While the film promised to take the franchise in a bold, new direction, the end result was anything but. It plays out like a shot for shot remake of the first film with a few scenes lifted from Empire Strikes Back and a climax that is identical to Return of the Jedi, complete with yet another Death Star and an exploding shield generator. What's more is that it feels lifeless in many parts. When the "Death Star" blows up an entire system, the characters gasp in horror, then it's business as usual. JJ Abrams wants us to remember the Alderaan scene in A New Hope, but doesn't want us to dwell on those emotions for too long because he wants to get to the next action scene. We are supposed to be scared of the villain, but the character tries too hard to be Darth Vader (even in universe), that it is hard to take him seriously. Round it out with a flawless, invincible hero who can master the Force and lightsaber without a single minute of training (something that took Luke Skywalker three films to do) and you get a soul-less retread of a great franchise.
Nothing New Under the Suns
While the film promised to take the franchise in a bold, new direction, the end result was anything but. It plays out like a shot for shot remake of the first film with a few scenes lifted from Empire Strikes Back and a climax that is identical to Return of the Jedi, complete with yet another Death Star and an exploding shield generator. What's more is that it feels lifeless in many parts. When the "Death Star" blows up an entire system, the characters gasp in horror, then it's business as usual. JJ Abrams wants us to remember the Alderaan scene in A New Hope, but doesn't want us to dwell on those emotions for too long because he wants to get to the next action scene. We are supposed to be scared of the villain, but the character tries too hard to be Darth Vader (even in universe), that it is hard to take him seriously. Round it out with a flawless, invincible hero who can master the Force and lightsaber without a single minute of training (something that took Luke Skywalker three films to do) and you get a soul-less retread of a great franchise.