Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures | Release Date: December 18, 2015
6.7
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Generally favorable reviews based on 7984 Ratings
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Positive:
5,073
Mixed:
1,217
Negative:
1,694
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3
LeatherwoodJan 1, 2016
I'm a regular fan of star wars movies and games, with that being said here is my opinion. SWTFA is full of completely unbelievable coincidences. The characters find each other as if everyone is down the street or something. This movie is justI'm a regular fan of star wars movies and games, with that being said here is my opinion. SWTFA is full of completely unbelievable coincidences. The characters find each other as if everyone is down the street or something. This movie is just way too much like the other star wars movies, like nothing else ever happens. The Bad people want to kill the good and innocent people for absolutely no reason at all. Kylo Ren "the main bad guy of these films" is a cry baby that gets his ass handed to him by a little girl that for some reason has gained great saber fighting and force abilities all within like a day, not even. Finn is literaly just some random guy. The first order attacks the resistance with all the characters in the movie all at the same place and all in the same day... None of this stuff is really believable. I enjoy the atmosphere of star wars movies, but this one had me thinking " this feels like too many things are happening all at once that are very very unlikely to happen within a day or two". The Strong female role is just tacked on just because. These movies are popular among white males most of all, but they have an interracial relationship development between a white female and a black male in this movie that just does not seem like its believable or fits in any way. These movies would be better off if they would just go many years in the future without ever mentioning anything about older star wars movies and just start with fresh new character and stories. J. J. Abrams is being replaced as director of episode 8 because they knew he screwed it up. Its worth watching just to see how a great franchise can be treated by uninspired money grabbing **** like disney. Expand
58 of 99 users found this helpful5841
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3
ariansandDec 24, 2015
This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. This movie was horrendous. But let's just break it down:
1. Almost no story. Really thinking about it, what exactly happened in over 2 hours was almost nothing.
2. They just replaced Han Solo with this unknown girl.
3. Luke Skywalker appeared only at the very end of the movie. Consistent with the Di$ney's moneywhoring with 1 star wars film until infinity. They will ruin the franchise forever. This is only the beginning.
4. Another Death star lookalike. Just why?
5. The main villain was ridiculous. Why would he wear the darth vader type of helmet when his face wasn't distorted. Makes no sense whatsoever.
6. Piss poor acting.
7. Really? A random black "traitor" just picks up the lightsaber and he almost defeats the main villain.
Then the girl who has not been trained by any jedi or sith just totally decimates the main villain. It is just ridiculous.
8. The events were so predictable. There was not a single event that was even remotely surprising.
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48 of 81 users found this helpful4833
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3
lunanulJan 1, 2016
The best one could hope for in such a movie would be for the creative staff to mine the old stuff for gold and serve it up in a fresh, new way. What I witnessed was a kind of reverse alchemy wherein the gold was transformed to (mostly) lead,The best one could hope for in such a movie would be for the creative staff to mine the old stuff for gold and serve it up in a fresh, new way. What I witnessed was a kind of reverse alchemy wherein the gold was transformed to (mostly) lead, with an occasional blink of polished brass. I am very fond of the first two movies in the original trilogy (episode IV and V) and haven't seen much magic come out of Star Wars movies since then. There was one fine scene in ep. VII that truly captured the old magic, but that was it. 2 minutes out of 135 is not a golden ratio. That said, a person who has never seen the original trilogy could be in for a real treat. Maybe. Expand
56 of 95 users found this helpful5639
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3
BortxApr 8, 2016
Boring, trite, predictable, and full of cliches. Dozed of twice. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
9 of 30 users found this helpful921
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3
SammyghhgJan 6, 2016
Ok. I hate doing this, but this is a split review. Cinematography, directing and pretty much every actor in the film gets a 10/10.

The story gets a generous 3. As the movie progressed, I felt like I was sitting into a resetting ejection
Ok. I hate doing this, but this is a split review. Cinematography, directing and pretty much every actor in the film gets a 10/10.

The story gets a generous 3.

As the movie progressed, I felt like I was sitting into a resetting ejection seat specifically designed to hit my **** meter.

EJECT EJECT EJECT.... that was my brain every time some **** happened that NEVER would have happened in Star Wars.

Stormtrooper is neurotic and freaked out by everything. No... Finn had decided to leave, why would he be scared. He's well trained and is executing a plan of action. Why make the black guy a **** in the first 3 minutes of meeting him? HE'S A STORMTROOPER... not some cowardly **** Surely some of the training would have stuck.

Then Homie the Poe guy can't outfly four highly destructible missiles like Anakin did in RoTS (ep 3.) but instead IS capable of shooting down literally every tie fighter in on Maz Kanata's planet, but then is incapable of replicating that feat when trying to blow up the Death Star 3.

Kylo Ren freezes time... not a blaster bolt... time... if it was the bolt, the electricity surrouding it would have kept jumping. It didn't it stopped TIME.

Ok... Kylo has an insta win in the first 10 minutes.... I almost walked out.

I settled in for the long haul and had to hit eject again when they escaped from tatooine... how does a girl lost in a desert know how to fly a ship that apparently doesn't work after changing one switch.

Then hit eject again.

Random meeting with Han and Chewie.

Then again.

Space bug doesn't immediately eat Finn.

Then again.

The Lightsaber gives visions? uhhhh...hhhhhuuuuu?
How?

Then again.

An X-wing somehow snipes stormtroopers while moving, and doesn't even cause explosions... which then take place moments later when someone who isn't poe completely misses the stormtroopers.

And again.

When Poe Dameron ganks 6+ tie fighters in less than 10 seconds. A feat that no other pilot, jedi or non-jedi has ever replicated. Even in the now non-canon books.... at least with lasers cannons.

And again.

When everyone meets at the rebel base and no one gives a **** about how Poe survived, or why he hadn't told anyone about Finn's place in the escape

And again.

When the entire planning session to destroy a planet sized star killing super base took a whole 30 seconds of **** conversation and easy answers.

Then again.

When Han flies a millenium falcon under the shields at light speed and no one asks why this wasn't the plan for Death Star 2.
Then again. When Kylo and Rey have a semi-orgasmic screaming match which apparently portrayed Rey finding out that she can read minds too..... because that's always been a Jedi thing right? AND AGAIN When Rey immediately knows how to mind trick Daniel Craig... I mean ... some anonymous stormtrooper into doing whatever she wants.... and if that's the case, just do it to everyone you encounter and take the base over 100%. And again. When Rey starts climbing over stuff because she likes climbing over stuff. Then again When Finn announces he doesn't know anything really and is just a sanitation guy. Funny but **** you. Then again When Finn announces he knows how to disable the shield after all. Then again When Phasma gives up the codes so easily it's as if the film makers were looking for a surefire way of confirming why women should never exist in combat roles. Then again when the shields could be turned off without a redundancy And again when only 12 x-wings are all that's left of the rebel alliance after 30 years of growth.... bad job leia. And again when they pull out 400 bombs from a satchel the size of the one from Hangover. And again when Han has a stilted and boring conversation with the nutso individual with a red lightsaber and all black clothing. And again when the sun was finally pulled into the weapon and the room went dark and that caused the DARKNESS ... it's dark side ****ers and that's retarded. And again when everyone runs away from Kylo ren and 3 stormtroopers. And again when Kylo rocks up and a sanitation attendant duels him with a lightsaber, being extremely proficient at a number of points, eventually succumbing to his wounds. And again when Rey jumps up after being concussed, wins a force pull battle against a trained Anti-jedi after showing almost no indication of knowing the force was even a thing ever, but suddenly owning said jedi in saber combat after less than two miinutes of back and forth. And again when R2 turns on an knows exactly where the map is. And again when it's the only missing peice of said map And again when they send desert planet girl to see Luke instead of his sister who he would know and give more than two ****s for. So yeah. Pretty average story... again. being super generous with the 3/10. I am really reluctant to see it agian as it might turn me off star wars for ever. BAD.
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20 of 34 users found this helpful2014
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3
AndanteJan 10, 2016
This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. I am not going to go into detail because my english isn't that good, but i will try to go into the basic points. First of all I am an old Star Wars fan, I've watched all the movies and I even liked the prequel. Unfortunately from my point of view, this movie is something completely else....it's like giving to a small kid a Da Vinci drawing and letting it draw on top of it. From start to finish I felt that this movie was only there to make money, nothing else. The story is completely cliche, its like watching a remake of episode 4 but accomplished in a complete brain damaged fashion. In this context I can clearly say that episode 1 was a far more interesting movie than this one.The director had great tools in his hands, million dollar resources and ideas to be precise and he used them in the most terrible way imaginable. The old characters were butchered and their story was completely destroyed (no respect to Han solo a legendary character, he was killed in a matter of seconds and 2 minutes after his death everyone was happy, and even princess lea was laughing...), the concept of Force has completely lost its value and meaning. The main female character with no training suddenly wields the sword better than Luke and Master Yoda combined and puts down the bad guys with complete ease even though all these skills take years to master.... I was wondering the whole time, why are they searching for the old Luke Skywalker when they have this "perfect" emotionless super girl in their arsenal?? All in all acting was terrible on this movie, Finn was a somewhat decent character and had some potential but his role was too feminine in my opinion. Rey was the "man" in this movie (feminist crap detected).... Expand
36 of 63 users found this helpful3627
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3
kingofkoopasDec 18, 2015
This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. I had really high hopes for this one. As a long time SW fan, I was so hyped up, I stood in line for about 3 hours at the premiere just to get good seats. By the end of the first 30 minutes I was already looking at my watch. I will write my review in list form.

-The whole movie feels like a cheap ripoff of episode 4. The plot devices used are almost identical, watch the movie and you'll see what I mean. Teen in the desert, droid that needs to get something to someone, finding a mentor, that mentor dies, the destruction of a death star like weapon at the hands of shooting down a tunnel with an X-wing.

-Boyenga's character (Finn) decides he doesn't wanna be a storm trooper withing the first 5 minutes of the movie. We didn't see any depth or conflict within himself before he decides to turn good leaving me not really caring for him at all

-Rey is probably the worst excuse for a protagonist in any film. Throughout the whole movie she doesn't have a single heroic deed. She's basically useless until the fight with Kylo Ren (which has a whole lot of flaws on its own but we'll get to that) She isn't built up in any way and her character development is completely absent. All we get is like a 10 second flash back into her childhood. All this leaves me not caring for her at all either.

-Poe was advertised as the third part of the new trio of heroes but he only has like 15 minutes of screen time, he ends up destroying the new death star like thing (do i smell episode 4?) but you really don't care because there's no reason to care for him in the first place because he has no development whatsoever and you hardly know a thing about him.

-Kylo Ren first appears to be this menacing Vader-like antagonist but ends up being a huge sissy who throws light saber tantrums every time his plans are foiled (literally light saber tantrums) He was also horribly miscast, Adam driver fails to deliver any real depth or sense of struggle to the audience. This brings me to my next point....

-Stop here if you haven't seen the movie cause spoilers, but then again this movie sucks so you shouldn't care. Han Solo's death scene was probably one of the worst acted scenes in the whole film. Not only do you see it coming a mile away there was no sense of tension or really any sense of struggle within Kylo. The movie tries to sell you that he's having this man vs. self conflict but his acting says otherwise. If you didn't already know, Kylo is Han and Leia's kid. This to me felt like a cheap plot-device to try and give Kylo some depth but I barley met him so I don't really give a **** also no back story as to why he hates Han is given so I give less of a **** This could have been saved for episode 8, maybe if we knew more about Kylo and the circumstances of his birth, him killing his dads would've had more of an impact.

-The final fight between Kylo and Rey is laughable. The movie first looks like it's trying to tell you that Finn is our jedi (see movie poster) because he wields a light saber midway through the movie and looks like he's doing pretty well for never having handled one before. Then at the end he puts up a small fight against Kylo. Which just adds to your belief that he might be the Jedi because I really doubt that a trained dark sider like Kylo would have any trouble with some average Joe wielding a saber like Finn is but I guess he does... for some reason....? Anyway, Finn gets knocked out and Rey pulls the light saber to her using the force (despite never even having prior knowledge to the force) and duels Kylo Ren and beats him. Yes, she beats him. A person who has never held a saber prior to this moment BEATS A TRAINED JEDI. Imagine if Luke in episode 4 tried to fight Vader... he'd get beat in like 2 seconds. I know Kylo isn't Vader but the movie tells you he was trained by Luke which gives the impression that he was probably pretty good. There you go, no character development.

- The whole movie after the first act just seems rushed, as soon as they get to the rebel base they hatch the plan to go destroy the new death star within like 3 minutes, and then 5 minutes later they're already bombing it. All the important things that really move the plot along as a whole happen in the third act

- JJ Abrams wasn't the right man for the job, Cloverfield, Super 8, and Mission Impossible 3.... all those movies are garbage. With a track record like that it leaves you wondering how he got the job.
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94 of 185 users found this helpful9491
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3
ukrScorpionMay 1, 2018
Hard version Hunger Games
Film so boring and main villain with the face of an offended schoolboy.... + There are no epic battles. 90210
1 of 1 users found this helpful10
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3
vreynauldDec 26, 2015
As a member of both the Rebel Legion and the 501st Garrison, I believe it's safe to say I'm a "super-fan" of the Star Wars franchise. I grew up with the originals and my oldest son grew up with the prequels. Some of my fellow Legion andAs a member of both the Rebel Legion and the 501st Garrison, I believe it's safe to say I'm a "super-fan" of the Star Wars franchise. I grew up with the originals and my oldest son grew up with the prequels. Some of my fellow Legion and Garrison mates and got together and we all saw the movie on Christmas Eve with dinner afterward. After watching the movie, we generally walked out in stunned silence. During the following dinner, we debated and complained, pointed out every flaw, every plot hole, every unbelievable coincidence that was forced upon the viewer.. and there was much to debate as the negative reviews here rightfully point out. Too much of a rehash of A New Hope, too many coincidental events, no context, no exposition, and so on...

The next day, I saw the movie again with extended family including several tween and early teen cousins, nieces/newphews, et cetera. They completely lapped it up, bouncing in their seat for every BB8 scene and every crazy camera angle of blaster shots. That's when it dawned on me: Disney's "Star Wars" has no interest in staying faithful to the original mythos or providing a meaningful story - they're catering to the ADHD, can't-stop-playing-with-my-phone generation. All they have to do is make a kid-friendly droid character, fill two hours with explosions and "pewpew lazers!" (to quote one of my nephews) and they'll sell millions of tickets and overpriced, made-in-China toys.

People like myself and other unofficial fan club superfans have spent lots of money and time because we wanted to feel as though we're part of the Star Wars universe but I don't see future generations feeling the same way. The new direction of Star Wars is entirely short-sighted, based on capturing the hype and marketing while delivering forgettable films. It's the "Moichendising!" scene from Spaceballs come to life.
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94 of 159 users found this helpful9465
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3
Knightmare725Dec 18, 2015
Call me a bigot all you want, but in my opinion, the political correctness in this movie seems to come off as seemingly too obvious and desperate. In which makes the movie very hollow. I think thats why people also hate PC. For that reasonCall me a bigot all you want, but in my opinion, the political correctness in this movie seems to come off as seemingly too obvious and desperate. In which makes the movie very hollow. I think thats why people also hate PC. For that reason and others. For example, "Look! A female stormtrooper! The evil empire has equality too!" "Look! An asian rebel resistance leader! Not every leader has to be a white male!" In my opinion, I think to be thats the notion they are trying to give and its hollow and eye rolling. Im honestly more amused than impressed. I support equality. But not if it comes off as desperate and is enforced in my favorite sci fi franchise. Expand
43 of 93 users found this helpful4350
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3
steddyeApr 20, 2016
The sequel was waiting the most is the one that most disappointed me. The copy paste of previous episodes is irritating and demeaning. Death Star, father and son plot ..... I can't believe they really did it. Apprentices who, in less than 25The sequel was waiting the most is the one that most disappointed me. The copy paste of previous episodes is irritating and demeaning. Death Star, father and son plot ..... I can't believe they really did it. Apprentices who, in less than 25 minutes of the movie, become Jedi and perfect swordsmen. Excellent the music, the action scenes and the special effects, but not enough to save a movie with a poor plot and a mediocre spirit. Really really disappointed. Expand
9 of 19 users found this helpful910
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3
XanatarDec 22, 2015
So this is what happens when Disney buys a franchise - Cut out the best parts of the previous parts, clue them together somehow, put a lot of state of the art CGI on top of it, then sell it as a "rejuvenation / fresh start". In fact, its justSo this is what happens when Disney buys a franchise - Cut out the best parts of the previous parts, clue them together somehow, put a lot of state of the art CGI on top of it, then sell it as a "rejuvenation / fresh start". In fact, its just all the same stuff all over again.

The writing must have looked something like this:" Ok... lets do this.. hm, but that was all already done before. - I have an idea, lets make it... bigger! Excellent, then we don't have to find something originally NEW. Our fans will love us" . Or maybe it was all about fear from Disney Execs of disappointing the core fans, thus starting **** storms all over. Thats why they probably thought recreating "core" scenes of the original as closely as possible and sell it as a new movie is a clever idea. And yeah, because it looks so incredibly familiar and close, lets rename the planets... that will make us look innovative. Hell, you can say a lot about George Lucas and some of his more stupid character or story choices, but at least he tried to tell HIS story. And he did it quite well in his first 3 movies, and not so well in his prequels. And, though some of his characters where plain stupid and an imposition ( Jar Jar Bings), at least they kind of stayed in character and were unique. Some of the current main cast and the plot feel hollow, only Han Solo rescues many scenes with his presence. Was it really required to burn up all the cool storylines that were created in the books by Timothy Zahn for... this?

I have to admit one thing - they did an absolute briliant marketing strategy with all this secrecy and non-spoiler policies. That probably means the hype will carry the movie through, even if it is only a medicore sci fi movie with plot holes so huge that a star destroyer fits through.
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61 of 103 users found this helpful6142
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3
ryecaDec 26, 2015
Watching this movie is a sad affair and the good reviews for it are INSANE. Not just surprising, but completely insane. It is not a good movie, and really makes you wonder why people could give it good reviews. Have people given up on movies?Watching this movie is a sad affair and the good reviews for it are INSANE. Not just surprising, but completely insane. It is not a good movie, and really makes you wonder why people could give it good reviews. Have people given up on movies? Is this what we consider a passing grade? I understand having some allegiance to a movie franchise, but at some point we just have to be honest. Star Wars VII is crap made to sell you more crap. Maybe the toys are fun for your kids, but if you are older than 10 this movie will be (or should be) boring, repetitive, and cliche nonsense.

Quick summary:
Rey is crap, she runs like a fool, her accent is absurd, and how she "acquires" the force is absolutely ridiculous. These attempts at writing a powerful female character are laughable and actually insulting. The presentation and development of the First Order and Resistance is lazy. The world-building is also lazy. The Kylo Ren actor is laughably cast. He looks like a close-up magician who stole Snape's haircut. The references are pointless, because the movie just isn't good. Here's a tip: leave out all the cheap references to the previous films and just make a good movie instead. But that won't happen, because they have to sell this to millions around the world, so nuance or intelligence is thrown out the window before the movie is even made. The CG woman in the bar (you'll know her) is so bad - it looks like they just lifted the costume-making character from the Incredibles and plopped her into "a galaxy far far away." Anyway... on and on..

The movie is just...dumb.

Chewie is good. No problems with Chewie.
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108 of 185 users found this helpful10877
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3
jrodfilmsDec 19, 2015
im not that big of a star wars fan, but the movie just wasnt very good. it started out great, and the action scenes were exciting, but then theres these dull performances and arcs in storytelling that was just making me wish the movie wasim not that big of a star wars fan, but the movie just wasnt very good. it started out great, and the action scenes were exciting, but then theres these dull performances and arcs in storytelling that was just making me wish the movie was over and it just kept on going. Expand
42 of 76 users found this helpful4234
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3
DesselMar 24, 2016
This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. A person on a desert planet who is strong with the force without knowing it, and befriends a little android who carries a secret. How did they came up with it? Remember that death star thing from earlier movies, that had an odd weak point and was destroyed? Now its even bigger!... and has an odd weak point and is destroyed. Although I didn't even notice it right away myself, episode seven takes a lot from episode four. A big change is the force now seems to be mostly a skill set that is in a person, and does not need practise or study, just awareness of it. This is a fairly lacklustre remake filled with plot holes and inconsistencies, not a new episode. Which is a shame. Expand
14 of 41 users found this helpful1427
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3
thepomyJan 4, 2016
This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. As many other fans of the true Star Wars (Ep IV-IV) I was highly disappointed by this last installment. There was so much good material in the expanded Star Wars Universe that flourished in the past 30 years and yet J.J. Abrams ended up making a mediocre rip-off of Episode IV. This movie is a reboot with references to the original trilogy, not a sequel.

There is no credible explanation on why things are in the current state, Leia and Luke have laughable appearances, and even Han Solo seemed to be a sad shadow of the character everyone used to love in the original trilogy. According to J.J. Abrams anyone can use a light-saber and it takes little to no effort to master the force, even against a supposedly well trained sith. Pretty much everything we learned in Ep IV-VI is erased in this movie.

The choice of Adam Driver for the villain doesn't really convince, and Kylo Ren/Snoke end up being laughable villains (a winy emo wanna-be sith lord, and a giant hologram with a funny name). All in the movie is obvious, to the point where people can imagine what's going to happen. The final demise of Han Solo is a good example of that.

This installment is a shallow and successful attempt to make money, not the movie all the fans deserved to watch.
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66 of 112 users found this helpful6646
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3
SammifxJan 3, 2016
Shocker. Essentially a mashup of various parts of the 6 movies preceding it. As a standalone sci film, I'd give it a 6 for a Guardians knockoff ; as a continuation of the Star Wars saga i'd give it a 3. As my mum who watched it with me said,Shocker. Essentially a mashup of various parts of the 6 movies preceding it. As a standalone sci film, I'd give it a 6 for a Guardians knockoff ; as a continuation of the Star Wars saga i'd give it a 3. As my mum who watched it with me said, ' i have no idea why they were fighting but the effects were nice in 3d' .
Plagued by woeful dialogue and characters appearing out of nowhere for pure Deus Ex convenience.
-Bad guys are absolutely tame and the one truly horrible event in the movie is ignored immediately after. -
-Everyone becomes best friends within a few minutes of meeting each other.
-The force and fighting is can be learned within a few hours after you heard of its existence.
-droids can power up and down based on the timing of the plot for .. reasons. (see it to understand)
-the score was largely generic and unmemorable apart from a few john willams cues. nothing original again.

the plus side is rey and finn (actors) are good.. theyre just forced with a terrible script that regresses the series and wastes a glorious opportunity of expanding the SW universe and plot.
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84 of 141 users found this helpful8457
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3
VindoR_Dec 24, 2015
This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. Overall a very disapointing movie:
- the plot is basicly the original trilogy condensed in 2h16min, but done very badly, full of plot holes and non sensical situations
- the really fast paced rythm doesnt allow for any emotional connection whatsoever, even the death han solo is brushed off in 2 minutes
- the darth vader rep aka kylo ren is beyond ridiculous, the CGI emperor clone is average at best
- and most surprising of all even the music is subpar, never though i would say that about a john williams score but here it is, its like he knew he was doing a cash grab for kids and didnt even try.
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42 of 71 users found this helpful4229
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3
Razrback16Jan 7, 2022
Of the "sequel trilogy" (which I will never acknowledge as canon), this one is the least offensive. There are still tons of plot holes and woke bs in it, but it's the most...tolerable. Thankfully I never bought it, and just watched it at aOf the "sequel trilogy" (which I will never acknowledge as canon), this one is the least offensive. There are still tons of plot holes and woke bs in it, but it's the most...tolerable. Thankfully I never bought it, and just watched it at a friend's house. Would never recommend spending money on this. Disney Star Wars is a joke at this point, they are literally killing the franchise. Expand
1 of 1 users found this helpful10
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3
Big_BearMay 25, 2016
Hugely disappointing, but predictably so. By far the worst Star Wars film ever made that no serious Star Wars fan could ever enjoy.

Let me just say, I am a massive Star Wars fan; not so much of the movies as most are a mess but I love the
Hugely disappointing, but predictably so. By far the worst Star Wars film ever made that no serious Star Wars fan could ever enjoy.

Let me just say, I am a massive Star Wars fan; not so much of the movies as most are a mess but I love the lore and the world that has been created. The movies often do not tell the story that a universe as vast as Star Wars deserve and this rubbish is no different.

The first thing I noticed was the acting of the two 'newcomers' - it really is awful, not helped by a terrible script. The chap who plays Finn is particularly laughable with his supremely stupid reactions to everything that happens around him - there is a noise 'what was that?', someone comes into a room 'who just came in?' it really is ridiculous. This can in part be papered over by the fact his character has been raised as a stormtrooper and knows nothing else blah, blah, blah, but really it's just awful acting and writing. These two really were unknown for a reason.

The heroine Rey, is only marginally better but again, suffers from the writing, with her character being possibly the most stereotypical ever conceived. Angry, down on her luck etc etc and then predictably 'blossoms' throughout the movie to get behind the cause, all very tired and has been done countless times before.

The 'plot', if it can even be called that, again, is laughably bad, an almost exact copy of A New Hope but not as good. It really makes you wonder where they got the guys to write this, my guess is that they must have been 'unknowns' as well. If you hadn't seen this movie you really wouldn't believe the plot was so close to the first film - Empire creates super weapon but has plans stolen by rebels who at the end of the movie manage to exploit the weakness they found in said plans, all the while a young nobody from a backwater planet becomes a large part of the rebellion unexpectedly' - it really is the EXACT same! It also cannot be saved by the side plot involving the search for Luke Skywalker, the stolen plans revealing his location the only real difference in the stories.

There is also a quite frankly, disgusting amount of fan service in the movie which I'm sure has been included just as much for the service as it has to save the writers from coming up with anything remotely original. Han and Chewie, the Falcon, a planet very closely resembling Tatooine, it all becomes a bit of a bore.

Finally I come to the most irritating thing about the whole movie - the duel at the end between Rey and Kylo Ren, and it's lead up. Yes, there are lore destroying, stupid moments in other Star Wars movies (Padme's age, how easy Palpatine kills 3 Jedi, the stupidness of how Anakin becomes Vader) but this one might trump them all. Unlike any other Star Wars film or any lore, both Rey and Finn become proficient in lightsaber combat the second they pick one up! Yes, apparently no training is required, contrary to absolutely everything we've read or seen in any other Star Wars material. This is ridiculous enough, but it comes to a ludicrous head when Rey, with absolutely zero training, manages to defeat Kylo Ren, a Sith Lord trained for years in lightsaber combat. If I didn't watch it on a plane I would have walked out right there.

The only good points were Kylo Ren, by a country mile the most interesting character and the one with the most potential and depth. Supreme leader Snoke, although basically playing the part of the Emperor also interested me and I'm eager to see more of them both.

To sum up, I really find it hard to believe any true Star Wars fan could actually say this movie is anything but awful. A huge disappointment and basically a lore destroying, ridiculous remake of a New Hope, that, despite the special effects, is nowhere near as good.
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11 of 18 users found this helpful117
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3
ShellbyC__GT500Jul 5, 2018
This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. Ah! The first star wars movie in 10 or so years. I wonder what they will do. oh another death star? very creative Disney. Expand
1 of 1 users found this helpful10
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3
DafuzzDec 24, 2015
If you thought Jar Jar Binks was bad, then just wait until you see what Jar Jar Abrams has in store for you.

First off, the writing is very poor and comes over like poorly written fan fiction. This movie lacks a real plot, character
If you thought Jar Jar Binks was bad, then just wait until you see what Jar Jar Abrams has in store for you.

First off, the writing is very poor and comes over like poorly written fan fiction. This movie lacks a real plot, character development, character chemistry and any logical connection between most scenes. The main villain isn't even menacing, he just feels like a hot-tempered cry baby who throws temper tantrums like a little brat. He even has problems fighting the weakest non-force sensitive characters in close combat because he suddenly forgets how to use his force powers thanks to the awful writing. All of the supporting characters, even returning ones, are extremely shallow. Only the main character and one very beloved returning character have anything redeemable about them, and the latter is only on screen for about 30 seconds.

The directing is also abysmal. There are just so many unflattering camera angles, poorly choreographed as well crudely visualised scenes and the pacing is simply awkward. Jar Jar Abrams never went to film school, and oh boy, his abysmal directing skills really show in this movie. The only thing that Jar Jar Abrams seems to have gotten right was copying the aesthetics of the Original Trilogy, although he completely fails at implementing it in a creative and artistic way to please the audience.

Only the final scene can bring any redemption to this trainwreck, but it is not enough to save it from being a bad film. If you only care about flashy lights shown in an awkward manner, then this is the film for you. Otherwise stay away. 3/10
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136 of 224 users found this helpful13688
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3
MoriarteJan 1, 2016
As an avid Star Wars fan, I didn't expect much from JJ Abrams and his crew. It turned out, my expectations matched what I saw in a latest instalment of the saga. I ask myself: why do these things happen? After contemplating for a bit, I comeAs an avid Star Wars fan, I didn't expect much from JJ Abrams and his crew. It turned out, my expectations matched what I saw in a latest instalment of the saga. I ask myself: why do these things happen? After contemplating for a bit, I come to think that one needs a firm grasp of philosophy and science, a good eye for actors and a cunning storyline, in order to deliver a Sci-Fi masterpiece. A visionary, a man capable of immersing you completely in a parallel reality, where heroes and villains become real.

Well, JJ Abrams simply isn't the man for the job. I'm sure he would be able to make fantastic ads for TV or something similar, but to wave a magic wand on stage of Star Wars .. one needs somebody else. Disney, that was bad judgment. You could as well invite me to do the job, I could screw this film up for half his fee.
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77 of 130 users found this helpful7753
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3
Lucius_13Aug 5, 2016
This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. I don't normally review movies but here goes, the plot of this movie is explained in one sentence: Star Wars Episode IV A New Hope, the whole plot is the same as said movie, the villain (Kylo Ren) is a bland and stupid Darth Vader Rip-Off (Albeit without the scars) with a dumb as **** lightsaber, Abrams is so stupid he couldn't come up with an original storyline so he just remade Episode IV although ill give a big thumbs up to Simon Pegg's Character. The death of Han Solo was expected but handled poorly, Kylo Ren develops a new super weapon (which is just a bigger version of the Death Star) only upside to this disaster of a movie was the original cast its pretty sad when the prequel trilogy is better than this crap, do yourself a favor and save your money and don't buy this movie I did and I regret it Expand
7 of 14 users found this helpful77
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3
revelcDec 15, 2016
My first Star Wars was Episode 1 (I'm not ashamed of that). I was super young and I was blown away by the cool fights, Darth Maul, and the CGI. I did see all the originals and the rest of the prequels years later. I'm not a Star Wars fanaticsMy first Star Wars was Episode 1 (I'm not ashamed of that). I was super young and I was blown away by the cool fights, Darth Maul, and the CGI. I did see all the originals and the rest of the prequels years later. I'm not a Star Wars fanatics and I'm not that young anymore when I saw Episode 7, so this review is from my perspective as a regular movie goers.

I think Episode 7 is an okay movie, full of "classic Star Wars" action and overused cliche from previous Star Wars (another Death Star, rebellion, father son issue, and discounted Darth Vader?). I honestly think this movie is for those hardcore fans and their kids who's hungry for classic Star Wars plot after years of "betrayal". It also caters to female audience as well as minorities, which is good in my opinion. It tries too hard to provide for many different groups and it become lacks of originality. It becomes watered down and 2 hours just not enough to explain everything after years of hiatus. Everything become bland and not appealing to film enthusiast like me. Not even half way through you already know what's gonna happen and the twist is not as exciting as when Anakin learns the truth about his father.

This movie success show how powerful advertising and internet community are. One person opinion become everyone opinion in matter of second. Daily dose of overblown trivia. They literally put all the hungry fans on leash. The best thing about the movie were it's CGI and soundtrack.
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1 of 4 users found this helpful13
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3
weirdcryoDec 29, 2015
After first seeing this movie I thought it was good movie and a made a review giving it a 7 but every time I think about the plot the more "mistakes" I found.

First of all the movie the movie is consider (even I consider it) "too safe"
After first seeing this movie I thought it was good movie and a made a review giving it a 7 but every time I think about the plot the more "mistakes" I found.

First of all the movie the movie is consider (even I consider it) "too safe" when actually it's just lazy writing and a cheap attempt to please the "fans" that hated the prequels to the point of making death threats.

We have the plot, that for some reason they tried to adapt the old to the new one but now it doesn't work or make sense at all, we goes from searching Luke to destroying planets and fighting a new Death Star that doesn't make sense at all.
The good guys group is call the resistance but actually the bad guys (The First Order) are not a command, so of we have more that one bad guys (which doesn't make sense because the first order destroy the current government without retaliation) or the name doesn't make sense. What also doesn't make sense is how they manage to build that weapon without drawing attention.

We have the new characters, they are basically all the old character's characteristic we liked in the first SW spread in younger actors.
We have also the new characters that does nothing like Captain Phasma and Snoke and essential character development that doesn't make sense or is not existing on screen like FN-2187 fighting against what he was taught and becoming Finn, how he and poe didn't die crashing in a space ship, how they became BFF in one scene(I understand that Finn save Poe, but owing =/= best friends, and more considering Finn used to be a Storm Trooper and you don't know nothing about him), how Rey pass from not knowing how to elevate the ship to do the best moves in the whole movie in just 1 minute, why Kylo Ren acts like a 3 yo boy having tantrums and can do a 180° turn stop a shot and a person in the same movement, reads mind and then sucks ass, to name a few (to be hones I got bored of arguing the lack of sense in the characters actions).

We have the old characters, they are just here to merge the first trilogy with this new story and bring nostalgia, Leia could be replace by any kind of new general, Han Solo (I like him in this movie) had more purpose and Luke appears only to set the new movies.

So this movie make no sense the more you think it, if I didn't like how gorgeous some scenes looked I would gave this a 1 without a doubt.
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35 of 60 users found this helpful3525
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3
carrot-stickDec 25, 2015
This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. TL;DNR

This movie reminded me of Jurassic World in all the wrong ways. It was filled with constant references to an older movie (ANH), had a similar plot to said movie, was trying to be bigger and better than what it was referencing, and had a nauseating amount nostalgia porn from the movie it was trying to outdo. If you liked Jurassic World, you may enjoy Episode VII, but I warn you, it doesn't even have anything original like a dinosaur battle at the end.

**Spoilers**
Longer Review

I don't know where to begin with this movie.

My biggest gripe with it is just how unoriginal the entire movie is! I felt like I had seen all of this before. And I had in the original trilogy (and maybe the video game Force Unleashed). It was like someone was taking the general plot of A New Hope and rushing through all the build up so that they could have a huge action sequence. The movie rarely lets us breathe and take in the world the characters live in (Rey's opening sequence is about the only exception I can think of).

One of the most annoying examples of this was Finn's life. He was a storm trooper who, after one battle, decides to go rogue and help the Resistance. Yeah, I rolled my eyes when he explained why he wanted to help the Resistance, but that wasn't what really pissed me off. It was the fact that as soon as he was away from the First Order, he shows no signs of indoctrination or unfamiliarity with the outside world, especially since he makes a point of saying all storm troopers are kidnapped as children. Despite having lived with these people and knowing they are the same as him, he has no trouble killing them. But he doesn't want to kill the Resistance, whom he has no connection to. There is no moral dilemma for him. They don't explore his journey at all. He just turns from "bad to good." That's it.

And then they make him into the butt of everyone's jokes. It was around the time he meets up with Rey that I realized the point of his character was to make everyone else (or at least Rey) look good. Seriously, he is the incompetent one in the movie who's flaws all the other characters are very quick to point out. There is no character like this in the Original Trilogy. They treat him as a buffoon much like Jar Jar Abra- I mean Binks.

Now, how to talk about Rey...? Mad Max had strong female characters. Rey is not a strong female character, because she isn't a character. She's a Mary-Sue who is perfect at everything. As a protagonist she might work in a video game, if only because the audience would feel like her achievements were the result of them playing the game; the results of their hard work. But that isn't case. Her successes feel unearned, even compared to Luke's. It wasn't until the third movie that he could stand up to Vader, yet Rey overpowers Kylo Ren (read: Darth Vader) with zero training. Where is the struggle when there are no failures?

Which brings us to our villain, Kylo Ren. He had a pretty cool opening sequence in which he shows off his mastery of the Force in a very impressive way. He came across as a bad ass. But as the movie rolls on, they don't give him a good motivation nor characterization to explain his disposition. He acts like an angry teen like Anakin in the prequels. Specifically Anakin from Revenge of the Sith. And then he gets stomped by a first time lightsaber user.... Yes, he is clearly the new Vader. *eye roll*

And all of this leads to the ultimate point: that they wanted to shove their under developed characters into the plot of A New Hope with no characterization nor coherency. They don't care about logic, all they are trying to do is squeeze happy nostalgia feelings from the audience by pulling off the same scenes from previous movies. They tried to pass it off as a coherent movie by appealing to nostalgia or by making elements bigger (ie: Starkiller Base is a bigger Death Star and the movie lets you know this by showing you a visual comparison). Like people should accept this convoluted doppelganger of A New Hope simply because it reminds them of it. This movie is lazy and pandering.
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101 of 168 users found this helpful10167
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3
Praseidimio666Jan 16, 2016
If this movie vote was to consider the marketing and hype and compare to its value, the vote would be a huge negative.
This is a poor remake of the early movies, though it's completely uninspired and forgettable, the plot predictable and
If this movie vote was to consider the marketing and hype and compare to its value, the vote would be a huge negative.
This is a poor remake of the early movies, though it's completely uninspired and forgettable, the plot predictable and uninspiring, the evil character is one of the lamest ever
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34 of 58 users found this helpful3424
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3
tsumeoneDec 24, 2015
This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. This is probably my least favorite Star Wars movie for the following reasons:

-No Pacing. After the anticlimactic lightsaber fight between Rey and Ben where they obviously were setting the stage for the sequel, the movie was rushed. There was no pacing whatsoever. The scene transitions from that to their base to the completed map to Luke in what seemed like a blink of the eye.

-Little character development. They did not put nearly as much effort into developing Finn as they should have. His defection seemed forced by the writers, and only later in the movie does he very briefly and vaguely touch on why he defected. Rey fared off a bit better but the movie doesn't explain her attachment to Jakku and pretty much has her instantly mastering the force, easily defeating Ben who had way more experience than she.

-Everyone seemed to get over Han Solo's death way too quickly. Also, the foreshadowing was almost insultingly obvious. Having the light shining on him and Ben go dark just before he is killed? Come on.

-All of the combat was bland and uninspired. This movie could have redeemed itself if the action scenes were worth it, but they were not. The movie did nothing to get the viewer invested in the combat. It was nothing but the same tired movies in both the fighter combat and the lightsaber combat. Many of the scenes and maneuvers where they are attacking the "big deathstar" seemed to be near identical clones of the original deathstar fight.

I did not expect the movie to live up to the hype, but it was a much bigger let down than expected. I had high hopes for Disney and am disappointed.
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110 of 185 users found this helpful11075
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3
noobmsu93Jan 17, 2016
A very unoriginal film. I am perplexed as to how anyone who grew up watching Star Wars would consider giving this a high score. It is just a pathetic rehash of Star Wars IV!
I'm not going to reiterate what has been written by so many
A very unoriginal film. I am perplexed as to how anyone who grew up watching Star Wars would consider giving this a high score. It is just a pathetic rehash of Star Wars IV!
I'm not going to reiterate what has been written by so many thoughtful viewers. But I will ask all of you this...why are we as a culture accepting this vapid excuse of creativity from film makers? Why redo/remake works by more creative people just to keep a profitable franchise alive? Why not try something new?
Who knows it could even be profitable (and it probably would be)! Stop listening to the "bean counters" Hollywood!
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50 of 85 users found this helpful5035
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3
Joeycs74Jan 5, 2016
Very disappointed with this star wars. Same story of the IV episode with a new look. Recycling of an original storyline to a younger generation. Lack of creativity and originality in the script. The saga came into loop. Luke is Obi-wan, theVery disappointed with this star wars. Same story of the IV episode with a new look. Recycling of an original storyline to a younger generation. Lack of creativity and originality in the script. The saga came into loop. Luke is Obi-wan, the girl is the new Luke, the stormtrooper is the new Han Solo and so on ... only Chewie does not need to be renewed. There's also a new death star, of course. All within the politically right, now with women and black people as protagonists. Expand
69 of 116 users found this helpful6947
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3
ToThePointDec 26, 2015
This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. I've seen it once and the more I think about it the more I dislike it.

I am a big SW fan of the originals, including ROTJ. Came in with an open mind, thought the beginning was strong but that was it. The special effects and cinematography are excellent with the story and characters being the weakest part. They had years to create a strong plot, they had seemingly endless possibilities (and budget).

This movie lacks menace and tension. There is no depth within any of the characters. I really didn't understand what was going on the universe. Another death star? Bumping into Solo? CGI emperor? CGI old woman? Evil person being outclassed by a newbie Jedi. The list goes on.

A criticism people are not discussing. Are we to believe LUKE SKYWALKER, a character with 3 movies worth of integrity runs away from his problems and evil after a set back. He stays hidden while evil amasses and ultimately destroys billions of lives. The scene is completely different from "Old Bens Kenobi" retirement to Tatooine, where he watched over the last hope of the Jedi (Luke) rather than hid.

Such a disappointment and now they've ruined it. They have to continue the films with these characters and this "new" universe. I don't believe they can turn it around. It did not feel like Star Wars. I'm not looking forward to the spin offs either with the director of Jurassic World (another over hyped empty piece of plastic) signed on. Hollywood is in shambles. J J Abraham's is a poor director. He has made millions but his legacy is that of a B class director.
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56 of 94 users found this helpful5638
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3
macro_zorkiSep 7, 2022
What a disapointment. Disney missed to tell a great story and instead remade the old movies without a soul. shame on you disney. we live in a time where big cooperations buy the creations of great people and milk it to death. shame on you disney.
1 of 1 users found this helpful10
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3
nj06Dec 18, 2015
As someone who saw all the previous Star War movies, and enjoyed each one of them, my impression of Force Awakens is mostly negative. This is by far the least original movie in the Star Wars series. There are zero surprises or suspense inAs someone who saw all the previous Star War movies, and enjoyed each one of them, my impression of Force Awakens is mostly negative. This is by far the least original movie in the Star Wars series. There are zero surprises or suspense in The Force Awakens. Every plot twist (if it can be even called that) is telegraphed with an unusual lack of subtlety. You can say what you want about Lucas, but even the harshest critic of prequels has to acknowledge that every one of those movies, while perhaps containing some wooden acting and a few unfortunate characters (e.g. Jar Jar) also introduced new awesome goose-bump-producing characters (e.g. Qui Gon, Darth Maul), new plot twists, and genuine surprises. The Force Awakens simply has none of that. Instead it has the feeling of a made-for-TV Star Wars reunion special. A big problem for The Force Awakens are its villains. Kylo-Ren could not scare a 5-year old, the store-brand Voldemort (pardon me Supreme Leader Snoke) reminded me mostly of an elderly Ent, General Hux is is a drama queen in a 1950's flight-attendant hat, and Captain Phasma mostly has the role of an obedient and disciplined hostage. Darth Vader would **** each on one of those with his little finger while drinking his morning tea gazing in the distance. If you are looking for something scary in this movie, Carrie Fisher's acting is it. Anticipating whether she will be able to keep it together in her scenes provides some nervous suspense. The battle scenes are surprisingly short and taking place mostly on earth as far as I can tell. Space is simply not a big part of this movie. I could go on and, on but you get the gist. I watched each on the previous Star Wars movies at least 10 times and they remain one of my guilty-pleasures and time-wasters. I will continue to watch the newly made Star Wars movies, but probably each one of them just once. Expand
104 of 186 users found this helpful10482
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3
magie666Jan 2, 2016
It's a money-grabbing re-hash of the beloved star wars (1977). I left the cinema with a very Bitter taste in my mouth. Almost everything in it is a copy from the original, its just been jigged up with some new characters and cgi. Thats it...It's a money-grabbing re-hash of the beloved star wars (1977). I left the cinema with a very Bitter taste in my mouth. Almost everything in it is a copy from the original, its just been jigged up with some new characters and cgi. Thats it... UTTERLY DISAPPOINTED.!!!!!!!!!!!!!
John Boyega wasnt too bad as an actor in it, bit silly but wasnt too bad.
Daisy Ridley was an utter disappointment, ''SHE CANT ACT'' she was awful.!!!!
The stupid attempt to add humour was a failure...I cant remember laughing once at the cheesy lines. It was shockingly BAD.
Star wars the force awakens: Soulless, Unremarkable, bland, dull Need I go on !!!

I gave it 3.. nothing more , nothing less
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70 of 119 users found this helpful7049
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3
4TifierNov 5, 2016
EPISODE IV

Sorry for anyone who has just read the first two words of my review, because I just spoiled this entire movie just by saying those two words! This is by far the most disappointing movie I have ever seen; I would even go as
EPISODE IV

Sorry for anyone who has just read the first two words of my review, because I just spoiled this entire movie just by saying those two words!

This is by far the most disappointing movie I have ever seen; I would even go as far as saying it is the second-worst Star Wars film to date (the worst being, of course, Episode II).

What was advertised as a sequel and a continuation of the Star Wars universe turns out to actually be a copy+paste remake of the first Star Wars movie. I cannot believe Disney and J.J. Abrams would stoop this low just to make a lot of money.

But besides this movie being completely unoriginal, it does so much more wrong that makes this movie a 1.5/5 Star film...

For starters, the character development is far too quick and shallow.

Why does Finn suddenly decide to join the good side? Meh, who cares....

Why does Rae know how to use the Force? Meh, who cares...

How do Finn and Rae master any weapon/vehicle she touches? Meh, who cares...

Why are Finn and Poe suddenly butt buddies? Meh, who cares...

Secondly, the development of the story is based on pure coincidence and luck!

Finn and Rae happen to find the Millennium Falcon and happen to fly it better than Han ever could and happen to fly it to where Chewie and Han are hiding who happen to know where the rebel base is where it so happens that Luke's lightsaber is there and Rae happens to find it and remember to past...

I could continue, but I think you get the point by now...

Third, the villains are absolutely horrible!

Kylo Ren is just a discount Darth Vader whose just full of hot gas and Captain Phasma is just a chrome spray-painted Stormtrooper who does absolutely nothing but give the good guys what they want (she doesn't even get that much screen-time).

Their costumes are also completely unoriginal. Heck, even the Bounty Hunters who were shown on screen for 5 seconds in "The Empire Strikes Back" had more effort put into their costumes than the main villains of this movie!

In conclusion, the writing of this movie is literally a copy+paste of a fan fiction written by J.J. Abrams, and is far from being a proper Star Wars film. Yet it is because Disney advertised this film to be an "original continuation" is why I truly despise this film.
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44 of 89 users found this helpful4445
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3
hubickDec 22, 2015
Here I was all worried about spoilers, not realizing I'd already seen them all 30 years ago :-(

The effects, and particularly the new cast were great, but screen time that could have been spent better introducing the new characters was
Here I was all worried about spoilers, not realizing I'd already seen them all 30 years ago :-(

The effects, and particularly the new cast were great, but screen time that could have been spent better introducing the new characters was wasted fawning over the previous cast in ways which barely served the plot. And, a THIRD Death Star, really?
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19 of 32 users found this helpful1913
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3
tater_collinsDec 20, 2015
It makes me sick seeing the truth about this movie. We wanted a continuation of an epic story, not a reboot/remake just to make money. I also can't believe people are praising the fact that is is a reboot/remake. People think they can slapIt makes me sick seeing the truth about this movie. We wanted a continuation of an epic story, not a reboot/remake just to make money. I also can't believe people are praising the fact that is is a reboot/remake. People think they can slap the Star Wars name on things and rake in the cash. Is that all that matters to you, Jar Jar Abrams? Money? Expand
20 of 35 users found this helpful2015
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3
moothemagiccowDec 22, 2016
the movie was a two hour chase sequence and it ended in the same place it began - with the thing you actually wanted to see. all it did was set up sequels, and hell, maybe prequels, too. it burnt down exposition because, well, the first starthe movie was a two hour chase sequence and it ended in the same place it began - with the thing you actually wanted to see. all it did was set up sequels, and hell, maybe prequels, too. it burnt down exposition because, well, the first star wars didn't have any, and everyone hated all the excess of boring political talk in the prequels. like iron man 2 or batman v superman, it served as a 2+ hour advertisement for future movies like Skywalker's Severed Hand: A Star Wars Story.

despite being a sequel, i have no idea what the hell the first order or a kylo or a snoke or anyone is or why there are a trillion stormtroopers. why the hell did luke skywalker's absence lead to a reversal in power that allowed someone to build a friggin death star? the whole rebellion and its armies of soldiers just fell sideways because one guy left? in the last movie he wasn't in charge of squat.

why would someone build a death star again? why doesn't anyone in star wars have email? everything is communicated by shipping droids across the galaxy.
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4 of 6 users found this helpful42
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3
JoshimakiDec 18, 2015
This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. Nostalgia aside... it wasn't that good. *SPOILERS AHEAD*

We all love Star Wars *except most of our girlfriends and wife's* but i was quite dissapointed with this new Di$ney Ver$ion and here are the reasons.

First off some characters sucked. Snoke came out of nowhere as a villain *I was hoping at one point that it was Palpatine since we never saw him die* and the way he was presented...his character..doesn't convince at all. Kylo Ren started awesome until he removed his mask for no major plot reason and started acting weak *They Should've wait for that last scene with Han Solo so that the fact that he still had some unstable humanity left would've impact more*aside from the fact that he gets beats up by Rey who had JEDI POWERS AND KNEW HOW TO USE THEM NOT EVEN BEING TRAINED BY A JEDI OR EVER MEETING ONE IN PERSON. Aside from that the other ones were OK.

Next comes the SUPER WEAK PLOT. Everyone is looking for Luke Skywalker...thats the plot..and is solved in the mos **** way possible *The r2d2 part*. I always say that a simple plot can be good if its well detailed but this one left more questions than aswers which made the movie feel more like a teaser for the next film$$$. Some characters didnt even had any type of development...Captain Phasma for instance...

And finally there was nothing new brought to the table ....Destroy a weapon *A new hope* Family issues *empire strikes back*.The only new thing about a Storm trooper realizing his wrong ways was very poorly focused.*Specially when after watching a comrade die he was killing 20 more trying to escape*.

Overall lets just hope that the next two directors give us a better representation of what they consider Star Wars to be.Until then; may the force be with you.
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63 of 126 users found this helpful6363
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3
senya666Dec 18, 2015
This movie was a ton of fun, totally unnecessary, and made no sense whatsoever. The Prequels had an intriguing plot and terrible characters. Force Awakens has some really fun characters and a terrible plot. Way too much fan service, noThis movie was a ton of fun, totally unnecessary, and made no sense whatsoever. The Prequels had an intriguing plot and terrible characters. Force Awakens has some really fun characters and a terrible plot. Way too much fan service, no original ideas, and one of the coolest characters ever goes out like a chump. I could go on but there's little point. Expand
61 of 131 users found this helpful6170
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3
Viper2024Dec 18, 2015
This was the first Star Wars movie without George Lucas and it is an uninspired part of the Star Wars saga. It seems to be the new American Dream that an average movie maker like JJ Abrams will get his chance to ruin everything other peopleThis was the first Star Wars movie without George Lucas and it is an uninspired part of the Star Wars saga. It seems to be the new American Dream that an average movie maker like JJ Abrams will get his chance to ruin everything other people build up. Once he revived Star Trek (2009) only to destroy it with STID (2013).

There are countless plagiarism in the movie and when you have seen the old Star Wars movie there are not many new in this part. You have the same dialogues and the same plot as in the other Star Wars movies. But wait one thing is new the villain has a new lightsaber – yeah great. But his representation as villain is pitiful and his martial arts are ridiculous.

Han Solo is the new Jar Jar Binks – at the end of the movie I missed Jar Jar for the first time in my life – because his one-liner are annoying with the time. And I can’t believe that Lawrence Kasdan (Episode V+VI) and Michael Arndt (Oblivion) are responsible for the script.

George Lucas is still a genius and I think he is really disappointed what Disney made with his legacy.
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51 of 108 users found this helpful5157
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3
nerdpanchiDec 18, 2015
Most of my life I had been looking forward to this movie. After all the struggle I went through to obtain the tickets, I can't believe all that was for this. The major plot is just a rip-off of the original movies. The original actors barelyMost of my life I had been looking forward to this movie. After all the struggle I went through to obtain the tickets, I can't believe all that was for this. The major plot is just a rip-off of the original movies. The original actors barely had any screen time.There was no character development at all. Why should we care about the two major characters (Rey and Finn) I really didn't understand. We saw very little of Poe. The movie plot was rushed, nothing original, nothing intriguing. I am sad and extremely disappointed. Expand
76 of 154 users found this helpful7678
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3
nalljaDec 18, 2015
There are many things to like about the new Star Wars movie, strong female characters, visual effects which are stunning but not over the top, strong acting performances, and a multitude of varied locations which expand the SW universe.There are many things to like about the new Star Wars movie, strong female characters, visual effects which are stunning but not over the top, strong acting performances, and a multitude of varied locations which expand the SW universe. Unfortunately these do not overcome the short comings in the plot or the story telling. It is very difficult to take a hugely successful franchise and create new engaging story lines. Abrams fails again as he did with Star Trek ( another where the cast did fantastic despite Abrams ). Save your money and catch this one on Redbox. Expand
54 of 109 users found this helpful5455
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3
NuttyCriticDec 18, 2015
This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. As a fan Abrams could have fixed alot of things.
Boba Fette could have flew out of the sarlaac pit, Darth Maul could have made an appearance , he could have cloned a new vader.
Instead he played it as safe as he could, no creativity , there isnt one Holy **** I cant wait till they see this moment! in the movie.
Remember when Kenobi trained Luke or when Yoda trained Luke? None of that magic is here , now apparently an untraineded jedi Rey can defeat a trained jedi Ren.
This move is even more disapointing than the prequels because I expected as a fan Abrams would fix what Lucas broke , instead he failed more miserably than I ever imagined.
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38 of 73 users found this helpful3835
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3
marsh9799Dec 18, 2015
This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. I was saddened by how disappointing this movie was. Don't get me wrong. It was somewhat enjoyable, and I will probably see it again, but it was disappointing.

One of the things that I believe is frequently overlooked with the original trilogy is how solid the writing actually was. This was where I felt "The Force Awakening" failed. In the original trilogy, we have a very clear character arc with Luke Skywalker. While some may knit pick over the speed of his development and proficiency, he develops as character and force user over each episode. We do not actually see Luke overtly use the force until ESB. I can recall only two examples within ANH where he uses the force. The first is while Obi-Wan is training him on the Millennium Falcon with the floating ball. While we the audience realize he is using the force, it is not so overt that Han Solo can't dismiss it as luck. The second instance is when he destroys the Deathstar by making the impossible shot without his targeting computer. Again, we know what is going on even if the other characters do not. Luke is learning to use the force. It is the beginning of his journey to becoming a Jedi. We know what much of what he will be capable of as we've seen Obi-Wan and Darth Vader use the force.

I want to emphasize that point. We know the outcome of the original trilogy maybe 30-45 minutes into ANH. We're going to have a show down between Luke, as a Jedi, and Darth Vader. What we don't know is how that's going to happen. That is essentially what the whole original trilogy is about- how Luke develops into a character that can defeat Vader.

Kylo Ren starts as an extremely promising antagonist. Like Vader, he is not going to be the ultimate villain. The ultimate villain in the original trilogy is the Emperor. The ultimate villain in this trilogy appears to be Supreme Leader Snoke. However, that is unimportant. The purpose of the antagonist is to provide opposition to the protagonist. Right from the start, we see Kylo Ren as a powerful opposition figure. Within the first 10 minutes or so, we see him sense a laser blast and stop it mid air. This is great. This is a powerful scene. Our antagonist is not weak. He's strong. Our protagonist, our hero is going to have to overcome this? No easy task.

But no...

This is not the case. Our hero after being told that the force does exist, suddenly turns into a Master Jedi for all practical purposes. While Luke trains for years (there are three years between ANH and ESB) before being able to pull his light saber out of ice, Ren figures this out literally within days of learning of the existence of the force. And... Luke began his training under Obi-Wan. He didn't start cold. Additionally, she's able to use the force to persuade a guard to release her. Luke did not demonstrate this ability until RotJ which is another year of training.

The antagonist is defeated by the protagonist... at the outset of the trilogy. This is radically different than ANH. While the Rebellion wins that round, Vader doesn't lose. The only reason that Luke lives is because Han Solo returns at the last second and clips one of Vader's wingmen thus securing Luke time to make the shot at the exhaust port. The Empire loses this round. Vader simply does not win. In contrast, Kylo Ren loses. Rey systematically dismantles him. She slashes his leg, stabs his shoulder, and slashes his face nearly killing him. All done with contemptuous ease. The first direct confrontation Luke has with Darth Vader is radically different. Luke is beaten relentlessly by Vader's use of the force, has his hand cut off, and then attempts suicide rather than join Vader only to be rescued by the thinnest of margins.

While the comparisons are being drawn to ANH and TFA has been labeled ANH 2.0 by many, this is resembles ESB more than anything only with the roles reversed. The "Resistance" dominates all confrontations in this movie. The only time the First Order ever gains any traction is when they launch a surprise attack against inept opposition. They successfully attack a defenseless village. They successfully attack a defenseless bar. They successfully destroy five planets with a sneak attack from a super weapon. When the Resistance arrives at the "bar," they route the First Order. They attack the Starkiller with a handful of ships and a three man strike force, they blow up the most powerful weapon the galaxy has ever seen. In the original trilogy, destroying the Deathstar is accomplished by a fleet and, in RotJ, a real ground invasion, and of course, luck.

While it does have the appearance of a "real" Star Wars movie (AKA the original trilogy), it's mere window dressing from one liners, the presence of Han Solo, and special effects style. The original trilogy was an epic designed along the concept of the Hero's Journey. We do not have any elements of that here.
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63 of 111 users found this helpful6348
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3
Gonk1138Dec 18, 2015
Star Wars: A Newer Hope.

Fans waited over thirty years for this...and we got a remake disguised as a sequel. I surely hope that George Lucas received a story credit for this chapter.
47 of 100 users found this helpful4753
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3
SKDDec 18, 2015
This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. I was excited about this movie, but it's really disappointing.

1. The plot is a copy and paste of Episode IV. Droid is abandoned on desert planet with important plans, finds protagonist, leaves planet in Millennium Falcon. Another planet destroying "Death Star" is on the loose and must be stopped. Except in this movie, the plans aren't the weakness to this weapon. It's the location of missing Luke Skywalker. Because he's just hanging out near a cliff somewhere and can't be bothered by any of this. It's like he's a location now, because you need a map to find him and he can't move on his own. Nobody ever explains why it's a priority that both sides find Luke. As if bringing him back or killing him would do anything to influence the planet killing plot.

2. Zero character development. The two new characters have a development arc that is a flat line. I didn't feel connected to either of them. They didn't mature or flesh out their reason for fighting. With Luke, you had him go to Obi-won's hut where he was intrigued by the story of his father being a legendary Jedi. Here, the characters continue onto the next phase of the story because...reasons. The plot just demands it. Nothing else. The drama is all forced.

Finn's defection isn't very believable. Maybe if it had built up over time and he had been a part of a few more massacres, I could see that, but otherwise this feels like a spur of the moment thing. And the Sith don't have a very compelling reason for fighting either. None of the differences between the protaganists and antagonists are ever explored. For all we know, this war was over which color everyone's lightsaber should be.

3. I know this is science fiction, but this is now at the point where it is a parody of itself. Want to take off a ship at lightspeed? Sure, go for it. Why not? Want to land it at lightspeed too? Go for it. We're not even trying to add a sense of realism here. And let's suck up an entire star into our superweapon while we're at it.

4. Boring combat. The Resistance fleet consisted of 12 X-wings. That's it! And there were no Star Destroyers guarding 'Death Star III'. They show up once or twice, but have no role in any battles beyond Finn's escape. Say what you will about the prequels, but Episode III had a real space battle worthy of Star Wars history.

So to sum up

Cons:
-weak, copied story from Episode IV
-forced drama and flat character arcs
-zero political context or motivation for why anyone is doing anything
-scaled down spaceship battles to dogfights only

Pros:
-nice special effects

The unfortunate march of Hollywood to prize eye candy over substantive plots continues. There is nothing in this movie that wasn't already done in the previous movies better.
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69 of 129 users found this helpful6960
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3
NoxosDec 19, 2015
This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. ******MAJOR PLOT SPOILERS BELOW*******

I'm posting this mainly to see if there is anyone else out there who feels the way I do about TFA, I haven't read/watched any reviews yet but the 95% on RT kind of surprised me. I'm not trying to rain on the parade at all here -- I really wanted to like this movie -- but to me it was bitterly disappointing.

Cons: I did not buy any of the major relationships at all, to me this was by far the biggest failing of the movie. Finn/Rey, Finn/Poe, shockingly even Leia/Han. They all felt extremely forced and came across as trying REALLY hard to recapture the chemistry of the Big 3 in the OT. When Poe and Finn rush to embrace after Finn sees him for the first time alive, I was kind of taken aback because to me they just hadn't "gotten there" yet, so it just came off as weird. I don't know what the problem was, the acting, the script, or some elusive, hard-to-quantify, movie magic thing. The main problem is that throughout the movie there is basically zero character development, and as a result it's difficult to care about anything that happens.

The whole movie felt like a point-for-point rehash of A New Hope -- a few nods here and there are cool and would be expected, but TFA went way beyond that. I'm honestly pretty surprised that this script was OK-ed because it is so blatant in parts. Just a few examples:

-The fact that once again a critical bit of info is given to a droid who is left to his (its?) own devices -- said droid is then taken hostage by desert scavengers before being "rescued" by the protagonist.

-All of the ball turret scenes on the Falcon.

-A "scoundrel" type character that makes snarky remarks and likes to use his ship's undercarriage gun to blast baddies while trying to escape.

-Death Star 3 (I'm REALLY surprised they went with this as I thought it was a common problem that people have with ROTJ)

-Cantina scene

Due to the above (and more) I frequently had the feeling that I was watching a straight up second rate remake. Last major problem I had with the movie was that it was just not subtle AT ALL. The worst example being the scenes setting up Finn to leave the First Order. I could practically hear JJ yelling into my ear "HE'S CONFLICTED ABOUT WHAT IS GOING ON RIGHT NOW! LOOK AT HIS FACIAL EXPRESSIONS! -- CAN YOU TELL HE IS CONFLICTED? IN CASE YOU COULDN'T -- LET ME SPELL IT OUT FOR YOU -- THIS CHARACTER IS VERY CONFLICTED!!!"

There were also a few really bad exposition scenes where it felt like characters were just vomiting up important plot points because the script couldn't think of a more clever way to explain the story.

Ok so that's the bad, there were some parts of this movie that I did actually enjoy:

-Every scene with Snoke was great. What an awesome character design. When he first came up on screen I was just blown away -- the holograph-making-him-seem-huge trick was a stroke of genius, though part of me wishes he really was that big.

-Lightsaber duels following more after the style that Luke and Vader have at the end of ROTJ (i.e. passionate hacking that looks like they are really trying to kill each other). The only problem was I couldn't get emotionally wrapped up in them in the same way because again, I just did not buy the character relationships and didn't care who lived or who died.

-Some very cool landscapes: my three favorites being the backdrop as Rey "sandboards" down a dune, the Snoke "throne room", and the bridge where Han bites it.

-The vision sequences when Rey picks up Luke's lightsaber were great. It's a shame they didn't go anywhere with it.

So to conclude, for me this movie failed, though in a different way from the prequels. Say what you want about the prequels (and I am not at all a fan -- not trying to stir the pot here -- just want to give some context to my views), but George did not "play it safe" and rehash the OT at all. This movie takes zero risks. And as much as the prequels suffer from general "woodenness", I found TFA's character relationships even less convincing (excluding maybe Anakin/Padme).
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125 of 210 users found this helpful12585
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3
stu471Dec 20, 2015
This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. Let me start out by saying I love Star Wars, I love what JJ Abrams did with the new Star Trek. I had very high hopes for this film. I also would have forgiven pretty much anything if it was just a decent movie (logical script, decent acting). But JJ you broke my heart.
The prequels were better, and I hated the prequels. Phantom Menace was yes (cringe, I really hate saying this) better than this film.
Here is why the prequels were better
1. Prequels had more respect for what a Jedi is, to a be Jedi you had to be gifted in the force and most importantly train for years to be one. In Star Wars the Force Awakens this is thrown out the window, if you all of a sudden find out you have the force you can a) resist a Sith Lords interrogation b) you know and can use Jedi mind tricks on storm troopers c) defeat a Sith who was previously a Jedi trained by Luke Skywalker.
2. As much as it pains me to say this, the prequels had better plots and better acting. The prequels had original plots that were not completely obvious. Liam Neeson had a presence that nobody in this new film had. Christopher Lee and Ian McDiarmid were much better villains and even worse Hayden Christensen was better than Adam Driver (I think I am going to cry now, I didn't think there could be a worse performance in a Star Wars film and I like Adam Driver). Adam Drivers Kylo Ren started out really good, that first scene was good, but then he proceeds to have temper tantrums where he slashes computers. As bad as Adam Drivers Kylo Ren was the worst was Domhall Gleeson, who I also have loved in other films (ex machina), his General Hux was so bad it was hard to watch. When he screemed out as the Starkiller sent out the killer beams it was reminiscent of a highschool senior giving a graduation speech. He was really poorly cast, the general of the first order should have been cast with someone with more gravitas. Just think if they had used someone like Ian McKellen, or Ian McShane or anyone older than 50. That part really needed an older actor.
3. The prequels had much better lightsaber battles. As much as I loved the new red lightsaber that Kylo Ren had and my god the lightsabers looked so cool, but no one knew how to use them. The lightsaber battles were reminiscent of watching the fake battles at a medieval fair. The last lightsaber battle scene had such potential, a lightsaber battle in the snow, think of the possibilities (snow flakes sizzling off of a lightsaber). What is worse is that they could have been better, sooo much better (Genndy Tartakovsky's "The Clone Wars" but live action).

A couple other final points
A new deathstar call a starkiller, really? How did the first order manage to hide this from the rebels and the republic for so long? Why didn't the rebels take it out earlier?
You are really going to kill Han Solo in the first movie? I know every one is following the game of thrones theme of anyone can die, but this was a terrible choice. This really didn't work, if I was supposed to hate Kylo Ren for this I didn't, I hated Kylo Ren because he was a terrible character.

Words cant describe how disappointed I am with the new film. I'm done with you Star Wars, I thought there was a new hope but my hope has been destroyed.
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29 of 55 users found this helpful2926
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3
lcampoliDec 20, 2015
Didn't really do it for me. It definitely started strong, but it just moved very slowly. The best scene, for me, is when Rey is introduced to the Force; it was great leap into the character's psyche, and Daisy Ridley exhibited a greatDidn't really do it for me. It definitely started strong, but it just moved very slowly. The best scene, for me, is when Rey is introduced to the Force; it was great leap into the character's psyche, and Daisy Ridley exhibited a great performance. In fact, all of the acting was great.

The flaws of the movie were its length and lack of creativity. It is extremely boring, cliched, and fake. There is little, if any character development, and therefore lacked any deep fulfillment. This made it feel like a total waste of engagement on the part of the audience.
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20 of 34 users found this helpful2014
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3
everytimeyoudieDec 21, 2015
This genuinely fails to deliver on almost everything but nostalgia. To be perfectly honest it barely even felt like star wars. the plot is insanely dumb and the villains are terrible. This is everything I feared & worse.
38 of 64 users found this helpful3826
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3
PatrickBateman4Dec 21, 2015
A totally miss opportunity, dumb lines, boring character especially Finn and Poe, weak villains and the plot basically is a rehash of A New Hope, a complete recycling movie, truly the prequels are masterpiece in comparison with this one.
Bad
A totally miss opportunity, dumb lines, boring character especially Finn and Poe, weak villains and the plot basically is a rehash of A New Hope, a complete recycling movie, truly the prequels are masterpiece in comparison with this one.
Bad start for the new franchise.
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29 of 55 users found this helpful2926
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3
realrutzDec 23, 2015
There's so much true Star Wars fans have to be upset about with this movie. The most lacking factor was wow, wonderment and awe. Plus the fact that this film had no suspense and not one great action set piece. (a first for a Star Wars filmThere's so much true Star Wars fans have to be upset about with this movie. The most lacking factor was wow, wonderment and awe. Plus the fact that this film had no suspense and not one great action set piece. (a first for a Star Wars film and sad) TFA feels like Star Wars The TV Movie. And if it was a TV Movie on ABC, I would have been a little more impressed but this is the first Star Wars movie in theaters that is not an EPIC. I never felt transported to other worlds, I saw a desert and a forest with minimal production design. The Prequels are looking really good right now in that aspect (actually in every aspect). I give it two stars because of the actors and the "funny moments" but besides that it has no build up, at times its silly, and pandering. (I feel that John Williams had no idea how to score TFA because every action scene has no buildup thus no need for his amazing talent to give rise and build to scenes, not his fault) Rey has an unusual knowledge of the force, even though she has no real idea what it is. Things that took Luke 2 movie's to do, Rey did in 1 movie. I was reminded of this while watching The Empire Strikes Back when Luke is hanging upside down and is reaching for his Lightsaber, he is struggling to reach it and its very close by. Rey was able to do it with ease with no training from Yoda and from a much further distance. Its ugly women empowerment pandering "Anything you can do, I can do better" in a film series that is more about Father and Sons than anything else. They destroyed a bit of the gravity of the series with that nonsense throughout the film. And I am not a Women Empowerment hater, Mad Max: Fury Road and Jupiter Ascending proved that that sort of Propaganda if you will can be done right and us guys have to shut up because it was done with thoughtfulness and heart. TFA is not that, the whole film feels rushed especially the characters development.

My final negative point is something I read in another review which summed up my worst fears of what this film could have been which is:

"Which brings me to what I hated the most about the movie, and the main reason I'm giving it such a low score: it erases anything good and fulfilling we had at the end of Return of the Jedi. Every single one of the original heroes failed miserably in every aspects of their lives. Where is the reward for being good, just and do heroic deeds?
So... Han failed as a husband, as a father, as a member of the resistance and overall as a man (a bitter one it seems)... same goes for Leia (oh, she is a general of a sidekick cell that's supported by the republic... great). Luke is the worse of them all: failed as a jedi master, failed as a protector of the galaxy, as uncle, as friend, as brother, as the owner of R2D2"

TFA broods with so much negativity and abandons everything that our heroes fought so hard to protect. Its a huge slap in the face. It undermines the power of GOOD. Han Solo, Princess Leia, and Luke Skywalker all deserve a grace period after what they've been though and this film denied us that forever. We are right back in the same loop, and I get it most people come from broken homes, or fatherless childs, (I'm one of them) etc. But that doesn't mean films have to pander to society in such a manner. It could have been a great example to show that the GOOD in the world has to be protected and that its a torch of hope that we pass down to our children. TFA in my opinion has destroyed much history and has set us up for a very negative Trilogy, I guess one about the loop of destruction. And maybe that would have been acceptable if the movie was great via amazing set pieces, visual spectacle, wonderment, better pacing, a memorable score, and inspired production design but it didn't even do that. All things that are Star Wars Traditions. There's more of course, Plot holes all over the place and the misuse of Captain Phasma, is she dead?
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56 of 94 users found this helpful5638
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3
LuhterDec 21, 2015
I don't understand the over inflated score this movie has. I believe people want so bad this movie to be good and they turn into zealots because of this.

On short, this movie is beautiful visually. The acting is the best so far in the series
I don't understand the over inflated score this movie has. I believe people want so bad this movie to be good and they turn into zealots because of this.

On short, this movie is beautiful visually. The acting is the best so far in the series and natural. The pace is steady and funny moments are well balanced. The sound is above average, mainly because it tends to become predictable in toward the end. If a movie would be defined by only by those things, this SW would be a solid 9, maybe even 10.

But its not. A movie is a visual novel. And the story is terrible, so terrible that I felt bad how dumb and force it was. The characters lack depth, and the inner conflicts are pathetically expressed on screen. They exist just to showcase fan favorite concepts and to form a narrative that is a remake of episode 4. At this chapter this movie is bellow Hanna Barbara level.
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28 of 40 users found this helpful2812
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3
NamenotavailablDec 21, 2015
"The Farce Puts You to Sleep"

Boring, predictable and poorly written, rarely am I so disappointed in a move. Farce Awakens seems to somehow be worse than Phantom Menace without needing Jar Jar or Midi-chlorians. Recycled plot, so much so
"The Farce Puts You to Sleep"

Boring, predictable and poorly written, rarely am I so disappointed in a move. Farce Awakens seems to somehow be worse than Phantom Menace without needing Jar Jar or Midi-chlorians. Recycled plot, so much so that avoiding spoilers is pointless, and writing so full of holes you could fly a death star through them. Overall the movie came across like poorly written fan fiction, even by the standards of most SW fics.

The next episode better be "The Writers are Forced Back to School"
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35 of 59 users found this helpful3524
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3
Alastor00Dec 31, 2015
This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. You know what? Special effects are cool. That's why so much people gives 10 (10!!!!).
Han Solo is not the same anymore. The whole story is copy-paste. The final scene is totally nonsense. Kylo Ren is lame and Rey is overpowered. Chewbacca is the only true character of this movie.
And stopping laser midair... c'mon.
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82 of 138 users found this helpful8256
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3
Paul_M_DemaDec 22, 2015
Only good sides of this movie were good humor and really good play of Daisy Ridley. Story was copied from prev movies, Stormtroopers still suck, no big ships fighting only small x-wings and others. Most of the plot is result of aOnly good sides of this movie were good humor and really good play of Daisy Ridley. Story was copied from prev movies, Stormtroopers still suck, no big ships fighting only small x-wings and others. Most of the plot is result of a coincidences and showing us main villian Face was big mistake also the told us almost from the start who was Ren. There is tons of such mistakes i don't even want to continue Expand
18 of 31 users found this helpful1813
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3
goatulaDec 22, 2015
This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. Once upon a time JJ Abrams wrote down his favorite original trilogy scenes on separate note cards. He spread the cards before him. Wow, he thought, these scenes are cool. Since I'm doing the first movie of the trilogy, I'll keep most of the notecards from A New Hope and discard the rest. However, I'll keep the Vader/Luke catwalk scene as people tend cite that as their favorite. I'll keep the ROTJ cards too, actually.

Ok, there's still a lot of scenes here. I'll keep the ones that I've seen referenced in popular culture the most, and discard the rest...no, wait, let's keep it all- I'll alter them just enough so as not to violate that contract we signed with George.

Hmm, the original cast is older now. 30 years have passed. Let's write out the ramifications of the original trilogy such that Han is still a smuggler, Leia is leading a resistance and Luke, well, he told me he can't jump anymore so we'll stash him on an island somewhere. The opening crawl will make the movie about him, though, because, you know, Luke. Luke has disappear, Leia Luke! Crawl complete.

Ok, I have unlimited freedom and creativity in this universe. I need a climactic space battle scene. What's something that's never been done before in this universe? Death Star! But mine, mine will be bigger. Planet-sized. That's big, and the original Death Star worked because it was big, right? Wait, if it's a planet, there won't be any space battles in the movie- good trade off though because big. Since the Vader/Luke catwalk scener- er I mean Han/Ren scene needs to happen, and we need force awakening, let's do a mashup ROTJ style as main character arcs are so 1970s. Ray will learn about the force by showing her concentrating and/or flashing back. They'll explain it in the next episode of Lost.

I guess I'm old school- I like character growth, originality, pacing and WONDER. These are created dynamically and with intent and priority, and won't emerge passively from a cut n paste hackjob.

I can go on for days about this farce, but I've seen others doing a good job. Glad I'm not alone.

3 stars, because some of the acting was nice. I'd rank it 5th in the series, above TPM and AOTC.
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69 of 113 users found this helpful6944
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3
Disappointed58Dec 22, 2015
This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. I have to say overall I was let down by the movie. Started out kind of slow, and was kind of boring. I grew up watching the original Star Wars in 1977 at the theater. As a 7 year old, I was captivated by that movie and i was looking for the same thing, only to be disappointed. Abrams did not capture my enthusiasm. He is no George Lucas, and he would better off staying with and directing Star Trek. Probably with the help of Disney and Abrams, "The Force Awakens" is missing George Lucas's panache. For one, you killed off Han Solo. Unbelievable. One of the most iconic characters in the original trilogy. And you introduce us to a character that basically learns the force and how to use a lightsaber in a matter of a couple hours. Really? Luke is the "yoda" of Jedi Knights and it took him years and years to learn about the force and the dark side. Do I even ask what she accomplishes in episode 8? If ever a series needs resurrected, it is now. George Lucas, where are when we need you most? Expand
46 of 78 users found this helpful4632
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3
NikimonDec 23, 2015
Throughout this movie I was thinking "Who the h%&# is that guy?" As in what is that character doing in a star wars movie?

After the movie was over i saw no happy face in any of the other moviegoers, not one, and the theater was packed.
Throughout this movie I was thinking "Who the h%&# is that guy?" As in what is that character doing in a star wars movie?

After the movie was over i saw no happy face in any of the other moviegoers, not one, and the theater was packed. There is usually always someone hyped after a good effects movie. Nothing.

"I felt a great disturbance in the Force, as if millions of voices suddenly cried out in terror and were suddenly silenced. I fear something terrible has happened."

(btw. No fantastic lines to quote either ... nothing ....)

I never write reviews, but i have to comment this. I did not have great expectations to the movie, as i knew that Disney had taken over the franchise and thus probably would try and milk it for what its worth. In a way i was glad, because it meant more star wars for us fans.

Somehow they managed to create a movie with all star wars looking parts, but no feel.
It felt like the parts where chosen by focus groups from current buzz-words and opinion polls.

So since the product seems to come from cynical businessmen, my response is in a language they will understand.

1. I will not spend more money on star wars or star wars related products for quite a while.
2. I will recommend to friends and family to do the same.
3. I will write reviews like this where ever i can.
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67 of 113 users found this helpful6746
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3
KoreUptdDec 23, 2015
This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. No character development, predictable plot with many holes, forced chemistry between actors, weak and laughable villain, unoriginal story.
It is ridiculous that the "critics" give this film such high praise. I think it's hype and nostalgia that is masking the critical reviews so far. In time the mediocrity of this movie will sink in and the consensus of the SW community will be that it is pretty much just a less-than-worthy reboot of the original trilogy.

A few specific things that really bothered me:

1. Rey is an orphan, scavenging for parts to get by, but magically somehow when she is told that she has the Force, she suddenly knows out of nowhere to use the Jedi mind trick, can beat the bad guy in a lightsaber duel, and fly the Falcon like an ace pilot. No training needed - I guess Luke is a dunce for having to train under Yoda, huh? Sorry, not buying ANY of it.
2. CGI for the supreme leader, it's the same actor who did Gollum, and it shows. How original. And the cantina owner, unnecessarily CGI too.
3. Another Death Star, only bigger. Destroys a solar system, minutes later everyone acts as if this were just a mere inconvenience. Oh, and it has a weakness...sound familiar?
4. Kylo Ren is the lamest villian yet in Star Wars. I'll let you figure out why for yourself.
5. The Han Solo and Kylo face off was so predictable I saw it coming from a mile away, and afterward it just made me feel empty and sad. Also, when Ren and Chewy return to Leia, she totally ignores her long time friend Chewy and instead goes to Ren (whom she hardly even knows!), and shares in their grief. I guess Chewy's grief is irrelevant to Leia because why; he's a wookie? I am just shocked.

Yeah, there were some good moments, but after it's all said and done, I'm just feeling let down and depressed.
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69 of 116 users found this helpful6947
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3
SW7ISBADDec 23, 2015
Oh my, Oh God, Oh why....

Where do I begin with this mini review? As a Star Wars fan I have always loved the original movies and liked the prequels and appreciated the meaningful narrative that the saga told - to this day it is one of my
Oh my, Oh God, Oh why....

Where do I begin with this mini review? As a Star Wars fan I have always loved the original movies and liked the prequels and appreciated the meaningful narrative that the saga told - to this day it is one of my favourite movie franchises. Having said that, this entry falls so flat and feels so empty that I nearly had a heart attack after seeing the hype and all-round positivity surrounding this picture.

While watching the movie many things became apparent. Firstly it moves at a breakneck speed and you eventually realise why, there is no story or character development whatsoever - its almost as if someone had a gun at the back of the directors head, forcing him to move quickly before people catch on to the shallowness and superficiality of SW7. Secondly because the movie is crammed and there is no room to breathe, all the happy coincidences that happen in the film stick out like a sore thumb and feel false; its true to say that there are coincidences in the previous installments but because there actually is a deep and meaningful story it doesn't hit you in the eye like a bolt of lightning but occurs seamlessly and works. Thirdly where was the score? We're talking John Williams the maestro here. I expect he himself had a stroke when he watched it and could only deliver a generic compilation that would be appropriate to the film. I could go on with my list of disappointments but can't be bothered ...zzz..zz..zz

In conclusion this is a Disney movie and in all honesty feels more like a Guardians of the Galaxy 2 rather than a genuine entry into the saga and thats the problem. Star Wars was never on the surface in terms of depth, it had poetry, a compelling spiritual battle, growing momentum that led ( for me ) to a satisfying and well paced conclusion. If you like your movies light hearted, fun, shallow and not too serious then this movie will be right up your alley. But if you're like me and you wanted to see and experience that deep, rich and meaningul story that connects with you and leaves you feeling transported to another galaxy - this is DEFINITELY NOT IT!
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102 of 165 users found this helpful10263
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3
necromsisDec 23, 2015
This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. This movie is a rehash of episode 4 a new hope with parts of previous movies. The little new the did was ok at best and generic at worst. It's the same empire versus rebels, shoot the weak point in the death star, lowly main character on desert planet wishes to be on an adventure.this movie literally doesn't advance the story of star wars at all. The story is a string of coincidences. The characters and their relationships are developed in an instant.

The actions scenes are from previous movies. The plot is from previous movies. The characters that are worth while are from previous movies. The locations are designed to look like ones from previous movies. I knew the ending just by watching a new hope. It's obvious that this wasn't intended to be a good movie but a good cash grab. Designed for nostalgia. Don't fall for it. It has good CGI and a star wars soundtrack, that's it.
The people I know who love this are bandwagon fans who quickly saw each trilogy only once without retaining anything and would cry for hours because a squirrel tripped.
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66 of 111 users found this helpful6645
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3
BBC1Dec 23, 2015
God, I was so dissapointed with this movie. It was honestly the worst film of the entire franchise. I never felt immersed in the movie and there were just to many awful moments for me to really enjoy. There were a few good action scenes, butGod, I was so dissapointed with this movie. It was honestly the worst film of the entire franchise. I never felt immersed in the movie and there were just to many awful moments for me to really enjoy. There were a few good action scenes, but there were too many awkward scenes. I am a huge star wars fan and i was majorly dissapointed. Expand
72 of 121 users found this helpful7249
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3
icaci90Dec 24, 2015
This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. this movie is way better than any of the prequels but it's just "a new hope" with different characters( of course related to the old ones). what's really upsetting me is the fact that all the critic reviews are way too positive. I mean are you really praising JJ abrams for directing a movie that has no new ideas(first order=empire, star killer=death star,Rey=luke,Leia is still the rebels commander etc.)? and what about the villain? he's just like a teenage boy who's got issues with his parents. i know that this movie was made for the fan-dom but that doesn't justify the lack of originality. Expand
50 of 84 users found this helpful5034
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3
Raph75Dec 30, 2015
So, like many before me I did not believe the well-written and thoughtful negative reviews and I went to see the movie. I mean it is a 200 million JJ Abrams movie and I like JJ Abrams. How bad can it be? It turns out it can be pretty bad. AndSo, like many before me I did not believe the well-written and thoughtful negative reviews and I went to see the movie. I mean it is a 200 million JJ Abrams movie and I like JJ Abrams. How bad can it be? It turns out it can be pretty bad. And it is not JJs fault. JJ Abrams has strengths and he has weaknesses. His strengths are an ability to create intense, memorable, R-rated characters, full of flare and fun to watch. His main weakness is his willingness to sacrifice the strength of the plot for the bigger bang.

So what happens when JJ Abrams meets Disney executives, the manufacturers of the wholesome family entertainment? The answer is you get all of the JJs weaknesses while he is obviously forbidden from using any of his strengths. You should never forget that Disney execs are the brain trust that hated Johnny Depp's Captain Jack Sparrow and only Depp's "star power" forced them to acquiesce.

So what you get is an impossibly bland version of Star Wars universe, shot the same way all of Disney's TV movies for preschoolers are shot. The movie was carefully sanitized to extract any content that a 5-7 years old may find traumatic according to the most modern definitions of what a 5-7 years old finds traumatic (everything). Every scene of the movie you can see that the force grip executed by Darth Disney on JJ Abrams' throat was a powerful one and his leash was very short. Death, grief, fear, evil, romantic desire: all are removed or downplayed to the level of the core definition of "wholesome family entertainment".

My wife who is not a Star Wars fan but likes action and sci-fi and simply takes every movie as a stand-alone story gave it 3/10. She said it was basically another Disney Channel movie she would watch on TV with our kid. For me, as a Star Wars fan this movie was a bitter disappointment. 0/10. The thing is it could be a substantially better movie even with the same script (very minor changes) and the same director and the same actors, if they were ever allowed to cross the boundaries of a de-facto PG rating.

You can read other reviews for blow-by-blow details of what makes this movie so bad (those stories, they are all true), but at its core it is caused simply by Disney being Disney and JJ Abrams being only half of JJ Abrams - per Disney requirements.
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73 of 121 users found this helpful7348
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3
JMLedDec 26, 2015
This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. Thanks to the angry nerds who chased George Lucas away from Star Wars, we ended up with this garbage JJ Abrams nonsense because of you people.

How this movie ended up with an overall positive response from the media is baffling.

The gaping plot holes, cheese-ridden dialogue, and shameless recycling of OT scenes was painful to endure.
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69 of 116 users found this helpful6947
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3
Kevdog33Dec 26, 2015
I thought about walking out twice which would of been the first time I have wanted to walk out of a movie since the Phantom Menace. Han Solo and Chewbacca were at least enjoyable. Sadly Jar Jar Abrams has likely ruined 2 movies. This one andI thought about walking out twice which would of been the first time I have wanted to walk out of a movie since the Phantom Menace. Han Solo and Chewbacca were at least enjoyable. Sadly Jar Jar Abrams has likely ruined 2 movies. This one and the next Star Trek which he really seemed to be very adept at directing. To think he was to be the new hope. However, it is too derivative to be anything but what it came from. Crap Expand
69 of 116 users found this helpful6947
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3
armchaircritic9Dec 26, 2015
Like many other review will tell you, this film is literally a rehash of A New Hope. It becomes laughable how much material they took from the OT after you see them blow up ANOTHER death star. I wanted to see a continuation of the story, notLike many other review will tell you, this film is literally a rehash of A New Hope. It becomes laughable how much material they took from the OT after you see them blow up ANOTHER death star. I wanted to see a continuation of the story, not a recycled version of the existing one. JJ has failed this franchise and the millions of fans who follow it. There is no excuse for this lack of creativity. If episode 8 continues this trend I will not be watching the finale of the new trilogy. Expand
97 of 163 users found this helpful9766
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3
SleightofHamDec 27, 2015
Save your money, the memory, and your pants.

This movie was so atrocious I just **** my pants in disbelief. I say this as a movie lover, as a Star Wars fan, and as someone who paid the price of admission. I’ve never posted a movie review
Save your money, the memory, and your pants.

This movie was so atrocious I just **** my pants in disbelief. I say this as a movie lover, as a Star Wars fan, and as someone who paid the price of admission. I’ve never posted a movie review before today but felt compelled as I simply cannot fathom how this movie is receiving the positive critic ratings it has and continues to receive. I suspect it helps when you have Disney’s pockets and media delivery machine.

As a movie lover, the film had virtually no character development. You don’t care if the characters live or die because you know next to nothing about them. The relationships constructed between the characters over the course of the movie don’t feel real or believable. Oddly this applies equally to original trilogy characters as well as to new faces. The plot was propelled forward at ludicrous speed and by the occasional awkwardly-delivered explanation, dropped with the subtlety of a fat pink giraffe by one of the characters. The audience was entitled to and denied a deeper understanding of characters and events in this movie as it comes as the first installment after the original trilogy. In short you were left with an EPIC sense of… meh. On the upside, the CGI was beautifully done and the new robot was moderately endearing.

The biggest failing for this film, despite it largely coming off as a remake of episode 4, was that it didn’t feel like Star Wars. It was a Frankenstein monster whose parts were sourced from other Star Wars movies (primarily A New Hope). IT. HAD. NO. SOUL. With a universe as expansive as Star Wars and a franchise so beloved, you would think at least modest creative risks would be taken to further the story or to transport the audience to new and exotic worlds. Say what you will about episodes 1-3, but the worlds in those prequels at least felt immersive and novel. While viewing TFA I actually heard the person seated next to me mutter, “I didn’t realize this was supposed to be a remake…”. CHEERS TO THAT, BUDDY!

If you haven’t seen the original Star Wars films you have a shot at enjoying this film, but as someone who loved the original three movies, even the subsequent prequels, I call BS as I **** my pants all over again in frustration. Spoiler alert: It pales in comparison to the dump Disney just took on the Star Wars franchise.
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70 of 116 users found this helpful7046
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3
OpinionatorDec 27, 2015
This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. First of all, for all the 10 star reviewers out there complaining that the negative reviews are all trolls and haters, this is just completely false. Please read the negative reviews, these are legitimate issues being voiced by legitimate and passionate Star Wars fans. This franchise is so important to me that I've been depressed for the entire week since I've seen the movie. It drove me to create this metacritic account to add my voice to the discussion in order to give myself a much needed outlet for my disappointment. This is therapy...

To me, The Force Awakens is not a Star Wars movie, but rather just Star Wars porn for fanboys. I am a fanboy; but this fanboy lost a part of himself sitting in the theater last week watching what was a very forgettable sci-fi flick that happened to be set in the Star Wars universe. When I think about the movie, all I can say is "meh." So bland. There were ZERO moments when I was on the edge of my seat and super engaged in the film. What a waste, this could have been the moment when the franchise got back on track. There was so much to draw from and so many really great options for the future direction of the story, I just cannot believe this is what we ended up with. Poor form, JJ Abrams and Disney & Co., you ruined Star Wars for me again (disastrous Episodes I-III anyone?).

Here are the primary issues with the movie:

UNBALANCED
Rookie good guys (even if they're force-aware) do not beat ex-Jedi/Sith. They do not perform Jedi mind tricks out of nowhere (I was so confused when seeing that scene in the theater). They do not become ace pilots instantaneously. So on and so forth...

CGI
Using CGI for Maz and Snoke was a very poor choice. This really distracted from the story and felt out of place. Snoke was straight up 80% Voldemort / 20% Gollum mash up. So cheesy...

PLOT HOLES
Stormtrooper sees comrade die and senseless killing. Switches sides and commits senseless killing of his ex-comrades. Jedi master goes into hiding so no one can find him because he messed up, let's leave a treasure map to find me! So many more plot holes, just not enough characters available in this review to do this right.

KYLO REN
I actually love the idea of a young, unstable, tortured soul as the new bad dude. Problem is, he's not a bad dude. They should have made him really kick some @ss so you are in awe of him. He should make you fear him and make you think "oh man, we really need Luke or we're dead." Do not take off your mask.

OLD ACTORS
Carrie Fisher was painful to watch. Harrison Ford for me was also not fun to watch.

MISSING SCALE/SCOPE
Use CGI in space. Show 100s of ships when the Resistance is talking about their "whole fleet." Having a mix of old and new spacecraft duking it out would have really helped this movie.

OTHER
Literal storytelling was brutal (don't hold my hand, good pilot). Music was surprisingly not epic.

As so many other users have stated, one of the absolute atrocities committed by this film is the blatant disregard for the balance of power and well-established rules of the Star Wars universe. A newly force-sensitive individual should simply get obliterated by an ex-Jedi Padawan / Sith in training. An ex-Stormtrooper originally on sanitation duty (really?) should have absolutely no ability with a lightsaber, let alone be able to fend off Kylo for more than 1 or 2 blows. A scavenger should not be able to pilot the Millenium Falcon with ease after seeing it just sit there collecting rust for 30 years. A young Sith lord shouldn't have the power to freeze laser blasts and read minds in the first place. Even the Emperor and Vader couldn't do that. Juxtapose that power with Kylo's inability to defeat rookies in lightsaber duels and you see what I mean. A super planet-sized weapon should not be able to be constructed by the remnants of the well-oiled machine known as the Empire when the empire spent so much of its resources constructing a weapon a fifth of the size. Where did the First Order all of a sudden get the resources to pull this off after the fall of the Empire? Certainly they are less in control of the galaxy now.

I could continue for a while here, but you get the point. All of this serves to discredit and weaken our favorite characters from the past. Their struggles and sacrifices become meaningless and insignificant. What is the point when thinking about the events and gripping struggles in Episodes IV-VI if they are just re-hashed again here?

The only saving grace here would be Episode VIII coming in and filling in a bunch of back story to correct all this nonsense. Somehow Rey was trained as a Jedi much older than the flashback lets you believe. Maybe if she was further trained on Jakku by one of Luke's students you could make an argument here, but the film does not foreshadow any of this, and we'd have to wait 2 years to realize such a cleverly hidden plot device. That's a lot of time to have angry fans on your hands. I for one, am not holding my breath.
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83 of 140 users found this helpful8357
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3
rederpDec 27, 2015
I like space battles. I like death-defying stunts and acrobatic choreographed combat scenes. I like action. I like cgi.

I like all these things but they need to support a somewhat engaging story and characters. Sadly, we get a rehash of
I like space battles. I like death-defying stunts and acrobatic choreographed combat scenes. I like action. I like cgi.

I like all these things but they need to support a somewhat engaging story and characters.

Sadly, we get a rehash of the same story we have seen before. The same plot lines with the same progression as before. It's paint-by-numbers star wars. You have seen it all before and it's missing the adventure movie magic in an immersive fantasy world.

The actors give good performances. Very good within filling the shoes of old characters recycled with a twist. Those boundaries quickly become obvious however undermining all their effort.

Disney/JJ Abrams have clearly banked a nostalgia filled cash-in on their purchase of the franchise. Their no-risk approach is well polished but ultimately forgettable.
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98 of 160 users found this helpful9862
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3
ragtopman69Dec 28, 2015
Its obvious that the professional critics get paid to like the big blockbuster movies because this was just the same old Star Wars. The battle scenes are the same. The storm troopers wear the same uniforms as they did 30 years earlier.Its obvious that the professional critics get paid to like the big blockbuster movies because this was just the same old Star Wars. The battle scenes are the same. The storm troopers wear the same uniforms as they did 30 years earlier. Same old light saber, space craft and blasters. Same aliens. Same tavern scene. Darth Vadar was replaced with a slimmed down gayer version named Ren who of course is Han Solo/Leia's son who went over to the dark side. DUH Rey and Finn are the new characters who are essentially clones of Princess Leia and Luke Skywalker from the original Star Wars. Rey is one of the few bright spots of the movie. Finn is just plain stupid and irritating that you hope will be a minor character while the guy you think will be a major character (Poe) ends up being the minor characters. Androids are the same. Nothing new except for the 3D. Same plot from beginning to end as the original Star Wars. Even the battles could have been taken directly out of the original and spliced into this mess as there was nothing new. Heck, the entire movie is summed up in the scrolling prelude before the movie begins. I thought surely there is more to this movie than Luke Skywalker's whereabouts. NOPE. That is exactly what the movie is about. nothing more. And in the end he is on the top of a mountain herding goats or something. And I though the ending of LOST was biggest pile of crap laid by JJ Abrams. This tops that steaming pile by a mile. I give it 3 stars only because of Harrison Ford, Chewy and Rey. Oh, and my wife who was so fired up to see this fell asleep after about 45 minutes. If you are 12 years old this would be great movie. If you are over 20+ and like this then you got big problems. At least LOST didn't cost me $30.. Expand
59 of 99 users found this helpful5940
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3
HelenHDec 28, 2015
This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. To see this movie once is more than enough. It lacks both the originality of previous episodes and the carefree fun of the 2008 Clone Wars series. And some of the situations are simply not credible.

***SOME SPOILERS AHEAD***

Hm... We have captured an X-Wing pilot. He doesn't have the plans we are looking for anymore, because he hid them somewhere (and we know that for fact). We can see his X-Wing and there is no droid around. Where are the plans? Let's go and torture the pilot on our base, because leaving someone behind looking for the missing droid would require too much brain activity.

We are on a Star Destroyer and steal a TIE. And we have almost no problem getting out except for a cable that ties the TIE to the wall? Seriously, why aren't there shields protecting the entrance to the hangar? Or anyone can fly in and out as they fancy?

A stormtrooper is able to defend himself for several minutes against half-trained ex-Jedi in a lightsaber duel (OK, I know he lost in the end, but still). Why didn't the said ex-Jedi just use the Force and just snap his neck, slam him into a tree, or anything? I guess the Force is not so strong in this family, the intelligence most certainly isn't.

And so on and so on.

All in all, it's not a very good rehash of the previous movies with several flaws in logic.
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70 of 116 users found this helpful7046
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3
THe_NoMaDDec 28, 2015
The fun new characters and past favorites aren't enough to stop the plagiarism of A New Hope. It's TYBOE. Turn Your Brain Off Entertainment. If you can do that then it will be an enjoyable popcorn movie. If not you will hate it's many flawsThe fun new characters and past favorites aren't enough to stop the plagiarism of A New Hope. It's TYBOE. Turn Your Brain Off Entertainment. If you can do that then it will be an enjoyable popcorn movie. If not you will hate it's many flaws and logic failings. Expand
15 of 26 users found this helpful1511
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3
HotMacheteDec 29, 2015
After all the hype, The Force Awakens is ultimately a failure and missed opportunity in the same vein as the prequels. JJ Abrams gets better performances and better visuals on film than Lucas was able to with Episodes I through III, but theAfter all the hype, The Force Awakens is ultimately a failure and missed opportunity in the same vein as the prequels. JJ Abrams gets better performances and better visuals on film than Lucas was able to with Episodes I through III, but the actual story in Episode VII is just as riddled with plot holes, dues ex machina, fan service, and one-dimensional characters. It's Star Wars for the Transformers generation ... louder, more exaggerated, and ultimately dumbed down. Expand
43 of 73 users found this helpful4330
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3
KikillDec 30, 2015
1 points for BB8 being big fan of R2D2, I was very afraid of this new droid but I fell in love
2 points for Rey it seems really well in this character even if the repetition of character luke is really rough.
3 points for the scene
1 points for BB8 being big fan of R2D2, I was very afraid of this new droid but I fell in love
2 points for Rey it seems really well in this character even if the repetition of character luke is really rough.
3 points for the scene millenium falcon on Jakku.
But then Kylo Ren, grand-son of that you know who, humiliated by a black stromtrooper while stormtrooper normally clones of Jango Fett and it is not black.
With a teenage face that looks more out of Lord of the Rings as Darth Vader.
And after being formed by Luke is also afflicted by a small chick who just want to discover the Force and a lightsaber for the first time.
and Kylo who succeed in stopping a blaster bolt while Yoda and the Emperor never managed that.
shame on you, Disney, shame you and you JJ Abrams is a fan of star wars .... LOL

Sorry for my english, I'm french But I really want de write this
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35 of 59 users found this helpful3524
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3
BarzDec 30, 2015
Disappointed. I'm giving it 3 stars for special effects only although with all today techs available to it compare to original Star Wars movies it may not deserve it either. Bad screen play, bad editing, bad directing, bad acting, clichéDisappointed. I'm giving it 3 stars for special effects only although with all today techs available to it compare to original Star Wars movies it may not deserve it either. Bad screen play, bad editing, bad directing, bad acting, cliché action scenes... It seems all high ratings by critics is either nostalgic -meaning blind minded- or a giving favor to Disney if was not paid! Expand
69 of 116 users found this helpful6947
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3
ManFaceDec 30, 2015
I feel that this movie is just a derivative remake of Episode 4: A new hope.

This might be forgivable, but It is filled with absurd coincidences throughout the movie just to drive the plot forward. Granted you can say that the force is the
I feel that this movie is just a derivative remake of Episode 4: A new hope.

This might be forgivable, but It is filled with absurd coincidences throughout the movie just to drive the plot forward. Granted you can say that the force is the driving force behind these coincidences, but the movie relies far too heavily on them. It is such a problem that it removes much of the beliveability from the movie. This then resulted in myself feeling particularly removed and uninterested in any of the actions of the characters, which then in turn resulted in a rather boring movie going experience.
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66 of 110 users found this helpful6644
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3
and94Jan 10, 2016
This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. ok serious review this time. I managed to get a copy online.

The following review will analyze both the trailer and the subsequent garbage that was released in theatres.

Firstly, in the trailer, the real fanbase was pandered to with flashy tie-x-wing fights and a new lightsaber. They introduced two key protagonists, Finn and Rey. And the return of han solo. The badguys were going to be kylo ren and captain phasma. So how did this trailer seduce so many fans for the impending box office blowout? It didn't. It was all media. Toxic internet communities like reddit were hyped for months for this movie. Twitter, facebook, this movie used all forms of social media to make sure every single living being knew about this movie. The trailer was just a seduction tool, to show some flashy action and to create expectations. It showed set-pieces in rapid order, starting off with a desert area, followed by a space sequence, a spaceship interior, a village, a forest, and finally a snow landscape. All these sequences adjacent to eachother make the audience expect a dynamic and fast-paced film. And that's what the masses want. Hollywood knows that audiences don't want to sit through a movie BORED! So they fabricate this trailer which would appeal to masses. And this brings me to the film review.

The key problem is not a predictable plot. It is the lack of character struggle - of inner conflict, of any insightful themes. In addition, acting, script, and directing were flawed. The black protagonist is a stormtrooper who 'betrays' his federation and then can easily go on a stormtrooper killing rampage moments later. There is no explanation on how the darkside draws kylo ren in. As such, these two main characters feel tacked on the film. The plot moves these characters, but the characters make no conscious effect towards the plot. It is as if they are puppets on strings. They are so empty, and devoid of human character. As aforementioned, there is no emotional reaction to the stormtrooper's situation of betraying his troops. The only counterexample is in Rey's character, who was really believable as a poor woman living by trading junk. Midway in the film, her character is ruined though. The minor characters use a script of one-liners and the camera tries to make every character shine through jarring closeups and rapid character and camera movement. Again another counterexample is the far-shot scene of kylo ren meeting han solo on the bridge with the light and dark motifs. A big scene like that might be the reason for the positive reviews, however thefar too numerous flawed scenes detract from the few good moments like rey's introduction on the desert, and kylo ren and han's meeting.

Now I'm no film elitist and I've tried to keep the review informal to this point. Also, I'm not a film buff but tried to use some critical theory of art since I am interested in theodore adorno's philosophy.
I downloaded this movie expecting a fun movie, but ended up repulsed. Don't line disney's and jjabrams pockets. Don't go to the theatres, and I hope this review is a lesson on all Hollywood movies hyped by social media. Don't be superficial.
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29 of 49 users found this helpful2920
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3
JolexlarisDec 30, 2015
This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. If you are willing to spend a good time in the cinema with your family you may like this movie. But that all the good I can say about it. The story is just a repetition of episode IV in all possible ways, there’s no ambition, no desire to say anything new. There is nothing new under the sky, and is hard to find an explanation of how this movie justifies its own existence. The original trilogy was an excellent remix of a lot of epic stories, the prequel trilogy was an ambitious attempt to put some deepness and politics in to an action movie, this movie seems to be just a reboot of the original trilogy. It’s just sad. Expand
78 of 132 users found this helpful7854
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3
mindfrothDec 21, 2017
I feel vindicated by The Last Jedi. Some had optimistically assumed that all of the open questions left by this film were by design, but it's now clear that the mystery box was empty all along.
2 of 5 users found this helpful23
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3
TimeShiftJan 2, 2016
If you've viewed Episode IV recently, then this movie will show you nothing new. It's basically the technically best fan movie ever made - with all its flaws like the lack of depth, character development and the latter.

Taking in regard I
If you've viewed Episode IV recently, then this movie will show you nothing new. It's basically the technically best fan movie ever made - with all its flaws like the lack of depth, character development and the latter.

Taking in regard I watched the movie on release day and I've already forgotten most of the contents, having seen not a single memorable moment in the entire movie, it's nothing but nice action cinema. Sadly Star Wars was always more than that....but it has been hollowed-out as it seems.

Why the hype? I don't get it. It's not a bad movie, but it's not great as well. Mediocre, that's what it is.
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24 of 42 users found this helpful2418
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3
BoblogoJan 2, 2016
This film was exactly what I was afraid it was going to be, boring and 100% not Star Wars. I am very confident that in the fullness of time this will be recognised as the worst Star Wars film by a mile.

I cannot be bothered to list all of
This film was exactly what I was afraid it was going to be, boring and 100% not Star Wars. I am very confident that in the fullness of time this will be recognised as the worst Star Wars film by a mile.

I cannot be bothered to list all of the reasons why, all the other user reviews on here have done a good job already.
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83 of 136 users found this helpful8353
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3
Calrissian77Jan 3, 2016
This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. I watched the movie twice.

In brief: things I liked:

- Most of the first act on Jakku
- Some shots and sequences later in the movie
- The acting of the whole cast (Carrie Fisher excepting, sad to say)
- Harrison Ford (he played Han Solo well and carried the movie through the middle)

In brief, things I disliked:

- The unimaginative derivative plot
- The lack of context and background and explanation
- The movie is too full of deux ex machina and people and circumstances lining up too perfectly too frequently
- The leads bond together far too quickly
- The bad relationship between Han/Leia and their son Kylo/Ben is never shown; just stated as such. This robs Han's death of any real significance or meaning as it is not believable. A terrible way to go out for an iconic character and hero.
- The dialogue is bad. As bad, in a different way, than the prequels. Because there is so little explanation in the movie, characters are left to mouth terrible exposition as dialogue which sounds awful and still explains little.

The movie asks you to do a lot of joining of dots. But, doesn't really even provide you with enough dots and you are left with making stuff up so that it fits or just turning off your brain. Neither is good enough. Nor is having to wait for Ep. 8 for any sort of explanation for the background to the movie or the motivations and choices of the characters. It is lazy writing and poor story-telling.

To continue:

- Poor world-building. I rarely, accept for the opening Jakku sequence, got that sense of immersion and world building I regard as quintessentially Star Wars.
- Poor score. John Williams does a terrible job. Not sure that I blame him, though. I think there was little in this movie to score in the way he used to for Star Wars. The cinematography and story-telling is too different. His music can't help tell the story anymore, probably because there isn't much of a story to tell.
- Destroys the legacy of the Original Trilogy. The main heroes of the OT have all regressed. As for Luke, he has run away with scarcely a word of explanation almost as if his heroes journey never happened. This, to me, reflects a fundamental misunderstanding of the source material. But, JJ Abrams did the same thing with Star Trek: ID where he did the same thing to Wrath of Khan.
- The new characters are all bland and boring. Rey is, in essence, a Mary Sue. Finn is scarcely believable (no explanation is given as to why he left the FO) and seemingly exists only for comedy effect. Poe is a stereotypical 'super-pilot'. Kylo had potential but his temper tantrums are not convincing, and are portrayed for laughs. This undermines the character. He can be scary or funny. Not both. They are all uninteresting.
- The movie has far too many wise-cracks and laughs. The prequels tried to be too serious. But, this goes the other way and is far too 'laugh-a-minute'.

My first viewing left me a little confused. My second was easier because I expected less and watched the movie for its own sake and for what it is. A light easy assembly line block-buster with some Star Wars thrown in. But, make no bones about it, this is a mediocre movie: lacking creativity, inspiration and imagination. As the movie jumped frenetically from sequence to sequence toward its predicable end, I was just bored.

As a long time Star Wars fan, I do not consider this a genuine Star
Wars movie. Merely a poor caricature of one. I give it 3/10.
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85 of 144 users found this helpful8559
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3
McZouJan 2, 2016
Entertaining movie, should have been called anything but Star Wars. I had great fun watching it but it ends there. No more, no less and definitely not a Star Wars. Just a blockbuster, to be followed by many others until Disney has squeezedEntertaining movie, should have been called anything but Star Wars. I had great fun watching it but it ends there. No more, no less and definitely not a Star Wars. Just a blockbuster, to be followed by many others until Disney has squeezed all the money they could from the franchise and will leave it up, destroyed and unpopular. Expand
119 of 202 users found this helpful11983
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3
pit_nsJan 2, 2016
Disney what did you do to this movie?! Where did all the money go to???

First: When I watch this movie and see small Resistance base located somewhere at the middle of nowhere or 30 people cheer after the victory with no visual affects it
Disney what did you do to this movie?! Where did all the money go to???

First:
When I watch this movie and see small Resistance base located somewhere at the middle of nowhere or 30 people cheer after the victory with no visual affects it makes me think you did not make that scene epic at all but made it look like this move is a budget movie.
Luke on some island that looks like earth place in the middle of nothing, not building etc....did you remember how Yoda's place was awesome, climatic?
That bar with that alien lady, what was that? No people go in or out, no landing place for other spaceships? It is like forgotten place but it is full with spaceships around, where is the landing place? where are the people???!!!

Secondly:
Bigger dead star planet that destroys 10 planets at one shot? Are you kidding me... and you destroy all city planet with senate that was so iconic for this series just like that in one second....was it really so hard to create new original story...

I am so disappointed about that movie that I think it was maybe for somebody who never saw previous episodes and is age between 8-20...

Luke abandoned his sister and hid on some planet (because some kid went to dark side what!!!!!? wasn't he stronger enough to capture him and get him back...), resistance after being victorious is smaller than before....makes no sense to me....

Lastly, why that boy wears that mask for? he does not need it? just to look cool? ehh........

I hope you make the next one right...
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63 of 107 users found this helpful6344
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3
Sergei_PavlovJan 3, 2016
This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. This move should have been titled Star Wars: The Farce Awakens.

It's a remake of Episode IV only in its production design and plot devices, but betrays all the basic ethical and metaphorical principles that, on an unconscious level, constitute Star Wars mythological foundations. Here are two examples:

1. The Empire (Evil) glorifies technology, the Rebellion (Good) uses technology merely as a tool.

Notice Han Solo's sudden fascination with Chewabacca's crossbow (after 40 years of friendship). His constant remarks about how much he likes Chewie's weapon are in contradiction with the metaphorical values associated with Good established in the original trilogy, and even the prequels. The Millenium Falcon looks like crap because it's just a tool that gets the job done, as opposed to the Empire's clean, well-preserved and beloved "technological terrors".

2. The Dark Side is Quicker and Easier than the Light Side.

These values teach us the importance of effort and learning to reach our potential. As opposed to Luke, who needs three movies to master the Force, Rey is able to use precognition, telekinesis, and even mind tricks without training, guidance or any effort whatsoever. Her use of the Force follows the principles of the Dark Side, but it's presented as beloging to the Light Side. The "lesson" contained in this new approach to the Force is that people are predestined to greatness (or failure), regardless of their effort and ethical values. This opinion would have been subscribed by Goebbels.

But the lack of ethics in this movie is not exclusive of its content. It's also present in its form. This movie has more in common with Lost than Star Wars. It's conscious plot holes have been designed to foster endless internet debates as a free marketing tool. A good plot doesn't leave room to debate, because there's only one correct explanation. Darth Vader uses a helmet because he needs it to breath. End of the discussion. Why does Kylo Ren have one? No one knows, and the Internet can go and fill millions of pages trying to sort it out. Hint: there's no correct answer because, simply, there's no answer.

This farce is an exercise in emotional and marketing manipulation. It can only seduce you if you allow it to. Thankfully, people grow wiser in time, and lies are unmasked sooner or later. I predict this movie's scores will continue to plummet, and in a few years it will be completely forgotten from our collective memory.
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107 of 181 users found this helpful10774
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3
Nargso77Jan 4, 2016
This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. My review is based off two viewings. I did not know what to really make of the movie after the first view, other than being confused, disappointed and angry. So, I decided I needed to watch it again to make up my mind as to what I thought of The Force Awakens.

Overall, TFA feels to me like an average Avengers/Marvel type movie with some Star Wars props/elements thrown in. As a long time Star Wars fan it does not feel like a Star Wars movie to me.

I won't go in depth into a critique, as many of my points have been stated here and elsewhere. But, I'll summarize my concerns with the movie.

The Plot is a rehash of Ep. 4 with elements of Ep. 5 and Ep. 6 mixed in. It is disappointing that greater imagination was not shown. Now, in and of itself, a total rehash is, I suppose, not that bad. But, the fact that so much was taken and shoved into this movie meant that much background and context to the SW universe 30 years after ROTJ was left unexplained. For example, the political context within which the New Republic, the Resistance, and the New Order are operating is unknown. The basic setting for the movie is a vacuum.

The plot rushes from one action sequence to the other with a series of near unbelievable coincidences (or deux ex machina) to make it work. Such as Phasma being so easily found in a planet sized Death Star and then just disabling the shields without a fight. Now, some of this is alright - they exist in many movies; but, TFA really loads up on these so that it strains credibility and credulity. There is lack of internal logic and progression.

The characters are interesting on the surface, but are undeveloped. The character of Rey is too perfect, while Finn comes off as existing for comedic effect. Neither really actively progress during the movie. Poe is a stereotypical 'war hero' type personality. Ren is potentially the most interesting. But, the movie makes him into a figure of fun with his temper tantrums and plays these off for laughs to the audience. This undermines the character.

But, playing for laughs is what the movie does a lot. TFA was full of comedy and funny for the sake of it which did not help establish a clear tone, and did not support the supposed seriousness of the events happening on screen (destruction of planets, killing of villagers, a dangerous villain, and so on).

Moreover, some of the character interplay was unbelievable. Poe and Finn become best friends on the basis of very little. Rey and Finn also bond too quickly. Finn, as an escapee Stormtrooper, is accepted as such far too easily by Poe, Han, and the Resistance. What, there was no suspicion that he was a spy? (It is never even really explained why Finn left other than he wanted to do "the right thing" - this, from someone who was conditioned from birth to be a Stormtrooper. It's just bad story-telling.)

TFA is an example of lazy writing and shallow characterization.

Much is asked to be taken on faith. Either it will not be explained or will be explained - in some fashion - in the next movie. To me, this is very cynical and not good enough.

Finally, as some others have noted, in doing some kind of 'soft reboot' TFA regresses our heroes from the Original Trilogy. Luke, Leia and Han are all back to their Ep. 4 selves. For instance, our first view of Luke is staring out over the sea to the horizon much as he stared out over Tatooine to the horizon in Ep. 4. It is as if the character development and personal journeys of our old heroes never happened. This to me shows a lack of understanding of the source material. In fact, it arguably dishonours it.

Now, this is not to say that people can't change over 30 years. But, it needs to be explained, believable and consistent.

I think the paucity of real depth in this movie is shown in Williams' utterly forgettable soundtrack (for the first time ever in a Star Wars movie). This is because the old Lucas style of cinematography and story-telling which allowed Williams' music to help tell the story is absent. The movie is dominated by explosions and comedic quips leaving little space for the music to elevate and inform the movie. Age may have something to do with Williams' poor effort, but it may also be that there was little in this movie to score good music to.

On my second viewing, my primary emotion was boredom. There is simply little in this movie to engage with on a mental or emotional level. Toward the end, I was just waiting for it to be over.

I give the movie some points for trying in the opening Act on Jakku (the best part of the movie). The cast all do their best in terms of their own personal performances. And Harrison Ford, in particular, carries TFA through the middle sequence. But, it's not good enough. From the second Act on, the movie just goes downhill very fast in a jumble of meaningless action sequences.

I'd summarize TFA in three words: lazy, shallow, cynical. Overall, I give it 3/10.

(Edited and re-submitted for clarity on 4/01.)
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108 of 182 users found this helpful10874
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3
Rosvel92Apr 30, 2020
This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. JJ Abrams is by far and away, the worst Star Wars director and writer (so far). Every movie adds some thing new to the Saga, except for the 2 movies by JJ Abrams. I would credit the things that work towards Lawrence Kasdan, the talented actors, and the VFX people, and all all work entirely despite Abrams being involved, rather than. Because of... Which is The first act is good. The part where Rey is ascaravenger on the ruins of a Star Destroyer, and Finn rescues Poe. And Poe, heroically dies.

But the movie akwardly falls apart at the moment where Rey and Finn find and pilot the Millennium Falcon. Plot contrivance much?. Sure one plot contrivance is almost harmless, but a thousand plot contrivances turn the whole film into a giant Chesse Swiss of plotholes. BB-8 carries the map to Luke Skywalker, what are the odds of fondint the Millennium Falcon within 30 meters?And then Han Solo randomly shows up, and he has regressed into his young adult-self doing small ilegal jobs for criminal gangsters. His arc is basically doing an encore of his best moments from A New Hope (except he is fused with Obi-wan in said film, but without being a Jedi). So is the rest of the movie, except everything else gets a new name The Empire is now called First Order, Darth Vader is Kylo Ren, Rey is Luke, the Death Star is Starkiller Base. Finn is Han Solo. Poe is a blend between Leia and Wedge Antilles. And the worst character in the film, and worst stormtrooper in all Star Wars overall, is Captain Phasma, she just gives up without a fight, what a waste.

Part of the problem wit the Millennium Falcon Rey pilots it at the level of Han Solo. Despite being a rookie pilot that has never left Jakuu, and only piloted in simulations. This is why people criticize the character as too powerful (and makes Han Solo feel less necessary). So many would had been fixed had they just left Poe there to pilot the ship or at least by having Finn and Rey, find Han Solo piloting the Falcon himself (they could still have found the gangsters regardless).

Poe's resurection, feels cheap and unexplained. If they really wanted to keep Oscar Isaac, as a pilot they should had said the Poe in the Resistance was his twin brother. That would had worked better, it would had been hockey in true Star Wars style, while keeping the stakes and sense of loss. (instead Poe's resurection, only foreshadows every single poorly conceived character resurection that Abrams would return in 9 Rise of Skywalker, the worst received in the film series).

Despite good new and classic actors, good VFX. It is disssapointing to see Star Wars return without a single new meaningful thing to say. This is the movie that Lucas so badly feared. He spent decades delaying it , until he could find something new to say. Then this movie comes and says nothing, reinforcing his view that it would had been a wasted of time. And that he shouldn't had sold it.
Then the movie doest work on it's own because it lefts too much unexplained, who is Snoke? And where he got the money to finance an army? Why is Rey so powerful? (And then JJ Abrams ruined those answers by saying Palpatine, so it retroactively made The Force Awakens and The Last Jedi, worse). The answer in The Last Jedi was far better, Kylo Ren was weak because Luke was a pacifist, so he never trained him to kill.
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1 of 4 users found this helpful13
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3
sheppardt1Jan 6, 2016
This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. There are some good things: old school special effects in much of the film were more realistic than prequels, storm trooper defecting was a great idea, the lead actress and actor are good, the first half is generally good until they escape the planet and that laughable scene on the millennium falcon had to happen. The bad things: Clunky script, several bad jokes especially by Harrison Ford, terrible CGI/motion capture for the new emperor guy who is some sort of half-man or worm or something, wimpy lead bad guy, bad CGI for the fight scene against the death planet, terrible CGI for the awful escaped alien creatures on the millennium falcon, too many coincidences, the female lead was too strong and actually defeats the bad guy with no training, female lead was made too strong to be realistic, a death planet was a terrible idea, too jokey at many times in the movie. The list could go on for awhile. The biggest problem with the movie is the complete disregard for the original series emphasis on training and discipline to become a jedi and this directors inability to slow things down and develop some characters. How much better would the millennium falcon scene have been if the characters just talked a little bit and learned about each other. The terrible scenes with those creatures escaping and some ridiculous smugglers could have been cut and probably millions of dollars saved by some good dialogue at that point. The movie just had no soul and the end left them with no significant bad guy. I thought it was really a mess just like the last star trek. Expand
43 of 73 users found this helpful4330
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3
salatetsJan 9, 2016
This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. Пробуждение силы - фильм играющий на ностальгии "фанатов " серии не выражающий никаких новых идей. Начнем с сюжета: во-первых повстанцы победившие империю , опять сражаются с ней, только в новом обличии - "Первый орден". В фильме показано более нелогичное облучение джедая, Рей только прикасается к мечу Энакина, так бац она умеет внушать, владеет телепатией. Качество картинки довольно посредственное, за исключением некоторых сцен. Бои на мечах смотрятся, как бои на дубинках ,в о время этой битвы не был применён не один прием силы, ав едь могушество Кайла было показано в начале фильма. Возражение старых героев словно битьё трупа, ввели героев, что-бы они больше не показывались исключая исторически важных(Люк). Expand
29 of 49 users found this helpful2920
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3
der_meyer_04Jan 11, 2016
This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. Welcome to Disney. This movie is nothing more than a big fat cash cow! Disney had reasons why they payed more than 4 billion $. They have their analysts and marketing researchers and the result is this movie. Why is Kylo Ren taking of his helmet? It totally ruined his badass aura. This movie was full of story parts that dont get explained. Its a marketing mess... There is no magical aura anymore. Disney will do the same as they did with all the marvel characters: bring into line for what is most salable. Expand
38 of 65 users found this helpful3827
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3
CygnusBlackJan 10, 2016
I won't dwell into the flaws of this movie that were already described by many.
It's just disgusting seeing what they've done with the franchise throughout the years.
It's like seeing a once good PC game being dumbed down for today's
I won't dwell into the flaws of this movie that were already described by many.
It's just disgusting seeing what they've done with the franchise throughout the years.

It's like seeing a once good PC game being dumbed down for today's consoles. Press X to win.
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40 of 68 users found this helpful4028
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3
bigburgerJan 10, 2016
This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. Went to see it over Xmas with my 12 year old nephew. I had no idea it was going to be a remake of A New Hope, otherwise I may have waited for it be released on DVD. What is wrong with Hollywood ? Are there no original ideas left ? They basically replaced Luke with a girl and and Darth Vadar with a stroppy man child, and copied the entire plot (which was thin in the original to begin with) of A New Hope. The writers somehow thought it would be a good idea to give us a conflicted villain, seems like nothing was learned from the prequels, they also forgot the lessons of what made the originals great, simple is best, Star Wars is not Russian literature, we don't need need complicated villains who are torn between good and evil, nobody cares if he misses his daddy, we just want our villains to act and behave as villains do, don't we ? Minor annoyances, Carrie Fisher, it really shows that she hasn't acted for decades, she was pretty awful. The under 25 group of officers that run the death planet thingy, no wonder it got blown up (Grand Moff Tarkin is spinning in his grave), the stormtroopers who really cant aim straight, maybe they are all former waste compactor operatives and janitors. The main cast are an enthusiastic bunch but they lack the star quality of Ford and Hammil, I had forgotten their names 5 minutes after leaving my seat. The music was also not memorable, something I expect from a Star Wars movie. Plus points for me was Jakku, even though it was basically a copy of Tatooine it worked well, Han Solos little side operation smuggling giant dangerous monsters brought a smile to my face, even though Ford looks and acts his advanced age, Han should be relaxing somewhere on a beach spending his retirement loot, not risking his life being chased by bounty hunters. The last scene with Luke on that beautiful Irish island was a nice touch. I left the theater feeling empty and disappointed, needless to say my nephew absolutely loved it, and i suppose thats who it was made for. A good kids movie but lacking in originality and depth and not much better than the prequels, but thats enough for it get a good review it seems Expand
32 of 54 users found this helpful3222
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3
tr-8rrJan 10, 2016
This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. I entered the theater excited and nervous, and left confused and a little disappointed. Some quick points:
The first act was very entertaining. Kylo Ren had a menacing introduction. Rey's introduction was fine, but she didn't have any inner conflict, just a vague story about her family returning for her. Finn had a lot of charm, but the character seemed inconsistent in motivation-- a peaceful protester when the 1st Order needed him (why did a janitor get sent down for that mission?). And after his escape, he's all to happy to gun down his old buddy stormtroopers.

Phasma was cool. I don't have a problem with her being like Boba Fett, just standing around. But how quickly she broke down and took the shields offline was ridiculous. I read somewhere the script originally had Chewie trying to tear her arm out of that metal armor, which would have at least given her some motivation to betray the 1st Order.

The part where the movie really had problems was after Rey and Finn stumble upon and steal the Falcon. And then, they get tractor beamed by a larger ship carrying, what a surprise, Han and Chewie. At this point, it's Coincidence City. The next part is such a mess, with a Scottish death crew versus the asian Kanjiklub. It felt so forced, and the animation with the raptors was TV quality. I suspect there were some problems with the script re-writing. That part feels of a lower quality than the rest of the film, enough that it brought me out of the paper-thin story.

I actually didn't mind any of Kylo Ren's scenes, though he looked a lot less imposing once his helmet came off. The conflicted nature of his character was something I really enjoyed in the film. Yes, he's no Vader, more like Episode II Anakin. Maybe if they took some of his inner conflict and spread it around to the other characters, especially Rey, things would have been more balanced.

The scene with Kylo and Han was telegraphed from 12 parsecs away. It felt like Leia just nagged Han about their son, but the relationship between Kylo and his parents wasn't really developed enough for me to care.

The Deathstar 3.0 was a complete mess. It sucked power from it's own sun? Or did it cruise around and eat different suns? How did the ice planet stay cold enough while eating a solar slurpee? And what happened to the scale of Star Wars universe that anyone could see the weapon firing and hitting the targets from a single location?

As soon as I got home from the theater I watched the last act of ANH, and the trench run from 1977 is far more intense than TFA's version. It seems it's the directing style of Abrams, maybe the editing.

I'm ecstatic that this movie has made me appreciate what makes star wars tick, which is simple, documentary-styled direction, awesome world-building, and creativity. I can't believe they made a Star Wars movie that contains none of the Joseph Campbell investigating of myth.

I tried second-guessing myself as I read the other reviews here. But one thing keeps standing out--the "negative" reviews contain a lot more detail about how the reviewer felt. The positive ones, at least many, are pretty generic.

I refused to give a Star Wars movie less than a 3/10, but JJ Abrams, consider yourself lucky. Rian Johnson, you are my only hope.
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31 of 52 users found this helpful3121
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3
VothrossJan 11, 2016
This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. This movie is very well directed, the actors did a good job, nice battles and stuff but sadly the writing is MORE than childish. Before watching the force awakens, i saw all the positive reviews on the internet but after actually watching it my self i can say that it is a pretty bad movie. A copy-paste of the scenario of "A new Hope", some outrageous plot holes, everyone and my aunt can decently wield a lightsaber (back in the day we thought that such a weapon needs you to be force sensitive and also have JEDI TRAINING in order to use it properly), the villain is just laughable (if Anakin in the prequels seems whiny to you, check out this guy..), the way that the shields of starkiller base go down is just hillarious-they just tell someone to lower them ahahahahahahah, the main character becomes an expert forcewielder in a very short amount of time and WITHOUT any training, the lightsaber duels are absolute crap...
I could go on for hours :)
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47 of 80 users found this helpful4733
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3
NotPaid4ThisJan 13, 2016
This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. This is a very mediocre action blockbuster movie, and typical JJ Abrams - sparse on character development, retreading old plot lines from the original series, plot holes you could drive a truck through and rush-rush-rush. As a result, the relationships in the movie ring false and there is no tension - especially since the pilot is in the movie for maybe 10 minutes, Leia in it for maybe five, Luke shows up for even less than that, and the main female protagonist doesn't seem to have much of any struggle as the story progresses. Still doubt my assessment? Do a search for reviews on YouTube. Check out the movie quotes on IMDB. If you think the prequels were turd sandwiches, well this is a vomit taco. Not really an improvement! Expand
34 of 58 users found this helpful3424
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3
DailyNiteCriticJan 14, 2016
This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. Several years after the events of Return of the Jedi, Luke Skywalker has gone missing and a new empire known as the First Order rises from the original Empire after its defeat, vowing to not stop until every Jedi is dead.

In the beginning, we see Rebel Resistance pilot Poe Dameron meeting with a companion that gives him a small device that poses significance of searching for any of the remaining Jedi. It isn’t until The First Order creates an ambush and leader Kylo Ren kidnaps the pilot. One of the Stormtroopers, however – cannot bear the trauma and chaos The First Order delivers, and decides to escape the reign of the dark side.

Along the way is a girl Rey, strong-willed and sort of resembles a female Luke Skywalker based on mannerisms and her slow transition into a much stronger character with a surprise twist in the middle of the movie.

Soon, all three meet up together along with a likely group of old friends from the original Star Wars movies that will band together to take out Kylo Ren and The First Order, while protecting the droid with the clue to Skywalker’s whereabouts.

Pros:

Daisy Ridley and Oscar Isaac are the only stars in the movie who really stand out. Daisy as the adventrous and rebellious Rey and Isaac as the wisecracking badass Rebel pilot Poe Dameron.

The visuals are amazing (the space fights, the large creatures in the Millennium Falcon, the new Death Star’s laser)

Bringing back the old cast (Harrison Ford, Carrie Fischer, Peter Mayhew).

Good character development with Rey, Poe, and the new Resistance.

The sets and locations in the movie remind me of the original trilogy’s planets Tattooine, Hoth, and Yavin 4.

The supporting villain General Hux is powerful with his speech to the First Order when they are about to wage war with the Resistance.

CGI with certain characters (Clerk that Rey goes for metal money, Supreme Leader Snoke, and other supporting roles who help out Han Solo and the Resistance.)

The script is better than some of the original trilogies’ dialogues and has improved from the prequels.

The movie is fun with its sense of humor and visually striking battles.

The twists and turns, such as Kylo Ren being a former son of Han Solo and Luke Skywalker exiling himself after Kylo Ren turns to the dark side is surprising.

Mixed:

Finn is an all right character, goes from traumatized by the First Order’s cruel and violent actions toward anyone affiliated with the Rebels to being some sort of happy go lucky hero. Poorly developed but could have had a better start and better actor to play the role. They should have also made the character more conflicted.

The story moves at a slow pace until the newcomers meet up with some of the rebels and the old allies feels rushed.

The friendship between Rey and Finn feels forced, but could progress a little better.

How do these characters know how to fly the Millennium Falcon? If this was a real situation, nobody would even know how to pilot a ship like that!

Cons:

Kylo Ren and the actor who plays the villain is one of the most critical mistakes ever made in this movie. Where Darth Vader showed plenty of power, discipline, and was super calm under pressure and receiving bad news, Kylo Ren is so weak – He walks like a Californian surfer, throws tantrums like a little child and has a monotone Batman voice when interrogating his victims.

Rey is given Mary-Sue qualities near the end of the movie instead of just giving some sort of background as to how she is able to fight well.

Han Solo was killed off too quickly and it was obvious and predictable as to what was going to take place that moment when Han Solo confronts his son, convincing him to change back to the light side.

There isn’t too much background about how the First Order was established after the fall of the Empire.

There was only one lightsaber duel in the end, and it was TERRIBLE. It looked more like horror icons going at each other rather than a real, intense fight with heroes and villains who have practiced REAL light saber duels for a very long time. Felt like a style-over-substance type of movie, with the story being less of a concern in the movie and visuals being important. The Stormtroopers are lame as well. In the originals, the Stormtroopers were more combat hard and authentically genetically controlled soldiers while in this movie they act like rookies and are more like video gamers who were transported into a virtual reality. Lor San Tekka was only in the movie to advance the plot, but could have been useful later on in the movie..
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29 of 49 users found this helpful2920
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