Ok, screw it..these are just scrap thoughts and LOADED with spoilers, not a review, there's SO much going on in this film, i'll have to see it a few more times, but here's a few initial impressions & questions & thoughts
the negatives
there's a LOT of huge leaps of faith/gaps in storytelling..where your sposed to just take something as a given..
there's also a few moments where you can almost see some dialogue or something has been edited out or JJ is expecting you just to trust him, i'm not sure which(edit-Boyega has confirmed tons of small link stuff was cut..i'd say its apparent here and there)
No real explanation of General Snoke or how he came to be supreme commander or where his force capability/role as master comes from, and further why the Resistance, who we thought took over the galaxy for the good, still seem to be a ragged under equipped band in hiding? These questions about him and his motivations will no doubt be anwered but i feel that element could have been fleshed out just a little more.
Kylo ren is my big problem..i just really didnt believe him..but ill wait til i see it again to decide..hes utterly frustrated cos he desires power so much but isnt as naturally gifted as he wants to be(even his lightsaber seems like a fanboi homemade attempt at one and seems to be in the duels) this leading to childish explosive tantrums..which i'm not sure fit or are portrayed/played as well as they might be..also, now and then its actually hard to make out what hes saying, but that might just be me i havent the best hearing..damned tinnitus...he looks very much like and acts a spoiled brat young professor Snape!
His struggle with the light side was barely given any time and should have been expanded upon!! I've no doubt he'll be most people's favourite, he's certainly a lot more complex and fleshed out than any previous bad guys in the series, you almost wish this was the performance Hayden Christensen gave in the prequels. I'm still undecided about his portrayal but i think he might have been miscast.
im not 100% but i think theres a few bits of dialogue in the trailers that arent in the film AT ALL.. Luke and the 'force is strong in my family...you have that power too' piece..not in there i don't think?
3PO is as annoying as ever..'nuff said, but hes used to remind the audience of plot so far and whats next in an either hit or miss sense, i cant decide if its annoying or not..but it's done clumsily.
Captain Phasma..why set up such a potentially cool and dangerous character only to disable and disempower it so easily? hopefully they find a way back for her
The good stuff
the start:) a long time ago, in a galaxy far, far away...
the fanfare..then the scroll..gives you the lowdown as always and does so perfectly in tune with the ones that came before..if you can read it through the tear soaked eyes that is
it sets up everything in pitch perfect tone
The Falcon appearing! the way its done might be seen as corny by some but it isnt
first big 'old character' reveal of the film
nearly jumped outta my seat cheering
the ensuing chase is amazing(though does contain the first big leap of faith required..) im a massive Falcon fan and this is the best sequence its ever had!! and it features LOADS throughout the film
This is Hans movie
he's the star of the show:) When he and Chewie first appear on screen, even though you've seen the clip, it's even better within context.. Ford has stepped back into the role comfortably like an old shoe, he's funnier than ever and the humour is just the right amount and pitched perfectly (I may be slightly bedazzled here, Han is my favourite character) his one-twos with Chewie correcting him and him retorting
...just classic star wars
his scenes with Leia are so tender..Love lost but not dead... played so perfectly by them both..
the dialogue with Han about the force is put in a different context in the trailer..the whole scene is so much better! you can see his journey from disbelief and mocking of it to where he is now, all play across his face in that one scene, he does it really well..
the character and setup reveals..just done so brilliantly..cynics might say they're a little corny but i went to tears when Han&Chewie appeared(NOT at the moment you expect) but simultaneously wanted to start clapping:) and when Leia arrives onscreen and, well that scene just had me back in tears..
BB8 is brilliant..easy for his sounds to be emotive and tell you how to feel about what hes feeling but the control/puppetry/animation of him really brings him to life..one of the best performances in the film, but still not as likeable as R2(for me)
the score is spot on!! all the familiar themes but some, tweaked at unexpected points with new musical twists! the soundscape overall is wonderful!! Cant wait to get the soundtrack and listen to the new themes properly.
The TIE fighters are no longer a walkover AT ALL!! they're finally as dangerous as they've always sounded and looked..i WANT the TIE pilot outfit&helmet..its awesome!The stormtroopers however? a lot less clumsy and hopeless with a blaster but still quite hopeless
Each dogfight is done really well, it's not break neck speed, you get time to take in every shot, no breakneck speed editing, just the right amount of punchy heavy impact and speed:)
the ships/planets/environments ALL feel just like they fit perfectly with the OT..some of the sets/furniture are DIRECTLY from the OT, same designs!!
Abrams has really followed Lucas' direction on i think, especially in character scenes, shots following stormtroopers around the base, our heroes peering around corners, it's just done right.
ALL the characters are acted so well!! Poe is super likeable, theyve pulled a masterstroke with Finn&Rey..SW always being seen as a boys film? this gives TWO leads..You're lead by Luke in the OT, both of them here are the main character..or you can sorta pick the one you're meant to be following ..and its done really really well..Gleeson plays his part really well, the sorta power struggle between him and Ren is a little unnecessary, but echoes back to ANH and youre not sure if Vader is in charge or Tarkin, but the tension between them is exciting
Maz is great..clearly the Yoda template and implied that she may have known him? confirmed by Abram and the actress who plays her at a press conference apparently..
the sequence with Rey being drawn downstairs and discovering Lukes lightsaber, and the ensuing, what, flashback? forcetrip? or is it the force awakening?? i'm not sure what to make of that, but it shows she's been abandoned or left with someone on jakku but you don't see who by or who shes left with..or why..but as it plays out in her scenes with Leia, you're left wondering is she family? Lukes daughter? Maz seems to suggest as much telling her there's no point going back to Jakku, they aren't coming back for her, but perhaps the force is calling her forward to them? ..whoever they are...*thinking more about this i'm guessing she is Lukes daughter..her being taken by Ren and torutred does seem to awaken the force in her..and would explain her natural ability to pilot the Falcon in the opening chase scene, clumsily for sure but she gets them out of it..is the lightsaber imprinted by Luke with some sort of beacon to her? it seems so..the final scene backs that up possibly..
The starkiller base..ok..its the death star again but soooo much better!!!
right now? i'm gonna say its at least as good as Empire. But it blows the bad memories of the prequels away in such a complete way. Don't be nervous about seeing it if the prequels turned you off and you don't wanna go there again, this is an ENTIRELY different animal and worthy of your time. It looks like Star Wars, has all the familiar feels and textures of Star Wars, and IMO lives up to the hype and exorcises the prequel demons that have haunted & tainted the view of this galaxy and these stories.
that's all i have for the time being..stuff keeps occurring to me, ill watch the trailers again to remind me of stuff
can't wait to see it again:)