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Star Wars VII - Open spoilers

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The other thing that stood out to me as non-Original Trilogy was the shiny newness of the stormtroopers. I'm sure Abrams wouldn't let that slip past him, though, so they're probably representative of a new show of strength by the Empire or something.

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The other thing that stood out to me as non-Original Trilogy was the shiny newness of the stormtroopers. I'm sure Abrams wouldn't let that slip past him, though, so they're probably representative of a new show of strength by the Empire or something.

 

Yeah, that Stormtrooper shuttle shot stood out to me as well. In context it might be fitting, but in that teaser trailer it deffo stood out as much less faithful, visually, than the other stuff. Not that it didn't look cool, just one of the much more modern film-y shots of that trailer. And very busy compared to the desert shots.

 

That joke Lucas trailer spoof reeeeally highlights how clean and simple this teaser trailer is and I really like that.

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I think it'll be a lot of fun, and Abrams is much better suited to it than he is Star Trek.

 

Yeah, I think this is worth pointing out. Abrams' sensibilities are more along the lines of popcorn entertainment, and with better writers his movies aren't bad. It doesn't look like he's playing Mystery Box games with this either- it's Star Wars so he doesn't need to entice people - which hopefully means it'll have a decent plot that tells a single, solid story.

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The teaser didn't do much for me. It was a bunch of random shots that basically said nothing. No more, or less excited than I was previously. 

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I know zero about the story. Is the stormtrooper supposed to be the main hero, or among the core group of heroes? If so it's a really interesting way to reveal him. Meanwhile the villian looks like another boring anrgy voiced sith dude in a black bath robe.

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That...somehow makes more sense than the actual thing.

 

I could actually see that broadsword/greatsword thing being real, what with some of the other odd EU lightsaber things like a lightsaber whip and a double-length lightsaber. The bad guy in Star Wars Rebels has a lightsaber that can spin around autonomously in a circle, essentially building into the design what General Grevious does with his.

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Hey guys I have a lightsaber joke

 

mR2EWDc.gif

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The second Star Trek movie was definitely a misstep that I suspect had a lot to do with Abram's general ambivalence to the Star Trek universe (and having Damon Lindelof as a script writer). Hopefully Abrams professed love for the Star Wars universe will make him better at balancing what fans want with what general movie goers need to enjoy watching a film.

Now I have little to say about almost anything about JJ Abrams, other than he is a perfectly competent director. I have nothing to say about his writing, his qualities and downfalls as a filmmaker, and especially his ambivalence towards the Star Trek franchise. I have no horse in Trek outside of general, outsider respect. I think there is a reason he is noted, respected director and writer even if his films could be summarized with the expression, 'eh.' However, I will say nu-Trek's problems, especially Into Darkness, can easily be blamed on the writing, especially by Alex Kurtzman and Robert Orci. Now, these two have a very prolific joint-career in Hollywood, especially as writers for big budget action films, such as:

 

  • Michael Bay's The Island
  • Michael Bay's Transformers
  • Michael Bay's Transformers 2
  • Eagle Eye (A.K.A. Shia LaBeef gets stalked by a Computer)
  • Cowboys & Aliens
  • Now You See Me
  • Ender's Game
  • Amazing Spider-Man 2

As well as the first Star Trek, a polish on Watchmen, and a couple of terrible romantic comedies. Personally, I've mentally filed them as dork poison. Meanwhile, Lindelof has a career split up by (i) his work on Lost, a show I haven't seen, and (ii) his film work, which ranges from contentious like Prometheus to outright garbage like Cowboys & Aliens and World War Z. Now, I do think there is some excuses why his films are they are, but that's not the point.

 

There is a reason that Into Darkness' reputation slowly yet harshly soured over time. I imagine that a lot of people like me walked out of the theater placated if not wowed. Yet over time, a growing nagging feeling that the film didn't feel right set hold. At the time of watching, everything felt fine as events flowed and their reactions had yet to unfold. But as time passed, the events as a whole felt forced and unearned. It was competent, yet wrong. And I feel that the blame lays solely on the writers and the demands of the studio executives. With them lays the sins of forcing a plot that the film wasn't suited to tell, or being unable to string the events in a satisfying, believable way.

 

All that said, Ep VII is written by Kurtzman and Orci, or even Lindelof. The initial treatment was by Michael Arndt, who wrote Little Miss Sunshine and Toy Story 3. He was supposed to be also pulling script duties, but was either pulled from the film or left of his own volition. In his wake, JJ and Lawrence Kasdan took to task to rewrite his script, the man who wrote Empire and Jedi as well as Raiders of the Lost Ark, the Big Chill, and The Accidental. Again, I have little to say about JJ and his writing skills. However, I have faith that Arndt layed a good foundation for a film, and Kasdan has plenty experience to carry that baton, both as a vetran writer, and as a seasoned Star Wars storyteller. Personally, with the two most important jobs in making a good movie filled by competent people, I am expecting what is assuredly the best Star Wars film in literally decades. And if the trailer is anything to go by, one that is uniquely faithful to the world presented in the original trilogy as well. So at the very least, small victories. 

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Paraphrasing, but Rob Fearon talking about that laser sword on Twitter:

 

'Is it stupid? Maybe. Is my kid going to see it and go "Cool!". Yes. Job done.'

 

 

mR2EWDc.gif

 

:tup:

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I was 9 years old when I saw The Phantom Menace (which also was the first movie I ever saw in a cinema, sorry for making everyone feel old). It was probably the first time I had seen a 'force-field' in a movie as well, I can't remember. Anyway, even though I thought it was "cool", I was mostly thinking about how incoherent and ridiculous the whole concept of a two-way transparent force-field that blocks laser (blaster whatever) blasts is.

 

I don't have anything against the crossguard lightsaber at this point in time, just making a point that no one should underestimate kids' enthusiasm in pointless nitpicking.

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Paraphrasing, but Rob Fearon talking about that laser sword on Twitter:

 

'Is it stupid? Maybe. Is my kid going to see it and go "Cool!". Yes. Job done.'

 

Ha ha, that's pretty much Bob's reaction to every single episode of New Doctor Who, too!

 

 

Bolegium, I'm not sure the average 9 year old gets as hung up on the sci-fi concept of forcefields as you did!

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I think he's cutting the horse open so he can climb inside it.

 

Fuck. Tears of laughter at work. Well played.

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However, I will say nu-Trek's problems, especially Into Darkness, can easily be blamed on the writing, especially by Alex Kurtzman and Robert Orci.... Personally, I've mentally filed them as dork poison.

 

I've read an argument that a lot of the problems with Into Darkness mirror the problems with 9/11 conspiracy theories, which Robert Orci sincerely believes in. There's a big Save the Cat! influence as well.

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I find it hard to blame Kurtzman and Orci in any way that absolves Abrams, when he is an executive producer ok the series, when it's made by his production conpany, etc. He chose to work with them and to accept their script. Their script does seem terrible and a large bearer of the blame though.

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