ST What you would have done differently?

You both have chosen the most likely scenario, I think. If that's the reason, I'm good with it. I'd just like them to make sure it's addressed. That part of the movie seemed so rushed to me. Thanks to you both for your replies!!

 

more Knights of Ren, thats about all I can think of, but we have 2 more movies to hear more on that....

 

I remember J.J. saying that from the very start Lawrence Kasdan wanted to tell the story in a way that left many things open and unexplained (just like the old trilogy did), for audience to ponder about. That is exactly what they did and to be honest I like it a lot.

 

EDIT: Damn triple post, the site is so laggy for me, I am so sorry. T_T

 

I agree. I might even go as far as to say that it ranks there with that CGI guy Obi-Wan goes to see in the diner in AOTC. That was a pointless CGI character as well.

CGI just stuck out like a sore thumb wherever it appeared for characters in this movie.

 

I concur. The only good thing I can say about Maz is she wasn't Jar Jar Binks. In the immortal words of Steve Jobs, she wasn't a bozo, just a zero.

 

No argument from me here, I agree one hundred perfect. I just felt production didn't have the confidence or faith that we have. If that makes sense.

 

A little more background/insight into the Knights of Ren.

Wanted Maz to be a little more mystic/mysterious. I interpreted from the trailers and rumours going around that she had a real "power of sight" within her vision - without being a force user. Maybe she does, but I just didn't get that in the movie. Left me wanting more from her a bit.

More diverse range of vehicles particularly Imperial Walker/AT-AT ground based type-vehicles (OK, we don't just want a repeat of the OT but felt there were a lot of TIE fighters, star destroyers but not much else - talking First Order here). A bit more of a glimpse of other vehicles would have been good.

Would have liked a real killer/cryptic one sentence from Luke at the end to close the movie out.

 

I liked the film overall. I maybe would've changed a few things.

- The Death Star recycling ... it actually wasn't that bad but I would've maybe given the Resistance a super weapon too.

- I wanted a SPACE BATTLE. There hasn't been a great one since the Endor Battle in Jedi. And Poe disappearing was kinda sudden.

- I actually in hindsight wouldn't have minded the first shot in the movie being a tumbling lightsaber in space. It works within the context of this film.

- I would have had Ren go a little crazier at the end of the film after he kills Han. Like maybe smear his own blood on his face ... something like that and really lose it a bit more.

- Snoke didn't work great for me. I dunno.

- I would asked for a more epic score from John Williams. Dunno, it was just too "weak".

 

1. When Chewie returns after Han dies, he walks off the falcon, head bowed moaning with sadness, Leia goes to him and hugs him.
2. Give the reason for R2 waking up at the end when BB8 knocks him ( he didn't wake up when BB8 met him previously).
3. Show Maz after the castle battle, alive or dead.
4. Have Luke speak, say something, anything " I knew you would come".." You should not have come" or "Hello Rey", throw us a bone JJ.
5. Slightly less humour, not from Han or Chewie (loved that) but it seemed that even in the worst circumstances there was a wisecrack or one liner from someone, it's good in small doses but not all the time.
6. Phasma should have been the badass we were expecting, refuse to drop the shield, put the gun to her head and force her to do it, she gave up to easily.
A little bit more background on the Knights of Ren and Snoke, although this will come in 8 and 9 hopefully.

That's about it to be honest but number 1 really bugged me when Chewie just walked off the falcon and Leia didn't even acknowledge him,i said previously i hope that is fixed for the Bluray release, even if Leia reaches out her hand to brush Chewie on his way past to comfort him.

 

Some ideas:

+ Han should have been the one captured so there could have been more between him & Kylo/Ben. It would have been a better reveal. Kylo enters, takes off mask and says, "Hello father."
+ The planet destroyed should have been Poe's so we were more invested in his attack on SKS. And Leia could have said, "I know what you're feeling now...etc. Go get 'em!"
+ Phasma could have been a Red Baron to counter Poe, they could have been dog fighting in the final battle.
+ With Han captured, Rey & Fin could have found Luke and Luke could have helped them rescue Han.


Just a few thoughts.

 

I actually just remembered the first shots of the movie, it was like a negative of a new hope with the star destroyer going over the planet and blocking out the light, that was a great shot.

 

it had a lot of potential to do something new. if the danger of nostalgia theme me, you and PymParticles were always supporting was actually used, starkiller could have been an excellent part of that commentary. but that's not what they ended up doing. as for the battle itself, if Leia had her own super weapon like the msw rumours speculated, that could have made it more interesting imo. what we actually got wasn't bad, just not great.

 

I'm going to have some broader thoughts here: I didn't mind the Starkiller Base any more than I minded the Death Star II in Return of the Jedi. It makes sense to me that there would be other superweapons, and I care more about how elements are executed than what elements are used. That might be why I'm sitting here completely baffled at the "A New Hope" rehash comments, because it doesn't feel that way to me at all. I can count the stand-out similarities between the two films on one hand, but the way they're executed, the way they exist in relation to the new things, and the way the new characters and how they react to these things and each make the film feel like its own thing to me.

So for the Starkiller Base specifically, like the Death Star II it lacks the grandeur of the Death Star despite its increase of size because nothing can ever trump the power of, "That's no moon... that's a space station." But the sequence on/around it was exciting, and it provides genuine stakes for the heroes and the Resistance. The scene when it destroyed the five planets also worked exceptionally well for me. You see the people on them seeing their impending doom approaching, and the fear and disbelief on their faces completely sells the horror of it.

 

Yeah this film doesn't feel like a new hope at all. the only moment I remember thinking that a little was the shot of the falcon and x wings flying off as starkiller blows up.

other than that, there's too many references, but that's not the same as rehashing.

 

I didn't understand why R2D2 woke up at the end.

In fact, in the final duel , what I thought was happening was that when Ren drove Rey to that cliff and they had that staredown while the Force theme played, Rey was using Ren's "Force extraction" technique to get the rest of the map from Ren 's mind(which he had said earlier in the film he had seen) and that was how they were going to find Luke.

Instead, R2 woke up for no apparent reason.

 

I think one of the key reasons every one was initially so excited about this film was that it was bringing back the Big 3. Ha!

What a **** up that we never get to see them together again.

 

i would've RKO JJ and Simon Pegg out of nowhere whenever they tried to enter the writing room cause im sure those two are responsible for turning this into a remake.

 

I would have liked more Poe, or just had him there with Rey and Finn.

 

The movie almost seems like an answer to "what would you have done differently?" if asked about A New Hope. That's reminiscent of how inspiring the movie was in the late '70s, in that everyone wanted to play in that universe.

 

The only reference that felt like a bridge too far for me was the trash compactor reference. Other than that, they felt natural and organic in context of the film, the plot, and the characters, but that's just me.

 

I loved the film and then some but since this thread exists, here's a few things that I would have changed

1. The whole Maz scenario. Maybe Han deciding to visit Maz for advice and she just happened to have the Bespin saber in her basement. A bit too coincidental or did I miss something?
2. Phasma. I feel she should have been the Trooper fighting Finn. More eye candy than worth while. I know they had a lot to pack in but I kind of feel for G Chrsitie as she featured heavily in interviews but was hardly in the film at all.
3. Kylo removing his helmet. I would have done this on the bridge with Han.
4. No recognition of Han's death. No words or ceremony. I found that strange considering his role in the whole saga.

 

Make an original SW movie instead of a glorified remake.

It was a quality product, well made, great acting.", awesome on many ways. But man do I wish they'd had the guts to not take the safe route and make no mistake, this was the absolute safest of routes. It was like watching an old 60's band that has been conditioned into only playing the hits.

 

This is a really good point. We saw several surface battles and the First Order did not bring any of their cool toys to play with!

 

It seems like they actually went out of their way in some aspects to make it exactly like the OT. A perfect example is the Resistance. We know the Empire fell in ROTJ and the natural course of things would be for the Republic to return. I think it would have been more logical to have the Republic (generally good) fighting an insurrection of their own agianst The First Order (generally bad guys). It would have been a cool inversion of the OT. Instead they shoe horn the resistance in so it is just like the Rebel Alliance.

They could have added a lot more to Kylo Ren's character. I know we will learn more as the trilogy progresses but give him some lines of dialogue about his perspective on the force. Why is he different compared to Jedi or the Sith? They could have fleshed out the First Order by having someone like Leia or Akabar say "Remnants of the Empire fled to the Outer Rim after Endor, they were splintered and insignificant until they were united under the banner of Kylo Ren"

 

Write an original screenplay.

Do not pander to PC stunt casting. Just get the strongest actors regardless of race/colour etc etc

Resist Disney execs telling me its good enough we have merchandise to sell!

Allow George Lucas complete creative control.

Allow John Williams to do what he does best.

Ensure ILM are creating mind blowing state of the art effects which are awesome & different.

Do not start production until the screenplay, plot & story are all laid out & several people have agreed it works well.

Give Mark Hamill a lot of screentime & starring role.

Do not release the film until its actually ready.

If you kill anyone off make it count don't just do it for the sake of it!

Hire a proper director.

Never ever have a mystery box UNLESS its contents are fully revealed & totally worthy.