Finally have some time to join in and comment on the film....
At this point, I have seen it twice.
I successfully avoided all spoilers pre-viewing, and appreciate those on this Forum who kept things spoiler-free until release day.
It was nice to read the main thread ( now the 'other' thread ) and not worry about ruining any potential surprises.
So a big thank you, folks.
Totally went in to the theater on X-mas day with a open mind...was excited at what the film might bring.
Saw a standard release that first time...no 3D, etc....with a nearly full house.
Very lively audience, which was a nice plus.
Watched it beginning to end....and quite enjoyed it.
The beginning was great...and Rey's introduction sequence.
It just became better and better as it went along.
So many great moments, many unexpected which made them more intense and memorable.
In all honesty it drew me into it via the new characters, and not as much as I was expecting from just seeing the original characters again and nostalgia perks.
Yes, I liked those elements...but it was the new primary characters that held my interest the most.
I actually cared about what happened to a couple of them....Rey and Kylo Ren being the two that really had my full attention.
Kylo is now my 2nd favorite 'Star Wars' character next to my long term #1 Han Solo.
Just a great character...and not just because he plays Han's son....ha ha!
The conflicted, tormented soul of this wanna-be villain is so well played by Adam Driver, who I was introduced to for the first time via this role.
It was the standout performance next to Rey, and that is saying a lot when considering one of my favorite actors of all time Harrison Ford is in this film!
Adam just nailed it and made this a unique personality in the 'Star Wars' universe.
He did a great job portraying this complex character, and made it one that is so much more interesting then your typical 'vengeful villain' type.
Loved every moment he was on the screen...masked or unmasked....but the unmasking scene I thought was a great surprise.
Was not expecting that, and enjoyed how it showed you how this visually intimidating characters' true self is in reality a insecure, vulnerable, and misdirected man.
Just a nice refreshing change and a cool twist to the standard 'bad guy' persona.
Loved the scenes with him and Rey matching their Force powers against each other.
A real intensity there that I never expected to experience in this film.
It was a nice surprise.
The performances they did with just their faces alone in these scenes made it all the more impactful....well, in my opinion at least.
Yes, I was crushed when Han was killed....but it didn't make me hate on Ben Solo at all.
No, I feel a lot of sympathy for Ben despite some of the questionable actions he has done both in his hinted at past and the violent actions we see him partake in with in the context of the current films story.
im kind of hoping he gives in to the Light Side and is redeemed.
I've read a lot of fan reviews since seeing it the first time now that I'm not concerned about 'spoilers' and there seems to be a lot of disappointment regarding Kylo Ren 'losing' the climatic light saber battle with Rey in the forest.
Some felt he was too 'wimpy' and there is just no way she could have beaten him with no formal training.
I disagree, and thought within the context of THIS films story, it fit perfectly.
Sets up their next face off between them rather well and again made for a nice change of pace.
Absolutely loved the scene where Luke's saber gets stuck in the snow during the match and both of them attempt to draw it to their hand using the Force.
It was awesome to see Ben obviously struggling a little and then see the saber go to Rey.
The music swells...the look on both their faces....just wow.
The audience freaked. I did as well..caught up in the moment.
I loved the mystery around Rey....and of course was glad to see her finally find Luke at the conclusion.
Those final scenes pumped me up so much....it instantly made we want to see the next chapter immediately afterwards and I'm not by any means a 'hardcore' Star Wars fan.
It was that good..and that entertaining for me.
A good sign...!
I knew I had to see it again...next time in IMAX.
So I did...two days ago.
Wow.
Enjoyed it much more the second time around, and that was not just because of he better format showing.
I noticed many things I had missed the first time, and I was able to better focus more on the characters and all the nuances in their performances since I knew what was coming.
Made for a very enjoyable few hours of entertainment.
Made me a official solidified Kylo convert.
Just wow.
Highly recommend a IMAX viewing if you are able to get to a location showing it in that format.
Some have said that seeing it in 3D did not really make a big difference to them, but for me it was a big plus.
It brought some extra depth to some scenes, mainly, the space settings and the expanse of nothingness on Jakku.
The chase sequence through the wrecked Star Destroyer hulls was also fun to see in 3D.
Felt at times I was on 'Star Tours' again!
Anyone reading this who has been sitting on the fence about seeing it in IMAX 3D needs to just go out and DO IT.
This is one of those rare films that really is enhanced greatly by that type of experience.
The sound quality alone was worthwhile....as you could hear the sand blowing in the background, literally right behind you when on Jakku and snow blowing in the wind around you on the wintery Starkiller Base.
It was a noticeable improvement to my previous standard showing.
Picture quality was tops, as usual, and the 3D effects were not overly extreme.
They nicely gave depth to some scenic elements and added to the vastness of other settings.
It was a nice plus.
I will likely see it one more time in IMAX...yes, it was that good of an experience.
If I were to have any complaint, it would be the numerous throwbacks to the Original Trilogy of 'Star Wars' films.
Like many here, I love those originals.....but seeing all the nostalgic nods became a teeny bit tedious after a while.
From a symbolic standpoint I can understand it since a major theme of this film seems to be about letting go of the past and moving forward ( almost all the characters experience this ) but I would have liked to have seen more unique and new things specific to just this film.
Hard to describe in words...but hopefully those reading get what I mean.
As a whole, however, I enjoyed the romp.
Love Kylo Ren. Love Rey.
Really looking forward to learning more about these two in the future.
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