Read User Reviews and Submit your own for Star Wars: Episode VII - The Force Awakens - Page 7

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NazguleroDec 31, 2015

This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. Really, I had a bad feeling about this one even before sitting down in theatre. After 30 seconds I thought no, they are not going to tilt the camera down to show a planet. Well, they did. I felt like a 13 year old kid again, because that was my age when I first watched A New Hope. Either way, the first 15 or 20 minutes were actually quite entertaining, minus a few minor issues, such as the twin seat TIE fighter, Poe the pilot being ejected upon crash landing, but his jacket, which was ON him at the time, not having so much as a scratch, a storm trooper being able to just abduct a high profile prisoner on board of a star destroyer without his buddies even noticing, or the Millennium Falcon sitting in the desert for more than twenty years collecting dust and sand and still being fully functional.
When Solo's cargo ship tractor beamed the Falcon, things started to get ugly. No, Han's boyish smirk just doesn't work anymore when the rest of his body has aged and now looks like the host of Wrinklemania.
Anyway, too much of a coincidence for him to be there at that exact moment. And how the heck did the hooligans with heavy British accents get on his ship completely unnoticed ? By that time, I wanted J.J. Abrams to be eaten alive by one of the rathtars. But things got even worse when Leia showed up; that is what happens to post menopause aged women, nobody wants to see them anymore, especially not in numerous never ending close ups. We now also know why Carrie Fisher never had an acting career.
How the heck did Kylo Ren get Darth Vader's helmet ? And why the heck was HE wearing a mask ? Vader needed it for life support, Kylo did not. That said, he should have never taken it off. Never take off a mask when you are the villain, especially if under that mask you look like a cheap porn actor in a gay movie.
The most cringeworthy scene was the Nuremberg style space nazi gathering including the red and black wall decoration and the Adolf like speech with General Hux foaming at the mouth. Add to that Snoke, who came up with that ridiculous name ? Snoke, who looks like the mutated love child of E.T. and Gollum...he also looks sick. Fresh air and a few vitamin pills might help.
To sum it up: a complete mess.… Expand

68 of 116 users found this helpful6848

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mekonekoJan 6, 2016

The worst Star Wars movie by FAR. It makes zero sense politically. It's obvious they just wanted to copy the original trilogy. No originality what so ever. Complete disaster.

51 of 87 users found this helpful5136

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chris_1_sJan 6, 2016

The force had put me to sleep instead. The plot was a poor rip off of a new hope, the characters backgrounds were not fleshed out and chemistry between them was never established. I can for forgive plot holes being in a movie if the movie isThe force had put me to sleep instead. The plot was a poor rip off of a new hope, the characters backgrounds were not fleshed out and chemistry between them was never established. I can for forgive plot holes being in a movie if the movie is at least entertaining but the action was meh. Didn't like the villains either, weren't very believable. Would've preferred the used the script from the books taking place after ROtJ. HUGE disappointment.… Expand

51 of 87 users found this helpful5136

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AudimaticDec 30, 2015

FlyingSolo's first line of his review is perfect! How can so many people be going gaga over this trash? I can understand the kids a bit. What do they know? But what about these film critics? There is nothing original in the film at all,FlyingSolo's first line of his review is perfect! How can so many people be going gaga over this trash? I can understand the kids a bit. What do they know? But what about these film critics? There is nothing original in the film at all, and, even though the original movie material that Ep. 7 plagiarizes was great, this remake in disguise can't hold a candle to it. JJ, you are in over your head, and, sadly, even if the next director is better, he's been set up for failure by the trajectory of this mess that you've left for him. Near-universal critical acclaim? Give me a break.… Expand

51 of 87 users found this helpful5136

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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 andIf 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… Expand

34 of 58 users found this helpful3424

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2

TheninjageckoJan 9, 2016

This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. wow, just wow. I can only echo other negative reviews. The movie is visually stunning, I watched it at a new Imax and it was great but damn its one empty movie.

This is the worst Star Wars film yet.

My main problem is with Ren, He is portrayed as a strong Sith, His early scenes he is shown as very powerful, holding a blaster shot in mid air while doing other stuff.

He goes nuts and slashes up inside the ship and scares a guy then drags him across the room. These two scenes, specifically the first one in the village gave me shivers but after he took his mask off he simply came across as a character for a teenager to be viewing, not a star wars fan.

I was left shocked and just gobsmacked that he had trouble dealing with an ex storm trooper who only wanted too run away and against ray without any light saber experience.

it took other jedi's / sith's including Anakin Years to practice the force and light saber use, yet ray just uses special force powers just like that.

the light saber duels are pathetic. the entire movie has no soul. It was nice to see the old cast.

I can only echo another critics review in saying the best thing that can happen now is Luke is a psycho on his lonely island and chops Rey in two with the light saber, maybe then a story can get started.

JJ needs hanging for what he has done to the franchise.

Worst Star Wars movie yet. I'm giving it a 4 purely on its visuals, might have been less if I hadn't have been in a new fancy 3D Imax.… Expand

34 of 58 users found this helpful3424

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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

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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2

Fools-EmissaryJan 9, 2016

This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. I have found it somewhat cathartic to see that many share a similar sentiment to my own. As someone whom, aside from the Soundtracks hadn't thought of Star Wars for a while, for sure I was skeptical. But make no mistake, the critics have failed us. Forget about Star Wars, this is quite frankly a poor work of fiction. Nonsense from head to foot. Like many others, I signed up because I needed to get this off my chest.

The movie suffers from numerous sins; contrived plot/convenient happenstances, characters with no clear motivations, unnecessary characters, poorly defined conflict, illogical conceit, central premise pointless. That's some laundry list.

Basically Stormtrooper deserter takes on mission to find Droid. After crash landing, the first thing he sees is Droid with this chick, how convenient. Joining forces and they escape in the Millenium Falcon which just happens to be Moored in this town for some reason. This Rae is some pilot too. After an escape featuring much derring-do it seems Han and Chewbacca basically run right into them. Obviously a Galaxy = small town. They had pretty much lost me at this point and it was made worse that this was followed up with the most dire scene in the movie. Oh, and that Light Sabre that Luke lost down that void in Cloud City, well they found the proverbial 'needle in a haystack'. There's no possible explanation for this anyway. It's dumb.

The not-Empire and Darkside are treated like cartoon villains here. The general and Petulant Vader-Wannabee both have unparalled access to the not-Emporer Snoke. A CGI character named Snoke, oh dear. So this general and Kylo Ren are both twenty-somethings in charge of not-Empire operations despite being largely portrayed as incompetant, atleast when it counts. Young, inexperienced leaders in charge? Heirarchy, how does it work. Hey Snokey-babe how 'bout you hire some better goons.

The Republic/not-Rebels somehow fare even worse. Basically this aspect is barely shown at all. I get the impression that the Republic has taken on a policy of pacivism. Eh, ok. So what is the central premise here? To find Luke? Well yeah, finding Luke could be a useful thing for both the Republic and not-Empire. You know what the republic needs? An army.

Oh yeah, Death Star 3.0 suddenly turns up. Han quips about 'Taking out the Shields, that's what we do' or some such thing. The sad thing is that, that's exactly what happened. They couldn't have made it less climactic if they tried. Of course Death Star 3.0 blew up a few planets before going down, the Republic in the process. This ending is basically like a soccer match where both teams score an own goal at the end of the match.

Maybe I missed something, but R2D2 basically delivered Luke's location anyway, making the whole preceding series of events, more or less pointless. I mean, what even is this? It sure as hell ain't a good movie. Too many characters, the not-Rebel pilot and Deserter Stormtrooper really add nothing worthwhile to the plot. None of the characters have realistic motivations or any motivations at all.

Things I liked: Chewbacca, C3P0 and R2D2 really appeared 'as they were'. The score in isolation to the film. Although the music has some surprisingly clunky pieces and falls short of series best, it is still worth listening to. But the style just doesn't work with how the film is edited and the sound effects were raucious. Just more flaws.

It's Banther Fodder.

Maybe I missed something but R2D2 basically delivered the map… Expand

41 of 70 users found this helpful4129

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3

JamesCannonDec 23, 2015

Star Wars Episode VII: My Money Has Been Taken
How do we know the ending....when we haven't..seen the movie..wait stop the movie we have seen this before....unless they know..we were coming...evasive maneuvers regroup to holding sectorStar Wars Episode VII: My Money Has Been Taken
How do we know the ending....when we haven't..seen the movie..wait stop the movie we have seen this before....unless they know..we were coming...evasive maneuvers regroup to holding sector 37..Admiral we have copycats in sector 37....ITS A TRAP!… Expand

65 of 111 users found this helpful6546

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CanisrahDec 27, 2015

Well. I went and saw it with an open mind. And now having done so - I pose the following question: suppose you are handed the Star Wars license - a treasured and cherished world... the possibilities are endless... the implications withoutWell. I went and saw it with an open mind. And now having done so - I pose the following question: suppose you are handed the Star Wars license - a treasured and cherished world... the possibilities are endless... the implications without limit. The story-lines that you could pursue - the rich and varied canon upon which you could draw... the menace you could conjure from the depths of deep space... the eternal struggle between the Dark and the Light sides of the Force... anything is possible.

But instead, Disney and JJ give us an uninspired, derivative, soulless turkey.

This movie is a train wreck from start to finish (aside from the first 15 minutes which aren't too bad and the last 2 minutes which was OK). The gaping holes in the plot, the lineup of weak and pointless villains, and the eerie sense of reverie for the classic films embodied in the returning cast recalls the ghosts of much better films in what, even in it's best moments, is a pale imitation without soul or substance.

The new cast members are a mixed bag. Finn has no gravitas (and that's not because he's black - its because he's working with a crap script where he's given only comic relief and because he doesn't strike me as a very good actor), while Rey is passable but mired in feminist symbolism. Captain Phasma is completely superfluous - all the hubub about her was puzzling considering she gets about 2 lines and 1 minute of screen time... if she wasn't a female you wouldn't notice the character at all. The only standout was Poe Dameron but he doesn't get much screen time.

The returning cast were nice to see - but they look old and tired - leaving the viewer pining for the classic films in more ways than one. But don't worry - the entire plot is pretty much Star Wars - A New Hope - and that's not an exaggeration - even down to disabling the shields so that the rebels (er... resistance) can destroy the Death Star (er... Star Killer).

Then you have the climatic scene where one of the film's big moments occur - which essentially boils down to a domestic between parent and child that could play out in any suburban lounge room. It's a pathetic and silly end for a beloved character.

And on top of the superficial lip service to adventure, we have to contend with a thick layer of political correctness. Seriously - it's beyond a joke. I didn't buy into whole 'white guys upset because of a black lead' stuff that was in the media before I saw the film... but having seen it - the Social Justice Brigade are out in force in this movie... and you know what... that wouldn't be so bad IF THE DIVERSITY ANGLE HAD A CONTEXTUAL PLACE in the story... if it made sense within the constraints of the narrative... and it doesn't.

If you wanted too - you could note that the bad guys are all white Europeans (almost all male) with English accents - representative of those nasty white males who are responsible for every problem with the world ever conceived; while the 'resistance' are the Social Justice Inclusivity Brigade with lots of different cultures and genders represented - representative off all the 'oppressed' people who suffer so terribly with all those micro aggressions and first world 'issues' which a generation of pampered, self-entitled narcissistic millennials constantly whine about. It's pretty easy to see the sulky brat villain with his daddy issues pining after Darth Vader (i.e. patriarchy) easily put down by the strong feminist lead with her black guy sidekick - and a female Jedi is fine... but she's got no training, no nothing, but still kicks ass with the light sabre and force powers. Seems training isn't needed anymore, like a lot of other elements of Star Wars canon - it's just chucked out. All a bit pathetic.

It will make a truckload of money because it's got the Star Wars label on it - but it's not Star Wars; just a cheap counterfeit, like bad fan fiction written by a first year Gender Studies millennial. Once the hype dies down, most will see it for what it is.… Expand

72 of 123 users found this helpful7251

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SangheliZealotXDec 30, 2015

A shameless rip off of New Hope. Rey was a mary sue. Ren was butchered and looked like an incompetent loser at the end. A lot of bad quips too. At least the prequels tried something new.

48 of 82 users found this helpful4834

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4

NehcroskullDec 19, 2015

The biggest sin this movie commits is its lack of originality.

You can say what you want about George Lucas, but he at least had imagination. JJ Abrams is content to merely pander to fans of the Original Trilogy with its aestheticThe biggest sin this movie commits is its lack of originality.

You can say what you want about George Lucas, but he at least had imagination. JJ Abrams is content to merely pander to fans of the Original Trilogy with its aesthetic trappings of it and lifting the plot of A New Hope entirely. It doesn't help that the big twist of the movie was so painfully, agonizingly obvious that I saw it coming from 12 parsecs away--I literally predicted exactly what would happen as soon as I heard JJ Abrams would be directing this movie. The only major change to the plot is that the role of Luke is shared by two new characters--Finn and Rey, who, of course, have a horribly forced romance. The movie does have some fun meta-commentary, but leans way too hard on it--JJ Abrams isn't half as clever as he thinks he is.

As far as pacing goes, the movie has none. The characters barely get a chance to relax or smile, so I ended up feeling tense the whole way through. The older movies gave you time to catch your breath.
The actors are at least bringing their A-game, with Harrison Ford being the highlight. It's just unfortunate that they weren't given any good material to work with. Finn in particular spends the entire movie with the same panicked expression. Boyega wears that expression well, but I don't want to look at it for two hours.

The visuals and the action are good by Hollywood standards, but nowhere near the high standard of the prequels, or even the standout moments of the Original Trilogy, like the Death star Trench Run. But what's truly unforgivable is that, for a movie that almost sells itself on practical effects, the CG aliens look like wet plastic. Admiral Ackbar looked better when he was a mask, thirty years ago!

Overall, I'd describe the movie as, "A New Hope, but more pretentious, and inferior in every respect." I left the theater feeling like I watched a giant fan film, and I'd have already forgotten everything that happened if this wasn't billed as the official continuation of the saga.

Thankfully, the next movie will be directed by a better filmmaker, so hopefully that one will capture my imagination like every other movie in this series has.… Expand

24 of 41 users found this helpful2417

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TinoTrivinoDec 21, 2015

I cant express myself how I feel. Its about Pop culture, Dream, fantasy, Role models, Heroes, motivations, anything... it starts with religion, goes through a soccer match, also as a singer, etc.. same goes with the Star Wars World. as aI cant express myself how I feel. Its about Pop culture, Dream, fantasy, Role models, Heroes, motivations, anything... it starts with religion, goes through a soccer match, also as a singer, etc.. same goes with the Star Wars World. as a hardcore fan i can accept anything, even the Episode I - III Movies.. but this.. this was just a Sci Fi Tv Movie.. 200 millon dollars? Oh my god, where is the money, not in the Movie... no real ships just x-wings, no b-wings, no A-wings, no Nebulan B Frigatte, Mon Calamari etc...NOTHING!!!! this was a cheap, heartless and artificial movie. I still can understand how some people may say it was a good movie, i think the psychology of the promotion made his work.. or even worse, the Reparation Departement from Disney assure that NO ONE would drop the ratings... well... the first day it has 9.6 points... now it has 7.6... and dropping... why? because the Hype is going away...
They Destroyed Star Wars... They had no respect for the fans, for the pop culture, specially not to George Lucas... shame on you!!!! it was sad going out from the cinema, after entering with happyness...
hugs from Spain
from a lousy Filmmaker… Expand

24 of 41 users found this helpful2417

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6

MancoDec 30, 2015

Disappointed.

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

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

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

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

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

And in this way, it does not feel like Star Wars at all.… Expand

24 of 41 users found this helpful2417

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4

Twisted_StoneDec 30, 2015

Watch episode 4 just before you see the new movie and tell me your not watching the same thing again..

The accidental switch on of the chess game, "I have a bad feeling about this," even the droid's mission is the same, far too much usedWatch episode 4 just before you see the new movie and tell me your not watching the same thing again..

The accidental switch on of the chess game, "I have a bad feeling about this," even the droid's mission is the same, far too much used from the old movie.… Expand

38 of 65 users found this helpful3827

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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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2

ImpeccableTasteJan 11, 2016

Just a very uninspired rehash of the original three, left me feeling empty at the end. Save your money and wait for rental or just watch the original three. New bad guy is awful, his helmet is laughable looks like a child designed it. I had aJust a very uninspired rehash of the original three, left me feeling empty at the end. Save your money and wait for rental or just watch the original three. New bad guy is awful, his helmet is laughable looks like a child designed it. I had a hard time not laughing when he is having one of his tantrums. You could actually feel the hate coming from a character like Darth Maul or the Emperor. This character comes off as someone that has a mental illness like the crazies you hear about in the news. The new Sith Lord looks like Voldemort, or one the white orcs from the Hobbit really unimaginative in my opinion.
Not one clap or cheer at the end from a large full theater if that tells you anything. Even the prequels when I went got applause at the end.… Expand

38 of 65 users found this helpful3827

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1

Betamax77Jan 21, 2016

This movie and The Martian made me lose all respect toward official reviewers. A movie should not get a high score for including ”all” possible minorities. It should not effect the rating of a movie in any way. And still both movies got raveThis movie and The Martian made me lose all respect toward official reviewers. A movie should not get a high score for including ”all” possible minorities. It should not effect the rating of a movie in any way. And still both movies got rave reviews, when The Martian is very average and Force Awakens is just plain bad. The latter of course benefits from the fact that it's super hyped SW film. Even on rotten tomatoes, my (ex) go to site, even the users review are overtly positive. Because of this I'm using Metacritics' user reviews as my guide for now on because here you can still find some common sense.

Jar Jar Abrams has now remade A New Hope twice. It was ok when it was called ”Star Trek” but not in the case of TFA because it's in the same movie series. It doesn't work when you watch them in order. How he is not ashamed to deliver a ”soft” reboot of one of all time classics?? On top of it being a completely lazy rehash, the plot and happenings in it don't have any weight in them. It's a super hollow movie ticking fanboy pleasing boxes: Desert planet, check. Falcon, check. X-wings, check. Tie fighters, check. Some new design please other than beginning's flying popsicle. In addition the planets and environments in this are so basic the movie is lacking any sense of scale except one speech scene. Most of these ”other worlds” could be shot by fanfilm makers near their homes. And yes, prequels had better story, scale and sense of wonder.

One point comes from two original scenes/ideas in the movie that were quite nice. Those who say this is better than RotJ: Go take a look in the mirror, then slap yourself hard to wake up! Want to see a good recent space adventure? Watch Guardians of the Galaxy instead!

I feel dirty paying money to see this.… Expand

45 of 77 users found this helpful4532

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2

Raven25Jan 5, 2016

Worst villain of any star wars movie yet, rivaled only by Anakin Skywalker/Darth Vader in Episode III and played by a terrible actor. The 'all angsty teenagers with anger management issues go to the dark side' theme didn't work in Episode IIIWorst villain of any star wars movie yet, rivaled only by Anakin Skywalker/Darth Vader in Episode III and played by a terrible actor. The 'all angsty teenagers with anger management issues go to the dark side' theme didn't work in Episode III and it sure as hell doesn't work now. As a matter of fact, its even worse this time because at least in Episode III it was original.

Half the story is taken directly from A New Hope. Originality fail - the movie is predictable and boring because of this. Too much time in the movie is spent dwelling on the point that women can do what men can too. I counted a solid 20min. I want to see Star Wars, not Gender Wars. I'm not sure what to think about the black stormtrooper - on one hand - its affirmative action nonsense yet on the other hand they've made the character as hateable as Jar Jar Binks - overly enthusiastic about everything, overacting everything and nonsensical attempts at comic relief.

**Spoiler Alert**

The only good character in the movie (Han Solo) who is played by a great actor gets killed off in the most predictable and unglamorous way. Stabbed in the front and thrown off a bridge,

The next best character whose acting is great is not a human at all. Its BB-8. This is very sad.

Not gonna bother spending time/money on the next one.

JJ Abrams should return to Star Trek and not further tarnish his otherwise great reputation in Sci Fi with this nonsense.… Expand

73 of 125 users found this helpful7352

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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.… Expand

108 of 185 users found this helpful10877

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2

SchmelkesDec 23, 2015

This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. I'm literally baffled at the uniformly high reviews for Episode VII. The new Darth Vader is the child of Han Solo and Princess Leia! A tormented psychopath who only moments after participating in the annihilation of an entire planet, has this forlorn mother pleading with Han Solo to "bring our boy home." Good God, talk about failed parenting! The writing is atrocious-- particularly the second and third acts (the first ast was kind of fun!). Character actions often seem preposterous and totally unmotivated. And then there's the whole issue of harnessing the Force. No longer is this something that has to be earned and studied--no, that would be too hard and actually take some thought on the writers' behalf. Here the force is a birthright, something that if you merely grimace and groan will flood you with a host of supernatural powers. Oy, I could go on and on... I wanted to have a good time, I really did. I loved the original 3. I've got a pair of young boys who I'd love to share this with, but the writing here was appalling and the movie just plan old bad.… Expand

84 of 144 users found this helpful8460

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0

AirforcerDec 22, 2015

JJ, what were you thinking? Star Wars, A new Hope, was one of the greatest achievements in cinema history. Did you really think you could do a remake that would surpass it? Of course not! This isn't even The Phantom Menace!

42 of 72 users found this helpful4230

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0

DabishaJan 15, 2016

I still remember my impressions when I left cinema after I have been watching New Hope some almost 40 years ago, when I was child. These days one man ruined my childhood memories his name is J.J. Abrams and he proved that he is mediocrity andI still remember my impressions when I left cinema after I have been watching New Hope some almost 40 years ago, when I was child. These days one man ruined my childhood memories his name is J.J. Abrams and he proved that he is mediocrity and talent less director and screenplay writer. J.J. Abrams desecrate G. Lucas lifework, masterpiece in SF genre, insult and humiliate generations of SW fans. This movie is simply nothing, this movie is trash or better this movie is nothing but the feminist propaganda and humiliation of man. J.J. Abrams I wish you never make any movie ever, go and direct soap opera or better go and grow vegetables if you are capable to do it.… Expand

35 of 60 users found this helpful3525

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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.… Expand

35 of 60 users found this helpful3525

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0

hendrikchipmanDec 30, 2015

This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. This movie was a big disappointment. It seemed to rip off from all of the original Star Wars movies.

I wanted to see more of Luke Skywalker, but instead, got a boring story about Han Solo and his son. I also cannot understand how the empire rebuilt itself so quickly after suffering such a huge defeat by the rebels. I would also like to know who the jedi was at the start of the movie was. I actually assumed that it was Luke because he had similar features to a young Mark Hamil. Instead, Luke was removed from the storyline, even though he was the main character in the movies that came before.

Very disappointing.… Expand

35 of 60 users found this helpful3525

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5

spodvollJan 1, 2016

Although Episode VII was cinematically *very* well-executed , the concept and story were completely and disappointingly unoriginal. There was not a single plot device which we had not seen before in previous series installments. And theAlthough Episode VII was cinematically *very* well-executed , the concept and story were completely and disappointingly unoriginal. There was not a single plot device which we had not seen before in previous series installments. And the villian was EMO to the point of cringe-worthiness.

I noted quite a bit of attention paid in social media to Carrie Fisher's appearance, which is a shame. OTOH, her performance was surpisingly quite wooden. I thought her performances in the first 3 movies were quite good. In any case, perhaps some people intuitively realized a substantive deficiency in Fisher's performance this go-around but couldn't consciously grasp the source of their dissatisfaction and focused instead on the superficial.

My 13-year old and 8-year-old kids enjoyed it greatly and that's some consolation.… Expand

28 of 48 users found this helpful2820

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5

NgoakoJan 8, 2016

To be honest in the beginning it was exciting seeing new faces with possible futures, story lines and relationships , but towards the end when you starting to see where the story line is going its rather disappointing than looking towards the sequel

28 of 48 users found this helpful2820

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5

LobstertronicJan 12, 2016

Disappointing, lightweight movie.

'The Force Awakens' mirrors 'A New Hope', but it just doesn't have the same mythical weight. OK, it was good to have Han Solo back, but the poor guy looks like he hasn't done much with his life for theDisappointing, lightweight movie.

'The Force Awakens' mirrors 'A New Hope', but it just doesn't have the same mythical weight.

OK, it was good to have Han Solo back, but the poor guy looks like he hasn't done much with his life for the last 30 years. The rest of the Good Guys were kind of forgettable and unbelievable. Rey had zero flaws. Finn was a waste of screen time, with motivations that didn't really make sense.

The Bad Guys were a giant hologram (yawn), and an angsty wannabe Darth Vader, only minus the fear factor. This is a guy in charge of a massive and feared military force? Seriously? And you've built Death Star 3.0 and it still has a critical flaw? You're sh**ing me, right?!

The plot was just a lot of racing around from set piece to set piece, tied together with some dopey coincidences. Gee Disney, gifted with the Star Wars world and some of the movie worlds' greatest creative people, you could've done better.

(And just to confirm my opinion, my four year old son preferred the original over the new film)… Expand

28 of 48 users found this helpful2820

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0

Warbring3rDec 24, 2015

The Prequels were better at everything except Disney's Marketing Machine. Worse than Into Darkness. A shallow rewrite of A New Hope. 100% bald-faced cash-grab the ends on a cringe-inducing cliffhanger. Go see The Revenant or the Hateful EightThe Prequels were better at everything except Disney's Marketing Machine. Worse than Into Darkness. A shallow rewrite of A New Hope. 100% bald-faced cash-grab the ends on a cringe-inducing cliffhanger. Go see The Revenant or the Hateful Eight instead. The "NO SPOILERS" move by Disney was genius, otherwise everyone would've realized it was a New Hope retread with bigger plot holes and a bigger death star.

I never thought I'd say this, but I miss Jar Jar.… Expand

53 of 91 users found this helpful5338

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1

72AZNCANMBADec 20, 2015

The movie sucked and I was in a very sad state that I had to write this review. Unlike the very shallow and biased reviews made by the top critics I will try to qualify this review so I can move along with my life with a clear conscience.The movie sucked and I was in a very sad state that I had to write this review. Unlike the very shallow and biased reviews made by the top critics I will try to qualify this review so I can move along with my life with a clear conscience. This movie sucked because.
1. This is a rehash. Copycats should never be rewarded. They are thrown out of universities for plagiarism.
2. This is a reboot but they are are selling it as a continuation of the story. Are they saying history repeats itself?
3. Bad acting. Han Solo and Leia seemed like they were FORCEd. No pun intended.
4. No chemistry between Rey and Finn. The interracial love between the two looks FORCEd. No pun intended.
5. The villain does not look intimidating. Just a self-absorbed brat.
6. Sub-par action scenes not worthy of a blockbuster.
7. Sub-par effects not worthy of a blockbuster.
8. Lots of loopholes in the storyline. Sorry, too many to mention.
9. No emotion. When planets were obliterated there was no sadness. When a major character dies there is not much grief.
10. No heart. Uninspired (except perhaps by money).… Expand

46 of 79 users found this helpful4633

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4

screenplayhouseDec 30, 2015

One of the worst thing about franchises full of hyperventilating fanboys is that they always review the film in and of the franchise. They get excited about Fin and Rei as new Star Wars characters but forget to compare them to any newOne of the worst thing about franchises full of hyperventilating fanboys is that they always review the film in and of the franchise. They get excited about Fin and Rei as new Star Wars characters but forget to compare them to any new characters in any new movie. Once you do that they come off -- at best -- as just okay.

The best way to review FORCE AWAKENS is to momentarily ignore it. I ask you to seek out the teaser trailer #2 for DC'S LEGENDS OF TOMORROW. Watch it. If you are utterly and completely unfamiliar with all these characters, you'll have to admit that the trailer has a reasonable PULSE. That it looks exciting on its own standards. However, if you've followed the franchises that have constructed this trailer -- you know with ZERO DOUBT that EVERY character in this trailer is more interesting than ever new player in FORCE.

With that perspective -- it suddenly occurs to you that despite this trailer being for a TV show that it will -- conservatively speaking -- be comparable in entertainment value. From my perspective the Legends trailer is more exciting than this Star Wars feature. Way better characters, way better story. No contest.

What I'm left with then is why people are going Lady Gaga for FORCE. The most familiar trope is that it reminds them of their childhood. Meeting old friends again, as it were. This oft repeated statement seems to be uttered in an alternate universe -- where was as a movie going society have somehow been deprived of subject matter from our childhood. Last time I checked almost EVERYTHING we watch and see is a remake or sequel from decades ago. How many Spidermen are we up to now? Seriously.

I will go as far to say that every Greg Berlanti hero series has been or will be more fun that all of the Star Wars movies. J.J. Abrams had his chance to introduce a bold new world, but like his Trek offerings --

-- dudes all about dull rehashing.… Expand

25 of 43 users found this helpful2518

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4

wonfishJan 1, 2016

I saw the first Star Wars movie when it first came out. Sitting through this -- and I did check my watch a few times -- I wondered if I was in a time warp and was watching the first one over again. All they did was "change the names andI saw the first Star Wars movie when it first came out. Sitting through this -- and I did check my watch a few times -- I wondered if I was in a time warp and was watching the first one over again. All they did was "change the names and faces to protect the innocent." At least redesign the outfits of the soldiers! I think they just brought the costumes out of storage since 1978 for this production. I actually liked the prequel versions better. The plot was completely formulaic. Very disappointed.… Expand

25 of 43 users found this helpful2518

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0

ofthreeJan 14, 2016

Myself and my two kids did not like it. And we are all big Star Wars fans. Not only was this just a remake of A New Hope, but...

- How could Rey learn the Force in a few minutes when it took Luke years? - The bad guy isn't really thatMyself and my two kids did not like it. And we are all big Star Wars fans. Not only was this just a remake of A New Hope, but...

- How could Rey learn the Force in a few minutes when it took Luke years?
- The bad guy isn't really that good at all. I mean, two lowly people can hold their own in a lightsaber fight?
- If you suck up all the energy from your star, won't you pretty much destroy your planet in the process?
- I miss the storytelling of George.
- Did not get the New Order v Republic v Resistance thing. I mean, if there was a Republic, why would there need to be a resistance? What are they resisting? The Republic?
- And, our biggest complaint - why kill Han? Totally lost me after that.… Expand

43 of 74 users found this helpful4331

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0

DedicatusDec 22, 2015

This movie is nothing more than a fanservice. Later on, like a decade later, when we are showing this movie to our children, what would they think? Dad, what happened to Episode 6? Didn't we win? Didn't the empire get beaten? Then why is 7This movie is nothing more than a fanservice. Later on, like a decade later, when we are showing this movie to our children, what would they think? Dad, what happened to Episode 6? Didn't we win? Didn't the empire get beaten? Then why is 7 back to episode 4? We, the people living now, have this 'nostalgia effect' dangling down on us, so we may give this movie high reviews. But if you take the nostalgia out of this movie, and throw it into Star Wars universe, what would it become?… Expand

36 of 62 users found this helpful3626

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2

GhuaDec 22, 2015

This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. SPOILERS BELOW
This movie is very well made, I cannot say anything about technical side of things - awesome. Unfortunately it keeps showing the universe as black and white - resistance is good and empire is even worse than ever. in fact empire is presented as blood thirsty nazis who love to kill people. come on...
plot could also be better, it is basically remake and mix of parts 4 and 5… Expand

18 of 31 users found this helpful1813

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1

NaciremaDec 21, 2015

This is Star Wars for the Avengers/Generic Super Hero generation. The movie does not make sense, has zero character development and tries hard to be funny with little jokes.

18 of 31 users found this helpful1813

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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

All this user's reviews

3

TitaniumDragonDec 27, 2015

This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. If this hadn't had "Star Wars" attached to it, it would have been panned. As it is quite bad.

This movie is a rehash of Star Wars: Episode IV: A New Hope. Star destroyer at start? Check. Attack on rebels resulting in capture of one rebel while droid escapes with important data on it? Check. Droid finds force-sensitive person (who is likely the child of another character) on a desert planet, who shows remarkable piloting ability? Check (heck, hasn't this happened three times now?). Rebel escapes from bad guys with help of reluctant ally? Check. Force sensitive person escapes desert planet on Millenium Falcon just ahead of the Empire? Check.

The list goes on. And none of this is even a spoiler, really, because YOU'VE ALREADY SEEN STAR WARS.

Seriously, that's how bad this movie is. Literally everything in it, from the new not-Death Star to the death of the old mentor, is just a rehash of the original. Yes, there are some differences... but the ways in which it differs actually makes it worse.

The original cast returns, and Han, Leia, and Chewbacca are highlights of the movie. Han and Chewie play a major role and are main characters, even. I was kind of disappointed that Han was randomly off on his own again, as it was very jarring when he showed up and seemed to show little interest in the Resistance, but it made sense after a while. Well, a marginal amount of sense. Chewie was Chewie, and he worked just fine. Leia is okay, but something of a bit part, which is true of C3PO and R2D2 as well, both of whom play very marginal roles but get to show off their character.

However, the new characters essentially all suck.

Finn, the rebel stormtrooper, is inconsistently characterized, and while him being terrified and something of a coward is reasonable, he suggests that the reason he fled was that he wasn't willing to kill people... and then he instantly turns around and kills a ton of his former friends without any hesitation. He alternates between cowardice and killing lots of people for much of the movie, and it is terrible. He has no real depth of character, no particularly interesting speech patterns, nothing. He's just boring.

Rey, the movie's Luke expy, is a worse character than Luke in every way. She more closely resembles Anakin Skywalker from The Phantom Menace, including in her bizarre ability to instantly do a ton of things that it took other characters a lot of training to learn how to do. This sucks and it makes no sense - Luke spent three movies learning how to become a Jedi, and was wary of the light saber, while Rey gets in a lightsaber duel the first time she picks it up (and Finn also uses it effectively, which seems questionable - how did a storm trooper learn how to use a light saber?). She is a whiner who is waiting for her parents to come back, even though it is obvious to everyone that she has been abandoned by her parents, and it seems likely she is Luke’s daughter. She is bland, boring, and often takes actions (like running away on a random planet) which makes no sense and feels redundant with Finn's own status as a reluctant hero.

Poe is a resistance fighter who is the Rebel Alliance’s best pilot and who flies around an x-wing. He disappears for a good chunk of the film and seems very generic – he’s just a generic rebel pilot. I wasn’t surprised when he was killed off, I didn’t even recognize him when he showed back up again because he was so forgettable, and his personality, like the others’, was very bland and generic. He was no reluctant hero, but I am forced to wonder why he wasn’t with the other two characters for most of the movie – he could have served as a logical pilot versus Rey’s sudden ability to fly the Millenium Falcon, he could have gotten more characterization, and he could have served as more of a core to the team. His death didn’t incite any feelings in me, and when he doesn’t die after all, I didn’t care either.

BB-8, the new droid, is, quite sadly, the most well-characterized of the new characters. This is sad because he has no actual ability to speak at all, and has to rely entirely on body language. He serves as comedic relief, but feels redundant when the other droids show up.

And then there is the new villain, Kylo Ren, AKA Ben, a helmeted Darth Vader expy with a red lightsaber (with a hilt of sorts), a deep, menacing voice, and a Jedi who turned to the Dark Side of the Force. In the world’s most shocking moment, he turns out to be related to one of the heroes as well.

Seriously.

While there is some logic here – the character idolizes Darth Vader, and wants to be like him – the sad thing is that greatly damages him as a person. Darth Vader was awesome, but Kylo Ren ends up coming off as a wannabe. He’s violent and deadly, to be sure, but he’s more like a manchild than a cold, dark general. Indeed, the entire First Order comes off this way – a bunch of kids playing at being the Empire, rather than brutal dictators. It robs the film of gravitas.… Expand

40 of 69 users found this helpful4029

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3

N-LegendJan 3, 2016

Terrible movie was terrible. The storm troopers were always CLONES, but I get it this is a different story supposedly. What I did not like is that the characters felt hollow to me. I didn't really care all that much about most of them. TheTerrible movie was terrible. The storm troopers were always CLONES, but I get it this is a different story supposedly. What I did not like is that the characters felt hollow to me. I didn't really care all that much about most of them. The father and son reunion was EXTREMELY convenient.
Conditioned storm trooper quits, and is reluctant to kill people (leader sees him, walks off...)
Desert girl is an ace pilot and engineer when she pretty much only lived on a desert planet while being very poor...... She also learns the force in 3 seconds and completely wrecks the main villain.
Masked Villain doesn't use the force very much and used it only to freeze people while being able to stop lasers with it. If he can do that he should be able to completely annihilate people with it....
Saber fights - > barely any and all were very lame. (Slow mo saber fights... without slow mo effects. Like the fights were really slow and boring.)
Movie felt super politically correct.
Verdict -> Star Wars Battlefront was better movie.… Expand

55 of 95 users found this helpful5540

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0

InFijiDec 31, 2015

In a galaxy far, far away, some folks have talent and a desire to make movies with texture. Sadly, none were contacted in the making of this film.

More to the point, it's pathetic - wooden acting, CFisher appears hunchback, HFord so oldIn a galaxy far, far away, some folks have talent and a desire to make movies with texture. Sadly, none were contacted in the making of this film.

More to the point, it's pathetic - wooden acting, CFisher appears hunchback, HFord so old his role here seems eerily reminiscent of the last SConnery Bond movie in which his teeth whistled. The notion one would be asked here to check if one revealed spoilers is, sadly, laughable: there's nothing fresh in this movie - and therefore nothing capable of spoilage. If you've seen the first movie, you've seen this, though the former far more entertaining.

Besides giving an honest opinion, though, my reason for writing was this - the discrepancy between the scores given by professional reviewer and everyday "user" on this site is overwhelming. Good lord, it's tragic - is there no honesty left amongst you eaters of broken meat?… Expand

55 of 95 users found this helpful5540

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3

gloukasDec 27, 2015

This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. First off, I am not a Star Wars Fan Boy. I have no Bias. I just watched the entire 6 Star Wars films two years ago and thoroughly enjoyed them all, even the Prequels. Despite some of the Prequels shortfalls, the villains were still great, the Characters great, and the plot and character development excellent and very "Star Wars"

The Force Awakens is not just the worst Star Wars Movie, it is one of the worst and most diluted movies I have ever seen. It is on my top 10 worst movies list (excluding ridiculous no-budget goof movies like CHUD etc).

The villain is an absolute goofball. He is not scary or serious at all. We get no time to get to know the characters. Finn changes personalities way too fast. Not only that, but by the previews he seemed like a serious, emotional character. But it turns out he was just a goofball clown and an unlovable hero. Very disappointed with his Characters lack of power and presence.

The plot. WTF? It jumps all over the place. One minute its on track going to find Luke where it could have taken us on a fun treasure hunt and many different places to find him and gather clues. Instead time was wasted on the most useless scenes that wasted screen time. Like when they find Han Solo and suddenly monsters are loose and that takes like 10-15 minutes.....I kept waiting for it to end so the Journey could start. The rest of the Characters and scenes were forgettable.

Next thing you know suddenly all these planets blow up and there is a new Deathstar and the entire Resistance is about to be annihilated.......where the hell did that come from? WHAT IS GOING ON?? NOW GOLEM IS IN THE MOVIE??!??!?! WHERE ID GOLEM COME FROM?!?!?!

I also have to point out how absolutely awful and outplayed their attempt was to make the Stormtroopers look like Nazis......really. **** ridiculous. It also really ruined the scary unsolved mystery the stormtroopers were. Even though we learned what they were, there was some mystery there.

Han Solos death which should have been a massive massive moment was so predictable. It had no build up. It should have struck so much harder, but it was so rushed. I still wasn't even sure what the hell was going on at that point.

No review got it more right than the Vatican associated newspaper. I am not religious, I am an "Athiest" (I just consider myself born neutral but ok). They tried to paint it out as a joke and religion influenced, but it is the most accurate, credible and unbiased review since Im pretty sure Disney wasnt advertising on their website and publication. If you haven't read it, go check it out.

Too bad. So much could have been done and I LOVED JJ Abrams Star Trek Pictures. But man, What a FLOP this was. Top 10 worst movies I have EVER seen!!! The ONLY good thing in the movie was Rey. Not her Character, but her acting. She stole the show and that very very very last moment with her and Luke did get me to tingle a bit. Other than that, just absolutely awful.

Thanks for reading.… Expand

33 of 57 users found this helpful3324

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3

SpellkingDec 27, 2015

This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. It's a welcome visit back to the Star Wars universe, satisfyingly filled with fan-service references. The plot, however, is somewhat weak (see below), and altogether made for an overall juvenile story.

**spoilers**

...

...

You'd think after having two death stars blown up, they'd stop making huge contraptions with fatal weak points. It's also nice to see the protagonist suddenly acquire skills and powers overwhelming, right in the nick of time. Twists feel somewhat overdone--more for edginess then for substance. In any case, I was disappointed, but entertained.

**/spoilers**… Expand

33 of 57 users found this helpful3324

All this user's reviews

9

TimeOfTheChimpsJan 23, 2016

Though some new characters are underused and the plot retreads ANH slightly, The Force Awakens is a great start to this new trilogy due to the excellent acting from Daisy Ridely, John Boyega, Adam Driver, and the rest of the new and originalThough some new characters are underused and the plot retreads ANH slightly, The Force Awakens is a great start to this new trilogy due to the excellent acting from Daisy Ridely, John Boyega, Adam Driver, and the rest of the new and original cast, its insane final lightsabre battle, and the excellent practical effects used in place of overused CGI. A-… Expand

33 of 57 users found this helpful3324

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5

Joker92Jan 15, 2016

The visuals and sounds were spectacular in the Imax I watched it in, but that's were the good stops. This movie should be the poster child of "over-hyped" and "overrated". The praise this movie gets from the establishment is from having theThe visuals and sounds were spectacular in the Imax I watched it in, but that's were the good stops. This movie should be the poster child of "over-hyped" and "overrated". The praise this movie gets from the establishment is from having the star wars logo on it alone. Writing was horrible, very boring. It's so obvious how hard that they try to shove the whole " strong female protagonist" thing down your throat the entire movie, that it takes away from the value that it there. Am glad I had seen it in the theatre, because like I said the visuals and sounds in the movie were really good. Horrible actor for the villain role too. That guy looks like he belongs in a 90's boyband, not an agent of the dark side.

""Mild Spoiler"'

I did like how they humanized a storm trooper. It was an interesting story point to see a person behind the helmet.… Expand

22 of 38 users found this helpful2216

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3

drmikepphdJan 19, 2016

Well, I broke my rule and saw SW-FA last night, having vowed after seeing the trailers I would wait until its on hbo! My suspicions were confirmed. The hard-to-ruin storyline was satisfying (I mean, really, even JJ Abrams couldn't completelyWell, I broke my rule and saw SW-FA last night, having vowed after seeing the trailers I would wait until its on hbo! My suspicions were confirmed. The hard-to-ruin storyline was satisfying (I mean, really, even JJ Abrams couldn't completely derail a basically good story) but the three main new "actors": really? Were we all that hard up for a contemporary sequel that we accepted any body that Disney threw at us? Never mind the all too gratuitous casting, but c'mon, the bad- and overacting! Ok, now grimace ("I'm angry now"); now wide eyes ("I'm afraid now") and now yell ("I'm intense now"); and the lackluster (lets be honest, crude) reading of dialogue makes for, well, very not only run-of-the-mill (read: bad) performances that were "saved" (read: marginally excusable) by 1. a huge interest in wanting the movie to be good; 2 the veteran actors (thankfully) that helped keep things together and 3. great special effects. Finn character was almost completely arbitrary; Poe was ancillary and I cant figure out for the life of me why he was inserted. Oh well...Disney. I understand the need for this generation to embrace and make their own a part of the Star Wars phenomenon(now approx. 35 years since); granted And, even the worst tourist restaurant stays in business for years because of the millions of one-timers who never return to that bad restaurant (but they still keep making money, right?:) ). Same here: the hype and anticipation and (in my case) curiosity created a $$ blockbuster that really wasn't all that good when you really look objectively at it as a movie.… Expand

22 of 38 users found this helpful2216

All this user's reviews

3

raporgiDec 19, 2015

Pathetic. Really. Its disposable, has no ambition. Its SW for the PC/SJW audience. Tons of plotholes and tonally disonant quipping. Worst offender is the heroine who is an ultra Mary Sue. The characters have extremely weak unfleshed outPathetic. Really. Its disposable, has no ambition. Its SW for the PC/SJW audience. Tons of plotholes and tonally disonant quipping. Worst offender is the heroine who is an ultra Mary Sue. The characters have extremely weak unfleshed out motivations for doing what they do in the movie.… Expand

92 of 159 users found this helpful9267

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2

OverpaidDec 28, 2015

I don't know how this film could have been much worse. The story is an increasingly implausible sequence of absurd coincidences or scenes rehashed from other star wars movies. Characters form relationships with each other instantaneously,I don't know how this film could have been much worse. The story is an increasingly implausible sequence of absurd coincidences or scenes rehashed from other star wars movies. Characters form relationships with each other instantaneously, and for no readily apparent reason. What they say constantly contradicts what is going on around them. If two characters are "required" by the "plot" to see each other, they literally just bump into each other. Whether they are on the other side of a planet or the other side of the galaxy seems not to matter. They may have been looking for a spaceship, waiting to reactivate in sitting in a box for 20 years without result, but when the moment comes, there they are. At least the prequels had scope, scenes like the podrace, and some memorable new characters. I seriously think this film is worse than the Phantom Menace (although not as bad as Attack of the Clones). I cant call myself a Star Wars fan any more really. So sad.… Expand

85 of 147 users found this helpful8562

All this user's reviews

6

EludiumQ36Dec 26, 2015

Dammit, I understand all the Episode IV rip-off criticism now that I've seen it. And Harrison Ford at 73 and Carrie Fisher at a rough-looking 59 are to be commended for their capacity to appear but their presence only served to bolster theDammit, I understand all the Episode IV rip-off criticism now that I've seen it. And Harrison Ford at 73 and Carrie Fisher at a rough-looking 59 are to be commended for their capacity to appear but their presence only served to bolster the criticism that VII leans too much on IV/VI. And though "the force awakens" in newcomer Rey, it all came a bit too easy to her - in fact the scene where she realizes she has Mental Persuasion - quickly descends into self-parody. And of course it follows that Rey is "a new hope", and dollars-to-donuts, with the Rebels', er Resistance's win, Episode VIII will parallel "The Empire Strikes Back" with the First Order recovering and having another go at the Resistance. The orig trilogy ended in '83 with "Return of the Jedi", so we all hoped that given a biblically long 32 year wait, our socks would be knocked off with a set of sequels (most of us want to forget the prequels). Instead, it appears the new set is cut from the same cloth as the old. Sure they'll all make their billions of dollars and rate 6 or 7 of 10, but it sure would've been great to have a set of 9s or 10s like Eps IV and V. JJ Abrams could've done this but it's like he held back, like he felt culture-bound to replicate rather than innovate, too bad.… Expand

26 of 45 users found this helpful2619

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4

AquaziJan 11, 2016

The movie is mediocre-decent as a standalone movie.

But considering it feels like a shallow remix-remake of episode 4 (evil corporation-empire/whatever chasing a drone that somehow ends up in the hands of a destined jedi who also happensThe movie is mediocre-decent as a standalone movie.

But considering it feels like a shallow remix-remake of episode 4 (evil corporation-empire/whatever chasing a drone that somehow ends up in the hands of a destined jedi who also happens to be an orfan and ends up blowing a giant planet destroying battlestation...).

It's like Godfather 4 starts with the marriage of Vincent's Corleone daughter and ends up with his soon back from the army killing the enemies of his father and taking control of the family and new york organized crime..

I won't say this movie is worst than episode 1 and 2, as a movie. But atleast EP 1 and 2 gave me much better action and curious characters, and Lucas was able to imagine new planets, new horizons.

JJ was probably told from Disney "play it safe", but he went to far.… Expand

26 of 45 users found this helpful2619

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6

Brent_MarchantDec 19, 2015

Despite its skillfully handled technical attributes and the introduction of a few new wrinkles, this latest installment in the series feels more like a warmed-over recycle job than anything especially new or different. The story lineDespite its skillfully handled technical attributes and the introduction of a few new wrinkles, this latest installment in the series feels more like a warmed-over recycle job than anything especially new or different. The story line (especially in the first 30 and last 30 minutes) plays out like a rehash of the narrative in Episode IV, the film that launched the series. And, except for the somewhat surprising larger-than-expected role that Harrison Ford plays in the story, the reintroduction of vintage characters, catch phrases and images comes across more like checking off items on a laundry list of cinematic obligations to fulfill before the film's end than an inventive integration of said elements into a new context. To be sure, the film is mildly entertaining, but this is far from groundbreaking cinema, in much the same way as many of this year's other technically proficient but ultimately tepid franchise reboots.… Expand

26 of 45 users found this helpful2619

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5

jibbonDec 19, 2015

Well like so many here I am greatly disappointed. Do not expect anything more than a soppy, soulless remake of the original film. I mean, what a wasted gift - the opportunity to touch the collective unconscious of a new generation. Lucas,Well like so many here I am greatly disappointed. Do not expect anything more than a soppy, soulless remake of the original film. I mean, what a wasted gift - the opportunity to touch the collective unconscious of a new generation. Lucas, despite his faults, offered us a deep, archetypal structure in Star Wars which for many assumed almost mythic proportions. Do not expect anything so potent in this production. Abrams has clearly missed the deeper archetypal conflicts and drawn inspiration from the basic plot of A New Hope instead. I get the logic - just take 'what works' and put it on steroids - throw in a female protagonist and wannabe antagonist; make everything bigger; quicker; more improbable - and somehow it adds up to less. It's just superficial writing that awakens, sadly, very little indeed.… Expand

56 of 97 users found this helpful5641

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0

ARC1000Dec 21, 2015

Garbage with no artistic merit. Strictly made for profit, unlike the originals which were made by an artist who only wanted to tell a positive, uplifting story.
Star Wars 1977-2005 R.I.P.

30 of 52 users found this helpful3022

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0

Skati99Apr 24, 2016

This is just another film that JJ Abrams failed to cast. The plot is ridiculous, the characters are not interesting and it has nothing in comon with the orginal star wars. Rey just discover the force in this film and can take down the mainThis is just another film that JJ Abrams failed to cast. The plot is ridiculous, the characters are not interesting and it has nothing in comon with the orginal star wars. Rey just discover the force in this film and can take down the main sith. Kylo Ren looks like an Harry Potter fan and cant fight. The death star blows 6 planets for no reason. The first order are evils for no **** reason neither… Expand

15 of 26 users found this helpful1511

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1

JonhyBotApr 22, 2016

If it was never made nothing would've been lost. Apart the visuals everything is rushed and bad. It added nothing new to the Star Wars universe and if you squeeze it really hard you will get 2 drop of juice at max. Many things have been saidIf it was never made nothing would've been lost. Apart the visuals everything is rushed and bad. It added nothing new to the Star Wars universe and if you squeeze it really hard you will get 2 drop of juice at max. Many things have been said so i will not add more. If you want to see a brainless action movie where you get brain cancer by viewing it, then go and do it. If you're watching it thinking it is a Star Wars movie, please don't get your expectations high, or even at a average level...acting, script, plot...all bad. Like i said it is a rushed dumbed-down eye-fest and that's it.… Expand

15 of 26 users found this helpful1511

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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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1

AbsozeroJan 21, 2016

Disappointing at best. There isn't much more to say. It's was poorly written and was boring, trite and uninspired. I give it a 1 and I wish people didn't drink the koolaid so hard with this film.

49 of 85 users found this helpful4936

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3

RexxRacerXDec 18, 2015

This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. Characters:
I’m OK with the 3 new characters on the light side:
Rey was fantastic, I loved Daisy Ridley, she was outstanding in the role.
Poe was equally engaging, I liked his snarky wit and enthusiasm.
BB8 was magic, nice to see an advancement on the droid front since 1977! (And he now takes USB flash drives!)
FiNn was decent as well. I loved John Boyega and the enthusiasm he brought to the role. They all bring their share of great acting moments, lighthearted jokes, and “humanize” the film. I have many, many story related questions about these characters, and I think we’re supposed to after this film, but I enjoyed all of them.
Having Han, Leia, Luke, 3PO, and R2 back feels like a warm sweater, although I have questions on Abrams’ treatment/usage of several characters as it relates to the story. I’ll get to that in a bit, for now let’s just leave it as great to see those old friends.
The neutral characters were largely forgettable, except for Maz, whom I enjoyed. She was a good addition to the second act and added story elements to a very sparse landscape, and I appreciated that. (More on the story to come)
Now onto the dark side:
We’ll start with Supreme Leader Snoke, (or is this JJ’s version of his smoke monster from Lost?) We never see him “in the flesh” and that was annoying to me. There was no character depth for Snoke at all, no reasoning why he was the leader of the First Order, why he seduced Kylo Ren, how, when, etc. He just felt like a cardboard character.
Kylo Ren. AKA, whiniest dark side character ever. Not much story surrounding him, or why he was estranged from his parents. No reason why, how, or when, or heck even “if” he was the Jedi seduced into destroying Luke’s Jedi Academy. I’ll assume he was, having no other indication, coupled with the fact that Luke is his uncle and Leia saying that’s why she wanted Luke to train him. I’m fairly certain he must be the one. I’ll save more for the story part, but this character was the flimsiest bad guy we’ve encountered in Star Wars to date. No story about why he is aligned with the First Order, he’s just a bad guy.
Captain Phasma (Fasma?) I’ll have to be honest right here, I had to go look up her name. That’s how little they spent even showing this character, not to mention developing any story about how or why she is a Captain in the First Order. I found it very puzzling that the only character wearing chrome storm trooper gear was relegated to about 15 lines of dialogue, and apparently a garbage chute.
General Hitler (I don’t remember his name either, and honestly just don’t care) Things are different in JJ’s Star Wars universe, seemingly. I saw several times that this character should have been force choked, and for some reason Kylo Ren seemed to cower to him. Why was he allowed to facetime the Supreme Leader Smoke Monster with “Ben”? No backstory on why he’s a General. No story about his relationship with Snoke, why he’s with the First Order, seeing a pattern here?
Characters are vital to a story. Especially one as grandiose of a Space Opera as Star Wars. Having cardboard cutout characters really cheapens the story for me, and I feel that justice was not done for any character other than FiNn and Rey.

Pacing:
I found the pacing of the film to be horrible. There were no crescendos of emotion invoked at all like previous films. 90% of the movie I imagined that it was what an ADHD person experiences. The other 10% was plodding and unnecessary. For example, we had the scene of Han and Chewy capturing the Falcon adrift, and the ensuing dialogue and cgi monster brawl. It was just all unnecessary. It would have been better to have Han reintroduced playing a card game to win back the Falcon from the person who stole it from the person who stole it from the person who stole it from Han. This gives more time to character development and storytelling rather than another unnecessary throw away action sequence.
I also could have done without one of the three distinct dogfight scenes. The one at Maz’s castle is the one I would remove, it’s also unnecessary. Just have the First Order win the raid fight and retreat as overwhelming resistance is coming in with Rey in captivity, this would have served the same purpose, taken less time, and also opened up much needed dialogue between Han, FiNn, and “Ben”.
The movie just felt like a starter’s gun went off at the start and it was just go, go, go for the whole thing.

Story:
I’ll be brutally honest to start this section. The story of this movie was horrible, in my opinion. I was a fan of the EU Thrawn trilogy, and felt it was a much stronger vehicle than what Lucasfilm and Disney presented to us in The Force Awakens.
The crawl goes by and we learn that Luke is missing. Some people called the First Order, and a resistance led by Leia are looking for him. Leia sends a pilot on a spy mission. Um, OK, what? Why would she send Poe? That makes no sense. Are there no longer any Bothans to die for this information?
Next we meet a character named Lor San Tekka, a seemingly “in the know” character, who refers to Leia as royalty, not a General, and in short order reconfirms he is more than a village leader on a backwater planet by the knowing dialogue between Van Sydow and Kylo Ren. Then he’s brutally murdered by Kylo Ren. WTF? And Kylo Ren can pause/freeze laser blasts in mid air. Which is light, so my BS meter went off for the first time right here.
And there’s a Storm Trooper with bloody fingerprints on his helmet, seeming losing his mind. We meet an ominous Captain of Stormtroopers clad in shiny chrome, and surely this character will be integral to the story as it progresses.
Next we see Rey scavenging, we find out scavenging doesn’t pay very well, and she’s been holed up in that AT-AT for a long time. Or she just really sucks at tic-tac-toe. We learn that a battle must have taken place here by all of the wreckage and debris, but nothing is made of it or explained. OK… so, it’s all just scenery? Oh, and she conveniently rescued BB8 a mere 10 feet from her AT-AT abode, and can apparently speak several languages, including droid beep-boop-bop.
FiNn, the Stormtrooper losing his mind during the opening raid then rescues Poe, because he’s decided he needs to escape the First Order. He quickly learns how to fire guns from a 2 seater TIE fighter, that are apparently swivel-turret mounted now. There are problems with the escape, but I’ll suspend my disbelief about how easily they got out of a hanger full of troopers, as it’s been done before in the Star Wars Universe.
FiNn then finds himself alone back on Jakka, and makes his way to meet Rey and BB8 conveniently. He also knows BB8’s name without being told what it is. A minor plot hole, but important foreshadowing into the rest of the movie. BB8 fashion police’s the jacket he’s now wearing as belonging to Poe, just as a raid begins on the outpost causing them to hide, then flee once an airstrike begins.
So let’s digest these opening scenes for a moment. First, that’s a lot of coincidences. All of these things happen to occur to put these characters together, but it’s a bit forced. I would have had FiNn and Poe somehow escape the first raid in a more believable manner, rather than get back to the ship and escape, but that breaks the vehicle of introducing how powerful Kylo Ren is supposed to be, and him finding out the stolen death star plans are in a droid… er, I mean, the map to Luke Skywalker is in a droid. Which is the second problem with how this opens. Didn’t this all get done before, in a very similar fashion? A New Hope had a droid with secret info that the rebellion needed, and the Empire looking for it. Said droid then conveniently made his way to the protagonist, where they had to flee. AND they fled in the same freaking vehicle!!!
This was the first point in the movie that my mind started seriously yelling REBOOT! And sensing I wouldn’t enjoy this ride.
So, OK we’ve met our heroes, they’re safely away in the Millennium Falcon, and next we get into the first of a few completely unnecessary scenes. Han and Chewy show up, and 15 minutes of needless, non- story progressing banter ensues between the kids and old timers, then Han and some angry creditors. Oh, and Han gave FiNn a blaster. (more on this later) Squidward to the third power is released, another unnecessary monster to show how weird space is, and the whole gang loads up in the Millennium Van to leave. Seriously, this whole scene could have happened way better and was completely unnecessary. It wasn’t good, it contained no meaningful dialogue, and could have been cut to allow more story in to flesh out what happened in the past 10 years.
We also see dialogue with General Hitler and Kylo Ren talking to the Smoke Monster, Supreme Leader Giant. We learn that Kylo Ren is Han Solo’s son. OK, kind of abrupt the way you laid that on us there JJ, but “we ain’t got no time” for developing a story with plot, more ‘splosions and dogfights!
So the Millennium Van goes to visit Maz. I enjoyed Maz’s character and the little bit of story elements we got here, as well as the foreshadowing of Rey touching the lightsaber. Of course the First Order and Resistance BOTH have agents to report them arriving conveniently waiting, and the First Order commences another raid. Kylo Ren captures Rey, and Han continues his bowcaster fetish. FiNn also uses the lightsaber for the first time (after he returned to help from trying to get transport to the outer fringes, where Han told him to keep the blaster – more on the blaster later) in the battle scene, but gets beat up by a crowd control Stormtrooper before Han shoots the trooper with the bowcaster. Oh, and Leia shows up, as well as “one hell of a pilot”. So, I liked this location, the cantina and castle were great visually. I liked Maz, I loved her dialogue with Han, FiNn, and Rey. The battle here however, was completely unnecessary. The only vehicle not accomplished was showing Poe’s flying ability by doing this scene differently. Also, the crowd control trooper should have been Captain Phasma.
So, we’re finally off to see the resistance. FiNn and BB8 learn the pilot from the castle was Poe, and he’s alive and well. Poe gives FiNn his jacket. (remember me mentioning the blaster earlier?)
So, here’s a beef. Why is everyone giving FiNn handouts? I find it ironically juxtaposed to the beginning scenes with Rey scavenging for ¼ ration per item, and it really kind of put me off that there was some sort of underlying tone of a racial sort happening. Probably not intentional, but I found it really suspicious that the movie went out of it’s way to give handouts to the black guy, while going out of it’s way to show the white girl working hard to survive.
Some dialogue that is mostly forgettable happens down in the war bunker after witnessing a physically impossible weapon. You see, the First Order has this super weapon, one that is a magnitude more powerful than the Death Stars. It creates it’s energy by syphoning off energy from the Sun to an otherwise Icy planet. So, it’s apparently far enough away from the sun to have ice, but not far enough to be too far to syphon off of the sun. MmmKay. After charging, it releases this energy as a massive laser. This massive laser then defies the physical properties of light, bends and splits to destroy an entire solar system in one shot. BS meter went haywire about now…
So, OK it’s science fiction, let’s say in this universe physics is different than ours. Fine, I’ll suspend my disbelief. But you know what’s not different, or at least shouldn’t be? BASIC FREAKING LOGIC! The Empire already tried this tactic. TWICE! We already had 2 Death Star super weapons, this is the same thing on a larger scale! Both of those plans/designs were exposed and destroyed. Oh, I know. Let’s do the same thing again, but if it’s on a planet it will be totally different! This is about the time that my BS meter, and the reboot meter told me this movie was utter rehashed crap.
Somewhere in here we also get to see Kylo Ren struggling with his inner demons. He’s drawn to the light, a stark contrast to Luke’s journey and the pull of the dark side. This was another WTF moment for me, however. Did we just throw out Return of the Jedi? Anakin was redeemed by killing the Emperor. We don’t see a ghost of Darth Vader, we see a ghost of Hayden Christensen’s Anakin. (Another pet peeve I’ll spare everyone from reading) Furthermore, the galaxy rejoiced the demise of the Empire, so how is it that the First Order has as much power as they do? More BS alerts going off…
Oh, and Rey is in the interrogation chair back at Super Weapon World. (Or the equally stupid name STARKILLER BASE) She’s restrained and guarded by a single Stormtrooper. She decides to try to Jedi Mind Trick the guard into releasing her.
Wait, what? How does she know about this? How to do this? There is no vehicle introducing this ability to her and is a major plot hole that she even knows about the Jedi Mind Trick!
So, a plan is designed to take out the super weapon, the resistance learns they are the new target, and they have a countdown clock. Hmm, that sounds eerily familiar.
1 Team goes to the planet to disable the shields, and another team takes to just X-Wing fighters to destroy the flaw in the design of the super weapon. Didn’t we do this already?
The ground team, led by Han does their stupid mission. Along the way they decide to plant explosives that they conveniently brought to weaken the target that the X-Wings are ineffective against. Do Y-Wings no longer exist? B-Wings? Han runs into Kylo Ren and confronts him by calling out his name. He calls out…. “BEN!”
Ben? Han and Leia named their kid Ben? Why? Perhaps after Obi-Wan’s alias, but that makes no sense as Leia never met Obi Wan, and Han wasn’t terribly fond of that old wizard. It’s a pretty un-ceremonial name compared to Rey, FiNn, Poe, Leia, Han, et-all. I guess that’s why he goes by Kylo Ren now and hates his family, because his real name sucked! Ben Solo, naw, he didn’t get ridiculed in Star Wars school at all…
I’m fine with killing off Han Solo. Not too fond of it coming at the hands of his son, but his kid is clearly a mental case. And frankly by this point the movie is already a steaming pile to even really care about killing off a beloved rebel alliance family member. I sincerely hope Ford decided to do the movie under the condition he could get killed off to not have to suffer the future of Disney Star Wars.
And finally, we have FiNn and Rey facing off against Darth Crybaby (Kylo Ren) in the forest. He sparks up his ridiculously designed lightsaber and FiNn begins to defend them. FiNn, not at all showing any force sensitivity, or mentioned to have sword training, somehow holds his own against a wounded Kylo Ren, and manages to wound him further before getting severely injured. Then Rey takes up the saber she swore she would never touch, and somehow musters the force to win a lightsaber duel against a wounded Kylo Ren. OK, so 2 kids with no lightsaber training just each survived a lightsaber duel with the new big bad of Star Wars? I don’t care that he was wounded by being shot by Chewy, this was just complete BS.
And then in the span of 3 minutes, Rey goes to find Luke, climbs a bunch of steps, and offers his lightsaber back to him, The End.

The whole map to Luke story was stupid. They ripped everything else off from previous movies, why not plans to the Super Weapon? Or a map to Supreme Giant Snoke? It would have worked better. Luke and R2 both could have just shown up from their sabbatical at the end after sensing the awakening and it would have worked better.

Plot gaps: When/How/why did the First Order start? How do they have as much power as they do? Was “Ben” Han and Leia’s only kid? Why did we only see X-Wing’s? Where are the A, B, and Y wings? When did TIE fighters get a swiveling turret? Why only one model? How did Maz recover the lightsaber from Bespin/Cloud City? Was this where it was recovered even? How did FiNn know BB8’s name/designation? How did Rey know that Jedi Mind Trick was a thing? Or that she could do it?… Expand

102 of 177 users found this helpful10275

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0

jasehowardDec 22, 2015

Very generic. They basically took all the stories of the first three films and gave them new names and faces. Everything seemed rushed. Very little time or effort spend on character development. In its place you had a plethora of re-createdVery generic. They basically took all the stories of the first three films and gave them new names and faces. Everything seemed rushed. Very little time or effort spend on character development. In its place you had a plethora of re-created iconic scenes that brought back memories of some great movies -- but they said nothing about the quality of this movie.… Expand

34 of 59 users found this helpful3425

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2

sleepingzzzJan 2, 2016

If you seen the very first star wars movie then you have already seen this one. It's almost an exact copy with updated visuals.

They also actually made the dark side uncool. Rylo Ken is a giant wuss bag that a little girl could beat up.If you seen the very first star wars movie then you have already seen this one. It's almost an exact copy with updated visuals.

They also actually made the dark side uncool. Rylo Ken is a giant wuss bag that a little girl could beat up. The black guy's role was pretty much pointless. Seems like they added him in just to have a black guy in the movie. Movie was boring. I nearly fell asleep. I really need to stop watching these hyped up movies. I keep giving Hollywood a reason to keep making them by giving them my money. I wait for DVD when the second part comes out in a year or two.… Expand

87 of 151 users found this helpful8764

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6

SweaterGuyDec 29, 2015

Let's rehash the best of A New Hope, Empire Strikes Back and Return of the Jedi and somehow make them average? Entertaining? Maybe. Worth a second look? Nah.

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

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

Jurassic World was a better reboot.… Expand

19 of 33 users found this helpful1914

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4

lightbetsoinJan 18, 2016

the main problem i have with this movie, is the lack of context we have. what is the state of the galaxy after episode 6? if the republic have been restored, why is there still the rebellion? what hapened to the empire, how is the first orderthe main problem i have with this movie, is the lack of context we have. what is the state of the galaxy after episode 6? if the republic have been restored, why is there still the rebellion? what hapened to the empire, how is the first order related to it?
at some points the new super weapon destroy a full system, at first i thought it was coruscent, but the lore seems to pretend its an other planet. the thing is, theres nothing we know on this planet.
its just an other mindless destruction some group that looks related to the empire, even if we dont know exactly how..

you know nothing about the universe you enter in.

after that comes the obvious for anyone who likes star wars first trilogy.
the movie is a carbon copy of episode 4.
the main protagonist is stuck on a desert planet that feels like tatooine.
theres a search for a rebel robot on this planet.
theres a "death star" the destruction of a solar system.. everything just look way too close to episode 4.
its almost like they were doing a complete reboot of star wars instead of doing the episode 8.

the music is not memorable, theres really no great theme. sometimes you are happy to listen to the old era themes like leia's or luke's, but theres no new imperial march, no new duel of the fates. you'll forget everything, and 1 month after seeing the movie i still havent had the drive to listen to the ost.

finally, and that is very subjective, but i hate the fact that the main character is a woman.
its just impossible for me to identify as rey.
i believe sf is mostly appreciated by men, and especially star wars.
i see the choice of the main character beeing a woman, and the choice of his black partner as a strategy to attracts those 2 demographics that are historically not attracted into star wars.… Expand

19 of 33 users found this helpful1914

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5

Monkey_NutzJan 3, 2016

This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. If this wasn't the sequel to the original Star Wars trilogy, I'd give it a 7. As it is that sequel, I feel I'm being pretty generous with a 5.

The Good

1. Nowhere near the amount of cringe-worthy scenes as the prequels. By default, the movie gets a little love for not being as bad as 1-3.
2. Liked Poe's character.
3. Acting was good enough.
4. Han Solo sounded and felt like Han Solo.
5. Nostalgia feels.
6. Some of the humor was good.
7. First half of the movie was pretty good. Figured the second half was gonna blow my mind. Was wrong.
8. Effects were amazing. Ships looked great.

The Bad

1. Mary Sue protagonist
2. Weak antagonist. A mere shadow of the Sith Lords that came before him. I know that is kind of the point, but it doesn’t work for me.
3. A thousand and one coincidences to connect a plot that is far too similar to previous instalments. I didn’t want a soft reboot for Star Wars, I wanted a new adventure.
4. The political climate was hand-waved, like the audience is too stupid to listen to 1 minute of exposition to get us up to speed. Who the hell is the First Order? The Resistance? Where is the Republic in all this? I hate calling creative professionals lazy, too many reviewers have no idea the amount of work that goes into creating entertainment, but this is just lazy screen writing.
5. Too much of what we learned at the end of Return of the Jedi is either ignored, cast aside or not explained.
6. The mysterious elements of the film are far too many. Save a few things for the sequels, but in true JJ form, he doesn’t want to tell us what we need to know to truly enjoy this picture as a stand-alone feature.
7. The death of Han Solo was borderline criminal. To be fair, cool characters getting crappy deaths is pretty common in the franchise, but this is Han-Frickin-Solo. Arguably, one of, if not the most beloved character in cinema history. Abrams using his death to drive the arc of this new, weak-ass, antagonist just pisses me off. Solo deserved a hero’s death. Give that fan service instead of gimmicky hologram chess board or the training ball thingy or whatever.
8. Luke Skywalker wasn’t even in this movie. To add salt to the wound, we never got to see the original crew onscreen together and never will now that they killed off Han. For shame, JJ.
9. The movie had zero tension. Never did I feel any of the characters were actually in danger, except of course the telegraphed death of Solo.
10. The Star Killer base was beyond ridiculous. I try not to overthink the science in a Star Wars movie, I generally can suspend disbelief but Abrams tends to not know where to draw that line. He takes other people’s ideas and just injects steroids into them. We get things like super death stars that super duper explode or super Enterprises that can bump you out of hyperspace (in Star Trek) or super duper light sabers with lazer cross guards. Whatever… just dumb.
11. The movie should be called Sky Wars. For some reason, almost all of the dogfights (if you can call them that) happen in atmosphere. Remember when Star Wars was good and if you had surface combat, you had surface vehicles. Snow speeders, speeder bikes, At-Ats, At-Sts. When in space, they would fight in star fighters. There was an internal logic to how the world worked. Now everything is all Tie Fighters and Xwings and the Falcon can do amazing barrel rolls in regular atmosphere.
12. Speaking of the Falcon, why was it bouncing all over the place like a Fast and Furious movie? Running into trees, sliding on the ice. Just stupid crap. Another example of JJ on steroids. In the OG films, solo does crazy moves in the most desperate times, but he does these based on his bad-ass pilot skills. In these movies he is doing suicidal things that he only survives due to dumb luck.
13. Remember when dog fights between X-wings and Tie Fighters actually had a story to them? Remember when pilots helped each other, had to line up shots, thereby building tension. When they died you felt it. When they blew up an enemy, you understood it was an accomplishment. In this movie, Poe blows up like 8 Tie Fighters in less than 10 seconds. Wooohooo, goofy ass Michael Bay, video game action scenes are now the norm, can’t wait for episode 8.

I think I’ve rambled enough. Undoubtedly, Abrams had a near-impossible task when making this film, but there were some easy wins he could have done to salvage this thing- I’m sure he tried his best. But in the wise words of Yoda… “Do or do not, there is no try.” Unfortunately for many of us fans, he did not.… Expand

19 of 33 users found this helpful1914

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4

GranulesDec 18, 2015

THE COLD DARK HEART OF BIG BUSINESS JUST MOCKED YOU WITH THIS OFF THE SHELF EVANESCENT CROWD-PLEASER

(no plot revealed) So I've seen it. Finally. Today I felt as intrepid and wide-eyed entering the cinema as I did back in the 70s, whenTHE COLD DARK HEART OF BIG BUSINESS JUST MOCKED YOU WITH THIS OFF THE SHELF EVANESCENT CROWD-PLEASER

(no plot revealed)

So I've seen it. Finally. Today I felt as intrepid and wide-eyed entering the cinema as I did back in the 70s, when I first entered the galaxies far far away as a young boy. I'd seen the trailers of course. The anticipation was palpable. And then things all went butterscotch icecream on me, and my face fell into a rigid mask of indifference. There is no steadiness at hand here, no atmospheric silence, no tremors itching their exciting path through your innards, strumming at your strings like a virtuoso. Grievously, I must question the point of this film, its lack of fantasy, its lack of wonderment. The lack of awe.

I must admit I would have preferred a visionary sci-fi director like
Duncan Jones, I've never been a fan of JJ Abrams. He makes popcorn munching 2 hour vacations for irritating attention lacking whiny tech nerds, used to learning life's lessons through hyper-chipped colourful touchscreens, either them or tired depressed overworked middle-agers looking to make as little effort as possible while they gorm at a bright screen. That lot probably loved it. But Abrams doesn't make films that affect, that bolt your childhood into another world, that open your eyes and identify you with something wondrous and uniquely personal. And he's produced a plate of his standard fare chicken wings right here, steaming hot and ready to gnaw on and toss into the trash. The busy rotating camera shots, the zooming in and out and all about - here here and here check. But, and it's a big but, a butt big enough to crush the prequels, he HAS got the aesthetics right. The look isn't overly digital, marvel fanatics might even find it too last century, maybe it isn't all Abrams' fault after all.

I mean the film certainly has the icy spectre of a corporation lurking at its heart. You can sense each shot was discussed and fine tuned in a committee and half a dozen subcommittees. Subsequently, there are well formed clean and tidy scenes plopping straight off the factory line. Like only corporations know how to do. This film has no bleeding heart maverick at its core. No singular vision. This is not a film dragged out kicking and screaming from the mind of a lone wolf, this is NOT a personal love affair. This is firmly and unashamedly for the masses.

So what do the people think? The critics seem to like it, or is that just peer pressure? The audience I saw it with seemed pretty mixed. Three teenage boys sitting near me declared it to be a "pile of steaming $%#&", yet a few others cheered at the credits. Well, one other actually, and I suspect he would have cheered at anything.

I'm coming across really negative here I know. It wasn't all bad. There are some really good bits, and even some moving bits, just an awful lot of bad ones. Hammy moments, american jock moments, action B movie moments. Yet I liked the new characters. The female lead is strong and bold and it was good to see the returning characters again, especially the ones that hadn't aged. It's just what's with THAT script? oh how naive, how sequacious, nothing new to see here, move along. And in keeping with the pandering rushing storyline, the camera is also dancing about like a perfect twit. Gravitas may be provided by the characters and the highly skilled production engineers and designers, but that isn't enough to shake off the influence of Abrams and Disney. They wanted to give us what we want so desperately they forgot to take risks, they forgot to break boundaries. In trying to make something so authentic, so much like the originals, they betrayed the very essence of what we loved.

But I was always going to say that wasn't I? I'm not that boy entering the cinema all those years ago. The real test will be whether the new generation take it to heart. Will it define them and last a lifetime? I suspect not.… Expand

84 of 146 users found this helpful8462

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3

subseqJan 2, 2016

I admit I haven't read all the user reviews, but is there ANYONE who has had the insight to point out that this movie is just a re-imaging of the very first episode made, the one from 1977, the one they later called "A New Hope"? Not aI admit I haven't read all the user reviews, but is there ANYONE who has had the insight to point out that this movie is just a re-imaging of the very first episode made, the one from 1977, the one they later called "A New Hope"? Not a sequel, not a prequel, not a remake, just a RE-IMAGING. It is exactly the same story! Only this one has newer special effects and a sort of hipper 21st century vibe. What a disappointment! Thank goodness there are user reviews because enough people accurately saw this as mediocre or truly crappy, while virtually all the paid news-rag reviewers fell over themselves praising it. What a joke these people are. "Force Awakens" gets a "3" from me for being somewhat well-crafted and somewhat briskly paced (except for the mind-f*** scene with Kylo Ren and Rey -- how annoying). But cutting-edge imagination? Novel plot devices? Rich character development? Any kind of compelling dramatic tension? Because you could tell from the first moment it was a complete re-imaging there was nothing left to do but writhe through how they were going to do THAT part of the "New Hope" story again. Errgck.… Expand

42 of 73 users found this helpful4231

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0

AladgarJan 21, 2016

This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. Story was nothing and I can't understand this. I mean that there's a universe of star wars but they put that into a trash can and just steal from the other star wars movies but the most funny was
SPOILER

that there's kylo ren who is a good sith but a stupid soldier can defende his strikes with a lightsaber what that soldier never used before... and what they did with the characters.. erm why anyone let them to make this :(
I'm really sad because they destroyed something in the star wars universe... :(… Expand

42 of 73 users found this helpful4231

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0

meta911Jan 6, 2016

The Force Awakens is a horrible disappointment. The acting is extremely bland and the movie lacks substance and new additions to the Star Wars universe in general. It is an uninspired action movie that for the most part rips off Episode IV,The Force Awakens is a horrible disappointment. The acting is extremely bland and the movie lacks substance and new additions to the Star Wars universe in general. It is an uninspired action movie that for the most part rips off Episode IV, but certainly does not feel like Star Wars at all.
Final statement: A glib facsimile.… Expand

46 of 80 users found this helpful4634

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3

LynnuxDec 22, 2015

This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. For someone not knowing the previous Star Wars movies this movie might be ok but for the Star Wars fan who sat 38 years ago in the cinema watching Episode IV this movie is lame.
To make it short: J. J. Abrams and Disney killed the Star Wars of George Lucas. And this totally uninspired.
It was just a compilation of what we saw before, storywise mainly Episode IV with a bit Wall-E and other stuff.
It's not that Han Solo died. All the actors of the first movie won't be available anymore in a few years so they had to find a way to pass on to the young actors. But instead of doing this, they just destroyed what was. Uninspired.
And as sideeffect they have put the death sentence on Kylo Ren/Ben. Killing his father this way he's not allowed to live anymore. And he was even just a confused boy until then, not a psycho.
Coruscant had to die, too. Why ? In critics before this movie was released you could read about "Episode VII" going back to old movies filming in real locations and using less computer animation and more models again. It was said that George Lucas made a mistake by using CGI too much. Why is Episode III the most favorite Episode then ? (And will stay it, btw.)
Now it's clear, Disney wants to save money. With Coruscant destroyed they don't have to render it anymore. Congratulations, misson succeeded by copying the story from Episode IV !

J.J. Abrams made lotsa mistakes, too:
- Rey is a real autodidact learning the force. I wonder now: why did the Jedis need a teacher then ? (and a Sith a master)
- An X-wing is shooting three TIEs in a row. Must be Poe Dameron, hell of a pilot, you think. Of course he is. But why did Finn had to tell that to the audience. Seems like J.J. Abrams didn't find a way to let the pictures and sound act on the audience.
- Lowest level flying of the TIEs, X-Wings and Millennium Falcon was impressive at the beginning but overused
- The camera travelling through the cantina. Yes, nice coustumes. Muppet show - but different. When George Lukas did this, the travelling camera still had another purpose than just showing costumes.
- Kylo Ren is no real villain, just a confused psycho. Not the fault of the actor.
- General Hux: also weak
- Captain Phasma: I'm confused about that character. Had absolutely no meaning and was not a bit convincing. Oh, she looked a bit like Boba Fett. That's all.

I'll stop here as it would be a repetition of what was written already.

The highlight of this movie are the characters of Ray and Poe (a mix of Han Solo and Wedge), also Finn and some action sequences. And the 3D quality was good.

Poor Ryan Johnson has to take over this mess. He has Wall-E but the waste J.J. Abrams left in his wake will be too much to be removed in two years.

To make it clear to everyone: the credit for the world record goes to George Lucas. Not to Disney, not to J.J. Abrams and also not to this movie !… Expand

23 of 40 users found this helpful2317

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3

pierremJan 13, 2016

This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. The least charismatic evil guy ever. Even Edward from Twilight seems charismatic next to him.
Saved by a bloody editing glitch!!! A whole canyon disappeared to save his life from a ravaging girl who never ever held a lightsaber!!!
Same scenario as the very first star wars. More like a reboot style...… Expand

27 of 47 users found this helpful2720

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0

SpeyeralDec 21, 2015

Horrible movie. It's the idea of Star Wars without the spirit (originality). This is by far the worst of the 7 Star Wars movies. Actually as far as I'm concerned there is still only 6. This is not worthy of being the sequel to episode 6.

35 of 61 users found this helpful3526

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0

LailcaDec 22, 2015

This move is a garbage. A copy of episode IV. A full lack of heroes or good performances at last. The Star Wars is over now for me.
Certainly there is a plot for the internet show only positive feedbacks. The critics of all journals voteThis move is a garbage. A copy of episode IV. A full lack of heroes or good performances at last. The Star Wars is over now for me.
Certainly there is a plot for the internet show only positive feedbacks. The critics of all journals vote positive. The film is a copy and a joke for me.… Expand

40 of 70 users found this helpful4030

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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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4

Lambo442Dec 21, 2015

This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. I'll echo what other members of the resistance have said. Lazy writing, bland characters, no context for anything. If Abrams was trying to please the geeks with his nostalgia fest then he failed miserably as all we wanted was a decent, coherent movie, rich in back story, believable in the context of what we know about the force and the galaxy Lucas created for us. I'm also livid that he killed off Solo. What a slap in the face. He may as well have killed my childhood. Destroy the Franchise then destroy my child hood hero, thanks a bunch Abram. Then everyone in the film just moves on like nothings happened. Even Chewy seems nonplussed as he flies off with his younger, hotter new partner.… Expand

28 of 49 users found this helpful2821

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0

superh13Dec 21, 2015

This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. WORST STAR WARS EVER!

Star Wars got old and killed like one of its former heroes, and that was the ONLY enlightening insight within this patchwork of a failed remake attempt. Especially this particular death scene was so badly executed and foreseeable, that I didn't even give a cent about it.
It's Han Solo. In fact, he was actually already dead after about 2 minutes into his first appearance, because it's just an old Harrison Ford satirizing his former character in a Saturday Night Live style.

The plot and the characters in general are shallow, their motivation probably "clouded by the dark side" which is lazy writing, IMO.
Imagine the Infinite-Monkey-Theorem just without any results whatsoever: "And they all typed happily ever after".
The acting is bad, simply bad compared to the original trilogy.

The dialogues are filled with stupid reference jokes and endless citations of former trademark lines of the old trilogy.
The first time I actually heard face palms in a theater! (Yes, you can hear them if they accumulate)
Every character feels like the comic relief, EVERY SINGLE CHARACTER (!), not one serious character except maybe for Max von Sydow, but he dies very early and quickly.

The evil master of the First Order is almost an exact visual copy of Grendel from Zemeckis' Beowulf, I AM NOT KIDDING YOU!

Even when a planet gets blown up (which happens two times), it evokes no emotion whatsoever! I have never before witnessed such anti-climactic climaxes, it is totally beyond me.

The composition is bad most of the time. It feels like watching a home video or something made for TV. I have no idea how an experienced director can realize something like this with film.
For example it has the very first Star Wars opening scene that does not work at all. Not one bit. And sadly, it's just the first of many, many compositions in this movie which do not work.

Even the Soundtrack has almost nothing of Star Wars in it: Every time you start to recognize the original score it suddenly turns into something totally indistinctive, like someone humming the first two notes of the Imperial March, not knowing how to continue and instead switching over to Bye Bye Birdie ( In case you don't know it, indulge yourself on youtube)
And no better way to sum it up: The Force Awakens makes you cringe as Ann-Margret's vocals do in this song, and once seen, it can not be unseen!… Expand

24 of 42 users found this helpful2418

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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 IIf 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.… Expand

24 of 42 users found this helpful2418

All this user's reviews

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

All this user's reviews

5

theoutsiderinDec 31, 2015

This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. The Force Jumps the Shark

After all the hype, the film, a beautifully realised remake of Episode 4 featuring another Death Star. Its new female chosen one undermines the credibility of the story. Let me explain.

Disney and JJ Abrams wanted to have a massive hit that appealed to fans, so viola, instead of pursuing a new course, they rehashed Episode 4 with the same identical plot points BUT had a woman, not a man, at the centre of the action. Unlike men, who have to train, suffer and earn their use of the Force, everything comes easy to Rey. Fix and fly a starship with zero problem? Use the Force, wield a lightsaber, beat men who are twice your size and have trained all their lives to fight? Easy for a woman heroine. This balderdash undermines the credibility of the rehash. As Han Solo nods, impressed at everything Rey does (she's either his or Luke's daughter, of course we'll find out down the line), Rey goes from poor scavenger to resistance leader without any resistance. No shooting womp rats on Tatooine, no learning the force at the Jedi school, no Yoda training, no modesty learned (Fear is the path to the dark side) - she is a woman and therefore, brave, strong and perfect in every way. Women never have to struggle to achieve things like men, they are born to rule.

Such is the nonsense offered by The Force Awakens. All of this is couched in a beautifully made action spectacular, pretty well acted by Star Wars standards (not very high!) and a hype machine that is faster and better than any in the universe. Not only is the plot a retread, but it has more coincidences in it than any story I've ever heard. Leave that to the nerds who will attack it in their reviews.

Worth seeing, if only because everyone will see it.… Expand

16 of 28 users found this helpful1612

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5

JAlonsoJan 2, 2016

Just imagine Disney telling Abrams: don't f*ck it up, we need an universe out of this. So, Abrams remixes Episode IV and that's it. Really, that's it.

16 of 28 users found this helpful1612

All this user's reviews

2

Duke1997Dec 19, 2015

This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. A big disappointment. The good feelings and anticipation were there as the classic text crawl made its way up the screen. I felt the movie started off fairly well, and had some excellent scenes on Jakku. But as the movie progressed, the lack of imagination and force fed story line eroded the happiness that I started with. The special effects were good, the camera angles were (mostly) on point, and the action was consistent but not overbearing. It's already been mentioned, but it is basically A New Hope repackaged. Finn, Rey, and BB-8 were wonderful characters, but the dark side was underdeveloped and there was nothing to keep my interest. I ended up not caring what happened, which is the exact opposite of what every other Star Wars movie made me feel. When the supreme leader Snoke showed up, I felt like I was suddenly watching a character ripped off of Guardians of the Galaxy. So much of this movie is not Star Wars material. Abrams and Disney made sure there were plenty of familiar faces and references to tug at the heart (and bring in the cash), but that couldn't make up for the rehashed story line, Han Solo's rushed, cheap death, the least intimidating villain I've seen in quite a while, and lack of intrigue / mystery. By the time the movie was over I felt like I still hadn't seen the new Star Wars movie. This movie is to 'Star Wars' as "The Kingdom of the Crystal Skull' is to 'Indiana Jones'. The silver lining is still there, as Rey and Finn are great characters that can be developed fully as the episodes progress. Hopefully the next installment will right the wrongs.… Expand

66 of 116 users found this helpful6650

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0

carnassierDec 21, 2015

I absolutely don't understand a people who gave a 10 score to this movie. Guys, are you insane? How it's possible? This movie is a strange set of a home made memorabilia about IV episode with really bad acting and absolutely stupid directing.

50 of 88 users found this helpful5038

All this user's reviews

4

SlanethDec 27, 2015

I found the movie... boring, just boring. I liked the two main characters, however the bad guy was lacking and so was the plot.

It felt like the original trilogy forced into one movie, everything was rehashed.

25 of 44 users found this helpful2519

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0

faosdeltaDec 23, 2015

This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. Why Disney ? Why J.J. Abrams ? George Lucas ?, Why they did that destroyed the saga, was beautiful as it was, do a favor and remove this film and not continue to make more . This year has been a mess. In conclucion it is a plagiarism episode 4… Expand

25 of 44 users found this helpful2519

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4

AquaMorphJan 11, 2016

The Force Awakens had good production value and likable characters but tripped over itself by pandering and recycling overused plot devices. Overall worth watching once.

25 of 44 users found this helpful2519

All this user's reviews

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.… Expand

63 of 111 users found this helpful6348

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0

ninjamammothJan 9, 2016

Please for gods sake do not believe what other reviewers have said about how great this movie is...IT IS A FLOP....there are so many plot holes in this show. Light saber duels and fights....in your dreams u get to see a storm trooper kill aPlease for gods sake do not believe what other reviewers have said about how great this movie is...IT IS A FLOP....there are so many plot holes in this show. Light saber duels and fights....in your dreams u get to see a storm trooper kill a fake sith lord. OMG this show is so crap. JJ abrams just copied of the previous episodes and just made a bigger death star unprotected. GOD This movie is not STAR WARS. They only used their name for branding and putting in han solo and the old crew in for the sake of it. DO NOT FALL FOR THE HYPE AND MARKETING OF THIS MOVIE. True star wars fans are appalled by it as u can see from the user reviews. This show is worst than transformers and their plot holes are just ridiculous. JJ JUST GIVE ALL THE STORM TROOPERS LIGHT SABERS AND U WIN!!! F$$$ U JJ disney and marvel for ruining star wars for the future generations.… Expand

34 of 60 users found this helpful3426

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4

namelessDec 18, 2015

Can you say Episode 1... it is like that. JJAbrams is a craftsman, it is well crafted. JJAbrams doesn't have a clue about putting emotion in a film, the only points that resonant are the nostaligia, Hemight be able to direct but they shouldCan you say Episode 1... it is like that. JJAbrams is a craftsman, it is well crafted. JJAbrams doesn't have a clue about putting emotion in a film, the only points that resonant are the nostaligia, Hemight be able to direct but they should ban him from writing, he has lost that ability. It is about making money for the studios... and he does that job. His movies are not worth seeing more than once.… Expand

52 of 92 users found this helpful5240

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4

GameloreJan 2, 2016

This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. Equivalent to an extraneous, guest-directed, fan-service beach party OVA for a masterpiece anime series.

Pretty much exactly what I would expect from a J.J. Abrams Star Wars: glossy, Zack Snydery, insubstantial scene-clips that provide entertainment for people with attention disorder and the uneducated/drugged masses; teen-angsty, referencing prior movie's characters nostalgically and killing them off, distractingly exceeding social boundaries without regard for the universe, formulaically including everything from prior movies, being excessively loud and flashy with action scenes, and having no central protagonist.

The movie was a series of Star Wars cliches. Cliches can be just fine with the right style, but 98% of scenes were without any original, convincing, immersive substance behind them, leaving the cliches to overwhelmingly dominate: lightsabre fights, laser guns, armies in the loading docks; cantina scenes with a variety of aliens; Chewbacca and Han Solo on the Millennium Falcon; Han Solo still being poor and getting in trouble by smuggling after, what, 50 years? WTF?; other people on the Millennium Falcon doing the exact same thing as prior movies; presenting lightsabres; lightsabres glowing on people's faces; outlandish lightsabre designs because A LIGHTSABRE ISN'T INTERESTING ENOUGH; force persuade used exactly the same way as before; a desert vendor oppressing the main character; R2D2 and C3PO; Jedi trainee going nuts and killing people; diverse rebels, further inbred by J.J. Abrams' inherent over-promotion of diversity in size, shape, color, and attractiveness -- not one that looks good; and, of all things, drastically changing ALL OTHER ASPECTS OF EDITING, such as pacing, everything about the camera-work: angles, stillness, shakiness, shot length, zoom amount, rotation, panning, artificial out-of-focus blur effects and colors except nostalgically keeping the traditional diagonal, inter-scene fade line. Why bother?

Other faults: The CG felt almost as bad as the latter prequels and was distracting -- still a far cry from LOTR CG after 10 years. The droid expended energy to appear indecisive, depressed, etc. when not in the presense of a human to whom to convey that emotion -- either poor programming, or, more likely, an oversight among many that J.J Abrams or Disney added when taking the probably-good screenplay and making it their own.

It felt as though the entire movie was originally well-conceived and would have been good in the hands of any competent director who knows how to bring empathy to characters and immersiveness to the audience. Then they deviated from the plan by hiring J.J. Abrams who removed the entire top coat, killing three decades of Star Wars lore for nothing: adding Nazi speeches to the stormtroopers, female stormtroopers, black stormtroopers, despite the Empire only allowing (speech-wise) white male humans; used 20-somethings to play all the main parts; used a central "no-name" stormtrooper character (e.g., "who could be any one of us") to follow since he wasn't confident following Jedi Rey despite making the new Jedi character female as a statement; dropped dozens of disgusting Star Wars cliches for "nostalgia" (listed above); choreographed lightsabres battles where there were probably none in the screenplay; put in excessive Han Solo and a pathetic performance of a now-"General" (as a statement) Princess Leia. The movie also suffered from a bad, forgettable soundtrack. They should have fired John Williams since he clearly wasn't able to compose a competent soundtrack for the prequels either. They didn't even get him to compose a replacement fanfare (something he, or someone else, could have easily done) -- this was a huge missed opportunity as it could have defined the entire Disney brand, had the movie been successful, and it could be used to replace the original trilogy fanfare, should copyright ever prevent their use.

It was shocking to see Han Solo sound excited after using Chewbacca's crossbow for apparently the first time, despite them being together for 50 years -- he would have used it on day #2 of them being together, while bored on the ship or on some planet. Totally implausible and immersion-shattering. It is inexcusable, and without words, to allow the non-Jedi to even think of wielding a lightsabre, much less, against a dark Jedi. As for the dark Jedi, or Lord Schnoz, as I like to call him, the guy was so poorly chosen and mis-directed, I missed Anakin from the prequels. By the end, I actually missed the originality, as bizarre and grating to watch as it was, from George Lucas, to this cliche-fest brought forth by J.J. Abrams. At least George Lucas didn't smear Star Wars cliches everywhere. Certainly the over-production, CG, and annoying sidekick aspects didn't go down much in the switch!… Expand

39 of 69 users found this helpful3930

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4

TrillcosbeyDec 24, 2015

This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. This film had so much going for it and really fell flat on its face.
The main antagonist is a spoiled brat that has tempter tantrums, ( he had it rough mommy and daddy were so mean they didnt let him play with uncle Luke.) So lame.
The story is just retarded, So the rebels won but they are still rebels??? and the bad guys lost so they have to make another newer death star that is 9-11 times a hundred!!!! cant the bad guys or the writers for that matter just come up with a new way to show how bad they are??
The players are just rehashed redux of the original players new luke is a female new leia is a dude who used to be a storm trooper new vaders a big baby like the old vader ( if we watch the last 3 awful films. )
I have lost any hope for this franchise, it is really just a big wealth generating machine for disney.… Expand

26 of 46 users found this helpful2620

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6

TSTINKERSJan 8, 2016

I have to give this movie a 6/10 because the story line was unoriginal. too many ideas taken from the originals. Get the guy from Game of Thrones to write the next star wars to give this one what it was missing. Predictability, ProperI have to give this movie a 6/10 because the story line was unoriginal. too many ideas taken from the originals. Get the guy from Game of Thrones to write the next star wars to give this one what it was missing. Predictability, Proper Dialogue etc.… Expand

22 of 39 users found this helpful2217

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6

AxefaceJan 6, 2016

I dont think copying everything that was good about the previous films and capitalising on nostalgia is good film making, I think it's capitalising. When I dissect The Force awakens - strip away the rape of the old films - all thats left isI dont think copying everything that was good about the previous films and capitalising on nostalgia is good film making, I think it's capitalising. When I dissect The Force awakens - strip away the rape of the old films - all thats left is some pretty good new characters and very nice effects - 6, maybe 7 out of ten? Upsetting. I wonder if they are actually capable of coming up with their own content for the inevitable followups.… Expand

22 of 39 users found this helpful2217

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9

JB562Jan 23, 2016

It's a new Star Wars film that everyone has been waiting wait for and it didn't disappoint. It's very superior compared to any of the prequel films and the first of an epic sequel trilogy. J.J. Abrams's directing has helped rejuvenate theIt's a new Star Wars film that everyone has been waiting wait for and it didn't disappoint. It's very superior compared to any of the prequel films and the first of an epic sequel trilogy. J.J. Abrams's directing has helped rejuvenate the film series.… Expand

32 of 57 users found this helpful3225

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6

atomic_tomatoDec 23, 2015

It was like, when you order your favorite pizza that was brought back after a while being off the menu and your excited for it... but its a new chef and the pizza tastes funny. That's pretty much the feeling I got from this movie. It wasIt was like, when you order your favorite pizza that was brought back after a while being off the menu and your excited for it... but its a new chef and the pizza tastes funny. That's pretty much the feeling I got from this movie. It was just.... off. Every scene felt rushed and nothing really made a lot of sense. Special effects were great.… Expand

23 of 41 users found this helpful2318

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4

chrisselthDec 22, 2015

This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. When is a remake less than a remake? When it pretends that it isn’t, thinking by reshuffling almost every element, every shot, from Star Wars, and a touch of Empire, in a new order, changing the sexes of some of the main characters, that makes it new. When it tries to compensate for this by making everything bigger and glossier, while losing all real excitement. There is not the edge of the seats experience that marked the originals, just big bangs. When the script falls repeatedly into lame. When all the main characters are pitched to the teen audience, a cross between Hunger Games and Harry Potter. Adults are left embodied in the aged performance of Harrison Ford, confirming how tired this film is for anyone over 30. Disney has successfully revamped its merchandise business with this leaden loud movie, but I was left watching engineering competence with no excitement.… Expand

28 of 50 users found this helpful2822

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0

jackcook1983Jan 9, 2016

to many convienient consequences required to move the story forward indicative of lazy writing and NO originallity in the story. Found myself waiting for the movie to end, disapointed by Disney and Abrams

33 of 59 users found this helpful3326

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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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4

DarkSideOTForceJan 6, 2016

This movie was so disappointing. Abrams can't compete with the mind of Lucas. This was clearly a rip off of New Hope and Empire. Ren's voice sounded so lame and not controlling like Earl Jones. The plot was boring and movie very predictable.

52 of 93 users found this helpful5241

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6

43in2014Jan 17, 2016

This is a utter rip off of A New Hope! So many elements of that early film is use here to bait viewers back into the franchise that plagiarism charges should be considered. The worse of this can be seen in the most commonly seen A ForceThis is a utter rip off of A New Hope! So many elements of that early film is use here to bait viewers back into the franchise that plagiarism charges should be considered. The worse of this can be seen in the most commonly seen A Force Awakens poster. If you have seen HISHE's parody of Return of the Jedi, then you would understand why a second time around there was already quite dumb and third time around here is ridiculous!

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

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

Score: 3/5 (no half score). Save your money and watch it on TV.… Expand

19 of 34 users found this helpful1915

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2

swainkasDec 20, 2015

This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. I hate to say this, but I was left wanting. Seems like they tried to tie it so much to the original movies that they ran out of space to develop any real new or interesting plot. The old characters seemed like they had not been acting for the past 30 years - they were stale. Sad. This one will not sell well. Has nothing to grab folks for repeat sales. I don't understand all the high scoring reviews. Must be a sign of the times. PC police have wrecked our collective ability to think critically. If something is hyped in the news or media, it must be supported. I won't support this crap just because it is supported by a mega media push.

I will admit that Rey was a better actor than Anikan was in episodes 1-3, but her development as a character was simply stupid. I mean really. She's like 20 or something like that and seems to be poor. Where does she learn how to fly, how to be a mechanic of a spaceship, how to mind-control, how to light saber dual with the best of the best. I'm not sure I would know how to turn the thing on. Let alone dominate someone who has his own special brand of light saber.

And Rey is just the tip of the iceberg. The rest of the movie is just as full of logic gaps and embarrassing pandering. Just because you copy scenes from old SW movies doesn't mean you are writing a new one. I imagine the next movie will actually follow a new train of thought. But seeing how silly they were when developing Rey, I see no hope for the future of this series. By copying old Star Wars scenes, they were able to associate the name of Star Wars with this work. My guess is that's the last we see of similarities. Unless that is the MO of this project. Write or imagine as little as possible and cut and paste as much as you can. Why else buy the rights for $4B? Not as a platform to spring from, but as a black box to reach in and grab random intellectual property and align in such a manner as to pass for new writing (assuming changing the color and sex of your protagonists is considered writing).

JJ Abrams deserves a "participation" trophy for this effort.

So please, stop all the high praise of this crap. High praise of this shoddy effort only proves that there is an extreme dumbing down of society going on.… Expand

19 of 34 users found this helpful1915

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6

ToFewViewsDec 25, 2015

So the day has come, Disney has pulled Star Wars from George Lucas's grasp after sweetening the deal with 4+ Billion Dollars. Now with that much money spent on the rights alone you'd think the movie would come out somewhat of a masterpiece?So the day has come, Disney has pulled Star Wars from George Lucas's grasp after sweetening the deal with 4+ Billion Dollars. Now with that much money spent on the rights alone you'd think the movie would come out somewhat of a masterpiece? maybe a new "A New Hope"? But sadly elements of the film take away from the experience and causes the film to feel like the Step Child who's slightly Different to the rest. Fans of the Star Wars series(ie myself) will find it extremely easy to blindly love this movie but if you take a step back to observe the film the flaws may become more apparent. Things like sound design, Sets, Action and CGI was all done well, The movie almost always looks good, sounds good and its all around good looking. But then things like some main characters who don't fit their role at all and ruin the character or other main characters don't actually do anything in the entire movie. Watching the movie as a true die hard Star Wars fan what kept coming to mind for me was other ways the story could have been, With darker or more interesting story arcs and maybe using the absolutely massive extended universe that has been created for the Star Wars world from Books,Games Etc. With Disney planning on making a new Trilogy I really hope they can take the world and characters they have and making something truly amazing with it....not just something to "Break the Box Office"… Expand

20 of 36 users found this helpful2016

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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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