmed in space or inside a ship, this just makes the galaxy feel dead and stale which is not what I should be feeling from the galaxy far, far away.

The ugly:

Rey...everything about her. First off her acting was god awful, her character was bland and flat with no interesting qualities. Even though she has a mysterious backstory, it somehow feels so familiar that it lacks in impact. Her ability to instantly be good at everything she does is nothing short of insulting and don't get me started on her battle with Kylo Ren...The worst thing about Rey though is that she is the jedi. I never felt that she earned it in the movie, when she holds the light saber it just doesn't seem right and to top it off her battle with Ren was boring to watch. The best person to be the jedi would have been Finn, I felt he deserved it more and his back story made him a more interesting and engaging character.

Kylo Ren was just bad, I felt so disappointed when Ren took off his helmet to reveal a snivelling little teenager, it removed all the intimidation he had and from there on out he just felt like another Anakin Skywalker but somehow more whiny, the idea that he is Han Solo's son was cool but the reveal was so lacklustre that I didn't care.

Han's death, I didn't hate the idea that Han died in fact I was hoping for it but he was killed off so quickly at the hands of a character I didn't care about just so the movie can have one memorable moment. If Kylo Ren had been better developed and the conflict inside him had been shown more that scene might have had some impact on me. All in all the death of Han Solo is brushed aside pretty much as soon as it happens which just takes away from it more.

Overall I found this movie to be an enraging experience with an absolutely phenomenal start that falls flat halfway through. Well done JJ, you messed it up.
6.4/10… Expand
12 of 23 users found this helpful1211
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6
RobertOBrienDec 28, 2015
I won't spoil the big scene but let's just say that even before I knew about it it was the most predictable thing ever. And sadly I can say the same thing about the story. Not because of bad plotting, but because I have seen this plot before.I won't spoil the big scene but let's just say that even before I knew about it it was the most predictable thing ever. And sadly I can say the same thing about the story. Not because of bad plotting, but because I have seen this plot before. Not just in other films but in other Star Wars films. They follow Episode 4's formula to an excessive degree and the film is too derivative to truly recommend for theatres.… Expand
13 of 18 users found this helpful135
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6
ZebunkerDec 20, 2015
It’s Star Wars. It was not ruined by trailers. It has tons of hype. It’s an experience going to see it and that’s about the best thing you can say about the movie. While the movie was a letdown it certainly fits in somewhat. Hardcore fansIt’s Star Wars. It was not ruined by trailers. It has tons of hype. It’s an experience going to see it and that’s about the best thing you can say about the movie. While the movie was a letdown it certainly fits in somewhat. Hardcore fans will be upset but new comers might find an above average blockbuster. One that certainly seems more fitting to be released in the summer. Maybe around May 22nd…

The film can be described sadly as a re-make of A New Hope. Some characters are playing different roles than there character did in the original films which is jar jarring to watch. There are some very non-star wars elements that creep in and halt the progression and pacing. It’s very messy technically speaking. It’s nice to look at, it’s hitting some of the same notches but all the instruments seem to be out of tune. It seems to look well worn, like the originals. But somehow feels barren of cool background stuff to enjoy looking at. Save for Harrison Ford’s performance, which saved this film.
Go and watch it for the experience. Enjoy the popcorn. Just don’t think about it too much or your childhood might be ruined forever.

Spoilers below

Best Actor

Harrison Ford as Han Solo steals the show. Everything else, honestly, is just filler. He drives the story and plays a huge part in setting up the other films. It’s odd that we really did not get a good story in this film. It feels more like a chapter than any of the other Star Wars films have and it does not work for the audience. It feels incomplete and missing many things. The movie felt barren. There was not much life to it other than Han Solo.

Sure the other actors did good jobs. But a lot of the shots and progression felt too close. The film was pushed along too fast. Many times characters did not get time to breath or the audience to catch up and deal with some heart breaking moments such as the poor handling of Han Solo’s predictable death. A much better way would’ve been to have Han sacrifice himself for the cause. It makes you wonder why Luke did not become aware that his best friend is in danger. Or how smart Han is and to be almost tricked by Leia into trying to save him. It’s just a bad bit of directing and could send the series down a very lackluster path.

The scenes with Han were great however while they lasted. Some elements were not the same. It’s as if Harrison knew how to play him but nobody else know what the character would do or would not do. So, sometimes he does things that seemed odd. Like trying out Chewie’s bow for the first time. In all the decades he was with him not being able to try it. Come on. We don’t buy it. Han was great.

Worst Actor

Kylo Ren was being built up as the next Vader. Literally and figuratively in the story. They really dropped the ball on this one. And this is almost more unforgivable than the poor handling of Han’s death. Kylo’s voice does not in the least bit sound intimidating. This is why Vader was done by a much better voice than the actor that played him. Something like that should’ve been done here. Use a deep throated voice, scare the pants off the audience. Nope, not here. Eventually Kylo takes his helmet off.

It’s at this moment that all the anxiety and interest and the character goes away. He acts mean at times then almost normal. Maybe it’s building to something but for a first act movie you really can’t do that. You need to classify your characters in one way. Don’t show who’s under the helmet and don’t reveal that he’s Hans’s son so early in the movie. Creating dramatic tension and cross cutting stories is George Luca’s wheel house. Sad they did not follow his previous way of handling that. You don’t’ show all your cards at once.

Honorable mention is for Captain Phasma. She had only a very minor role in the film. But what was funny was how she was being hyped up as the next women’s rights leader, a feminist for the modern world. Taking on men’s traditional roles. It was a joke and over-hyped too much.

Best Scene

The parts when the group meets up with Han Solo and fight off the pirates then to a new world, to follow the trail and see where the adventure takes you. These parts were the most exciting and interesting. It felt most like the old films and introduced many cool places and characters. It even felt like a nod to some of the novels. But even in these sections there this movie is hard to pick one scene out and say that was amazing. It was all like watching a movie where the other 6 films felt like you were being a part of the story in some way.

Worst Scene

When Han Solo dies. Not because he dies. But how it was out of character. How Han would never do that, he’s smarter than that. How everybody in the theater knew he was dead even before anything happened. And to the poor time given for Leia and Chewie to have a final goodbye. To take one of the most beloved characters and toss him off bridge like he’s trash. To die a lonely and wasteful death. Sad.… Expand
12 of 29 users found this helpful1217
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6
HeavesDec 22, 2015
I have to say given all the hype, I was slightly underwhelmed. I don't think the story was that bad (a bit too cliche) but I think it was good enough. For me, the biggest pitfall was the lack of character building. The movie doesn't reallyI have to say given all the hype, I was slightly underwhelmed. I don't think the story was that bad (a bit too cliche) but I think it was good enough. For me, the biggest pitfall was the lack of character building. The movie doesn't really give you much reason to like the main to characters with very little backstory. Another moment of annoyance was the final fight scene which went against all logic. Having said that, the film did have its moments and the potential is there to produce an amazing sequel.… Expand
6 of 12 users found this helpful66
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6
xtabrisxDec 21, 2015
This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. Too bad people is trying to troll this movie. The cast is superb. As people already said, Finn fits the comedy role pretty well. Rey is just amazing, everyone's so hyped about this character. Even little boys were picking Rey's toys over other characters. She's probably the best female Star Wars character ever.
The classic characters also shine on this one. I thought they might not fit well with the others, but they did a great job. You can feel the excitement in every scene.
About Kylo Ren/Adam Driver. Can't understand all the hate. I think the character is easy to understand... he's just a kid who wants to make Snoke (and Vader's memory) proud of him. He's obviously overwhelmed by the pressure and his trembling voice while he speaks with Rey really says a lot about the character .Funny to see many people complaining about the similarities with "A new hope" and after that saying that "Ren is a Vader wannabee, we cannot accept him as a new Vader".
Highly recommended, this movie is great it's Star Wars top 3 for me, over episodes VI, I, II and III.

PS: BB-8

2020 edit:
Too bad they kept screwing everything after this one. Now this movie feels unnecessary and bland. I gave it a 9, changed it to 6.… Expand
0 of 0 users found this helpful00
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6
ctow123Dec 18, 2015
This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. This was a great movie, but it wasn't bad either. I am a huge fan by the way. If i wasn't a fan of the franchise i might be tempted to give this a 5. This movie did a really good job not leaving the old fans behind with many familiar faces and old references. The special effects and graphics were amazing. The new BB-8 droid is awesome. Also, i thought the new girl Daisy Ridley (rey) did an excellent job and is definitely the actress they should have picked. I liked how the movie kept me full of mystery and wanting to know more, which hopefully they will explain in episodes 8 and 9.
THE BAD:
John Bodega (Finn) did a terrible job as an actor and they should not have picked him. At the beginning he just looked like a wimp. there was no background to show why he was having this conflict. Throughout the whole movie he was constantly just trying to run away from everything. He should have done so, so i won't have to see his god awful face in another scene. The plot was basically a remake of a New hope with parts of episode 5 thrown in. Kids on a desert plant, need to deliver a vital piece of information, the droid has the information, death star, death star blown up, Ben solo confronts father Han solo. This movie was so damn predictable. Also, they 100% should have made the flash back longer to give us more background and depth to the whole movie. I felt like there are a lot of unanswered questions, which hopefully will be answer in sequels. while understandable because they are building a new universe and harrison ford can't act forever. WHY DID YOU KILL THE MOST LOVABLE CHARACTER IN HAN SOLO!!!!!!
FINAL VERDICT
They did a good job remaking 4/5 and setting up the universe for episodes 8/9. I think this movie will be an amazing part of the trilogy, but stand alone it was not up to exceptions. Hopefully 8/9 can build on this and go in a new direction rather than sticking to the tried and tested formula. I am expecting big things from 8/9 please don't disappoint me. I have heard the director for episode 9 is the same guy who did jurassic world (that movie sucked) so i hope he doesn't screw this franchise up. Fingers crossed for the future… Expand
12 of 32 users found this helpful1220
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6
RipandreadJan 15, 2016
I thought the Storm Troopers were all cloned from Bobba Vett’s father. If so where did this black guy come from?

Why does Luke look more like Obi One Kenobi? He couldn’t have aged that much. Take away the special effects and this movieI thought the Storm Troopers were all cloned from Bobba Vett’s father. If so where did this black guy come from?

Why does Luke look more like Obi One Kenobi? He couldn’t have aged that much.

Take away the special effects and this movie leaves so many unanswered questions.

Finally, according to Sith legend, there is a master and an apprentice. But Darth Vader killed the Emperor and Vader died. Thus no master or apprentice. So where did all these evil folks come from?… Expand
10 of 55 users found this helpful1045
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6
SweaterGuyDec 29, 2015
Let's rehash the best of A New Hope, Empire Strikes Back and Return of the Jedi and somehow make them average? Entertaining? Maybe. Worth a second look? Nah.

I'm giving the movie a 6 based on the most amazing marketing plan of all time.Let's rehash the best of A New Hope, Empire Strikes Back and Return of the Jedi and somehow make them average? Entertaining? Maybe. Worth a second look? Nah.

I'm giving the movie a 6 based on the most amazing marketing plan of all time. Big congrats.

Jurassic World was a better reboot.… Expand
19 of 33 users found this helpful1914
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6
YorkManDec 29, 2015
TFA is exactly what it was supposed to be, nothing more, nothing less.... People seeking something completely new and extravagant in what is effectively another J J Abrams 'reboot' should set their expectations somewhat lower than they mightTFA is exactly what it was supposed to be, nothing more, nothing less.... People seeking something completely new and extravagant in what is effectively another J J Abrams 'reboot' should set their expectations somewhat lower than they might hope.
However, the film itself isn't inherently bad, and is a MASSIVE improvement over the God-awful mess that was the prequels.
Gone are the 99% CGI/Green-screen backgrounds that dated the film practically the moment of their release.
Gone are the unnecessary racial stereotypes which made everyone uncomfortable.
Gone are the bland 2-dimensional characters played by actors who, after the first film, must have been held to the letter of their 3 film contracts.
Gone (Thank The Lord) is the pathetic, stilted, borderline patronising dialogue spouted forth without emotion nor conviction, either for pointless exposition, or to merely tie up the loose ends.

In their place we have proper characters, fleshed-out and actually interesting. A lot of proper, old-school, practical effects, although there is a fair bit of CGI it is 'blended' into the physical aspect of the cinematography very well.
The film includes some real emotional depth, introducing new actors into roles which (on the whole) they brilliantly portray, leading into a storyline that pulls you along for the ride quite nicely.

OK, the film is far from perfect. People have (quite rightly) highlighted the similarities in structure to the original Star Wars. But it's different enough to stand on its own.

My main problem with the film is that there is no sense of risk from the main protagonist, who is introduced as a scavenger on a desert planet whose background is never revealed. It is revealed she is powerful with the Force (leading to certain levels of speculation from those who've watched the film), but she also has unarmed combat skills, is apparently an accomplished pilot, understands mechanical engineering, seems able to sneak around undetected.... And none of that is rationalised, but is defined in the story as a overly-simplistic means to have her get from A to B to C.

People on here have complained that the film is too much like the original film, and these are probably the same people advocating a return to the sensibilities and storytelling etc of the original Trilogy. The bottom line is you can't have it both ways, for a film to 'be' within the Star Wars universe it has to have certain tropes and elements that viewers are familiar with. Otherwise it might as well just be another generic Sci-Fi film.

Hopefully this will lead into a second part of the (planned) trilogy that really does open up the taps on the story and takes it into new and completely unexplored directions.
That, for me, is the film's greatest achievement....
It's made me want to see what happens next, find out more about the characters introduced, understand more about what the 'Awakening' in the Force actually is, and how it will culminate in terms of the story arcs which are now underway.… Expand
6 of 22 users found this helpful616
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6
Philsg1Dec 18, 2015
This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. My background - massive Star Wars fan (also read all the E.U. books over the last 20 years).

Good:

- Better than all the prequels put together.
- Practical effects favoured nearly always over CGI.
- Several moments of LOL humour
- BB-8 - what a droid! (and completely practical effect too).
- Genuine moments where you were willing the characters on - just like the originals!
- Heartbreaking twist at the end.
- First half of the film felt new, fresh and solidly in the Star Wars universe.

Negative:
- Second half of the film felt like a 2015 reboot of Star Wars a New Hope.
- JJ Abram once again breaking 'in' universe physics (guilty of this in Star Trek - single person trans-warp, phasers firing at warp etc) so this time he has ships performing hyperspace jumps from inside other spaceships, and the worst was hyperspacing down onto the surface of a planet through its own gravity well - literally 20 meters above the planets surface!
- Ironically (as the prequels were all about politics) this film needed more back story and explanation of the intergalactic politics in the last 30 years as well as present day.
- The B.F.G. (The Big Friendly Giant!) portrayal of the evil Supreme Leader Snoke, was ultimately terrible and comical and was very poor motion capture CGI. Space pirate Maz Kanata also was unnecessary use of CGI - with both characters needing to be practical effects rather than computing alone.
- Ultimately too much left unsaid and a lot felt quite rushed. As part of a trilogy I can only see the score I have given only rising - probably to somewhere around a 8 rather than my initial scoring of 6.… Expand
18 of 55 users found this helpful1837
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6
mace8704Dec 31, 2015
With the original trilogy, I loved the villains/empire. As a kid, the empire was truly terrifying and cool. So while I enjoyed the addition of Finn and BB-8, Kylo Ren, Phasma, and Snoke were all huge let downs. Kylo Ren comes off as anotherWith the original trilogy, I loved the villains/empire. As a kid, the empire was truly terrifying and cool. So while I enjoyed the addition of Finn and BB-8, Kylo Ren, Phasma, and Snoke were all huge let downs. Kylo Ren comes off as another angsty teen and lacks the intimidation and mystery of Darth Vader. Phasma is underdeveloped and does practically nothing the entire film. Snoke is a CGI character which I've always struggled to connect with on a personal level. To make matters worse, Rey, the new protagonist, was laughably phenomenal at everything with no training. Need a pilot? Rey can do it. Need a mechanic? Rey can do that too? Need to take down a New Order genocidal maniac? Rey will close her eyes for a few seconds and take care that lickety split.. Don't get me wrong. The film is fun, but lacks the creativity and strong antagonist of the original trilogy. Still an improvement over the prequels, but I was expecting more.… Expand
26 of 44 users found this helpful2618
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6
Faker_PaperDec 28, 2015
This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. This movie is sort of a disappointment. It's definitely better than Phantom Menace, and Attack of the Clones, but I felt like it was slightly worse than Revenge of the Sith. The old actors did great, but some of the newer ones weren't that good. I liked Finn his character was good, but most of the other new characters were uninteresting especially Rey. The plot is good at parts, and bad at others. Some stuff wasn't explained Eg: How did they get Luke's lightsaber, how did the Empire become more powerful than they were before, and most importantly how the heck does BB-8's head not fall off (okay, maybe not that one). Over all I think this movie was fun, but nothing to wright home about.… Expand
4 of 15 users found this helpful411
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6
smiyamotMay 4, 2016
I saw Star Wars (IV) when it came out in the theater. It was an instant success, but why? The 3 heroes were not alike, the farm boy who wanted to become a pilot, the bad boy semi-criminal, and the Princess. And no movie is great without aI saw Star Wars (IV) when it came out in the theater. It was an instant success, but why? The 3 heroes were not alike, the farm boy who wanted to become a pilot, the bad boy semi-criminal, and the Princess. And no movie is great without a really great villain, Darth Vader, hello! This movie falls short here. The story line, hmmm, where have I seen this story line before? If this had been the first Star Wars, there would not have been 6 more.… Expand
5 of 9 users found this helpful54
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6
NooogieDec 18, 2015
mixed bag for me. I didn't mind Finn, didn't care for Ray, I think maybe all the diversity PC stuff in this movie might of skewed my opinion of this a bit much. Kylo was ok as well....thou I think people will find he was written a bit tomixed bag for me. I didn't mind Finn, didn't care for Ray, I think maybe all the diversity PC stuff in this movie might of skewed my opinion of this a bit much. Kylo was ok as well....thou I think people will find he was written a bit to emo but that might be to relate to all the millennials.

Outside of the two CGI characters already mentioned in reviews the effects were generally spot on and feels like star wars.

The "reboot" of a new hope I think will cause a lot of negative reviews from fans more than critics. Lazy writing seems to be the popular opinion on that. I will be interested to see the ratings from fans in about 2 months time.… Expand
41 of 88 users found this helpful4147
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6
cosciugDec 18, 2015
I'm your average Joe that just came home from first screening in my
city of Star Wars The Force Awakens (18th DEC 2015 00:00 AM) and i also
happen to be a big Star Wars nerd. The thing is, if you liked Episode IV A New Hope, prepare toI'm your average Joe that just came home from first screening in my
city of Star Wars The Force Awakens (18th DEC 2015 00:00 AM) and i also
happen to be a big Star Wars nerd.

The thing is, if you liked Episode IV A New Hope, prepare to see it all
over again, cause it's more of a remake and not a sequel.

So, J. J. played it safe and thus he shall always be known as Jar Jar
Abrams.

In the end i enjoyed EP7, but it could have been better.

7/10 only because it didn't lose the Star Wars atmosphere.… Expand
23 of 63 users found this helpful2340
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6
itachi737Dec 21, 2015
This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. I have mixed feelings towards this movie. I was hopping that it would be the masterpiece advertised be everybody, but in my opinion it fell short. A lot of people will say that this is an amazing movie and they would not be wrong if it was a reboot of the franchise instead of a sequel.

The pros: good visual effects and amazing sound. The actors playing finn does an amazing job at bringing humors into the movie. Han solo, Chewbacca and Rey are not bad either.

The bad: The story is almost identical to star wars 4 (see spoilers sections for more details). The villain is good at first, but becomes very boring after 20 minutes. The story is super obvious, because as I stated before, it is the same story as star wars 4.

This is the same story as star wars 4:
star wars 4/the force awakens
Tatooine= big desert / Jakku big desert
R2D2 carry critical data/ Robot carries critical data
Robot lost on Tatooine/ Robot lost on Jakku
Luke= poor orphan / Rey= poor orphan
Luke= amazing force potential/ Rey = amazing force potential
Luke finds robot/ Rey finds robot
Luke escapes from tatooine on the Falcon Millenium/ Rey Escapes from Jakku on the Falcon Millenium
Han Solo and Chewbacca help Luke/ Han Solo and Chewbacca help Rey
They seek the help of the rebels/ They seek the help of the rebels
The Death Star blows up a planet/ A huge Death Star blows up many planets
The Darth Vador follows the orders of the emperor/ Kylo Ren follows the orders of his sith master
The rebels attack the Death Star/ The rebels attack the huge death star
The rebels destroy the Death Star by shooting the sole weakness of the whole installation/ The rebels destroy the Huge Death Star by shooting its sole weakness aka the cooling unit
A single x wing takes down the Death Star/ A single x wing takes down the Huge Death Star
Luke leaves for a unknown planet to seek training from Yoda/ Rey leaves for an unknown planet to seek training from Luke.

I mean come on all they did was change the main character into a girl and an a funny black character (Finn was actually good but the rest is almost a copy past). They could have just released Star Wars 4 in 3D and it would have been the same movie.

Again, you should see this movie, because it is worth watching in theater, but it is no way near what some of the reviews say about it.… Expand
19 of 31 users found this helpful1912
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6
moviescriticnetJan 1, 2016
I know everyone expects me to rate this with A+. Well, I m sorry but I'm not American, so that's not going to happen.
If you are a Star Wars fan, that is a nerd erected by childish light swords, stupid robots and hairy creatures, then you'llI know everyone expects me to rate this with A+. Well, I m sorry but I'm not American, so that's not going to happen.
If you are a Star Wars fan, that is a nerd erected by childish light swords, stupid robots and hairy creatures, then you'll be thrilled to know that the movie respects it's past, picks up where the last six (!) episodes left and generally speaking it will definitely please the fans of the series. Nevertheless the movie is disrespectful with those who seek something new and lacks emotion. The most strange and spectacular things will happen (again) but there is nothing to remember the next day. Compared to it, the latest Mad Max entry seems like a philosophical work. What I'm keeping from this movie is the performance of Daisy Ridley (currently no 1 in imdb starometer), an unknown English actress starring as Rey, that you'll be hearing about in the future.

Grade: C+… Expand
7 of 16 users found this helpful79
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6
jtwoodallDec 18, 2015
Cannot believe what Abrams did. Lazy, lazy lazy. This was almost identical to Episode IV. There was no character development to help us connect with the new protagonists in the film, nor for the bad guys either. Harrison Ford not onlyCannot believe what Abrams did. Lazy, lazy lazy. This was almost identical to Episode IV. There was no character development to help us connect with the new protagonists in the film, nor for the bad guys either. Harrison Ford not only forgot how to be Han Solo, I think he forgot how to act. Abrams horrifically blew the introduction of Luke Skywalker into the film. The cinematography was great and there was a little bit of humor to give the film a much needed reboot of nostalgia after Lucas bastardized episodes I-III with CGI and zero writing quality. This is the only reason I gave it as much as 6 stars.… Expand
47 of 97 users found this helpful4750
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6
Brokenjok3rDec 18, 2015
The newest iteration of Star Wars does a lot of things right. The characters are believable and fun, their camaraderie seems earned, and they get something to rally behind that we can all root for. The cast, both the old and the new are veryThe newest iteration of Star Wars does a lot of things right. The characters are believable and fun, their camaraderie seems earned, and they get something to rally behind that we can all root for. The cast, both the old and the new are very comfortable in their roles, and it immediately feels familiar. Having said that, there are still quite a few things that are very, very, wrong.

Where the film struggles the most is the severe underdevelopment of every character and making us care about the circumstances at hand. The film begs you to invest in the main antagonist's personal struggle, we see him throw temper tantrums that are laughably exaggerated when he fails or someone fails him. Begining as a callous and wicked new addition to the colorful rogue's gallery of the franchise quickly deteriorates as the curtain is rather underwhelmingly pulled back to reveal not more than a sniveling cry baby with little characterization. Both his deep hatred for his parents and reverence for his lineage are never explained, despite an integral moment in the film being anchored in the expectation that this internal struggle has been thoroughly explained enough to be believable. The truth is that it isn't, and we receive a cheap sucker punch moment that sucks the joy out of the film as it tries so very hard to emulate the resonances of those other major losses from previous films. Though everyone tries to make you care, this pivotal moment seems forced, heavy handed, and above all else, unearned.

My investment in "Kylo Ren" ended very abruptly with the introduction of the new "emperor" like character, and another rival for the antagonist that twice mocks the over emotional main antagonist we are supposed to be so invested in. The pragmatic second in command emulates the cold demeanor of Admiral Tarkin from A New Hope, and despite being very one dimensional, still serves as a much better villain casually utilizing the new major space weapon to exterminate whole planets. It is simply infuriating that even the film's own characters do not take Kylo Ren seriously. Despite the cheap escalation of the plot's stakes, the third leg of the film is serviceable, as the plucky determined new face of the franchise holds her own against the lame maskless Kylo in the penultimate chapter of the film. If I have everything to say negative about the discount Alan Rickman cry baby antagonist, the protagonist Rey, is phenomenally likable and very fun. Both Rey and Finn are excellent choices and serve the film well. Finn serves as both comic relief and partner in crime to Rey as they tread over the familiar ground of fighting for the cause because ya know, you should. He has the most development, though that isn't saying much, than any other character, though his initial reasoning for his involvement is unclear and woefully cliche.

BB-8 alongside all the other characters are wonderful and the universe itself feels very lived in and alive thanks to numerous appearances of various aliens and wildlife. The best part of the film is the environments and the new creatures. Including practical effects alongside the refined and more importantly, restrained, use of CGI serves the film quite well and makes for a stunning backdrop to the loose plot.

The end is stale and very underwhelming, though it is obviously intended as the bridge into the new films, it only serves to aggravate, the arbitrary reasoning behind it seemingly being " well, because the plot demanded it."

Glaring gaps in logic and poor casting choices for the lead villain aside, the film serves two purposes, it will reinvigorate your enjoyment for this long gestating saga and bring some love to the old cast as a new generation's interest is piqued in the franchise's beloved history. See the film, take it for what it is, and remember that if Maul got cut in half and survived, there is still hope that we haven't seen the last of you know who. -RT-… Expand
12 of 35 users found this helpful1223
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6
Benny1Dec 18, 2015
The pictures are great, the soundtrack is like always beautiful, but some of the new actors are horribly bad. The plot has nothing special with way more new questions than answers for the questions we already had. It more seems from me like aThe pictures are great, the soundtrack is like always beautiful, but some of the new actors are horribly bad. The plot has nothing special with way more new questions than answers for the questions we already had. It more seems from me like a big trailer than an actual movie.… Expand
24 of 62 users found this helpful2438
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6
kbeesh82Dec 18, 2015
Before I get into my review, I want to state that I am huge Star Wars fan, having seen the original trilogy hundreds of times since I was a kid back in the 90's. Going into this new film, my expectations were high. I know JJ can write a goodBefore I get into my review, I want to state that I am huge Star Wars fan, having seen the original trilogy hundreds of times since I was a kid back in the 90's. Going into this new film, my expectations were high. I know JJ can write a good script and consider myself a fan, so i surely thought it would be better than the wacky stuff George Lucas put together for the prequels. I'm not going to write a novel here as a lot will surely be expressed by other reviewers but I wanted to lay down my main take aways after watching this film last night.

First the Good:

1. Nostalgia: This plays out like a Star Wars film - Everything about the feel, music, and direction looks like it could have been from the original just with updated technology- but no terrible CGI that we were treated to by Mr. Lucas. Things feel far more real here.

2. The characters are memorable. More so than the old standbys, they really bring life to the universe that was sorely missing from the prequels. Real emotion is felt between them and aside from a few stilted performances it really works. I wish they were able to spend more time developing a few of them.

3. Action: the light saber scenes are dog fighting are also lights years ahead of what we have seen from the prequels....they are much more exciting to watch.

The Bad:

1. Nostalgia only goes so far- playing into the collective minds of Star Wars fans is great to a point and then it just gets to be too much in the force awakens. This is a clear minus for the film

2 Plot development- what happened in the last 30 years? It would be nice if a little more was explained regarding the build up of the New Order. We are left guessing on a lot and it makes this new film feel more flat.

3. Repeated and uninspired Plot- A lot of the locales are visually exciting, but just seem like widgets to get the story from one place to the next......serving little purpose other than variety and again nostalgia. The film never really feels like it has a satisfying climax. You have seen it in another Star Wars movie before.

I left with mixed emotions- really happy that there was a new Star Wars, kind of disappointed that it just felt like a re-make of one of my all-time classics. I hope that in future ones, they can expand upon the script and produce something a bit more original. I wish i left the theatre jumping out of my seat in excitement, but sadly that is not the case.… Expand
12 of 29 users found this helpful1217
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6
surphninjaDec 18, 2015
One word: Panderfest

Just a re-hash of old ideas, and not at all subtle. Not only are they re-doing all of the old stuff, but they want to make sure and point it out, never relying on the audience to pick up on any subtext. This is aOne word: Panderfest

Just a re-hash of old ideas, and not at all subtle. Not only are they re-doing all of the old stuff, but they want to make sure and point it out, never relying on the audience to pick up on any subtext. This is a reboot more than a continuation. Sure, it was fun to watch, but it did not live up to the potential of the people involved or the material available.

It's likely that this film was set up to feel familiar in order to transition us from the old characters to the new, so maybe we can expect more from the films to come, but this movie cannot really stand on it's own, and you can find much better sci-fi fantasy films that have recently come out.… Expand
26 of 59 users found this helpful2633
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6
ChromedbustopDec 18, 2015
If you like blatant fan service and forced nostalgia, you'll probably be quite happy with the new movie. J.J. Abrams is perfect for that sort of thing, and it's not secret that such a movie was Disney's primary agenda.

If, however, youIf you like blatant fan service and forced nostalgia, you'll probably be quite happy with the new movie. J.J. Abrams is perfect for that sort of thing, and it's not secret that such a movie was Disney's primary agenda.

If, however, you don't like a movie telling you how you're supposed to feel then you might have a problem with it as the film pretty much drives itself on recreating those "magical moments". If you saw Jurassic World or Abrams first Star Trek film, you know what I'm talking about. Problem is, just like Star Trek, outside of trying to relive the past the film offers very little. What story there is ends up being pretty pointless and only there because they probably felt they had to at least pretend to do something.

The new cast are pretty good for the most part, at least the two leads. Oscar Issacs has been getting a lot of praise in reviews and I really have no idea why. But Rey (Daisy Ridley) and Finn (John Boyega) do well. One downside is that like with so many productions these days, Star Wars feels that it really has to drive home the fact that Rey is a woman who can take care of herself. Apparently it was felt that if we weren't reminded of that every 10 minutes we'd somehow forget.

Ford, Fisher, and Hamill are pretty much there to do exactly what you'd expect them to do. Shuffle out to really drive that nostalgic dagger in, but as with many things, their appearances feel forced. More like Abrams and Disney put them in as appeasement rather than because they offer anything vital. They're obviously peripheral characters this time around, and honestly I'm okay with that.

The story is pretty week. They start with a Macguffin, and then promptly drop it halfway through the movie. The whole thing feels like it went through several rewrites with a few too many different people having a say as to what should be in. Elements are introduced, dropped, and then picked up again out of the blue. The "emotional" twists are seen coming a mile away. Supposedly important characters disappear for long stretches and pop up again with barely any explanation as to how they got from Point A to Point B.

The effects are good, but honestly what big budget effects film has a problem with that anymore? The action sequences are pretty flat, more akin the the action sequences in the prequels, rather than the original trilogy. By which I mean there's a lot of bells, whistles and activity going on but you really don't care.

The good news is that unlike with The Phantom Menace, I didn't leave the movie with a sense of dread over what might come next. I feel (hope?) that since Abrams won't be nearly as involved with the next two films they'll get better. This one will serve it's purpose though. Everyone has known since the movie was announced that it was going to make a ridiculous amount of money and as a fan service movie (which again, I don't think they really made much effort in trying to hide) it'll probably do the job in getting people excited for the film franchise again. However I would not be the least bit surprised if we find out 4 years from now, after the final film is released, that this was by far the weakest of the three.

I suspect that for the large majority this will be an enjoyable film and any flaws (of which there are many and some are very glaring) will be brushed over. But for my part, I definitely left feeling more of a "meh" than a "yay!"

Is it terrible? No. But it's not good either. Because of its heavy reliance on nostalgia and fan service it really doesn't stand well on it's on and doesn't present nearly the staying power that any of the original films do.

This is definitely a movie "for the fans", particularly the hardcore sort. That's all well and good for them, but it misses a very important aspect of the original films it so reveres and that is their appeal to a wider audience, not just the fanatics.… Expand
121 of 203 users found this helpful12182
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6
SierpinaDec 18, 2015
Buena no es, mala tampoco, buena experiencia visual (mas en 3D), pésimo guion, mala continuidad, personajes para el olvido, con la salvedad de BB8 y Poe Dameron.
12 of 31 users found this helpful1219
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6
NOTaDISTRACTIONDec 18, 2015
I went into this movie without any expectations, and it was, alright, nothing more. The acting was overall good, the actor who played Po was awful, but other than him the acting was sufficient. The practical effects were magnificent, andI went into this movie without any expectations, and it was, alright, nothing more. The acting was overall good, the actor who played Po was awful, but other than him the acting was sufficient. The practical effects were magnificent, and the CGI was very good, with the exception of some of the space scenes. The biggest downfall of this movie was the story, totally uninteresting nostalgia-fest. There was a couple sitting next to me in the theater, maybe late 50's, it was obvious they had seen the movies when they were kids and had an emotional connecting to them. I, being a 16 year old who has no emotional connection did not cry when people died, or when "sad" things happened. so the biggest question, if you didnt cry what did you get out of this movie? The answer? just another predictable and boring blockbuster. 6.6/10… Expand
12 of 22 users found this helpful1210
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6
ahmedshaltoutDec 18, 2015
It's sad what they did with this movie, especially that I'm a huge fan of J.J. Abrams. I love what he did in Star Trek, even though it was a reboot, he added new ideas.

Episode 7 should not have been a reboot. A new and UNIQUE chain ofIt's sad what they did with this movie, especially that I'm a huge fan of J.J. Abrams. I love what he did in Star Trek, even though it was a reboot, he added new ideas.

Episode 7 should not have been a reboot. A new and UNIQUE chain of events after the defeat of Darth Vader should have been born. New problems should have existed. Even though the directing was amazing, characters were lovely, and acting was top notch, the main problem was the story. Repeating the same events of Star Wars Episode 4 but with new characters just to please the fans makes absolutely no sense within the confines of the story and the world of that particular universe.

It is completely nonsensical for events to go the same exact way as the first movie right after what Luke, Leia, Han and Chewie pulled off. It feels like fan service mixed with an attempt at a reboot as if Episodes 4,5 and 6 never happened just to appeal to Star Wars nerds that hate change and to young teenagers that don't know Star Wars. It was a completely risk free attempt at making money with very little innovation in the story. It made me sad that, aside from one spoiler in the movie, the movie is almost EXACTLY the same as Episode 4, and it didn't even TRY to mask it. It PROUDLY displayed that it is a copy of episode 4 and everyone is buying it simply because of pure nostalgia. The possibilities that could have happened after the defeat of Darth Vader could have gone FAR deeper than this, but they decided to keep it simple for the simple minded fans and for the teenagers who avoided and never watched episodes 4,5 and 6 just because "It feels so old!"

The only reason i give it a 6/10 instead of a big fat zero is because it would be unfair to completely dismiss the amazing directing, lovely and relatable characters, and AMAZING acting. The actor that did Kylo Ren is really good and could have done a MUCH better Anakin Skywalker in episodes 1, 2 and 3. It's only fair to give it credit where credit is due. Sadly, though, It was simply a display of J. J. Abram's directing skills with zero story originality.… Expand
37 of 76 users found this helpful3739
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6
AlphaIliumDec 18, 2015
This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. Went to Star Wars: TFA this afternoon. This is a flawed film, redeemed from being a complete failure through the efforts of the actors that portray Finn and Rey. I went with two other people, and we all walked out of the film with that same disquieting unease that occurs after watching something that you desperately want to like but cannot due to cognitive dissonance between your head and heart. I’ll try to keep this relatively spoiler free, but here are some observations:
1) JJ Abrams cannot properly pace a film. The formula is becoming obvious. Future M. Night Shyamalan. Hipster director, all flash and no substance. Master of self-promotion with the same bag of tired tricks. Did he forever wound Star Wars as a franchise? No, but this is a disappointing start. It cannot be unmade, and is now canon. After Star Trek (whose novelty has worn off) and ST: ID, this film confirms that Abrams is incapable of creating a film that doesn’t move at such a pace that it breaks its own neck. Again, another film where the characters never rest, where there is no time for exposition, where everything that happens (in a galaxy that requires hyperspace travel to traverse it, no less) feels like it happens in less than 24 hours. The poor pacing took me out of the film through sheer action scene fatigue, and once disengaged I had time to become critical of its component parts. Why not just make a 3 hour film and slow it down a bit? Star Wars audiences would happily endure it.
2) Why is it a “Resistance”, as opposed to an Army of the Reformed Galactic Republic? Where did the First Order come from? Why do they identify as something other than the Galactic Empire? What is the scale of both respective forces? Is anybody going to explain the past 25 years of political reformation, positioning, historical events, or significant conflicts? Who is winning, and to what degree? How much of charted space does the First Order control vs. the Resistance/Republic? Why do both forces appear to be comprised of less than a thousand members? There is nothing grandiose about the First Order, unlike the impressive, despair-inducing monolith of the Galactic Empire.

5) Short shrift for mass destruction and genocide: The pacing of this film was so off that Abrams could not even convey the weight of grief that would occur after the first discharge of the Starkiller Base. In Star Trek, the sudden and unexpected destruction of Vulcan was a successful gut punch for the audience (I even watched as one Trekkie in the audience started screaming in disbelief at the screen). Really though, the concept of a Starkiller Base is absurd. If you drain a sun, the region it once inhabited would becoming extremely inhospitable to the weapon's user. Also, who terraformed the planet to create such a thing? How does the First Order have access to the resources necessary to build it? What was the planet once called? How could a planet contain the power of a sun? How does an energy beam split itself halfway to its destination? How could a new star re-form after said planet collapses? It all just feels thoughtless, as though Abrams is asking the audience to leave their ability to critically analyze plot devices at the door. I’m surprised that the core chamber of the base wasn’t the Budweiser brewery or something.
6) Is that Admiral Ackbar?! Why is he being treated like the janitor that wandered into the warroom? Why does the military meeting feel like a group of forcefully sarcastic twentysomethings playing cards against humanity in the local brewpub? Where is the solemnity for the fact that th7) I feel that, unlike Lucas (who loved the Star Wars universe even while mismanaging the prequels), Abrams was too obsessed with the cinematic style of the original films, and as result emulated the originals to the point of neglecting the universe in which the new plot is contained. As a comparison, I brought up the opening scene of Episode
8) Overly fortuitous moments everywhere: Convenient planetary rifts separating characters, needle in galactic haystacks character encounters, and inconsistent character actions everywhere. Why send somebody a map (in a deactivated droid) in order to find their location, while leaving a piece of the map missing? Unnecessarily cryptic, much? The Force, I suppose. Felt lazy. And “Oh, I just happened to run into you in the middle of space”, without which the entire film would come to a halt. Deus ex Machina all over, shifting Force potency when the scene demands it. Example: I can force push you across half a forest one moment and freeze a blaster beam in time, but now I cannot win a lightsaber duel against someone with no prior lightsaber experience because, well, the plot demands it.… Expand
17 of 37 users found this helpful1720
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6
LAROmegaDec 19, 2015
This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. (I'll keep this mostly spoiler free.)
Is this a good movie, no. Is this a bad movie, no. It's the definition of an "OK" movie. For me personally I place it around Episode 3 in my ranking of Star Wars movies. Unfortunately, and I think this will be proven out after the luster of a new Star Wars movie wears off, it's not as good as the original trilogy. I'm stating to think that the original trilogy's magic can't happen twice. Now I've thought about why this movie isn't good a lot over the past day and it comes down to the movie not explaining much of anything.

Near as I can tell the Star Wars universe in this movie has two governments, the Republic and some form of the Empire pulled together from it's remnants after Episode 6. They appear to be in some state of cold war, with the Republic funding a "Resistance" within the Empire. Now I've pieced this together from reading online and little bits of dialog during the movie because none of it is explained. It's like what I imaging watching The Avengers would be like without having seen any of the precursor (Iron Man, Capt America, Thor) movies. Except in this case the precursor movie(s) don't exist (yet?). So when a few planets are destroyed in the middle of the movie I was left guess "Was that Coruscant?" only to find out later from a throw-away line that no it was not, but not much information other than that. This trend of not explaining things repeats for much of the movie and is why I personally think it's only OK.

Many of the other things that people are complaining about are neither here-nor-there in my opinion. Yes they exist, but in many cases they're artistic choice. Abrams is good at making media with mass appeal, not at honoring existing IP (see Star Trek). Though after this and Star Trek I firmly believe Abrams has no idea how physics work, real or universe specific. =)… Expand
7 of 15 users found this helpful78
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6
AshCosgroveDec 19, 2015
This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. This movie did one thing (probably unintentionally) right: It made the prequel trilogy good by comparison. At least the prequels found ways to expand the universe and led to a satisfying (and admittedly expected) conclusion. Sure there was some pandering here and there, and Jar Jar, but at least it was new and interesting and Lucas was trying to make entirely new worlds based off the rather simple premise of Anakin becoming Vader and the rise of the Empire.

If I knew this movie was going to be a fan-fiction with chronic pandering issues, and rehashing nearly the same plot and themes from A New Hope right down to the cantina scene, I would've just saved my $17 and watched the Original Trilogy again. It doesn't have its own identity. It's not creating a new story, it's finding ways to jam in as many old SW elements as possible to satisfy the existing fans, rather than finding ways to create new ones. The movie felt... safe, which isn't a surprise considering who's ponying up the cash.

The "surprising" death felt cheap. I'm not angry at the death per se, but just the way it was done. The two things that I'll give it was that Poe Dameron is a pretty bad-ass character and I look forward to seeing him more in future movies as a stand-in for Wedge Antilles, and the battle scene with Maz on the forest planet between the First Order and the Resistance was quite amazing. The movie was best when it was doing its own thing. Jakku was also a good sequence that had familiar, but not the same themes as the original.

Since the movie had no identity of its own, I guess it's only reasonable to compare it to A New Hope beat-for-beat, just like the movie did with its story. It had no idea how to flesh out characters, or take the time to appreciate the scenery because we need to move to the next pander or action set-piece. It took 40 minutes to get off Tatooine in a New Hope. It gave us time to breathe and appreciate the characters and love when they succeeded and really feel something when they didn't. In this movie, the new villain was a whiny brat who literally threw temper tantrums when things didn't go his way and was beaten by a person who never held a lightsaber in her life. In the original, Darth Vader was a very ominous character who succeeded in his villainy by taking charge when things didn't go his way i.e. getting in a TIE Interceptor and trying to bring down Luke himself. In this movie the comedy felt very Marvel-esque using "hilarious" one-liners, irritating back-and-forth dialogue, and witticisms to entertain the audience. It didn't feel natural or welcome; it felt forced. In the original, the comedy came from interactions with people that had differing, clashing personalities, not from every character having a Tony Stark moment. In this movie, it felt the need to cram in as many familiar faces as possible within 2 hours (some of which was welcome, for most it was not). In the original, they presented new characters throughout the movie gradually, leaving plenty of room for new characters to enter for the sequels.

The cinematography was very Abrams-esque, and to a fault: weird angles, zooming back-and-forth, and of course dat lens flare. In the original, the scenery was its own character, and the cinematographer knew that. He allowed time to get used to a setting before zooming off to another one. I've always seen the Millennium Falcon as a character in the franchise. In this one, the ship felt lifeless, and claustrophobic (not in a good, 2001: A Space Odyssey way), and that's probably due to the way it was filmed.

I could write forever about its many problems, but I think I summed up my opinion pretty well.… Expand
14 of 29 users found this helpful1415
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6
cnar61Dec 20, 2015
This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. Excuse me , but Star Wars Episode VII is disrespectful KYLO REN Rey is beaten up REY There is no education Do not tell people that I do not know how to beat , even if it is selected… Expand
5 of 13 users found this helpful58
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6
Riekopo2Dec 20, 2015
This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. Sadly I was disappointed with The Force Awakens. There were glimpses of greatness, but it was mostly mediocre in my opinion. I think they played it really safe when they made the movie. It actually felt like they just took the original three movies and just put a new coat of paint on and rearranged things. It really felt like a Disney movie to me more than a Star Wars movie. I think a lot of the writing was just plain bad.

A lot of things didn't make sense. Carrie Fisher's acting was really bad. That witty fire in the belly personality was completely missing from Leia and Han. Killing Han was really lame in my view. It was pretty obvious that was going to happen once he stepped into the bridge. The "big bad" guy was just ridiculous in my opinion. A thirty foot tall guy that looks like Voldermort. Kylo Ren's acting was pretty terrible. His voice behind the mask just sounded like a boring robot. His voice outside of the mask was even more boring. I think he was a terrible villain. I didn't feel intimidated or afraid of him at all. He felt like an angsty teenager more than anything. I think his line delivery is what really sucked.

The introduction of the movie was extremely abrupt and there was basically no character development. They did a really poor job of introducing and explaining things. It made no sense how Fin and Rey immediately acted like best friends and in love as soon as they met. How did Fin and Rey magically run into Han when they took the Millennium Falcon? Fin's character was way too goofy I think. He was supposed to be trained from birth or since a child to serve the First Order and be obedient and loyal yet in his very first battle he decides to defect. It really made no sense. Fin also acted incompetent which is a Star Wars Stormtrooper/Imperial trope that really needs to die. The First Order showed massive incompetence and got their asses kicked completely. They lost two Deathstar superweapons so they decided to just build an even bigger and more powerful one. So they can turn an entire planet into a weapon, but they can't defend it against a few Rebel fighters. That's just out of the realm of believability for me.

When the Rebels attacked the planet they only showed like 15 X wings yet somehow they are able to destroy this planet. One of the Rebel commanders actually said "half our fleet is destroyed". What the hell does that mean? Were there budget cuts or something? They only showed like 15 X wings. I also think they used too much CGI. In my opinion they should never use it. They shouldn't have given a CGI character such a close up and prominent role. I'm talking about the small orange one Maz Kanata who felt really out of place to me. It also didn't make sense how everyone magically knew how to use a lightsaber. I'm talking about Fin when he fights that Stormtrooper who conveniently had a vibroblade. And also when Fin and Rey lightsaber duel Kylo who should have been able to kick their asses.

BB8 I wasn't too hot on though it had a couple funny moments. It felt like a less cool and less funny R2D2. A giant ball is a pretty weird design. It's harder to animate and anthropomorphize a ball. The joke Han made a couple times about Chewbacca's bowcaster didn't make sense. They've been together forever, but Han only just now tried out Chewie's bowcaster? What? It made no sense that Rey was able to use the force so effectively without having any training. The movie was just full of things like that which didn't make sense.

Overall, I think this movie was maybe designed by committee. I think I liked the prequels more than this.… Expand
7 of 18 users found this helpful711
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6
javilizardiDec 20, 2015
This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. How many times are you goi g to hear the same story. I dont mean similar is the same. The acting was ok, special effects were good, characters specially the villain was ok. So much hype for a so so movie. Hey if you are 7 or 9 you will love it. You probably love britney and bieber too. For everyone else well is the same story and i repeat is just good enough, do not believe the hype.… Expand
4 of 11 users found this helpful47
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6
dmoldwinDec 20, 2015
Overall, the movie was exciting and cinematography excellent. Having said that, I have many issues with the film. First off, as many have said, the plot is almost identical to "A New Hope," and nothing major really happens except that HanOverall, the movie was exciting and cinematography excellent. Having said that, I have many issues with the film. First off, as many have said, the plot is almost identical to "A New Hope," and nothing major really happens except that Han Solo is killed. What about Captain Phasma?? She was built up to be this new badass villian in trailers and on the poster.... She was barely in the movie at all and was the least bit intimidating. I mean a total pansy. On another note, I think Adam Driver is a great actor, but idk, I think he as Kylo Ren was more psycho creepy/ weird than he was evil. And how about the lightsaber fight?.....Pathetic!!! He should have been able to kill Fin with his eyes closed in a split second. What was that? So dissapointing in my opinion. And how did the New Order come to power? And the stormtroopers were raised to become a part of the New Order? Who convinced all of these people to become stormtroopers? And Fin has been a stormtrooper since he was a young boy and all of a sudden he realizes that they kill innocent people and are evil and changes his mind and runs? C'mon!!! So stupid!... I just feel like the producers had a lot of cool ideas and characters and had to find a quick way to make it all work, but couldn't develop all of them well in 2.5 hours. There were also way too many unexplained peices in the story. Who are the Knights of Ren?, How did Maz Kanata get Luke's lightsaber?, Why is C3P0's arm red?, How did this 30 something year old General Hux become the leader of this New Order? And one last thing- not that this is an issue with the movie itself, but jeeez... Carrie Fisher sounds like she's been chain smoking for the past 30 years or something.

Though it doesn't seem so from my reivew, I actually think the movie was fun and entertaining... But I think if you are going in expecting a deep story line with legit character and plot development, you might be dissapointed. And if you follow the logic of the original Star Wars and the way the force works, this movie was pretty inaccurate in my opinion. It's great if you want to see some fun action with cool costumes, lightsabers, spaceships, and excellent cinematography.… Expand
2 of 10 users found this helpful28
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6
Nihil84Dec 21, 2015
Spoilers here, Good movie overall but not a great star wars movie. The generic movie goer/kids will love it.

Pros: -Good action -Not boring/fast paced story -Good comedy thrown in Cons: -A new hope remake (resistance vs new order,Spoilers here, Good movie overall but not a great star wars movie. The generic movie goer/kids will love it.

Pros:
-Good action
-Not boring/fast paced story
-Good comedy thrown in

Cons:
-A new hope remake (resistance vs new order, another death star, protagonist stuck desert, droid looking for help, mentor dies in the end)
-Laughable antagonist (weak, throws tantrums, looks like adam sandberg)
-Thin characters
-R2D2 just wakes up out of thin air with a map
-Original characters and captain phasma get no screen time other than han/chewie
-Poe, Fin, Ren, Rey...who thought of these names? and Snoke...really? darth snokie

I could go on with more cons but I think I gave enough to show my view point. They wiped the slate clean and could have wrote anything and this plot line and characters is awful. Like I stated before its going to be good for your average movie goer and star wars fan, but some fans I think will see this as a hollow movie, hopefully 8 and 9 wont be so awful.… Expand
11 of 23 users found this helpful1112
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6
KalipsysDec 21, 2015
This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. The force awakens feels like a two hour long trailer for episode 8...... Does not provide us with adequate information about new characters, story is unfortunately similar to the new hope. Leaving the movie theatre, i felt like the movie was way better than what i think of it right now. Why .. well maybe because i was brainwashed with unprecedented hype around it and wished so hard for it to be good that i felt it was.. Unfortunately, after a couple days of thinking about what i saw, i realized that it was Indeed A TRAP ! I do give it 6 just because they were in my opinion, successful in bringing good characters ( from the light side ) that i can't wait to see in the next two movies. Characters from the dark side were left.. well in the dark. Phasma and Hux were not necessary and felt like they were added to make Kylo Ren less lonely in his adolescence crisis. I say this movie feels like a big trailer to the next episode because not much is revealed and it's just a two hour attempt at placing cards for the next movie to come. I was not as disappointed with the new Death Star (starkiller) as many people were since it seems like it's a star wars thing to have new death stars. Beginning of the movie was beautiful, i felt what Rey felt alone on that tatooine 2 planet, struggle to survive, waiting for something greater to happen. feels similar right, well thats ok. Last scene of the movie was great too, no lines needed in that epic new generation yoda luke moment. Was done well and i taught the setting in which it was filmed suits Luke just like Dagobah was right for a character like Yoda. Predictable movie, good actor characters on the light side, terrible characters on the dark side from lack of information about their background + bad acting ( my god General Hux).. Phasma ( noticed her existence because she wears chrome. The force in starwars is there, you can have it, but you must train it and learn about it, i cannot be handed out to you for free or when you need and are in imminent danger, close your eyes and make the force save your butt. Does not work like that.. Rey did survive the whole movie pressing the magic FORCE button to save herself and others. That was very disappointing. Luke had to learn it but Rey looked and felt as powerful and wise as Obi-Wan. Very nice pictures, i did enjoy how real the movie felt compared to 90% blue and green screens from prequels. Now try to please every one in this world, you will fail. JJ did not screw it he just made something that could reach everyone ( to make ridiculous amount of money ) but what could we expect. It could not be only directed to hard core fans either. Star Wars was never a movie to go see and analyse it too much. It was and still is entertainment, princesses and sword fights in the future... Go see the movie without too much expectations and you will be satisfied without finding it epic and well why would another star wars movie ever be better than the first ones.. i cannot happen. if you go see a movie that takes place in a series of 7 episodes so far.. well prepare to see similarities and calls to nostalgia along the way. In my opinion, the originals should have just been left alone forever that had touched a never before seen amount of people from all generations. In this decision to continue the story of starwars, the force awakens was ok as long as you never expect a star wars to be better than the originals... well because, starwars was new and had space to be creative.… Expand
7 of 15 users found this helpful78
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6
Karterii1993Dec 21, 2015
Over the past couple of years, Hollywood has made an attempt to bring back as many successful franchises from the past as possible, either through reboots or straight-up sequels. Needless to say, Star Wars Episode VII: The Force Awakens isOver the past couple of years, Hollywood has made an attempt to bring back as many successful franchises from the past as possible, either through reboots or straight-up sequels. Needless to say, Star Wars Episode VII: The Force Awakens is one of those attempts, and it is definitely one of the better ones! With that being said, it was still not as convincing of a return as I had hoped due to the awfully predictable script, and the lack of any surprising and exciting moments.

The first half of the movie is deceiving. The Force Awakens has a very strong start, and it feels quite different from any of the other Star Wars movies. It was a surprisingly dark and shocking opening, and it is very unfortunate that it turned out to be the height of the movie. It was a promising introduction to this new story, and that was mostly due to the introduction new villain, Kylo Ren, who felt like a genuine threat.

That feeling of dread dissipates after the first thirty minutes or so, as you start noticing that there is nothing to really worry about. It’s not that the tone changed or anything like that, but I just felt as though I misunderstood the movie at first. The threat isn’t as big as I thought, the villain isn’t as threatening as I thought, and the characters sure as heck weren’t as powerless as I imagined. Don’t get me wrong, the movie still wants you to think that everyone’s in trouble, but you won’t feel any sort of worry at all as the characters seem to be doing just fine… In fact, they are doing far too well.

This problem is further compounded by the lack of action scenes. If the characters could at least do something cool and exciting during an action scene (a la the prequels), you wouldn’t even mind the lack of urgency and cheer for them regardless. However, the characters are written to be and act weak, yet appear to be very strong and capable considering how easily they deal with adversity, and that just leaves you with nothing to worry about and nobody to cheer for.

But besides all of that, the biggest problem with this movie is that you have already seen it before - especially if you have just re-watched the original Star Wars trilogy in anticipation for this new entry in the series. That is a common problem with these modern re-imaginings or continuations of older franchises, as they tend to simply retell the same stories that were told many years ago. However, this one is so upfront about shoving as many cameos and scenes from the original trilogy into these two hours that it feels like cheap fanfiction. It got so bad that I drifted off during the climax of the movie, because I was really just re-watching the same scene from ‘A New Hope’.

The whole movie left me baffled by the fact that I really did predict the entire second half of the movie. I was sure that I was being misled at first and that the movie would throw something unexpected at me at the end, but no, the second half really is just a copy and paste job of scenes from the previous movies. Again, this is really unfortunate because the first half was so wonderfully unique.

The thing that bothered me the most about this lack of new ideas was that there was no effort put into showing off new environments in the Star Wars universe. You have been to these planets before (even though they are 'new'), and you have seen all these ships before, and you have seen these weapons before (except the oh-so-shocking cross-guard light saber). It’s fine to keep things the same if you have new stories to tell, but if you don’t have new stories to tell you better change everything else to make the old seem new again. Unfortunately, that just was not the case here.

With all of that said, this is by no means a bad movie, and if you are already a Star Wars fan, it is probably worth the price of admission! If you aren’t a Star Wars fan, though, I do not see how you could get much out of this movie. The only few exciting scenes rely completely on nostalgia, and if you haven’t seen these old characters before or seen these old ships before, there is nothing for you here except the first 30 minutes. If you want to jump into Star Wars, watch the other movies first! After all, you can’t enjoy fanfiction without being a fan first.… Expand
6 of 13 users found this helpful67
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6
ActionJacksenDec 17, 2016
So glad to have found a site that actually has negative reviews for this horrid attempt to be a star wars movie. I gave it a 6, but as i walked out of the theatre i actually wanted my money back. I guess that Disney must have done somethingSo glad to have found a site that actually has negative reviews for this horrid attempt to be a star wars movie. I gave it a 6, but as i walked out of the theatre i actually wanted my money back. I guess that Disney must have done something to block negative reviews over the weekend in an attempt to increase sales, as well as pay all the "critics" for their positive reviews. This movie lacks a a plot, character development, character chemistry, and any logical connection between scenes.
I am glad I am not the only one, i was starting to feel like the guy who was trying to point out the emperor isn't wearing clothes, but no one else is willing to say anything...… Expand
23 of 36 users found this helpful2313
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6
lakers24231Dec 22, 2015
This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. Let me start off by saying that when JJ was picked to direct the movie ,i thought he was the right guy for the job without a doubt.I really enjoyed his work with mission impossible series and love the star trek reboots.Also having watched a ton of his interviews ,i considered him to be very intelligent and talented.I still do.

But unfortunately TFA is absolutely horrible.I am still shocked and amazed how the critics review it so well and have no doubt at the moment that there is a conflict of interest in most of them.Having looked through the majority reviews of users here it seems all the fans and ordinary movie goers have the same problems with this movie.

And yes ,this is much more of a reboot than an original movie.There are so many things wrong with it and the script is so week that it is hard for me to believe that one can criticise Lucas's prequels.It is true they were not perfect by far.But omg just compare darth mall to kylo ran?When i first so Darth Mall he was menacing,strong,he meant business, he took on two fully trained Jedi knights with unbelievable confidence that he would kick their ass and he sort of did.That's what should represent a power of the dark side.Are you seriously telling me that a trained ex-jedi under luke skywalker and a current dark side aprentice of snoke had problems with a girl who held a lightsaber for the first time in her life? Are you seriously selling me that without any training she just used a jedi mind trick on a storm trooper?Are seriously selling me that Death Star 3.0 has the same weak points as the previous ones?Did i just see the best guy dark side has to offer lose a force pick up of a simple lightsaber to a girl who never did it?And i can go on and on with this for a very long time.

I am however sure the kids would love it ,because the movie was made for them and you can feel it through out the whole movie.The problem is even with all the practical effects ,previous heroes it just doesnt fell like a star wars movie.People criticise prequels ,but when i saw Coruscant i was "WOOOOW" it is amazing and i don't care if they used cgi ,it gave me the belief and a feeling that the galaxy is huge and unlimited.When i saw clone army i felt the power of the republic.Here i see a couple of TIE fighters and x wings ,with a bunch of storm troopers on the ground.The galaxy feels so small ,not to mention that all those coincidences play into that even more.

I can bet you all the money i have that by the 3rd film Kylo will turn good ,they are just exploiting darth vader story the other way around,that why they are showing him conflicted,but they show it so poorly ,those are like a little girl comparisons are spot on.When Anakin was turned to dark side we knew why,we knew that from the first movie he was afraid of loosing his mother a child,he kept those fears with him ,we see him being hurt by her death later on ,we see him being afraid of losing like her mother his love and future children.It not too much but i get that ,i can get him turning to a dark side.What made a guy with two very important parents and a super famous uncle under whom he trained turn to dark side especially when it was destroyed i don't get? Of course we can say that this will be told to us later,but at least something may be ?a hint or something?

There are just so many things wrong with this movie and so little right , that i could feel myself like a complete idiot getting robbed for my money and believing all the hype about this movie.… Expand
12 of 22 users found this helpful1210
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6
RedWyrmDec 23, 2015
Sorry, didn't cut it - OK, no big disasters and on the plus side a welcome return to the aesthetics of the first trilogy, but...
- Too fast storytelling leaving no room for mystery and suspense
- lovestory way too glued on and unbelievableSorry, didn't cut it - OK, no big disasters and on the plus side a welcome return to the aesthetics of the first trilogy, but...
- Too fast storytelling leaving no room for mystery and suspense
- lovestory way too glued on and unbelievable
- new "Death Star mk III" and in general Imperial vs Rebellion (Republic) underdeveloped
- too keen on reintroducing key elements - not just aestetics - in an attempt to get the franchise "back on track"
- generally feels to much like a cinematic playground rather than a genuine attempt at reintroducing a gripping and arching storyline (in this regard actually manages to underperform compared to the second trilogy)

On the plusside:
- there's still room for a better executed sequel, dedicated to the kung fu of the Force (actually its begging for it)
- some new Imperial characters show some yet to be unfolded promise… Expand
13 of 20 users found this helpful137
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6
CreativeGhostDec 24, 2015
Okay, this movie is good. But the flaws don't outweigh the positive in my opinion. It felt much too forced to me. They should not have taken the story in such an odd direction. I am a huge star wars fan. I love the movies so much and haveOkay, this movie is good. But the flaws don't outweigh the positive in my opinion. It felt much too forced to me. They should not have taken the story in such an odd direction. I am a huge star wars fan. I love the movies so much and have recently read the books. So, take my word, the movie was not as good as all the other bandwagon star wars fan make it out to me. Let me tell you this, the cinematography was UNBELIEVABLY well done. It was so amazing to see those fight scenes between the starships! However, the story should have been better. I predicted a majority of the outcomes before they even occurred. Moreover, we did not see enough of Poe and Fin!! Their relationship was amazing, yet they focus in on the girl so much for no reason! Look, see the movie, you're going to like it overall. It's worth the money. Except, the The lightsaber scene was kind of sub-par I felt like.… Expand
6 of 17 users found this helpful611
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6
TheGreatBakerDec 25, 2015
This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. This movie was truly surprising.
A new addition to the Star Wars movie collection has just been completed but it has some major flaws that are hard to get around. The biggest problem this movie has is that is relies an extreme amount on the original ideas that were presented in the original trilogy. The entire end problem of the movie is exactly the same as episode IV, except in this movie instead of it being a normal Death Star, it's a planet that they converted into a Death Star. The heroes even solve it the same way as the original Death Star, by going down a long trench in an X-Wing and shooting something small and blowing it up. Also the main antagonist is a complete mirror of Darth Vadar, but they ruin it by having Kylo Ren remove his mask and his mysterious back story within the first half of the movie. There is also the ending duel between Kylo, Finn, and Rey that is poorly written. Kylo first defeats Finn in a one on one lightsaber duel that isn't too bad, but after that Kylo is set up against Rey in another one on one and it looks like Kylo is about to kill Rey because he is far more experienced and more powerful than she is. Then Rey gets a massive skill and ability boost out of nowhere that she uses to defeat Kylo and almost kill him. Poorly written end fight to say the least. There are other grievances, but those are the big ones.
Beyond those complaints the movie still shows many positive features throughout. The entire production quality and looks are simply stunning. The wonderful addition of new characters like Finn and Rey are a great aspect of the movie with their personalities being something that people can enjoy. Along with bringing back some favorable characters like Han and Chew. The movie also is a first for the franchise to successfully add comedy to its production.
Overall the movie is a decent Star Wars film that certainly has the feel of one, but it is in good supply of poor writing and copying from the previous films. It is worth a watch, but as a long Star Wars fan I believe that this is not on the level of the original three.… Expand
12 of 27 users found this helpful1215
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6
LightbarrierDec 26, 2015
This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. Those looking for positive feedback look away because this is not the review for you. "The Force Awakens" threw me off because it made me ask if it was possible to get in trouble for plagiarizing your own work. Allot of the scenes that appear in the movie played very similarly to all the other original Star Wars movies especially the first one. For me it's fine when a story reuses a small scene as a nod to the original, the problem is that too much of the story here followed the same script of the first one from the death of a major character to the destruction of the massive weapon. This in turn makes it hard to decipher what makes "The Force Awakens" special, when I left the movie theater I admittedly thought it felt like the original star wars movie however, it didn't feel like a Star Wars movie. What do I mean here, well the original Star Wars movie at the time felt so different and there was nothing out there like it. However, for me "The Force Awakens" had none of that originality that made the first so special and thus relied only on what fans loved about the originals. Now other movies may seem to also copy narrative, so much so that this idea of myth comes into play and that nothing is original. However, just because the overall narrative may play to a hero's quest doesn’t mean that everything has to follow the exact same order with the exact same events. By the time the credits had rolled and people were clapping I felt like a chump, what did they see in the movie that I didn't, I've watched all the originals and it's not like I didn’t find the lore of the universe interesting. However, I really know the answer to that. For me it was " Star Wars: Episode VII The Fan Fiction", it has everything that fans love in the star wars universe, but it's not willing to bring any new interesting or exciting ideas to the table. Thus how could I like what I've already seen when I watched the original movies.

Other than that I had a few more complaints Kylo Ren who is the new main villain in this trilogy makes Anakin Skywalker look like a civil likeable character. Although thanks to JJ Abrams amazing camera work most of these scenes where Kylo Ren goes off on a hissy fit make him instead look like a complete badass compared to a small whiny child which you can easily see if you take a second to think about the scene. However, that just shows what amazing camera work can do to make up for bad characterization (if only the prequels had this camera work then maybe we wouldn’t think of them as we do today).

Also the lightsaber battles in this movie are by far the worst in the series and that even includes “Star Wars Episode IV”. No I’m being serious; the final battle has Kylo Ren swinging his lightsaber up and down repeatedly like an axe while the protagonist just stabs the lightsaber at him. While this was happening I had to look away in complete embarrassment knowing that no swords men would ever make such reckless moves in a real fight. To make things worse the protagonist wins despite never using a lightsaber in battle before. We are lead to believe this as the force is strong in our protagonist, but come on Kylo Ren is supposed to have experience wielding a lightsaber for years and you expect us to believe he would lose to someone with no swordsman experience plus you’re making this villain look like a total wimp in the final half of the first movie.

I have some other minor complaints about this movie such as the lack of giving any backstory to how we arrived to these events after episode VI, but these are the major issues which hold the movie back for me. Thus I can say I didn’t really like “Star Wars: Episode VII The Force Awakens”.… Expand
20 of 34 users found this helpful2014
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6
LB3Dec 27, 2015
This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. I don't know if I'm actually surprised by how mediocre this move was.

Obviously, George Lucas' original vision was a tough act to follow. Also considering the fact of the sci-fi and super hero movies we've seen since the original trilogy--including the prequels--that admittedly may have unfairly set the bar of expectation far too high for this film to overcome.

I will firstly go over what they got right:

-- Strong female lead: Although it's sad to say, but Hollywood tends to fall short on strong, multi-dimensional female lead characters--particularly in movies of this genre. Rey was no Disney princess in that she didn't flail around with that insufferable need to be romantically entangled. I also like the way the film handled Fin's misguided notion of "damsel in distress" syndrome, as she was perfectly capable of navigating her destiny without his intervention. Kudos for that.

-- The nostalgia: Yeah, we get it. This move IS part of the venerable "Star Wars" lore. So yes, it did what it had to do in order to tip a hat towards the movies that preceded it in an honest and respectful manner. This however is also something of a proverbial double-edged sword, in that I can't help but feel that we could have gotten that same sense of nostalgia in roughly 15 minutes of screen time. I am somewhat disheartened that this movie didn't have the courage to stand too distant from the original sexology.

On a personal note, I AM happy that this movie didn't serve to insult the audience's collective intelligence. No cheap shots or campy, "kiddie" humor moments that even Lucas couldn't resist. This film was a bit more sober than that in a very welcome sort of way.

The high point of the movie for me was General Hux'es not-so-subtle Hitler speech before the pounding of the doomsday button. The nerd in me was duly pleased.

Now onto what was unfortunately lackluster about The Force Awakens:

-- Thin on plot: This movie wasn't particularly compelling--especially not for what has been purported as a must-see film anything short of the return of Christ himself. YES, I am wholly sympathetic on the size of shoes Abrams had to fill. But this is where the move could have benefitted from standing-out more on its own. It's a tough call for sure, knowing that you have so many fans suffering from nostalgia fetish to please. Instead, we get a series of deus ex machina laden coincidences that amble the story along haplessly from one situation to another. YES, we can imply that the underlying "FORCE" plot device was weaving its tacit magic behind the scenes. But I shouldn't have to reach for this conclusion. There were already enough potential 4th wall breaks to accommodate some prototypically ancient wise character turning to the audience and saying, "...what...did you honestly think this all of such-and-such actually happened randomly on its own accord? (Yada yada) The FORCE..."

-- Weak black lead character: While I applaud Hollywood for taking a chance with a predominant black lead character, I am disappointed that they had to make him out to be the most feeble of our motley heroes. Okay, okay...I GET IT: Fin represents the nameless, faceless lackey that begets all Storm Troopers. And narratively, he is the lowly "everyman", Joe the Plumber reference that we are supposed to be able to relate to. But his twitchy mannerisms were something short of cowardice in the most unflattering way. Like I said, I get it: His character showed obvious growth even during this movie, nodding at even more potential character growth in the sequels to this...sequel. But the comedic reveal of his actual vocation didn't have the effect the writers intended on me, personally. I guess we're supposed to be satisfied enough with our lead heroine and not complain about another black stereotype stumbling around foolishly like a court jester. C'mon, Hollywood: You CAN do better than this!

-- Closure: It seems as though the writers burned so much time in nostalgic reverence that the climax of the film seemed hurried, abrupt, and artificial. I don't know why they felt they HAD to bookend this particular installment. For example...

****WARNING: HUGE SPOILERS BELOW*****

...I am constantly confused by how the Empire or First Order or whatever the "bad guys" want to call themselves fail to overcome the design flaws of their respective ultimate weapons. I mean--come on--seriously: A SINGLE X-Wing fighter takes out the planet-killing doomsday device AGAIN??? This was THE most egregiously tiresome aspect of the film, and what honestly pushed it down a few pegs to mediocrity for me.

On a more personal note: I am sourly disappointed that NONE of the new bad guys illicit the same intense fear that any of the previous villains had. Instead, we get a mousy, angsty, tantrum-throwing punk that looks like he got picked on one too many times on the playground; unforgivably weak.… Expand
14 of 29 users found this helpful1415
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6
KirillvhDec 28, 2015
"The Meh awakens": Almost no originality, same old concepts blended together with different characters.
That said the acting, action and effects were good. Overall a decent if somewhat Meh movie.
14 of 29 users found this helpful1415
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6
GuccimayneDec 29, 2015
This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. This movie looked like Star Wars (characters, ships), but it definitely didn't *feel* like one. I didn't hate the movie, but I certainly didn't love it, so I feel a 6 is about as low as I can realistically rate this.

Going into the movie, I felt the trailers didn't give away much of the plot (a good thing), so I was eagerly awaiting a brand new adventure with new characters and some old faces. The first 1/3 of the movie was pretty unique and I was glued to my seat with wonder and awe. But about halfway through, I sadly realized I was watching a remake of the events of Episode IV as the movie began to become extremely predictable. The film doesn't even try to hide the fact that our new heroes were repeating 80% of the events from A New Hope with some tidbits from Empire and Jedi sprinkled in here and there. There was hardly anything *new* to take from the movie -- it's almost like it couldn't decide if it wanted to be a sequel or a complete reboot. Instead of feeling like part 7 of an ongoing story, I felt like I was watching a "Star Wars: Greatest Hits" compilation of iconic moments from the original trilogy, but with a fresh coat of paint. The heavy handedness of the nostalgic scenes was almost fourth wall breaking since they were so obvious. Regardless of the thinking behind this, I can say with 100% certainty that what was delivered was not what I waited 10 years for. If I wanted to watch the original trilogy again, I would have stayed home.

Beyond the unoriginal plot, pacing was another HUGE flaw. The movie hits the accelerator around half way through and packs in a lot of action, but little explanation about why and how the events on screen are taking place. Who is the Resistance and why is it needed if the Rebellion/Republic won 30 years ago? What exactly was the significance of the Hosnian system, given the characters only spent 2 lines total talking about its destruction? Does Coruscant no longer exist? Is the entire Republic somehow just 5 planets total? These questions, plus more, are left to be answered by the novelization and future films, which is a dissatisfying business decision. While sitting in your seat on opening night, these options don't yet exist, so you're left clueless. Character development (Rey in particular) was also a casualty to the fast pace, as lot of the characters do things seemingly out of nowhere with questionable motivation and explanation. Had they given the film an extra 30 minutes of run time to allow the story to breathe a little, that could have cleared up a lot of the holes. It's Star Wars! I would have sat in my seat for 3 hours without a question.

Lastly, John Williams. I don't know what happened, but Williams and company absolutely phoned it in on this film. I feel like there wasn't any particular moment where an epic orchestra caught my attention and got my blood pumping. The only song that I remember (after listening to the whole thing on Spotify) are very slow and mellow and would fit better within the magical halls of Hogwarts, not an epic space opera that is Star Wars. All in all, the music was underwhelming and severely detracted from the "Star Wars experience" that I know and love.

All in all, I was pretty unimpressed by The Force Awakens. I didn't hate the film, as there are plenty of bad films out there and the prequel trilogy really set a low bar. But I did not love the decisions to recycle old plots as an attempt to send the viewer on an apology tour full of star wars nostalgia. I wanted a new story mixed with new and old faces, not a glorified reboot. As much flak as I give the prequels, I'll give them credit for at least trying to be unique in each installment.

I hope the next two films will take the gloves off and really advances the Star Wars Universe.… Expand
13 of 24 users found this helpful1311
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6
MancoDec 30, 2015
Disappointed.

Looking at older reviews, I can see that fans and critics were way too hyped for "Star Wars" and ate up anything on the screen. They ignored the annoying quips, awkward humor, forced plot devices, 'videogame' storytelling,Disappointed.

Looking at older reviews, I can see that fans and critics were way too hyped for "Star Wars" and ate up anything on the screen. They ignored the annoying quips, awkward humor, forced plot devices, 'videogame' storytelling, and one-dimensional characters.

In such a way, this is just a blockbuster Marvel movie with Star Wars dressed up over it. Hence the reason I give it a 6/10. It's entertaining if you don't think too much but it certainly is NOT Star Wars.

Say what you will about the prequels but at least they felt like Star Wars. In this film, the camera techniques are different, the lighting is different. There is no memorable sunset scene with beautiful orchestral music playing, giving the audience hope or a sense of loss. Regarding that notion, some have complained that William's music was lackluster and he may have lost his touch. I suggest instead that Abrams direction allowed very little breathing room for William's music to thrive.

Contrary to what people believe, Star Wars isn't just an action fantasy with laser swords and flashy lights...it draws from Westerns and Kurosawa movies as well. Of which feature panoramic scenery of the landscape in their films, to allow the film to breath and establish its setting. The Force Awakens does none of that.

And in this way, it does not feel like Star Wars at all.… Expand
24 of 41 users found this helpful2417
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6
LaneMeyerDec 31, 2015
This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. TFA has some serious flaws which are quite obvious. I did find the movie entertaining, although it's impossible to ignore the pitfalls of the movie. It's a remake of the original. Lack of character development. It's geared towards teenagers. And the biggest flaw I think was the scene where they took the droid into the the tavern. If the whole Empire is looking for the droid, why the hell would you take it into a public tavern where anyone and their mother will see it. Is Han and company really that stupid?… Expand
8 of 16 users found this helpful88
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6
RoyMunsonJan 1, 2016
This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. I have read a ton of the negative reviews and I understand why people did not like it but we need to back up. People on here are writing that the Episode I, II, and III are better than TFA. The prequels are so bad I will not even let my 4 year old watch them. Some of the worst acting I have ever seen because of Lucas' poor script. Lucas made the prequels for 4 year olds and they didn't even like them. In the prequels the Jedi's have ridiculous powers that not even Darth Vader or the Emperor even possess in the originals. The prequels were such a joke and also had a ton of plot holes in them and LUCAS wrote them. How does a guy not follow storylines that he wrote for the original movies.

As for TFA, visually it was pretty amazing. I was disappointed with the story but I get it, they had to find a way to tie in all the old characters and make us feel nostalgic again and I was. I enjoyed seeing Han Solo, Chewbacca, and Luke (Leia sucked in the originals was hoping they blew her up with the Death Star 2) As the movie developed we didn't get a lot of answers to why Rey has such strong Jedi powers and why Kylo Ren is rather weak. The movie is called the FORCE AWAKENS so obviously the force will be strong in Rey since she is the protagonist. As for Ren, we learn from all the other movies that it is easy to turn to the dark side Ren is the grandson of Darth Vader, so maybe Vader and Anakin's spirit is talking to him, kind of devil and angel. If they told us everything that was happening, that would be very poor storytelling. Now what I am getting from most of the negative reviews are that they are mad because they did not get all the answers they wanted because they do not want to wait. Hopefully all are questions will be answered in the next two films. If we look at the original trilogy it goes as followed: A New Hope: good movie, acting is great and great character building, Empire strikes back: great movie, it gives us everything we want Star Wars to be, Return of the Jedi: an okay movie not great, this is where we see Lucas wanting to make Star Wars a movie for little children. Really, a bunch of teddy bears beat up storm troopers with rocks, great storytelling there. Lucas had created something great and by the end of storytelling he completely destroyed it with four bad films (Jedi and the prequels). So what I see is that we get a reboot of Star Wars by Abrams which I think he tried to fix Lucas' mess in TFA and hope that this trilogy follows the like of Nolan's Batman trilogy. Let me state that if Christopher Nolan made Star Wars it would have been unbelievable.

Alright, to stuff I didn't like about TFA is a new Death Star, how many times do I need to see a giant planet weapon be blown up, i guess 3. I believe if this was not the major storyline there would be a lot more happy people. I do not understand how Abrams could have thought by totally remaking the original movie was what Star Wars fans wanted. Also the fact that Luke turns into what Obi Won Kenobi turned into, a recluse, you would think that Luke the last Jedi would let millions of people die. Who makes a map of where they are hiding? I guess Luke didn't really want to stay on the island from Lost for ever. Don't we ever learn from the past. I did enjoy the movie for being a Star Wars movie and that I did get to laugh a few times at the jokes. Someone wrote a review that are to be no jokes in Star Wars, I guess calling someone a scruffy looking nerfherder is not a try at comedy. Oh and the fact that Yoda is muppet and is smacking his cane on R2D2 is not straight out of a Charlie Chaplin flick. Laugh it up fuzzballs!

I am the eternal optimist and truly believe that Star Wars Episode 8 will be a great The First Order Strikes Back. Hang in there Jedi's and Jedette's the force will get stronger and this trilogy will and is already better than Queen Amadila's acting or the fact that Lucas made a character in Star Wars from Cool Runnings.… Expand
3 of 15 users found this helpful312
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6
izalco70Jan 2, 2016
The film is a lot of fun, but as others have mentioned, it is a remake of episode 4, except that rather than having the talent spread out among several characters, it is now wholly concentrated in one, named Rey. They left no room forThe film is a lot of fun, but as others have mentioned, it is a remake of episode 4, except that rather than having the talent spread out among several characters, it is now wholly concentrated in one, named Rey. They left no room for development for the character, since they have made her an unparalleled expert at everything. Why does the resistance need to find Luke if they already have Rey?… Expand
13 of 28 users found this helpful1315
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6
DarraghoJan 2, 2016
Rushed, shallow and a very safe play character and storywise. Some great sound design and visuals in there. Let's hope Rian can bring something new for the next one.
15 of 30 users found this helpful1515
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6
kurlyJan 6, 2016
This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. updating my review! SPOILERS big time!

After having a few days to digest the movie and realize most people's posts are correct, this movie is an exact replica of A New Hope, I've thought of more issues I have with this flick.

1) Han and Leia are not the types of people to just let their son be kidnapped and not tear the galaxy apart to find him and bring him home...with their knowledge and underground friends it wouldn't take long.
2) The "resistance", after defeating the Empire 30 years ago really couldn't find support anywhere in the galaxy? I mean, we click one stupid anti-government post on facebook and get 7000 likes.....the rebels destroyed the EMPIRE....and got no followers? some rag tag group of bad guys are now a threat? How did this happen?????
3) In 7 movies Han and his crew have disabled 3 shield generators.....really? Word isnt out on this guy and his shield generator expertise??
4) Why do the fat x wing fighter guys always die?
5) With all the master Jedi "seeing the future and talking to dead Jedi" ability, Luke really never saw this moment coming? He really couldn't help his friend and his sister in their time of need? The force is so strong some stormtrooper and a newbie can master it in seconds over trained experts, but Luke can't figure out how it works in 30 years?
6) Why would you need to blow up the planets in a solar system once you evaporate their sun? I would figure just destroying the sun alone would do the trick.....it would in our solar system.
7) Losing so many lives just to find Luke....and for what? what can he do? He's one Jedi....obviously being a master doesn't matter as stated above....can he coordinate attacks and defenses after being hidden 30 years any better than Leia who has been doing it non stop for 30 plus years?
8) The bad guy was way cooler with the helmet on.
9) Disney's its a small world after all....began with Vader/Luke?Leia......now it's Han/Leia?bad guy (Kylo?)....I was waiting for Han to say, "I am your faaaaaaather"........

and finally....
10) The best character in this movie got killed off....nothing could kill Jar Jar for three damned movies.....but let's kill off our best character...bummer....… Expand
20 of 39 users found this helpful2019
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6
qwerpJan 9, 2016
This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. The film is almost good. Worth to look everybody but there are some disgusting moments:

Kylo Ren does not deserve to be the main antagonist in film! He is like little girl, hysterical and spineless. It can not be trusted any commanding or responsible tasks for him + his fail at the end, dweeb. Perhaps they were trying to make a complex villain, which itself is good, but it has turned a complete failure
+ it seems that the translator voice timbre was worse than original eng. Hall where laughed when he removed his mask and began speaking.

The miraculous destruction of the enemy's main station. There were other problems with the logic, but this is a huge hole in the logic. Thank to captain stupidly disabled shields. Thanks to engineers which not learned in the 2 previous mistakes and not provided elementary protection rules, it need 0 technical skills to break defence (e.g. this was good in SW KOTOR 1, 2). Thank to idiots among the stormtroopers and their commanders. And to screenwriter.

Too bad that is not taken as an example the good things from 1-3 parts prequels (and there were plenty of good!) For example there is no intrigues, strategy, policy, and a more complex story. Could make in reasonable limits and without boring. Ideally, for those who do not understand it make not ruin the perception, with depth. More of the new things could be brought. I wish the following parts will bring a lot of new.

"Wonderful" Force / lightsaber knowing without any training.

And it is a pity that a good part of the expanded universe that does not conflict with the film is put in not canon.

(By the way. Midi-chlorian are not The Force. They have potential to help connect living beings with The Force! No need to remove science)… Expand
13 of 25 users found this helpful1312
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6
mrhotmoeJan 15, 2016
This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. It was very safe and basic no big things other than han solo dying which people guessed before it came out. If you want a good time then this is ok not worth a second viewing… Expand
8 of 17 users found this helpful89
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6
alexmelgarlJan 11, 2016
Just to be the movie star wars is a good film, is as necessary to be considered good in the category of Star Wars movies. The story makes me somewhat repetitive, almost rudely to the viewer, in the sense that "oh have valuable information, IJust to be the movie star wars is a good film, is as necessary to be considered good in the category of Star Wars movies. The story makes me somewhat repetitive, almost rudely to the viewer, in the sense that "oh have valuable information, I give the robot finds the person who will be a Jedi, he / jedi he makes friends and meet his teacher. "Where I saw that. A median performance of the actors can not ask them too much given how vain to reach some scenes. A movie that is totally hangs from the previous trilogy (chronologically speaking). In short it is a good movie Star Wars, which could be much better.
NOTE: It bothers me that the movie does see the strength and the sword can be controlled by anyone. For me the magic of strength lay in its rarity and the training that had to have to handle (Look trains with Yoda to control it, and only then could control minds), that's part of its beauty… Expand
4 of 21 users found this helpful417
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6
Cyclictunic209Jan 19, 2016
Eh, The movie was meh. Very disappointing. The first ten minutes contain some of the best cinematography I have seen in modern film. Practical effects were awesome. But behind all of the glamour and special effects lies a very lacklusterEh, The movie was meh. Very disappointing. The first ten minutes contain some of the best cinematography I have seen in modern film. Practical effects were awesome. But behind all of the glamour and special effects lies a very lackluster story. Way too many plot parallels between this and a New Hope. It's almost like they ripped the plot out of the first movie and just made everything bigger. Very lazy. The new actors are ok. I liked Finn. Rey seems like a Mary Sue. She's too good at everything. I thought the new villain was okay. Harrison Ford does give the film a lot of life. The plot twist was expected. Carrie Fischers acting is god awful as always. Not a good actress at all. Oscar Issac was pure charisma. I liked his character a lot. All in all it really was average. Kind of disappointed. This is coming from a Star Wars fan who wanted something different.… Expand
9 of 18 users found this helpful99
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6
crazypndaJan 22, 2016
Scoring this movie is hard. One the one hand, I wanted a movie that FELT like Star Wars, and not merely LOOKED like Star Wars, and this movie did not deliver. On the other hand, it was a solid sci-fi action movie in its own right, which if itScoring this movie is hard. One the one hand, I wanted a movie that FELT like Star Wars, and not merely LOOKED like Star Wars, and this movie did not deliver. On the other hand, it was a solid sci-fi action movie in its own right, which if it didn't have a legacy to uphold, would be deserving of a higher score.

Many reviews complain that this movie was a rehash of A New Hope, but that's not a bad thing. The franchise reboot isn't just for existing fans, it's for future fans-to-be. The formula of A New Hope is a solid one worth borrowing heavily from, but the problem with this movie is its mood and pacing, not where it decided to plant its roots.

If I were use a list of words to describe the feeling given by the original trilogy (and even episodes I, II, III), I would use the following words:

1. Epic
2. Adventure
3. Mystery
4. Fun
5. Exciting

If I were to use a list of words to describe The Force Awakens, I would use:

1. Dark
2. Gritty
3. Struggle
4. Drama
5. Intense
6. Gripping

The mood is *completely* different from the first six movies. To compound the stark difference in mood, we are given a stark difference in visual effects. The thematic style remained consistent, but the technical style was much more realistic, bringing the franchise out of the surreal and into the real. The realness of the visuals combined with the mood, created a large gulf between it and the original movies - a gulf hard to reconcile for anyone who grew up with the originals.

Pacing was another problem. The story jumped through one adventure after another (which is consistent with Star Wars), but rushed through them. Combine that with how quickly Rey learns what we have all been told is a skill that must be taught or learned over time, and the pacing feels quite off.

Third, the villains were not well done. The "sith lord" is a poorly done CGI character. It's very difficult to love to hate a villain who isn't real. The primary villain, Kylo Ren, is also kind of an annoying little **** He's not a strong lead villain like Vader was, and when we learn where he comes from, it's almost impossible to draw a line from his origin to where we see him in the film. Either we're given too much information about him in this movie, or his character was poorly constructed given that information was available. He felt out of place.

Speaking as a sci-fi fan, this movie was awesome. Speaking as a Star Wars fan, this movie was a disappointment. If you carry no legacy Star Wars baggage, go and enjoy this movie. If you do carry legacy Star Wars baggage, you may want to adjust your expectations before seeing this film.… Expand
18 of 51 users found this helpful1833
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6
FolderMathMar 19, 2016
Looking at all the negative reviews, I can understand some of the bad things that people are saying about this movie. My own math teacher hates this movie with all of his heart, and he provides some pretty good reasoning. But, there wereLooking at all the negative reviews, I can understand some of the bad things that people are saying about this movie. My own math teacher hates this movie with all of his heart, and he provides some pretty good reasoning. But, there were moments of palpable brilliance, contrary to many people's belief. Daisy Ridley's acting was pretty OK, by no means a masterful performance however. Kylo Ren's tantrum scenes were laughable, and there were a few good jokes. In general, I'm not a fan of JJ Abrams' directing style, but making a sequel to one of the most treasured and beloved franchises of all time is no easy task. Abrams did not by any means fail with this movie.… Expand
9 of 40 users found this helpful931
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6
orangefanMar 22, 2016
Deeply flawed but competent remake/sequel of the original Star Wars movie.

JJ rips the entire plot directly from the original Star Wars, playing it safe seems to have paid off.
8 of 39 users found this helpful831
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6
NuckooMar 24, 2016
Easily the worst Star Wars film. It's just recycled bits and pieces of earlier films, a lot of painfully cliched dialogue and people doing weird stuff that doesn't make any sense.

Granted the directing is better and it's nice to see moreEasily the worst Star Wars film. It's just recycled bits and pieces of earlier films, a lot of painfully cliched dialogue and people doing weird stuff that doesn't make any sense.

Granted the directing is better and it's nice to see more diversity but this is still a dreadful film. Putting aside the whole resetting the timeline business I quite enjoyed Abrams' Star Trek films so was really expecting this one to be good.

The scene with Han trying to talk his way out of trouble was fun but the rest was boring.… Expand
10 of 37 users found this helpful1027
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6
RPKHMar 25, 2016
Star Wars is one of the greatest and most successfull franchise ever although i don`t like all the episodes but i accept and admit it. There are things that bother me about the new episode and i think a lot of people agree with me, first ofStar Wars is one of the greatest and most successfull franchise ever although i don`t like all the episodes but i accept and admit it. There are things that bother me about the new episode and i think a lot of people agree with me, first of them is the story and why George Lucas is not the writer? You know, when you create characters and all the materials that relevant to them such as the world around them, they are only belongs to you and no one else can change or expand your story, so...? Of course G. Lucas helped in writing but its not original. In the new episode we see new characters but less locations, characters that they don`t have a strong personality, specially the bad-man of the film, he is so weak that even looses in fight against Rey who just discovers her powers and abilities and had no training and no master. The big thing is the number of fights specially between the main characters, remember the second trilogy and breathless lightsaber fights, shame that is no more.… Expand
9 of 37 users found this helpful928
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6
chillaxerMay 5, 2016
This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. This is basically an undisclosed remake of A New Hope. It deserves a mediocre rating for that reason alone. Just link the elements of A New Hope to The Force Awakens as follows, and you'll see that it's the same movie:

Luke Skywalker = primarily Rey
Princess Leia = primarily Poe Dameron
Han Solo = primarily Finn
Darth Vader = Kylo Ren
Obi-Wan = Han Solo
R2-D2 = BB-8
Chewbacca = Chewbacca
Grand Moff Tarkin = General Hux
Rebel Alliance = Resistance
Galactic Empire = First Order
Death Star = Starkiller Base… Expand
4 of 7 users found this helpful43
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6
DanielonApr 1, 2016
Sitting patiently waiting for the film to catch speed, I needed a star wars film. Disney unleashed a free for all to give every actor the right to have their way. "Special effects" that rival the Avatar film it was a miracle in the image.
3 of 25 users found this helpful322
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6
thomasadApr 16, 2016
Not sure why this has such a high rating?
Nice to see the old actors involved with the exception of billy dean.
Im assuming its his son playing the role of Finn. Next episode.(Spoiler alert) JJ abrahms just reskinned the original. TheresNot sure why this has such a high rating?
Nice to see the old actors involved with the exception of billy dean.
Im assuming its his son playing the role of Finn. Next episode.(Spoiler alert)
JJ abrahms just reskinned the original.
Theres an evil doer in a mask-(Maybe)
Theres a larger death star. fly in, and destroy it. Kill your father.
Fall in love with a jedi princess. The droid has the data.
Theres a party at the bar with aliens dancing.
Its nice to have another star wars, but aside from the monsters eating people.
Im left to ask. Whats original about this episode? A tractor speeder?… Expand
5 of 17 users found this helpful512
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6
Aaron_WassermanJun 1, 2016
The Force Awakens is a good movie, don't get me wrong, but i can't rate it higher because of several reasons. It is A New Hope all over again, and that bothered me. I found the new characters with the exception of Kylo Ren to be enjoyable.The Force Awakens is a good movie, don't get me wrong, but i can't rate it higher because of several reasons. It is A New Hope all over again, and that bothered me. I found the new characters with the exception of Kylo Ren to be enjoyable. There was a ton of potential with Kylo but once we started to truly see him, I was pissed.… Expand
6 of 11 users found this helpful65
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6
JyroJyroJul 29, 2017
This storyline might be a lazy half-copy of A New Hope but I still found it entertaining enough. The cinematography is wonderful and so is the character development - which is especially surprising given how we have another two films to comeThis storyline might be a lazy half-copy of A New Hope but I still found it entertaining enough. The cinematography is wonderful and so is the character development - which is especially surprising given how we have another two films to come in this new trilogy.… Expand
1 of 7 users found this helpful16
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