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So I seem to be one of the few people who really liked the prequels and was quite dubious about seeing the new film. Star Trek was such sexist shit I didn't really want the same director anywhere near Star Wars. But then with Carrie able to look unphotoshopped in the advertising, and Captain Phasma I started to think it would be ok.
I saw it yesterday and it was odd. It was like watching new who, I couldn't suspend my disbelief and get into it. I was like, am I enjoying this, does it feel right, rather than just watching it. I managed to see it without having seen any spoilers, or even know the basic plot.
So when the text started and it was, the New Republic has crumbled because Luke has disappeared I was like WTF? The rebellion was not ONE MAN! Leia, Han, Lando, Mon Mothma, Admiral Ackbarr, and THOUSANDS of others led the fight against the Empire. There was a huge political movement, it would not have dissolved and let a big galactic empire rise out of nothing cause WHERE did they come from?????
Then the HIDEOUS "best spy" came on, seriously could that character have been a BIGGER CLICHE? He was horrendous! Thankfully Finn and Rey were both BRILLIANT! I loved their stories. I loved their acting. I loved their character development. Everything about them was perfect! I loved the way Finn was introduced and how he went from anonymous stormtrooper into PC. I loved how he found his confidence and threw off his brainwashing, how honest he was about being afraid, how he decided he had to do the right thing, time and time, he was simply wonderful and I loved him! He was definitely the best thing about it for me. Though it was a bit depressing that unlike Clone Wars when they realised that one storm tropper was a real person, they didn't then realise that others were too!
Rey was also great. I loved seeing her develop her powers. I loved that she was spiky and not always terribly likeable because she was so independent. I loved her running from her destiny. I wish they'd explained more of her family, but I guess some things have to be saved for sequels.
The bad guys were barely disguised Disney knock offs of the original Empire, with extra Nazi thrown in. BORING and totally pointless. My favourite thing about the prequels was how brilliantly the politics was done. It showed lots of planning and thought, and built and was wonderfully manipulated by Palpatine. Here we had the "First Order" out of nowhere with ALL the soldiers and weapons and NONE OF IT MADE SENSE". Oh they were there cause Luke was missing??? BLAH. It just didn't feel like it was in the same universe as the others. The prequels did such a great job of expanding the universe and making it big, and getting all these different factions, and figuring out how that all slotted into the empire. And this was big broad strokes of, bad empire back with sith, rebellion and a republic?? And all planets we've never heard of so now I'm convinced it's just AU fic.
Then Han and Chewie showed up and they were HILARIOUS and WONDERFUL! And I laughed a lot. But then they went to another planet and still no Leia. In the end the stuff with Han and Leia is why I'm considering the film AU Fic, cause NO WAY did Han and Leia spend years and years apart, and then reunite and not even kiss or say I love you? These two were my first ever ship. (Decades before the term ship happened or OTP) Every one knows they lived together happily and had twins who became Jedi. *nods* So much so that I kept expecting Rey to suddenly realise she was Ren's sister! While I can believe that they *may* have had a son turn to the Dark Side, I can't believe Leia wouldn't have the agency herself to go and get him back. I mean she would be a fierce and protective mother, she wouldn't just let Han go by himself. (Oh and bring him back, cause I have to stand with 15 men and give orders with them instead of trying to save the life of our child???) And THEN she doesn't go and see Luke? She's just lost her husband and decides to send a young girl to see her long lost brother? Artoo and Chewie are fine but not Leia? Cause apparently the director didn't want "too crowded" a last shot. Because who cares about what characters would actually do when you are thinking about how your shot looks????
So that made me sad. Now I want to re-read Timothy Zahn and have happy Leia and Han again. I have too many feelings
This got a bit ranty, but overall I did enjoy it. I think I would like to see it again in Imax. It was SO much better than what he did with Star Trek and what I feared he'd do with star wars. But I've been carrying Han and Leia around for 30 years and I just don't want to see them like that.