As I mentioned in another thread, I've finally seen the movie. And I'm disappointed. The once great Empire now known as "the First Order" (what kind of name is that?) seems to be lead by a mob of petulant children, who failed to learn from their elders mistakes.

General Hux doesn't looke like he's old enough to be a sergeant. He can't possibly have the experience his rank demands, unless he started waging war at age 3.

Hard to judge Captain Phasma's age since she never removes the helmet we don't see her face, But given her CO's age, I'd say she's all of 12.

As for Kylo Ren I can understand his wanting to run around without the mask, it must be uncomfortable wearing that will all that hair. But get a haircut and wear the mask boy. Without it he's as intimidating as a 3 day old puppy (almost said kitten, but they have claws and aren't afraid to use them).

The old characters are just that old. Otherwise they haven't changed much all though their roles have somewhat.
The new characters have taken their places.

The First Order = the Galactic Empire
The Resistance = the Rebel Alliance
(although the Galactic Republic claims no connection to the Resistance, even though the resistance is using republic vessels and wearing republic clothes, the First Order wisely doesn't believe it.)

Supreme Leader Snoke = Emperor Palpatine
Kylo Ren = Darth Vader
Poe Dameron = hotshot pilot Han Solo
Finn and Rey who take turns using his lightsaber = apprentice Luke Skywalker
Finn and Rey also replace Han and Leia as the young couple
Maz Kanata = Yoda (except without Force abilities)
BB-8 = R2D2
Star Killer Base = Death Star
(yes the new one is ten times bigger and more powerful but still suffers from a fatal design flaw which the First Order failed to protect against just as the Empire did, twice. Apparently the Dark Side never learns.)

Princes Leia is now known as General Leia Organa (should be Organa-Solo the writters goofed there) but other than gaining enough Force sensativity to know things have not gone well with Han Solo's secret mission, she hasn't changed much, just gotten older.

Luke Skywalker in this film has now taken on the role of former jedi turned hermit formerly held by Obi Wan Ben Kanobi.
In another sense Han Solo has become Obi Wan:

Han should have taken Kylo Ren's lightsaber away from, proclaiming he can have it back when he's old enough to actually use it, in say 10 years, then took him over his knee and given him a good spanking before sending him to his room without any supper.

Pretty clear I can't take Kylo Ren's character at all seriously as the villain of the story. Please can't we have a real villain?

Oh I forgot, Chewbacca. He's back, hasn't changed much except maybe slowed down a bit, he is over 200 years old after all. (The actor under all that fur is 71 and had to have a stunt double do the action sequences due to bad knees.)

I haven't seen it, but then again I haven't seen any of them. Sorry you were disappointed.

Ana

Have to agree with you Guybrush. Just saw the movie and was really disappointed. I thought the new characters lacked sincerity and I couldn't feel any empathy or sympathy for them. The old characters were just that. Nothing new there but age. It wasn't even a new story, just a redo of Star Wars 4 with some minor changes.

Perhaps I'm being a little hard about this movie, but this sequel deserved to be so much more. I'm not even interested in watching the next movie.

Awwww. The movie was a 'throw-back'. It wasn't supposed to be all modern and up to date tech and all. It was made to be similar to the original Star Wars that we all loved MANY years ago when we were young. The writers did a good job of making it feel as if we were still in that era.

I was at first disappointed because I really expected something new and fantastic and awesome, but then I settled in, started to find little 'things' that tied directly to the Original movie and found it not exciting, but interesting. Then I went home, dragged out my Laser Disc copy of Star Wars and watched it. You can't believe how true the 'sequel' was to the Star Wars we all knew and loved.

I'm just wondering if the writers/producers intended it to be 'old' style or if they goofed. I'm opting for it was the plan, but the hype they gave it all over the media, just led me to believe it would be different. I would rate it good as 'Nostalgia'.

Well, I'm completely uncritical when it comes to movies. I go to watch the story unfold, and just enjoy what is there. I loved it when Han and Chewie showed up. I had a good time, and that is really all I expect from a movie Whenever I say to hubby, "but shouldn't they have....", he says "it was in the script." We laugh and go on from there.

Oh yes, I love the 'it's in the script' explanation! Lately I'm watching horror stories and when the bad guy is chasing the girl, she can't keep quiet and she always keeps making loud, panting, whining, scared silly sounds. WHY, when the monster will find her just by listening? Of course, "it's in the script".

Yep, Sorta, that explanation covers a multitude of "sins."

I loved Hano Solo, he and Chewie were the best part of it.


Rey used the jedi mind trick on 007, that was Daniel Craig playing the storm trooper.

Why rehash the past unless you are going to improve it?

I liked it. I think it is a good action movie with some reasonably sympathetic characters, pretty much like the original three releases (IV, V and VI). I like Rey, Finn and Poe and I'm interested to see how the characters develop in the next movie.