Why do people hate The Force Awakens?
This is a question we here at TheCancrizans receive all too often -
and as some of the very few who actually enjoyed the latest instalment of the Star Wars franchise,
it's something we have struggled to answer.
Sure, Episode VII is far from perfect,
but the backlash it has received is rather overwhelming.
So, with that in mind,
here is a detailed look at why so many fans dislike The Force Awakens.
The Lack of Captain Phasma
For one reason or another,
masked characters in the Star Wars universe are beloved by fans.
Even if they receive hardly any screen time before being killed off rather unceremoniously,
they still hold a special place in our hearts,
so long as they have something covering their face.
Here's looking to you, Boba Fett!
So when Captain Phasma and her distinctive, full-body metallic armour revealed themselves to the world,
fans couldn't help but feel excited.
In fact, everyone just assumed she would play an integral role throughout The Force Awakens.
Alas, all hopes of a Boba Fett 2.0 were swiftly dashed...
...and also matched at the same time with an underwhelming screen time of...
...one minute and forty-five seconds.
And just for her troubles, she was even dumped in the trash compactor in Starkiller Base.
Here's hoping Captain Phasma plays a much more valued role in The Last Jedi.
Han Solo's Death
Killing off a beloved character,
someone fans have literally grow up idolising was always going to be risky.
But if executed correctly,
a somber and dramatic farewell could easily have been one of the greatest moments in the entire saga.
Unfortunately, Han Solo's death was far from perfect in the eyes of most fans.
To begin with,
the nostalgia pop for everyone's favourite smuggler...
...was quickly dampened by the realisation that Solo looked a little bit worse for wear.
A tad harsh, we know,
but not everyone found it so easy to watch a not so youthful incarnation of the legendary character.
Secondly, no one really seemed to care about his death post five minutes,
given the ongoing search for Luke Skywalker.
The icing on the unsavoury cake, however,
had to be the way in which Solo was killed -
and more importantly, who he was killed by.
Not only was his imminent impaling through the chest easy to foresee,
but the fact it was Kylo Ren who dealt the final blow...
...simply infuriated thousands of moviegoers among the globe.
Speaking of which...
Kylo Ren and the New Canon
You know that thing we mentioned earlier,
about how Star Wars fans adore characters with masks?
Well, ever since promotional material for Episode VII depicted Kylo Ren as a Darth Revan-esque warrior,
a preconceived thought of badass quickly attached itself to the antagonist.
And so, nobody expected a “pretty boy” behind the mask,
nor did anyone predict such a morally-complex and troubled figure.
His tough guy status was then shattered completely...
...following his failure to defeat the untrained Rey in lightsaber combat.
In essence, fans would have much rather seen Jacen Solo from the Legends universe...
...than his canon counterpart.
Ma-Rey Sue
As touched upon in the previous entry,
Rey was far too powerful for someone who barely knew what the Force was.
Sure, as the main protagonist we should root for her and wish her all the success in the world.
But the sudden mastering of her new-found abilities felt incredibly rushed and too convenient,
to say the least.
Force powers aside, however,
Rey could understand droids and Wookiees alike,
pilot ships like a pro,
and kick ass in hand-to-hand combat.
In other words, she had no flaws; she was perfect.
This is why many refer to her as a “Mary Sue”.
A New Hope 2.0
With aspirations to capture and replicate what made the original trilogy so great,
J.J. Abrams and company were always going to lift certain aspects of the original three episodes.
However, nobody expected the filmmakers to copy large sections of them so blatantly.
I mean, the similarities are endless:
a droid entrusted with vital data,
the death of a wise and elderly character,
a lonely protagonist stuck on a desert world,
a cocky and dashing pilot,
a superweapon capable of destroying entire planets.
We could go on and on.
But in the interest of saving time,
let's just say it's with good reason that many see the titles of...
...The Force Awakens and A New Hope 2.0 as interchangeable...
So there are the main reasons why so many people dislike The Force Awakens.
Do you agree or disagree? Let us know in the comments below.
You can also let us know of any changes you would personally make to improve the film.
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