re: Can I get a list of the sad souls who hated Star Wars?

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But I still think you are a pussy for holding out from strangers on the internet who's opinion means nothing

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it's not as pussified as throwing an e-tantrum because an internet stranger didn't like a movie (obviously this isn't directed at you.

and weren't the original star wars PG? because I liked them a lot

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How can you defend subtracting 3 stars from the movie?

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There were things to like I suppose. It's very well shot, especially that first half hour. The effects were generally restrained, but when they did go big - they looked good. And I liked what they did with the light saber battle. The slowed it down, and made the combat almost ponderous. You could feel the weight of each stroke. Han Solo, he was actually one of the best things about the film. Harrison Ford brings such charisma and humor to the role. Do you remember that line where he outs Boyega? Women always find out. It's fun to see him on set again, even if he does look awfully grey. Daisy Ridley doesn't have much material to work with in the movie, but she's eminently likeable in her role. And I love how they introduce her on Jakku, especially that long shot of her looking up at the sky before BB8s arrival.

It's difficult to get over the negatives though. The movie seems trapped in nostalgia. It's one thing to make a more grounded movie in the style of A New Hope, and it's quite another to all borrow the major plot points. Perhaps you could forgive Abrams if the writing was there, and the characters were just crackling on the screen ... but they're not. John Boyega is reducing to shouting his emotions for the length of the film. And the jokes they give him, as Max Landis noted, they don't sound like they're from a Star Wars movie. Do you have a boyfriend? Really? Oscar Isaac, who is an exceptionally fine actor, could have been replaced by a redshirt. His character isn't given anything in the way of interesting material. Ridley is just too good at everything, as critics have noted. And that matters, because it robs her of any room for growth. Carrie Fisher puts a lot of heart into her portrayal of grieving mother, but it's difficult to care ... we aren't invested in her relationship with her son. And how could we be? And Rey's relationship with Finn? Like too many things in the movie, it's paper thin and so his near death provokes no sense of loss. And the destruction of Hosnian Prime... what is that supposed to mean to the audience? The Republic is mentioned, but never really introduced thus the scene has no weight. Abrahams did a much better job when he was blowing up planets in Star Trek.

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Yeah, it's not as if the prequels are the most criticized movies in cinematic history or anything.

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There's an element of relief there, Abrams didn't screw it up Lucas style. Plus, people get invested in the univerise ... they want these movies to be good and they're willing to overlook a lot of the flaws.

That's what being a fan means (a lot of the time).

Hell, I drive an old British car. I'm no different.

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The movie seems trapped in nostalgia.

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Trapped isn't the word I'd use, but it I really dug a lot of it. My one hangup I couldn't get past was how similar Jakku was to Tattoine. To me, that was the only part they got lazy on, and almost completely ripped off A New Hope.

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Carrie Fisher puts a lot of heart into her portrayal of grieving mother, but it's difficult to care ... we aren't invested in her relationship with her son.

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I say this as a 42 year old father that saw all the originals in the theater, but I don't think they needed to harvest much from that relationship. I already had a connection with Leia, and as a parent I can get the grieving aspect of it, and I think a large part of the core audience in my age group would feel the same.


The one thing I absolutely hated about the movie was Poe's character. I absolutely could not stand him. He reminded me of Striker from Airplane for some reason, and he came across trying too hard to be funny. I had actually seen a small spoiler about Han's son and thought that was his son when he was introduced, and that made me hate him more.


Overall though, I really enjoyed it. Developed a crush on Daisy Ridley like I did Carrie Fisher as a kid, loved the action sequences, and though it was predictable at times, it still kept me on the edge of my seat. Walked out thinking I couldn't wait to go see it again.

I'm just tired of seeing half the MB threads about it.

LINK

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Whatever the motivation for Abrams' mimicry, it made for some lazy storytelling, especially in the last third of the film. By hewing so closely to the source material, he was able to rely on its emotional resonance to fill in gaps.

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The one thing I absolutely hated about the movie was Poe's character. I absolutely could not stand him. He reminded me of Striker from Airplane for some reason, and he came across trying too hard to be funny.

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Isaac doesn't have much material, it appears that he makes up for it by turning up the intensity. It comes across as hollow though.