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Star Wars: The Force Awakens

Westside Steve's Movie Reviews
13 6 489
  • Your resident SiFy geek checking in. Of course, I had to see it opening night. So no spoilers, and no rating. If you're a fan of the series, you're probably going to enjoy it.

    Way back George Lucas said he wanted to do another film after Return of the Jedi- when the original cast looked a lot older. Mission accomplished in that regard. That said, I thought it was a tad slow paced compared to the others. Some of the themes hearken back to the original, now called "A New Hope" which is IV in Lucas Chronology. The plot? Instead of "Where's Waldo?" It's "Where's Luke?" If you've seen the trailers, there's a new edition of Darth Vader to deal with, as well as his new mysterious boss.

    As a serious fan, there's a few things (without giving it away in terms of character development relative to Empire Strikes back and Return of the Jedi) in the movie I take exception to. I'll expound a little further when more folks get to see it.

    In closing, with Disney buying out Lucas Film for $4 billion- you can count on Episodes VIII and IX.

  • I considered going out last night but hate crowds. Luckily I'm a musician so I can go Monday or Tuesday afternoon.

    I've seen them all and enjoyed most of them but was never an acolyte.

    WSS

  • Very good. I would have changed a couple of things but all in all A+

  • Your resident SiFy geek checking in. Of course, I had to see it opening night. So no spoilers, and no rating. If you're a fan of the series, you're probably going to enjoy it.

    Way back George Lucas said he wanted to do another film after Return of the Jedi- when the original cast looked a lot older. Mission accomplished in that regard. That said, I thought it was a tad slow paced compared to the others. Some of the themes hearken back to the original, now called "A New Hope" which is IV in Lucas Chronology. The plot? Instead of "Where's Waldo?" It's "Where's Luke?" If you've seen the trailers, there's a new edition of Darth Vader to deal with, as well as his new mysterious boss.

    As a serious fan, there's a few things (without giving it away in terms of character development relative to Empire Strikes back and Return of the Jedi) in the movie I take exception to. I'll expound a little further when more folks get to see it.

    In closing, with Disney buying out Lucas Film for $4 billion- you can count on Episodes VIII and IX.

    @hoorta said:

    Your resident SiFy geek checking in. Of course, I had to see it opening night. So no spoilers, and no rating. If you're a fan of the series, you're probably going to enjoy it.

    Way back George Lucas said he wanted to do another film after Return of the Jedi- when the original cast looked a lot older. Mission accomplished in that regard. That said, I thought it was a tad slow paced compared to the others. Some of the themes hearken back to the original, now called "A New Hope" which is IV in Lucas Chronology. The plot? Instead of "Where's Waldo?" It's "Where's Luke?" If you've seen the trailers, there's a new edition of Darth Vader to deal with, as well as his new mysterious boss.

    As a serious fan, there's a few things (without giving it away in terms of character development relative to Empire Strikes back and Return of the Jedi) in the movie I take exception to. I'll expound a little further when more folks get to see it.

    In closing, with Disney buying out Lucas Film for $4 billion- you can count on Episodes VIII and IX.

    Also a sci-fi geek. There were a couple of things I took exception to as well, mostly to do with too much reliance on old themes IMO, but I would give it a B+ and developments in this one lead me to think VIII and IX will be better.

  • How would you rate the favorability of it vs Abrams' take on star trek? Personally I think the new Star treks kicked ass.

  • How would you rate the favorability of it vs Abrams' take on star trek? Personally I think the new Star treks kicked ass.

    @the-cysko-kid said:

    How would you rate the favorability of it vs Abrams' take on star trek? Personally I think the new Star treks kicked ass.

    This was much better.....much more true to the original.

    While very good, to me there were a number of fuckups in Abrams Star Trek movies.

    Spock and Uhuru doing it? Bullshit.

  • The whole point of the star trek movies were that they were set in an alternate reality.

  • The whole point of the star trek movies were that they were set in an alternate reality.

    @the-cysko-kid said:

    The whole point of the star trek movies were that they were set in an alternate reality.

    I never thought of any of them that way. Just a different look at Starfleet and the Federation. Like Robert De Niro and Marlon Brando were both Don Corleone.

    I also assume there is some leeway since Spock is half human.

    I know Gipper disagrees.

    I also thought the casting was great.

    WSS

  • How would you rate the favorability of it vs Abrams' take on star trek? Personally I think the new Star treks kicked ass.

    @the-cysko-kid said:

    How would you rate the favorability of it vs Abrams' take on star trek? Personally I think the new Star treks kicked ass.

    I think Abrams was probably given more liberty with Star Trek. With Star Wars it felt like Disney told him "make the fans happy at all costs!"

  • @the-cysko-kid said:

    The whole point of the star trek movies were that they were set in an alternate reality.

    I never thought of any of them that way. Just a different look at Starfleet and the Federation. Like Robert De Niro and Marlon Brando were both Don Corleone.

    I also assume there is some leeway since Spock is half human.

    I know Gipper disagrees.

    I also thought the casting was great.

    WSS

    @westside-steve said:

    I never thought of any of them that way. Just a different look at Starfleet and the Federation. Like Robert De Niro and Marlon Brando were both Don Corleone.

    I also assume there is some leeway since Spock is half human.

    I know Gipper disagrees.

    I also thought the casting was great.

    WSS

    They explained it near the end of 'Star trek'

  • How would you rate the favorability of it vs Abrams' take on star trek? Personally I think the new Star treks kicked ass.

    @the-cysko-kid said:

    How would you rate the favorability of it vs Abrams' take on star trek? Personally I think the new Star treks kicked ass.

    Though I enjoy the Abram's versions of Star Trek- I'm really not a huge fan. I go all the way back to the original series with Shatner & Nimoy- and I can say I've seen every one of the original episodes- many dozens of times.

    So sure, technologically- we're worlds ahead of were we were in 1965- but we're trading Fx for story line. Even some of the Star Trek Next gen movies (or even episodes) are way better than the current editions.

  • I don't think so. But hey to each their own. I hated all the old star trek stuff I was forced to watch by my dad.

  • I like the new Star Trek movies better than Force Awakens but feel both are very well done.