BlueSteel
Since: Jan, 2011
01/04/2016 00:00:00
You're review was fine, but I just wanna remind people that JJ is done with the films at this point. It's Rian Johnson up at bat now to write/direct VIII.
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Better than the prequels but doesn't (yet) hold up to the originals
If this had been the first Star Wars film instead of the seventh, it would be a contender for the film of the decade.
Don't get me wrong, it's very well put together with well cast roles and good performances, good effects work (that feels REAL unlike Lucas' overuse of CGI) and is very entertaining to watch. The dialogue is light years ahead of the prequels as well. (George, people just don't talk like that, not even a long time ago in a galaxy far far away). However it's a long way from perfect. Three main points JJ:
1 - There's a difference between acknowledging the past, putting in nods and getting the feel of the universe consistent with the previous work and pretty much remaking the first film - it's so derivative it actually breaks your willing suspension on disbelief. You could probably cut the two films together and make a coherent film with a reasonable effort (and I've no doubt a mashup will surface on Youtube once it's released on DVD)
2 - Yes yes, we know the prequels were overly talky and there was too much politics in them but you've gone too far the other way - there are gaping holes in the back story with no real attempt to fill them - what happened in the last thirty years? How did the first order rise? Why is the Republic not fighting them in full strength? Who the hell was that old guy Kylo Ren killed? If he was a Jedi why didn't he fight? (And don't say to look at supplementary materials - a film should be able to stand on it's own)
3 - Solo's death was so ridiculously telegraphed a blind man could've seen it coming a mile off. Insulting your audience's intelligence isn't good film making.
In summary JJ has rescued the franchise from Lucas' attempt to drown it in a sea of cliched dialogue, boring talky political crap and CGI crapfests but he's not yet managed to make a film that holds up to the original trilogy. At this point he has a lot of goodwill, but now he needs to make the next two films their own story, not rehash Empire & Jedi.
Edit: Skimming some other reviews I find myself in agreement that the new characters were all too eager to work together - Poe Dameron was way too trusting of an Imperial Stormtrooper - he didn't suspect it was a trap to find his base?