Star Wars: The Force Awakens Conversation-Style Review

SPOILER WARNING – This is one and only warning you will get.

The biggest movie in the world deserves to be talked about, which is why we are back with a new conversation-style review for Star Wars: The Force Awakens.

Moderated by editor Gabrielle Bondi, Alex Suffolk, Michael Fairbanks, Jordan Decker, Mason Shell, and Donald Strohman sat down on Sunday night to talk about the new Star Wars movie: what they liked, what they didn’t like, and some of the interesting theories the film brings up, like Rey’s parentage. We also discuss what we hope to see in Episode 8 and 9.

Read our discussion of Star Wars: The Force Awakens below.

Gaby: What are your thoughts on the new Star Wars? Apparently no one saw it this weekend.

Mason: I really enjoyed it.

Jordan: I loved it. I loved the fan service, and I loved, even more so, the new characters and how they carried the film forward. As a huge fan, my real worry going in was that this would be Luke, Leia and Han romping around like the good-ol’ days… but think of the 7-year-old kid in the audience that hasn’t seen any Star Wars movie yet: he/she deserves their own generation of heroes. We got that in Rey, Finn and Poe. Overall, I wish I could have watched myself watching TFA, because I felt, and I’m sure I acted like a giddy, joyous child from start to finish.

Alex: I loved it! I’ve seen it twice already, and I loved it even more a second time. I often forgot I was watching a movie with The Force Awakens, I was just entirely engrossed in the story– that’s how I knew it was gold.

Donald: From someone who’s never watched a Star Wars film (but gets the jist of what’s been going on), I thought it was really good.

Michael: Even though I saw it at 1:10 in the morning, it made me feel like a kid again. Very, very good. Fantastic performances, and brilliant visual effects. It did fall a little short in the story department for me though. It was definitely saved by how well rounded the characters were. I loved all three of the new leads and was very intrigued by all the characters we didn’t see more of. In fact, I felt like several were short changed.

Gaby: It definitely has its shortcomings story-wise. But I had so much fun watching it. I saw it three times already.

Mason: Wow. I loved the fact that the CGI was very minimal. They used puppets and a lot of practical effects. I really enjoyed seeing that.

Michael: Me too! Practical effects make all the difference in giving the creatures and objects weight.

Donald: BB-8 was the show stealer for me personally. When he gave the thumbs up, the theater roared with laughter

Jordan: Agreed, Mason. That Cantina scene was insane… I think I saw a table of mosquitoes playing poker?

Michael: I was digging the island music in that scene. I still need to see it with a crowd. I saw it with 3 other people.

Alex: Yeah. The story suffers a lot by recreating beat-for-beat sequences from A New Hope. But I think the movie is toying with themes of history repeating itself, and the characters were so good, I was willing to forgive it on most fronts.

Michael: I thought the last 30 mins were a little weak. That’s when they really just started copy pasting

Alex: I have to say though, the score this time around wasn’t nearly as bombastic. There was no new Duel of the Fates, or anything other than “March of the Resistance” that stood out.

Jordan: I’m torn on the ending, Michael. On one hand, it’s pretty dumb of them to rip off the Death Star assault, and even say: “this is old Death Star, and THIS is the new one.” Blowing up five planets instead of one, etc. But it also allowed for one of the coolest locations for a lightsaber fight ever conceived. Rey and Ren clashing swords, blue and red sparks flying in their faces while the snow planet gets darker every second? Beautiful. And the rift between them in the ground. Symbolic stuff, right there.

Mason: My favorite part was the first 30 minutes. It just didn’t stop.