Big Boy Laroux

Either cut some of the close-ups or lose the helicopter shot. Having both in there is what made it feel like a long family guy gag.

Regarding scene/shot that was cut - we didn't get the shot of ren lighting up his saber in the snow (at least I'm 99% sure it wasn't in there, maybe I blacked out). We heard him igniting the saber (over a shot of Finn and rey), but didn't see it. I actually always liked that shot from the trailers.

TomOpus

Yeah, I noticed that first time watching the movie. I was expecting that moment. Seemed like such a cool shot to leave out of the movie.

But if you notice in trailer, his hood is on when he turns on the lightsaber. If I remember correctly, the only time he had his hood on was when he also had his mask on. When he was fighting Rey the mask had been off.

Solid Snake

Yeah. He kills Han, gets shot by Chewie, and then what? Was it directly after Finn and Rey?

Big Boy Laroux

Yeah, but he very well could wear a hood without a mask (we saw him hoodless with the mask on, so why not the inverse?). Plus, it was cold out. Hood makes sense!


But yeah, probably cut for consistency...

Solid Snake

Here's the whole fight scene pretty much.

<iframe width="660" height="415" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/1ACi-hRalDc" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>

About the arguments about Finn or Rey against Kylo...

Ren is clearly playing around w/ Finn. He's taking his time but he's also hurt. And pissed.

By the time it's Rey's turn... he's lost it. He has no clear concentration. What he wants isn't his and this gal is bursting at the seems of not knowing wtf she has in her. Starts off w/ playing very defensive and backward cuz she has no skill w/ it. Ren is just attacking and stomping his way to her. He's being childish w/ the whole situation. Then Rey finally is able to concentrate. That's when she's able to attack with precision and concentration. She's also fed up w/ it all by that point. So all that just makes her a very offensive person by that point.

I probably could do w/o her mentioning the force though. It just seems too obvious. Would have been stronger w/ her just focusing at that moment insteading of verbally mentioning it. Less is more.

I hope Johnson can refine what VII started.

EDIT: it's also nice how short these fights are. But they're fucking packed w/ emotional drama. The good stuff, son.

Big Boy Laroux

Yeah, agree her mentioning the force out loud was a little hokey. Like KR saying the word triggered her to think of it. Um, you just used it seconds before when you pulled the lightsaber.

kefrank

It could end up being slightly less hokey if the theory that she had some Jedi training earlier in life that has been mind-wiped or repressed turns out to be true. In the moment it did strike me as odd...like she was recalling something more than just "oh yeah, I've been trying out this Force thing and it works".

Solid Snake

Yeah. It would have been better if she was just going for it as it came along. No triggers but just a reaction from the things happening to her. Forgotten moments or not... the things have to work as a singular entity ie the one film we have here. It comes off hokey no matter what. A visual of her just going for it would have been better. I do kind of like Ren saying he could teach her. I'd be fine w/ that. Maybe him using his powers to her to trigger her. All in visual, of course. Again... Less is more.

Again... I'm not saying SW wasn't simple but by now... the film culture, one would hope, can get visual cues better now. But we are a culture that gives Michael fucking Bay billions of dollars so.. maybe we're really stupid too.

OldBoy

Just as thrilling the second time. Got chills in all the right places again.

TGM

For those who want to relive THAT SCENE again

ntnon

My main two thoughts, too. And if KK is Portman-lite, I guess that means two steps removed from Vader's wife...

slop101

KK did play Portman's decoy in episode I.

ntnon

But the whole scope of the films is a sort of dynastic story of one key family and how things swirl around and through them. It's the Chosen One and his (her?) ancestors and descendants. Why wouldn't people be related when a) that's the plot and b) nepotism and using family ties as manipulation are realistic (relatively) occurrances..?

hanshotfirst1138

I'm thinking we'll find out that her parents who left the planet were secretly connected to the Jedi in some way.

ntnon

Three things, in no particular order:

A) THE FORCE.

B) Story convenience/coincidence. (Which is either forgiveable or thoroughly irritating person-to-person.)

C)

bluetoast

But he has no reason to turn it on whatsoever.

And if he did turn it on and cut to black, we'd have idiots debating if he was going to kill Rey.

Throwing Copper

I still would have loved for that to be the final shot of the film. I thought for sure that's the route they were going until it didn't happen.

Jackskeleton

That would imply that he turned it on to strike Rey.

Or do you mean just force take it and then turn it on looking upon it as if to suggest that he doesn't trust that it works anymore?

Seems just silly all around.

Solid Snake

Again less is more, guys.

Jackskeleton

yeah, I agree with the folks who mentioned that less of the chopper panorama shot would have been better as it did linger on that a little bit longer than I enjoyed it.

TGM

the reason to turn it on is to see if it actually works after all these years, and wouldn't that be a great debate to have? we still don't know what side of the Force Luke is leaning towards at this point in his life. Sure, probably the light side, but if he took it out of her hands with the Force, gently, not ripping it out of her hands, examined the hilt for a couple of seconds then snapped it on while looking back at Rey then cut to black... man, that would have been cool, IMO.

But hey, just fanboy talk... I loved the movie, and I loved the final scene, helicopter shot or not... and I thought Luke looked great... Luke looked great... in all of the shots of Mark Hamill, off screen, with the beard, he kind of looked goofy to me... and it never looked right... but that's because he always had a very short haircut. Once you added the longer hair, it all seemed to fall into place.

Solid Snake

He looks better now. He's fit now. He was still kind of fat for VII.

Sounds you're more of the more is more type.

TGM

not more is more, but it would have been nice to have Luke done SOMETHING. Turn on the saber... speak a WORD... something. But again, splitting hairs here.

I'm still reeling from the death of my childhood icon and all time favorite character from any movie ever. I was convinced it was going to happen the minute I heard Ford signed on for EpVII, but it still didn't make it any less upsetting.

kefrank

Just my opinion, but I disagree. His slow turn and silent look was perfect given the setup. He's been living in ascetic seclusion for years pondering his regrets and losses. It would have been weird for him to do anything more than he did in that moment.

Why So Blu?

It would have been better if Captain Phasma had fought Finn directly instead of that bullshit baton wielding generic stormtrooper. I hate the cop out excuse of "well, she'll be in the next ones." Who cares. THIS was the film you showcase your characters in. The fuck I care if she comes back in a future installments? You've ditched her in this film like the side of parsley at a truck stop.