ST Reformed TLJ Haters: What changed your view?

I've seen a few posters who disliked, to flat out hated, TLJ on it's first viewing but came around with subsequent viewings.

I'm noting a possible trend here that I haven't with previous Star Wars films.

If you are in that category, what changed? What is it about subsequent viewings of this particular SW film that's allowed such radical shifts?

 

I didn't hate it on the first viewing, but I was unsure about certain aspects and it wasn't until round 2 that it clicked for me.

Personally, I think it's because there is a lot to take in, we all went in with a lot of expectations, the film is not easy to predict where it's going, and I also think it's easy to miss what RJ is actually saying/ doing in favour of either what you wanted it to do, or what some of the characters are saying, which is not always the same thing.

On first view I thought he was torching everything that had come before, including TFA. I don't think that is correct now.

 

Like @Satipo on first viewing it was a lot to process. There were tons of fun moments but it wasn’t anything like what I expected and I was a bit shocked. I did not have a good handle on the larger themes or narrative of the film.

After second viewing, I noticed that spark of hope theme prominently in the crawl, and that it carried strongly through the entire film, including most importantly Luke’s arc. It really grabbed me emotionally on second viewing, and on third as well.

 

Yeah - that's pretty much my story. Weirdly, for me it was the Rashomon moment, with Luke's moment of shame and consequence landing well after I'd left the cinema and before I saw it again. It had got under my skin. It wasn't until later that it really got to me. I found it tragic, unexpected, simple and very moving. Then on the second viewing a lot of the set ups and pay-offs (mostly on a character or thematic level) that I'd missed became clear and the issues I'd had (some of which I might still tweak if it were up to me) faded away. It normally takes me till the second viewing to process a new SW film, but this one was even more overwhelming.

 

During the first viewing I was too annoyed by the "self-awareness" of the movie to appreciate the positive things.
I also wrongly thought that the Finn/Rose subplot was just a meaningless way to use those characters, whereas it is in line with the philosophical message of the movie.
Now I'm like 3.5/5

 

Yes, at first I was very conscious of the subversions, and missing that often those subversions were not empty but thematically part of the whole.

 

I thought it was a really good movie, but a disaster as a continuation of the Saga... until I decided to view this trilogy as separate from GL’s story. It has its roots in that story, but lives its own life as the beginning of something new.
Once I’d realized that, I could fully embrace it.

 

I didn't dislike it, but didn't love it, don't think that'll ever change..

 

Out of curiosity B99, how many times have you seen it?

 

I made my peace with this narrative structure during TFA...continuing the Empire as the FO and making the New Republic the Rebellion is not how I would have told the story, but I am just along for the ride now.

 

OK? I addressed this thread to a specific kind of viewer. It seems like you're not the intended target for my thread.

 

I think people are assuming that all the points being brought up, potentially against the film, are hateful. I view them more as open discussion. I know i didn't hate the film.

 

I'm interested in following this thread. I'm in @B99 's boat; it was a decent film. Probably ranks at about the bottom for me right now in terms of the whole saga. Several plot points didn't make sense and what they did to Luke was egregious. That said, I'd like to know why anyone turned around after a couple viewings a decided it was a great film.

 

Ok, ill leave.

@Satipo 6, lol. Not sure if i'm proud...

 

I hated what I was hearing as the leaks came out after the world premiere, to the point where I was pretty sure I would hate the film. I was quite certain that Rey would be Luke's daughter, and I also believed that Luke would survive the film given the build-up of searching for him then convincing him to come back.

Actually, I was on a really foul mood for a couple of days, to the point where I didn't feel comfortable excited about the movie anymore. Two interactions with my daughters (ages 5 and 7) gave me some much needed perspective.

My oldest daughter had been asking me about who Rey's parents are for a while, and I had always told her that I didn't know for sure, but I thought it was Luke. She said she agreed, but I was always careful to remind her that we won't know for sure until VIII. After I found out that Rey wasn't Luke's kid, I told her and she didn't care in the slightest. Rey was still awesome as far as she was concerned.

One morning that week my daughters excitedly told me "three more days until Star Wars, Daddy!" And I had to pretend to be excited. It struck me later that day just how messed up my priorities were on the matter. The best part about new Star Wars movies is that I get to share the excitement with my own children. They won't be excited to go see the new Star Wars movie with Daddy forever.

The real tragedy would be missing out on that because I didn't like certain plot developments. After giving my head a shake, I started reading the most glowing reviews to try and contextualize what I knew from the leaks. I didn't read any negative reviews -- what would be the purpose in seeking out opinions that would only confirm my negative feelings?

Anyway, that got me excited to see the movie again. I took my wife and our daughters on opening night and we all loved it. I was so relieved that I got all worked up over nothing. My wife isn't one for repeat viewings (in a short period of time), but both girls wanted to go with me again. After Christmas, I took each of them to see it again separately. And they were SO excited to have that "just Daddy and me watching Star Wars" time. I wouldn't miss that for anything.

I've told most of that story on these boards already, but I think it's worth sharing again.

 

When I watched it again with the criticisms firmly in mind, they fell apart and all I had before me was an incredible movie. Only disappointing thing is that there is no way IX a will be as interesting.

I was able to really get into what this movie is all about, and I found myself emotionally moved more times than I have been with any other Star Wars film.

 

What a beautiful story. Thanks for sharing that.

 

I didn't hate it on first viewing but wasn't certain how much I liked it. I initially thought it had left too many questions from TFA unanswered. As I was watching it there were scenes where I was sitting back wondering how I was supposed to feel instead of getting immersed in it.

On subsequent viewings I revised that opinion. TLJ was more cohesive with TFA than I first gave it credit for. I also realized that I had gone into it with so much pre-analysis and buildup that I first had to let go of to really get into it on its own merits, which I was able to do more of each time I saw it.

 

Exactly. I thought I was going in with a totally open-mind on that first viewing, but I still had too many of the theories and debates from here rattling around.

That's awesome. My second was with my boy (once I've checked he'll be able to handle it) and he loved it. Was so nice watching it together.

 

I have a strong feeling that a lot of fans went into their first viewing with their minds already made up that they hated it, based on what was leaked after the world premiere. Rian Johnson was getting nasty comments on social media the next day, from people who hadn't even seen it yet.

And I get it (the emotion, not the hate mail) -- I hated some pretty major things that I heard: Luke dying from exhaustion, Rey being unrelated, Rey/Kylo romance, and Luke trying to kill Ben (I was one of the first on here to claim that there's no way that the man who believed Vader could return to light would do that).

But not only were the leaks missing the required context, they were also not always 100% factually correct either. Or just poorly explained.

I remember how angry many of the posters here were and I "liked" many of their posts -- none of the ones that got personal about RJ or others involved in making the film though. No matter how much I didn't like it, that's crossing a line.

I think it would be very difficult to go into the film feeling that angry and disappointed and not have those feelings significantly color your opinion on the film. The points I mentioned above seem to be the big ones that fans tend to be upset about, but many who dislike the film are engaging in nitpicking to a degree that none of the other SW films can withstand.

By no means am I saying that everyone who hated the film went in already hating it. But there seem to be many fans who did. Maybe I would have been one of them, but thankfully I was able to get over myself, let go of my personal wishes as to what would happen, and remind myself that it's still just a movie. If that sounds a bit harsh... Well, if you still hate TLJ, why on Earth are you reading this thread?

 

On first viewing I really couldn’t see where the story could go from there, aside from a final fight between Ben and Rey. I also thought Mark was too hammy in the flashbacks. On second viewing, it all fell into place, and I can see lots of potential for IX

 

Yeah, I thought at first that if the trilogy ended there, it would be a good conclusion. But actually, I'd want to know how the Rebellion fought back, what Rey did as the last Jedi, how Luke came back and if he delivered on his promised to Ben, how they deal with Leia's story, what the deal is with the KoR, how they stop Kylo, and I want to see Mad King Kylo ruling and his rivalry with Hux. There is so much story left to explore, but for the first time in a long, we really have no idea where it has to go.

 

On my first viewing I was shocked by the excessive humor and where the story went because, well let´s be honest - because I spent the last two years playing the movie out in my mind. Of course I did not expect to see my version of this movie, but Rian Johnson´s version was just so far off from what I had imagined that I was really apalled at first.
With the second viewing that changed to some extent. What really sold me the movie is the relationship between Ben and Rey, it is beautifully done and both actors are amazing. They are the heart of the movie and it is indeed time to let go of the past, that is of the OT cast, as hard as it is. It is time to let the new characters have their own movie. I appreciate how Rian Johnson fleshed out the character of Poe against all odds, and what he did with Kylo/Ben. (The fact that I feel unsure wether to call him Ben or Kylo alone speaks volumes.) Also, the fight scene against the guards is wonderful.
And I love the bombers vs dreadnought battle, it is amazing and feels so real. (except for the prank call, but yeah that is another story..) I do now really like the movie and think it is a competent and intelligent sci-fi movie AND a good Star Wars movie. There are some things I will never get over, but this is not the place to rant about that. (I have now seen the movie 6 times.)

 

IMHO Most that didn't like it didn't follow spoilers. I liked it but had a few issues with it but after second view I loved it and had no issues. I plan on seeing it a third time at the end of the month!

 

For the first time in a many years I hadn’t closely followed any spoilers for this one, but I did watch all the trailer, TV spots and read the official interviews when I came across them.

My first viewing was on it’s second day of release here in the UK and, as has become a bit of a tradition for me when it comes to new Star Wars Movies, I was on my own, (no kids!) I left the theatre with my head spinning. I knew I had enjoyed the movie and wanted to see it again. But like so many other have said ... for this lifelong fan who saw ANH in the theater with his Dad in 1977, it was a lot to process in one showing. No joke, for the next two days The Last Jedi was all I could think about, and the more I thought about it, the more the story pieces started to click into place, and the more I wanted to watch it again.

My second viewing was a week later with my Dad ... and I loved it! For me it all worked this time around. And as for my Dad, who’s also a BIG fan (but probably not as obsessive as me ) he immediately turned to me and said “that was great!”

I’ve since watch it a third time and would love to catch it again before it ends its run.