quote:

Originally posted by trickedtrix:
took the kids this afternoon - not a bad flick but honestly I should have waited for netflix. I don't feel it was worth seeing in the theater. Fight scenes were well orchestrated but the movie missed on many fronts. I absolutely adore the star wars score we all know and was incredibly disappointed in the music choices for this film. The climaxes were ruined by the lack of build-up in the background music. I think of TFA and when Rey force pulls the light saber the music hits just right and I got goose bumps. None of that in this film. It was a fleshed out story but did drag at several points. If you haven't seen it I would wait a couple months for a rental. I spent $50 today by the time we got tickets and popcorn. Don't feel it was worth it. Now, when guardians 2 comes out...

When has a starwars movie ever been on Netflix?

I liked it fine (6-7/10) though I'll probably run counter to a lot of other voices here in actually liking the latest main story line installment for what it was better than this. I forget who was curious about ages but I'm mid thirties and more Trek than Wars though I love both. Its an interesting point about generations enjoying it differently.

I thought K-2SO/Tudyk was great and much needed humanity and comic relief. Donnie Yen had a fantastic last scene as did his compatriot. I enjoyed both characters. Mads Mikkleson did well with his time on screen and that last scene with Vader was just awesome. I liked the closing of the movie and the "war" movie sequence which I thought was actually quite good. I generally hate character death in any medium for the good guys but it was an interesting decision to kill all of them that gave weight to the first films discussion about getting the plans.

I'd have liked to have seen more character interaction to get them together and make me care about them. When the two leads die I was pretty meh about it as it was simply the logical conclusion the story was drawing to. Some of the acting wasn't great on some of the minor characters but it got better. Reading about some reshooting makes me hope there's some interesting tie together scenes we will see in a directors cut sometime but I was left a bit flat on the group. CGI Leia probably should have just been shown from behind and Tarkin should have been shown in shadow or just have the main bad guy running it and be succeeded by quick CG Tarkin (or just a cut from EP4) who shows up and kills him with his own creation in the end. I simply felt the CGI pulled me out of the movie. Would have been good stuff in a video game or all CGI movie but next to real people and with a bit of over show on Tarkin it was pretty bad to me. That's the issue I have with a lot of CG though, they want to rub it all over your face instead of doing it quick or in shadow. Oh, Darth Vader getting a sick burn in after the force choke.....shame on you. Too bad they didn't give Giacchino more time to work as I think he's quite good. The score wasn't terrible but I think it pales to what comes before it.

Overall I liked it though the above seems more critical than I walked away feeling. I'd certainly recommend it to those who show interest.

quote:

When has a starwars movie ever been on Netflix?

Nope. And the only way you get them on iTunes is to buy them. No renting.

Man, some of you guys who are bitter about Tarkin and Leia making an appearance I just don't get. When I went back to watch it the 2nd time I really looked at Tarkin, what are you looking for? A recast actor?

Not me. I was tickled that they did such an outstanding job on his CGI'd face and once I realized what they had done, forgot about it and really enjoyed his scenes.

I agree with you totally

And the second time I saw it the less he seemed cgi to Me

But to each his own I guess

quote:

Originally posted by Ronin1069:
Man, some of you guys who are bitter about Tarkin and Leia making an appearance I just don't get. When I went back to watch it the 2nd time I really looked at Tarkin, what are you looking for? A recast actor?

Not me. I was tickled that they did such an outstanding job on his CGI'd face and once I realized what they had done, forgot about it and really enjoyed his scenes.

Maybe I'll feel different over time but that was my initial impression having just seen it yesterday. Nothing wrong with those who liked the CG or were fine with it, different strokes and all that. I wouldnt want to see someone recast, just maybe some restraint in showing them in shadow.

I wouldn't say I am bitter... just thought it was too much Tarkin. And the Leia didn't look good to me, it was jarring and broke the mood

Saw it last night with the family. I really liked it, the wife liked it, our daughter has issues with it. Really my only complaint was the opening. It's not Star Wars without the classic John Williams score with the big brass blast at the beginning and the words trailing off into space. I was like, "WTF? this isn't Star Wars!"

quote:

Originally posted by JasonEuc:
JJ fundamentally changed the 3 main characters in the original trilogy:

Han and Leia don't split up.

Han and Leia wouldn't name their kid Ben (Luke and Mara do, as Luke was much closer to Obi-wan.)

Luke doesn't run off and hide for 30 years.

Wasn't JJ's call but Disney's.

Because the EU had become so vast and complicated (4-pages worth of books on Amazon I think?), they decided to just forge their own path with the story telling and let the EU exist as it's own entity; referring to it as a collection of legendary stories. For the hardcore fans, some took it as blasphemy others a more understanding view point since Clone Wars and Rebels had fulfilled a chunk of the canon. Nevertheless, there are easter eggs from prior stories, from the appearance of Ghost at Yavin 4 to the glimpse of the Onderon Rebels symbol at Saw Gurrera's.

quote:

Originally posted by Kevbo:
I agree with you totally

And the second time I saw it the less he seemed cgi to Me

But to each his own I guess

quote:

Originally posted by Ronin1069:
Man, some of you guys who are bitter about Tarkin and Leia making an appearance I just don't get. When I went back to watch it the 2nd time I really looked at Tarkin, what are you looking for? A recast actor?

Not me. I was tickled that they did such an outstanding job on his CGI'd face and once I realized what they had done, forgot about it and really enjoyed his scenes.

Tarkin was shown in a non-speaking role at the very end of Revenge of the Sith with the Emperor and Vader. I don't believe there was any CG but, the amount of make-up to get the high cheekbones and gaunt look made him look comical. His CG effects in R1 I don't think was any distraction but, actually a testament to how far movie making has come.

Saw it today. Very well done. Even know what had to happen for Epidose 4 to happen, the nagging suspicion that the last battle was a suicide mission, I was still riveted to the end. Only issue was R2D2 and C3POs cameo. Felt tacked on, like Boba Fett in the remastered Ep.4. They could have been on Leia's frigate in a corridor as the rebel ran the plans to her.

It is the must buy on release day for BluRay.

FWIW, I took the kids and we all liked it. I think it's one of the best in the franchise. No Jar Jar or similar nonsense. Gritty. It was a damn good movie, I give it 9/10 cowboy spurs.

I thought it was every bit as good as the Original Trilogy, and well-deserving of being the prequel to those three movies.

I saw it in IMAX 3D, and the final trailer before Rogue One was for Dunkirk. WOW!!!

Really interesting for me to read the comments on this movie. I saw the first Star Wars in 1977 and the rest of the movies in that first block of...3 movies?

We took our kids to see the second series of Star Wars--the prequels, right? I hated every one of them. Truth be told, I'm not a SciFi fan, but the first movies were so bold and different that I was entertained. Never saw the movie last year that brought back original cast members.

Our son is visiting for Christmas and the three of us went today. Given my introduction, I wouldn't be surprised if nobody taking part in this thread gives a shit what I thought. Here goes anyway.

Two things struck me. First, I recall in the first Star Wars, the film critics wrote about the "well-used universe." That was a common theme in reviews of the movie. I thought things were downright shabby in this "universe." Didn't anybody EVER clean anything, or paint something?

The other thing is that I thought the director did a poor job of building a relationship between his protagonists and the audience. Everyone died during the movie and both my son and I expected to feel something. Instead it was kind of...eh

quote:

The other thing is that I thought the director did a poor job of building a relationship between his protagonists and the audience. Everyone died during the movie and both my son and I expected to feel something. Instead it was kind of...eh

Yeah, this one I will give you. Honestly I partially blame the music. The right music can draw emotion where there should be none...in this case, it did nothing for me.

TMats: we do so care what you think!

But seriously, in the original "trilogy" (vs. the prequel trilogy and the in-progress sequel trilogy), George Lucas intentionally specified that all the gear and craft of the Rebellion be made to look like slightly out-dated and worn, to give the impression of a rag-tag fleet going up against the mighty Empire. If you notice, Imperial props are always clean and sexy and cutting edge. Even the targetting displays of the TIE fighters are clean and high-def, vs. that of the X-wings which have crude grids and herky-jerky telescoping mounts.

I think I agree with your impression of the lack of audience connectness in R1 (I saw it yesterday). I wanted to care about the main characters, but somehow couldn't. Part of it was probably the music, as someone already mentioned, which is strange considering the pedigree (Michael Giacchino also did the score for the TV series Lost). But also as mentioned, I understand that he was rushed, which would explain it. The entire score was searching for a thematic element that never appeared, so unlike John Williams' composition for the originals.

I did like the new droid, part of it we have the same nickname (K2). Sort of a geeky C3PO, also like me I guess.

Yes! on Donnie Yen (and Felicity Jones, for that matter, with her collapsible tonfa). And I was wondering how they were going to shoehorn a martial arts segment in the film with everyone carrying blasters. A stealth op needed quiet attacks, though they went to hand-blasters and grenades pretty quickly anyways.

This message has been edited. Last edited by: kkina,

quote:

Originally posted by Ronin1069:
Man, some of you guys who are bitter about Tarkin and Leia making an appearance I just don't get. When I went back to watch it the 2nd time I really looked at Tarkin, what are you looking for? A recast actor?

Not me. I was tickled that they did such an outstanding job on his CGI'd face and once I realized what they had done, forgot about it and really enjoyed his scenes.

This short YouTube clip does a solid job of explaining the Tarkin/Leah technology.

quote:

Originally posted by Kevbo:
Just got back from viewing number two


The only glaring plot hole that is really bothering me


When the rebel fleet takes off for scariff you see R2 and 3PO in the hangar on Yavin 4


How, then, do they get on Tantive IV with Princess Leia which is in the rebel command ship at Scariff?

Those two were aboard the Tantive IV?

They were only aboard the rebel command ship in the sense that the Tantive IV was docked in the mon cal cruiser.

The droids didn't leave Yavin with the cruiser. The left Yavin with Leia--the person who Bail Organa told Mon Mothma he'd trust his life to.

So the timeline looks like this:
Admiral (Mon Calamari predecessor to Ackbar, I guess) takes off from Yavin.

Bail Organa and Mon Mothma have their conversation about Bail going back to Alderaan to rally the planet, bring back Obi Wan, and get the plans to the Death Star.

Immediately thereafter Bail contacts Leia who either is already on Yavin IV or arrives on Yavin IV. She leaves with the droids and docks with the command ship, which then gets boarded and Tantive IV has to emergency break-away from the cruiser's dock to get away from Vader.

This message has been edited. Last edited by: LDD,

A slight continuity error between 3.5 and 4:
Tarkin is aboard the Death Star both times the laser is used to annihilate something in 3.5, yet acts like he's never seen it in operation when they destroy Alderaan in 4.

Something I would have liked to have seen:
Admiral Raddus gets killed on the bridge during the battle over Scarif and a lower ranked Ackbar takes command to continue the fight.

And finally, someone needs to explain to me how those two Imperial troopers can withstand the intense heat generated by the Death Star laser being ignited mere meters away from them. It was a mild annoyance in 4 but I was seriously bothered by it this time around.

^^^ he hasn't seen it blow up a planet yet, just wipe out a city and a base