Then you will keep being wrong. Don't feel bad, happens to all of us.

Seriously, it's basically a remake. It's almost shot for shot at times. If you like it, that's fine. I didn't hate it. But it should be recognised for what it is- a total rip-off. There have been many rip-offs of Episode IV, the late 70s-early 80s period created them by the dozens. But except for maybe the far more recent Eragon, Episode VII is the most shamless carbon copy you will find. It only gets a free pass because it's the "official rip-off" so to speak.

I said he was the closest we had. That means "in comparison to other characters". And I don't mean he was a similar character, but that he a somewhat similar role- old, experienced guy the young protagonist looks up to, who has a personal connection to the black clad villain. Of course he's still Han, and not Obi-Wan personality-wise.

You've earned a :P

I still disagree. Yes, in broad strokes it's very similar. Character with humble roots stumbles into plucky rebellion, happens to be excellent pilot, plans-in-a-droid, trench flight/battle, takes out death star. Ignore all of that if you can. It's pretty blatant but try.

The rest is a *significantly* different movie. Did Darth Vader have any kind of moral struggle in ANH? Did you see true darkness in him? Was there anything to compare with the "Hitleresque" speech by Hux? Did Luke have a major flashback, suggesting a massively larger story - not to mention Rey's mega force awakening? Where was the trash-compactor scene? How about that ending? I could go on but I'd almost need to see the movie again and take notes at the same time.

You should sit down and watch ANH again... I know you almost certainly have, in combination with the rest of the series recently, but watch JUST ANH. By itself, it really is quite disappointing. Hardly any force- or light-saber use (Luke only uses the light saber against the drone on the Falcon) and Darth Vader really isn't even that threatening in the movie... Tarkin is a much bigger villain than Darth Vader (he's even listed way above Vader in the credits). Darth Vader gets defeated by BUMPING INTO A TIE FIGHTER for heaven's sake. Han Solo was only just starting to get interesting. All the major things you think of as Star Wars really weren't "Star Wars" until ESB came along.

C-3PO AND R2D2 were brilliant though, and they only got better in ESB. And Stormtroopers were always awesome.

I just watched it again with my niece the other day (she hadn't seen it before), and I kinda felt I had to explain that this movie was actually sort of a big deal.

No, the closest parallel to Obi-Wan was Maz Kanata.

My boss said he went to see it last night with his family. Said he fell asleep half way through the movie.

I loved it.

One thing of note: In Episodes 1-6, stormtroopers are always shown marching orderly, and none of them have names or personalities.

Episode 7 changes that: In the intro, there is some rather chaotic fighting (I think I saw a stormtrooper accidentally hit another), some of the troopers actually have dialogues, and there is one in particular who is a major character (complete with a name and all).

Firstly, I think Finn is just used to being addressed with his serial number.

Secondly, what do you mean? Stormtroopers have always had dialogue:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DIzAaY2Jm-s#t=3m10s

Those are minor elements, that don't change the big picture. Wow, they didn't repeat the trash compactor thing, and instead placed the tentacle monster on Han's ship. Damn, well that changes EVERYTHING. Come on. And stuff like the flashbacks is only there because unlike Episode IV, this time they know there will be sequels. And it does not change this movies plot.

No. It's really not. I don't measure the quality of a Star Wars movie by the number of lightsabre duels and scale of epic force uses.

That at least we can agree on. I always considered Vader to be overrated, and Tarkin to be the true villain of the first movie.

I think the only similarity there is that she had Anakin's lightsabre.

Nope. He'll be Yoda.

Ah woops, I got confused, that's right.

I can't keep posting long posts about how I disagree with all this stuff... let me just stick to one point.

Please describe to me why you think the monsters on the Falcon are anything like the compactor scene, because I can't even imagine.

If you're this aggressive about finding parallels in movies, man you'd just better give up movies altogether.

That's because stormtroopers from Ep.1-6 were clones, and those in Ep.7 - real recruits.

No, 4-6 were already recruits.

Episode 1 is my favorite in the series


















...............................................thereisaidit

I can't fathom what can you even "agree" or "disagree" with here. It's like disagreeing with the Earth being round. Almost every important plot point in this movie is lifted from Episode IV. It's a fact. There are some new elements, and some elements from IV are omitted, but none of those are important to the plot.

Tentacle monsters. One of the characters is trying to help the others by remote. One of the heroes gets dragged away by the tentacle monster. The character trying to help using the computer activates the right thing. Hooray! Sure, it's rearranged a bit, but it's obviously the same thing. And this is by far one of the more "disguised" of such things in this movie. And it's not even one of those making up the core of the plot.

Actually, it's like the helicopter scene from the 1978 Superman, and the plane scene from Superman Returns. At first glance it looks wholly different, but in fact it's the same idea, staged differently. Actually Superman and Superman Returns are very much like Episodes IV and VII, Both pairs of movies are this kind of sequel/remake hybrid, basically the same plot as the orignal movie serving as a sequel to it. The Force Awakens is however, it has to be said, much better than SR.

I'm not being aggressive, I'm just being honest about something obvious. I didn't go to the cinema with the intention of seeing it as a remake. Actually, that's something I did not expect at all. But it's impossible to ignore. I'm sorry, but you seem to be in denial over this.

But it's Christmas Eve, and I don't want to argue to much or come off as aggressive or anything. Whatever you see in this movie- power to you :) I just hope you'll celebrate Life Day happily!

I think you misunderstand what the plot actually was.

By that same token, then exactly the same thing happened in Ep V (tentacle swamp monster took Artoo) and V! (Sarlacc). So are all those movies "shot for shot" remakes of Ep IV?

You really do need to watch IV again. The monster just let him go. And in VII, Han rescued them by going into hyperspace. Unless by "rearranged a bit" you mean "totally different" in which case yes, I agree with you.

Well that's not very ambitious of you.

Hey at least you actually saw the movie before stating opinions on it. I went in expecting loads of references and I saw something very different. I saw an interesting story developing *behind all of that*. Especially the foundation of some new characters, and some twists on the "old familiar". The stuff that had me giddy like a schoolgirl were some of the very new things.

And I don't mean being aggressive to me, but to movies in general. With that kind of vague, broad dismissive handwaving, literally every Star Wars movie is "exactly the same movie". Heck, every sci-fi (or action) movie is the same movie. Every Shakespeare is identical to one another, and all blues songs sound alike. That's not a way to find enjoyment in entertainment. It sounds like a very depressing viewpoint, frankly.

There's one concern about a certain major character missing in Star Wars Episode 7 merchandise:

http://www.shewired.com/outrageous/2015/12/24/star-wars-merchandise-sparks-outrage-exclusion-lead-female-character-rey

It just bugs me that my favorite Star Wars character is missing in the merchandise.