Star Wars The Force Awakens

Star Wars The Force Awakens

I think that enough time has passed now that we may all begin to talk about Star Wars The Force Awakens and not spoil it for very many people. (I did have 1 friend who just saw it for the first time this week, I was stunned.)

It is very simple to talk about all of the things that I loved about this movie and you are supposed to begin conversations with positive things so I suppose I should start this post with the things I loved. 

I truly loved the relationship between Rey and Finn. I laughed way too much when he grabbed her hand in order to "save" her when he was obviously much less capable of saving her than she was of saving him in that instance. I also loved her reaction "why are you holding my hand?" I love that he tries so hard to keep her safe even though he seems like he is a coward he shows great conviction and strength (which is typical hero type behavior). I thought the storm trooper with the stun baton is really fantastic, I just wish Captain Phasma had been the one wielding it. There were of course obvious things that I loved about the movie like seeing the characters I had grown up with and loved like Han and Leia and Chewie and finally I got to see R2D2 for a few seconds. There were some less obvious things (since I was talking so much smack) such as my love for BB-8. That little, spherical robot really grew on me and took a place in my heart right next to R2D2. I really did enjoy the way they gave him so much personality and the almost golden retriever loyalty he showed.

Now we can move on to the things that drove me nuts about the movie. First of all I absolutely despise the way Captain Phasma was capture by Finn, Han and Chewie and made to put in the codes. You know for a fact that she saw Finn freeze in the battle and she knows that he is a coward so why exactly is she going anywhere with someone she assumes is a coward and just letting herself be pushed around and told what to do? I found that scene to be very weak.

I also really, truly with a passion dislike the actor they chose to be Ben Solo. I struggle with the scene where he kills his father because I don't feel the connection. I think the actor is great at being the tantrum throwing, whining baby that is Kylo Ren (no matter how many blaster hits he takes and keeps standing). I do not however think that the actor looked enough like Han and Leia to be believable as their son so when I should have felt the pain of a father being forever destroyed by his only son I just felt "eh." I mean I did feel really horrible the first time and I shed a tear when Han died, even though I saw it coming, but that reaction was simply because it was Han and I love him not because his son had just put a lightsaber through his chest. I feel disappointed.

The final thing I dislike about the movie is Snoke. I simply cannot deal with Gollum being the bad guy, man I desperately miss Vader. I wish they would have thought that through a little more and changed his look up a bit especially since it is the same voice actor.

Overall I was pleased with the movie, although I felt a little less pleased the second time we saw it I might return to more pleased the third time I see it. I think it is a solid start to the finale and I think it is more true to the feelings and tone of episodes 4, 5, and 6. I am hopeful that in 2017 episode 8 has more in store that brings me back to my happy place.

In parting I will say that the final scene where Luke pulls back his hood with his cyber hand and stands there in all of his old man, bearded glory is one of the best scenes I have ever seen and gives me chills even now as I write about it. I can't wait to see what Luke, Leia, Rey, Finn, Poe, BB-8 and the crew have in store for us.