Posted on 12/17/2015 7:52:34 AM PST by BenLurkin
Critics screened the film earlier this week, and with the reviews rolling in, we've compiled a roundup of what they're saying, and in an effort to be as spoiler-free as possible, we only included parts that don't specifically talk about the plot.
"Reinvigorating the franchise with a welcome surge of energy, warmth and excitement after the misbegotten cycle of prequels released between 1999 and 2005, incoming writer-director J.J. Abrams seems to have had the original three films firmly in mind when he embarked on this monumental new undertaking, structured as a series of clever if sometimes wobbly callbacks to a trilogy that captivated a global audience and helped cement Hollywoodâs blockbuster paradigm.
"Still, the reassuring familiarity of Abrams' approach has its limitations: Marvelous as it is to catch up with Han Solo, Leia and the rest of the gang, fan service takes priority here over a somewhat thin, derivative story that, despite the presence of two appealing new stars, doesn't exactly fire the imagination anew. ...
"In the end, Star Wars: The Force Awakens suggests the work of a filmmaker who faced the exciting yet unenviable task of partially reassembling one of the most beloved ensembles in movie history, furthering their characters' adventures in a meaningful fashion, and helping them pass the baton from one generation of action figures to the next - and emerged, in the end, with a compromise solution that, even when it's not firing on all cylinders, has been put across with sufficient style, momentum, love and care to prove irresistible to any who have ever considered themselves fans.
"Risking heresy, it's worth noting that Abrams actually did smarter, more inventive work on his 2009 reboot of 'Star Trek,' no doubt in part because he was working with a less heavily guarded enterprise." -Justin Chang, Variety
(Excerpt) Read more at vulture.com ...
There have always been only three Star Wars movies, and that is all there ever will be.
Hollywood is really capable of making good movies that take you to another place any longer.
Occasionally they do make a good one as in the case with American Sniper.
But for the most part everything sucks. The odds of them making another good Stars Wars movie at this time or any other time in the future is just about 0.00%
I waited in line to see "The Phantom Menace", too. Not 6 hours, but an evening.
Waiting in line was more fun than the movie, of course, the movie set a low, low bar to step over. But beforehand, all of the nerds showed up, and nerd-ed out. Costumes. Lightsaber fights. The works. The people-watching was fun.
Don't need to do it again, though. One time was enough. I'll wait a couple of weeks before going to this one.
Someone on the news this AM called it "Star Wars VII: The Forced Apology" (for the prequels)
I don't really care about the "diversity" stars White-hating JJ Abrams forced on us.
I may be swimming upstream here, but the 3 prequels improved as they went along, and the last, with the fall of the republic and How Darth Vader Got That Way, was pretty good in a dark way.
Ogod, I laughed so hard at Triumph’s takedowns!
I find it interesting you posted one of very few (relatively) reviews that are not glowing overall for this film.
Have a look at Rotten Tomatoes and you’ll see that the reviewers opinion is in the overwhelming minority. Getting a %95 overall critic rating on that site is exceptional.
Hello no, not me! I aint goin! I am going to sit at home in my underwear and watch reruns of Obama press conferences. Or who knows, maybe watch a 72 hour marathon of Oprah. Yeah, thats it, yeah.......
Yes, it is true about JJ Abrams being a racist who despises white men.
People only need to do a simple Google search to see his utter contempt for white males. He even dropped an F bomb to make his point.
Pretty disgusting and vile little man.
I posted the Variety review for two reasons.
1) Variety has been around a long time, and is well respected in the biz.
2) It also fit very neatly into the 300 word posting limit.
And yet it got an initial score of 97% “fresh” on Rotten Tomatoes.
STAR WARS EP 3: Revenge of Middle Management
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=itkl7cHcX_E
How did you get a picture of me?
I attended the very first screening of the Godfather in Hollywood, at the Egyptian if memory serves on Hollywood Blvd. in LA, the 11:00 a.m. showing, with no waiting at all—we walked right in. When we emerged, we were astonished to see that the line stretched two blocks, comprising not only the next showing at 3:00 but also the following one at 7:00. Did we ever laugh.
During the latest Star Wars movie, do not be surprised during the opening crawl that you see STAR TREK RULES!!!!
http://www.starwars.com/games-apps/star-wars-crawl-creator/?cid=5672fa37e4b00e01b64484cf
Nice try but that is getting old, lay off it and man up, no offense.
First thing that came to mind reading your comment...
I was debating adding some comment with it, but then decided none was necessary.
They should have gotten Levar Burton.
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