Star Wars: The Force Awakens Discussion (HERE THERE BE SPOILERS)

[Caligula]

Star Wars: The Force Awakens (2015) REVIEW

^Here be my thoughts. Although (in an effort to spare those few left who've not ventured out to see the movie) I avoid discussing some of the more particularly juicy details of the plot, such as Kylo Ren's family ties/true identity... and of course "that thing"... enough was said that I didn't feel comfortable posting my link in the non-spoiler thread.

 

[theenglish]

Unlike Star Trek, Star Wars travel does not seem to depend on distance but on other "navigational" factors. Ships can seemingly travel instantaneously (within hours) from one end of the galaxy to the other as long as they can plot the course.

Star Wars hyperspace travel speeds have always been very, very fast. JJ's habit of making space seem too small manifests itself in a different way: people standing on Takodana's surface can look up at the sky and see the Starkiller destroying the Hosnian system. Just like Spock could see the destruction of Vulcan from the surface of Delta Vega.

Yes, that was an odd odd scene--it was as if the energy blast existed across space-time in multiple locations at the same time. All it would have taken is a single line of dialogue at the briefing to say something like that and all would be fine--maybe we'll get that in the special editions to be released ten years from now?

 

[Set Harth]

There's a little techno-handwaving in the novelization which seems like it could serve that purpose. But yeah, they could have thrown a line into the film.

 

[Maurice]

I'd prefer if he'd let his movies breed from time to time. Let the audience soak in all the stuff that's going on.

I don't want JJ's movies to breed. Their progeny might turn to the dark side.

 

[Mach5]

I'd prefer if he'd let his movies breed from time to time. Let the audience soak in all the stuff that's going on.

I don't want JJ's movies to breed. Their progeny might turn to the dark side.

I want to blame it on autocorrect... But honestly, I've no idea where the fuck my brain was when I typed that. This is even worse than that one time when I wrote "bear" instead of "beer".

Perhaps my subconscious mind is trying to tell me that my biological clock is ticking, or some shit... But then what was the beer/bear message?

 

[Turd Ferguson]

JJ Abrams has had an issue with the size of the galaxy, and the length of time it takes for a vehicle to travel from point A to point B, since the first of the new Star Trek films.

Unlike Star Trek, Star Wars travel does not seem to depend on distance but on other "navigational" factors. Ships can seemingly travel instantaneously (within hours) from one end of the galaxy to the other as long as they can plot the course.

Well traveled paths or documented routes can be traveled easily but there still seems much about the galaxy that is unknown and requires exploration.

For all we know, Dagobah is only a few light years from Coruscant but since no one has ever really traveled there the route is unknown. (Don't pull up a map of the galaxy--it is only an example.)

That is the whole basis of Han making his run in 12 parsecs. He navigates a dangerous path through "light speed" that reduces the distance between point A and point B.

If you think about it, space distance/hyperspace speed has always been inconsistent in Star Wars. Qui-Gon and Obi-Wan take Queen Amidala's ship from Naboo to Tatooine without a hyperdrive pretty quickly.

In Revenge of the Sith, in the time that it takes Anakin to wipe out the Separatist leaders on Mustafar (and have a good cry about it) and fight Obi-Wan, Palpatine has time to hold an emergency session declaring himself Emperor, fight Yoda, then get in his shuttle to travel to Mustafar to help Vader, just as Obi-Wan is taking off. Mustafar is located in the Outer Rim, too, so Palpatine covered some distance to get there.

I tend not to think too much about these traveling inconsistencies, just because to give a realistic portrayal of what travel at hyperspeed would be like would be dull as hell (although I wouldn't mind seeing Emperor Palpatine trying to pass time while traveling singing 99 Bottles of Beer on the Wall [or whatever the Star Wars equivalent of said song would be] )

 

[bbjeg]

Anyone else feel that that music was lacking? That it was to thin and not grand enough in the places it needed to be?

Yes, I thought the exact same thing. It's the weakest score I've ever heard in a SW film. It's more in the background also, which may be why it's perceived as less grand.

In general, I thought the audio mix in TFA was a little strange. There's scenes where it felt like certain sound FX were either too far in the background, or missing all together.

The pilot cockpit shots were missing that background whistling noise I'm accustomed to hearing from seeing the original trilogy a zillion times. It sort of through me off.

I mostly agree. I only saw it once but I swear there was also a point in the movie where the sfx blanketed dialog that sounded like it should have been heard (exiting that cantina like place). It felt more sloppy than "it was supposed to be loud and unintelligible".

 

[Set Harth]

Qui-Gon and Obi-Wan take Queen Amidala's ship from Naboo to Tatooine without a hyperdrive pretty quickly.

They had hyperdrive, it was just "leaking" ( whatever that means ). It was apparently still functional but expected to crap out on them beyond a certain range.

Palpatine has time to hold an emergency session declaring himself Emperor, fight Yoda, then get in his shuttle to travel to Mustafar to help Vader, just as Obi-Wan is taking off.

The novelization may have had Palpatine arriving just as Obi-Wan is leaving, but it wasn't like that in the film. The film used a "wipe" between the scenes, which typically indicates the passage of an indeterminate amount of time. The DVD took out the wipe and made it a straight cut, but the Blu-ray restored the wipe.

 

[tomalak301]

Just watched The Force Awakens for the second time and I liked it just as much as the first. I still found Finn annoying. The dude thought he was all tough guy and wouldn't shut up. Boyaga did a good in the role but they can dial it back in the next movie. I also wanted to see it from Rens perspective and from that knowing the character, I was a little more accepting. It also made Hans death more meaningful even though I still feel it was just like Data's death in Nemesis.

I was also thinking about the Mary Sue trope labeled at Rey and I think I realized if she is a Mary Sue, than good. I'm not a hardcore feminist or anything but I appreciate movies and shows with strong female leads because they are just as if not more capable than male leads. It's why I gravitate to shows like Farscape or Orphan Black. I love when a female stereotype is trampled on and Rey did that in this movie. I love that Ridley brought that strong female role of Young Luke and look forward to her journey.

Overall I liked it the same the second time around. I probably will buy it on Blu Ray and add it to the collection. Heck I bought The Phantom Menace yesterday because it is part of the collection.

 

[Maurice]

...I want to blame it on autocorrect... But honestly, I've no idea where the fuck my brain was when I typed that. This is even worse than that one time when I wrote "bear" instead of "beer".

Perhaps my subconscious mind is trying to tell me that my biological clock is ticking, or some shit... But then what was the beer/bear message?

Oh I do that kind of thing all the time: think one word and my hands type another. That's why I usually preview and re-read what I wrote before posting. Your particular word substitution was pretty funny, tho.

 

[Dude]

Unlike Star Trek, Star Wars travel does not seem to depend on distance but on other "navigational" factors. Ships can seemingly travel instantaneously (within hours) from one end of the galaxy to the other as long as they can plot the course.

Star Wars hyperspace travel speeds have always been very, very fast. JJ's habit of making space seem too small manifests itself in a different way: people standing on Takodana's surface can look up at the sky and see the Starkiller destroying the Hosnian system. Just like Spock could see the destruction of Vulcan from the surface of Delta Vega.

Yes, that was an odd odd scene--it was as if the energy blast existed across space-time in multiple locations at the same time. All it would have taken is a single line of dialogue at the briefing to say something like that and all would be fine--maybe we'll get that in the special editions to be released ten years from now?

They showed the debris field from the destroyed planet and moons being in close proximity to the planet with the resistance base on it. No technobabble overcomes that, it's clear Abrams intended the planets to be that close to each other.

 

[Maurice]

They showed the debris field from the destroyed planet and moons being in close proximity to the planet with the resistance base on it. No technobabble overcomes that, it's clear Abrams intended the planets to be that close to each other.

I thought those were just rings around the planet.

 

[Ithekro]

I'm pretty sure it was just a ringed planet like Geonosis.

 

[Dude]

When I see it again this week, I'll look closer. I don't think the rings are there the first time they fly in. The "ring" only appear to be on one side of the planet and is incredibly thick, at least by my recollection.

 

[Mr Light]

I'm 95% positive those rings were always there.

Another thing I noticed on viewing #3... in Maz's storage room in the left corner of the screen there's a bust of an old man's head barely visible. For a hot second I thought it was Count Dooku, but I think on a second closer shot the man was bald.

 

[JD]

And as for Kylo, I thought his tantrums and outbursts did more than enough to suggest the conflict within him.

The scene where he's trashing the cell Rey just escaped from, and a pair of troopers come marching up, hear what's going on and discreetly turn and march back the way they came. Gold.

Ben's temper tantrums were a nice bit of characterization. Definitely agree about the Stormtroopers' reaction.

Star Wars hyperspace travel speeds have always been very, very fast. JJ's habit of making space seem too small manifests itself in a different way: people standing on Takodana's surface can look up at the sky and see the Starkiller destroying the Hosnian system. Just like Spock could see the destruction of Vulcan from the surface of Delta Vega.

Yes, that was an odd odd scene--it was as if the energy blast existed across space-time in multiple locations at the same time. All it would have taken is a single line of dialogue at the briefing to say something like that and all would be fine--maybe we'll get that in the special editions to be released ten years from now?

They showed the debris field from the destroyed planet and moons being in close proximity to the planet with the resistance base on it. No technobabble overcomes that, it's clear Abrams intended the planets to be that close to each other.

They showed the debris field from the destroyed planet and moons being in close proximity to the planet with the resistance base on it. No technobabble overcomes that, it's clear Abrams intended the planets to be that close to each other.

I thought those were just rings around the planet.

How much detail did they see? Somebody mentioned this in one of the other threads, and I was thinking they just saw the beam and then a handful of small flashes as the planets were destroyed. Was there more detail that I am forgetting.

 

[Mach5]

Apparently, "Kylux" is thing now.

 

[Rincewiend]

Apparently, "Kylux" is thing now.

Kylo/Hux slash?
Yeah, not surprised, there is probably Finn/Poe slash as well already...
Rule 34 of the internet...

 

[dahj]

"Kylux"

Ky Lux

 

[1001001]

My son and I saw it today in Glorious IMAX 3D.

I was able to go in completely unspoiled (took a bit of effort!), so Han's death was a complete shock. I couldn't believe it.



Anyway, I thought it was fantastic. Exceeded my expectations. Rey and Finn are both great characters, and are excellent additions. Rey was particularly good, IMHO.

The scene where she found the Millennium Falcon and blasted her way off the planet was really well done. Lots of action, lots of humor. It seemed very true to the franchise, even as it moved it forward.

I liked the ending, with her holding out the light saber while Luke stood silent. She's got to be a Skywalker, eh?

The only thing I would have liked to see was a better explanation of how we got to this point. I understand they wanted to move away from the wonky prequels, but a little more exposition on the structure of everything would have been appreciated. JMHO

Anyway, great film. A fun afternoon at the movies. Let's bring on the next chapter!