Kieran Frost's "100 Greatest Films"

[Kieran_Frost]

If you allow me i will speak my mind where i disagree. I think your criticisms are broadly speaking correct. But they aren't really problems to me. You are right that there are a lot of similarities to New Hope. But i am all for nostalgia if it works well. And it really worked for me. Ever since the Return of The Jedi i had not enjoyed Star Wars this much. Maybe one part is because it was similar. The prequels were really boring to me. They had good visuals and i liked some parts of it. But overall it was meh. But to finally see Star Wars which felt like Star Wars is one reason i hold it in high regard. Other reason is it being a really enjoyable film. I had a great time.

I loved Rey's character. See was quite like Luke Skywalker. (And cute. lol). What works for me is that she was like the audience surrogate. She is a Star Wars fan. She lives in a Star Wars bed. She knows Star Wars as a story like us. Only difference being that for her that's actual history. She would be filled with wonder on seeing Han Solo.

And i actually loved the last shot. For the first time i have heard a criticism like this. Its like Rey who on part of us fans want Luke Skywalker back. We want him back and be a hero as he once was. I can see why you disliked it. But for me it had the opposite effect. The best way to end the film.

Thank-you for your reply, I think overall the biggest difference is the nostalgia worked for you, and not for me; and I assume that comes down to our level of fandom. You see Rey as a surrogate fan, and it would have never occurred to me to think of her as that; because I don't think beyond the film with this franchise. As I said, I do have a soft spot for Star Wars, but I'd never call myself a "fan" (I'm much more a Trekkie than a Jedi)

I have no problems with her beating Kylo Ren. Kylo Ren was injured by Chewbaca's blaster. That thing was so powerful that it was throwing away people across rooms. On top of that its shown that Rey is not the average guy as Luke Skywalker was in New Hope. She had survived by herself on a planet like Jakku. She's tough. She knows how to fight. (In an earlier scene she easily beat up two guys sent by Unkar, who tried to kidnap BB-8 by using her staff in seconds. She knows how to use a staff). And she actually beat Kylo after she tapped into the Force. Before that she was barely able to hold herself against an injured Kylo Ren.

It doesn't matter about the force, Han Solo was tough, but against Darth Vadar he wouldn't have stood a chance. Neither would Leia (and she had the force). The force doesn't make you a great sword fighter, and her staff is still a very different weapon to a lightsaber. Hell even a great swordfighter with a rapier, hand him or her a two handed broadsword and they wouldn't be able to stand long against someone TRAINED to use a two-handed sword. It just... no. It was absurd, and robbed Kylo of any danger now. He's now (to me) a pathetic villain, because a novice can beat him.

Finn being beaten up by a stormtrooper is not really surprising. Stormtroopers aren't known as really good fighters. And even then Poe looked like someone new. Rey has learnt a lot of stuff by surviving on that planet by herself since childhood. On top of that she has force abilities. This explanation works for me.

True, he is a Stormtrooper at the end of the day. But it's the contrast of feats. Rey gets to go above and beyond anything that reasonably should be within her capability, but Finn doesn't? It just seems very disjointed and unfair.

I did not find Poe to be a deep character like you. But i loved his character. He lightened up the screen every time he was present. My favorite part being him and Finn escaping at the beginning.

To be clear, I don't necessarily think Poe's deep as written, more I think Isaac bring a lot to the character, and creates the illusion of layered subtext. And yes, hs chemistry with Finn was great. I finally understand all the shipping they got as a couple. But it'll never happen. Disney. Star Wars. JJ Abrams. These are not three things that push the boundaries of LGBT+ representation.

Apart from 'The Last Jedi', keep an eye upon 'Rogue One'. I thought it was great. And that one is free from the criticisms you have made here about Force Awakens. Especially your main gripe about Force Awakens being same to Star Wars.

Again, due to the complete absence of LGBT+ characters, I'll have to wait till one of my friends owns it to watch it.