Am I REALLY the only one disappointed with TFA?
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Solo4114
Master Member
Which gets back to why box office performance is not a reliable indicator of quality, but rather of popularity (and obviously financial success).
Also an indicator of success of advertising and of course foreign markets that are becoming so huge that they can bail out a domestic bomb.
Also SW is at a point now where it's generationally ingrained into societies, people just go because well..... it's Star Wars.
Sort of like Disneyland, families just go because they must.
Not my first time thinking a big hit was crap of course, I can go back to Top Gun on that. Or a bomb was good, Blade Runner.
Imagine arguing against and for those movies when they first screened. Fun times. LOL
Also SW is at a point now where it's generationally ingrained into societies, people just go because well..... it's Star Wars.
Sort of like Disneyland, families just go because they must.
Not my first time thinking a big hit was crap of course, I can go back to Top Gun on that. Or a bomb was good, Blade Runner.
Imagine arguing against and for those movies when they first screened. Fun times. LOL
Mr Mold Maker
Master Member
To get off the topic of Avatar, and Box Office numbers, back onto the real topic...
I was disappointed with many aspects of the film.
I agree with many peoples sentiments in that it does steal beat for beat from ANH. I was disappointed when they brought out the third would destroying star and then literally measured dicks with the first one as a way of saying "No guys, it's totally different! This one is bigger!"
I was disappointed when Han died. Not due to the scene itself, mind you. I was disappointed Luke didn't have a single line in the movie.
That being said, I understand why they did what they did. I've said this from the beginning, it's exactly the film we (the general masses) needed to get back into Star Wars. They successfully introduced new characters that (most) people care about. They didn't have to fill it with flashy lightsaber battles to get people invested. They didn't have to send Han out in some cliched Blaze of Glory for his death to impact people.
Onto the stealing from ANH bit, what people fail to understand (Probably my new favorite phrase, thanks Wook.) is that this is the beginning of a trilogy of movies. Of course they're going to play the first one safe. This is the film that will set the tone for this trilogy. It is quite literally the make or break film for this franchise. Had they varied too much, went a little to far out on that limb, I guarantee you that people would have been complaining non stop about how it didn't feel like a "Star Wars" movie and that Disney ruined it.
I was disappointed with many aspects of the film.
I agree with many peoples sentiments in that it does steal beat for beat from ANH. I was disappointed when they brought out the third would destroying star and then literally measured dicks with the first one as a way of saying "No guys, it's totally different! This one is bigger!"
I was disappointed when Han died. Not due to the scene itself, mind you. I was disappointed Luke didn't have a single line in the movie.
That being said, I understand why they did what they did. I've said this from the beginning, it's exactly the film we (the general masses) needed to get back into Star Wars. They successfully introduced new characters that (most) people care about. They didn't have to fill it with flashy lightsaber battles to get people invested. They didn't have to send Han out in some cliched Blaze of Glory for his death to impact people.
Onto the stealing from ANH bit, what people fail to understand (Probably my new favorite phrase, thanks Wook.) is that this is the beginning of a trilogy of movies. Of course they're going to play the first one safe. This is the film that will set the tone for this trilogy. It is quite literally the make or break film for this franchise. Had they varied too much, went a little to far out on that limb, I guarantee you that people would have been complaining non stop about how it didn't feel like a "Star Wars" movie and that Disney ruined it.
I agree. I understand exactly why they did what they did (per Bryan's response to my last post), I just thought it was lazy. After seeing it, I thought maybe it was just me, but my 12yo. nephew immediately said "That's it? It's the same as Star Wars with a some new people!". If you've lost a 12yo. who loves SW as much as anyone, that says a lot. It wasn't an awful movie at all, just not great. I'm really hoping that they come up with something completely new for the next two.
Not to beat a dead horse some more, but I was looking through my music today and again thought about how unexciting the music was in this movie. I think people who didn't like the Prequels will still admit the music was good. I've actually heard better music in several SW games. I have music from SW: Dark Forces and Bounty Hunter that I listen to with the other SW music. I don't know if Williams lost his touch, had bad direction, or what happened.
Not to beat a dead horse some more, but I was looking through my music today and again thought about how unexciting the music was in this movie. I think people who didn't like the Prequels will still admit the music was good. I've actually heard better music in several SW games. I have music from SW: Dark Forces and Bounty Hunter that I listen to with the other SW music. I don't know if Williams lost his touch, had bad direction, or what happened.
Solo4114
Master Member
To be honest, my sense of the music in the prequels is basically nonexistent. I probably know the musical queues from various Star Wars games I've played that just recycle those pieces, but to me, with the exception of Duel of the Fates and the final duel between Anakin and Obi-Wan, nothing I've heard makes me instantly imagine the films the way the OT soundtrack does. Of course, I've listened to the OT soundtrack a gajillion times, and seen the OT a gajillion times, so I suspect that much of it has to do with my own emotional connection to the films and how familiar I am with them.
That said, if you didn't have that emotional connection with the film, there's probably nothing about the score that will connect with you, really.
Mr Mold Maker, sorry it took me so long to respond. I just got totally sidetracked by some other real-life stuff. You know how it goes. C'est la vie.
Anywho, I wanted to try to clarify my position for you. Here goes:
* Fact - TFA will not catch Avatar worldwide (and it's still a couple hundred million from catching Titanic; much farther away from catching it if you adjust for inflation).
* Fact - During the first 2 weeks of TFA's run, there was legitimate speculation that it could catch Avatar worldwide. The unprecedented $3B figure was even entering the conversation.
* Fact - That conversation didn't last long. It was snuffed out by TFA's Week 3 numbers, which showed a precipitous BO drop-off from Week 2, thus defining TFA as a traditional modern blockbuster, and not in the same performance class of anomalies like Avatar and Titanic. TFA would not have the legs of Avatar and Titanic, suggesting it would struggle to even surpass Titanic on the worldwide list. Here is an article from that time period, stating the exact same thing:
http://www.forbes.com/sites/scottme...-with-china-on-tap-for-tomorrow/#2e4896da3197
* Fact - Around that same time, by week 2 to week 3 the veneer had worn off this shiny new Star Wars film, and there was a sea change in the narrative online, both from the professional mainstream media, and social media outlets. TFA, for the first time, was being criticized. Even ridiculed. For being a blatant rip-off of George's OT, and for writing a Mary Sue into the protagonist role of the film.
* My Analysis - The reason TFA was doomed to failure in its quest to surpass Avatar worldwide, is because bad word-of-mouth about the film started catching up to TFA by week 3, and caused that precipitous drop-off...a level of drop-off that did not plague Avatar or Titanic, so early in their respective runs. There are other reasons TFA failed to reach Avatar's performance stratosphere, such as TFA's under-performance in certain international markets. But it was the narrative in the U.S. and around the world that had developed by Week 3, that the film was nothing special, which doomed TFA in its pursuit of Avatar globally. The film was just not getting enough repeat visits to track the way Titanic and Avatar did. Throw in the people who decided not to see it at all in the theater after hearing from their neighbor or around the water cooler at work that the film was meh, or worse, and there was no way TFA could compete with Avatar's global haul.
* My Opinion - Y'all know I didn't care for TFA. I won't rehash my criticisms. But some of you said you were confused because I was saying TFA didn't have the legs of Avatar and Titanic, and the reason was because it was bad. That is true, that's what I said. But then you were confused when I said that I didn't like Avatar or Titanic, either. Well, that's true, too. I didn't really like those films. Titanic was much better than Avatar, but still, it's not my cup of tea--what with that sappy romance between Leo and Kate. Loved the effects, though. But I digress. My opinion is that if TFA was a truly great movie, if Disney had given us something special and memorable, then the film would've had legs like Titanic and Avatar, it would've performed better abroad, and it might've knocked Avatar from it's perch worldwide. Maybe. It was it's only chance to do so. But lamentably, the film was weak. And once word got out, after an initial fortnight dominated almost exclusively by effusive praise, The Force Awakens' fate was sealed, to be an also-ran.
The Wook
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Mr Mold Maker
Master Member
Wook, it's been three weeks. You clearly over estimate my attention span.
Moved on to Batman V Superman brother. Not looking to discuss this topic as I once was. Perhaps that is a score for your point.. The movie has not left a huge impression on me. But then again, I forgot Avatard the second I walked out of the theater.
Oh well. It is what it is.
... Now bring up BVS, and I'll give ya what for.
Wook, it's been three weeks. You clearly over estimate my attention span.
Moved on to Batman V Superman brother. Not looking to discuss this topic as I once was. Perhaps that is a score for your point.. The movie has not left a huge impression on me. But then again, I forgot Avatard the second I walked out of the theater.
Oh well. It is what it is.
... Now bring up BVS, and I'll give ya what for.
It's all good, my friend. Just didn't want to neglect responding to your questions.
I know absolutely nothing about Batman vs. Superman, so I'll leave you to that.
Cheers,
The Wook
Does anybody know what scene they were filming when Harrison got hurt on set? Has it been confirmed it was a door on the Millennium Falcon?
Any intel on this would be appreciated. I saw the movie twice and I don't recall an obvious scene in which it looked like it could've happened. But then again, there was a lot goin' on in the movie, and I could've very easily missed it.
Thanks!
The Wook
Any intel on this would be appreciated. I saw the movie twice and I don't recall an obvious scene in which it looked like it could've happened. But then again, there was a lot goin' on in the movie, and I could've very easily missed it.
Thanks!
The Wook
This film had little to digest being a remake. I've noticed most people outside of dedicated nerdom have moved on quickly after one viewing.
Nobody is quoting anything. True story.. kid at Toys R Us was looking at SW toys and there was Emo Dark Helmet next to Vader. Kid says....I want Vader, He is way more powerful!
Nobody is quoting anything. True story.. kid at Toys R Us was looking at SW toys and there was Emo Dark Helmet next to Vader. Kid says....I want Vader, He is way more powerful!
Smart kid. He knows Vader would never suffer a beatdown from a teenage girl with no Force training in a duel with a weapon she'd never wielded before in her life.
I vote we let the Toys-R-Us kid write and direct Episode VIII.
The Wook
That would be extremely lame. But hey, at least they'd have their title for the sequel.
STAR WARS
EPISODE VIII
TOTAL RECALL
The Wook
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I can't +1 hard enough!
I really enjoyed the movie (saw it 3 times). I could discuss some points (like Wook's above concerning the end saber duel) but in the end I can tell it wouldn't matter. Looking forward to more movies in the Star Wars universe.
Checked it out 4 times... only got better...
Even the issues I had with it bug me less... or not at all (cuz I misunderstood what was happening)....
jhazard
Sr Member
6 times. Agree, got better every time. The only thing that really bugs me at all is the editing. There's some pretty rough cuts in there that I can't believe made it to the final version. Which leads me to believe they were under an impossible deadline to finish (aren't most movies?). I think it's a shame that the deadline thing can have such an effect on the final product. Still, probably #3 for me behind IV & V....
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Sent from my SM-G360V using Tapatalk
IMO it wouldn't be any lamer than Rey having so much Force ability out of nowhere in TFA.
The Force is already known to be capable of so much mind-altering stuff that wiping or replacing a memory doesn't exactly seem like a big stretch. Heck, real 21st-century technology is starting to see those possibilities off in the distance right now, without any Force magic.
As for the general public moving on from TFA with little impact after one viewing - I think it would have been the same result if ANH had been released for the first time today. It isn't 1977 anymore. Movies & pop culture are in a very different place now.
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