Cecil's posts have nailed about every thought I've had about TFA vs R1.
TFA wasn't some revelation. It was ANH 2.0, you can't even beat around that fact. And while the newbies were great, genuine and relatable characters, basically the only thing that redeemed the overly simplistic plot with next to no originality and underwhelming climax was the distraction of how likeable the old character are to watch and interact with one another.
Nostalgia saved JJ Abrams' attempt from heavy criticism, and I'm honestly shocked that so many people are still able to look past the flaws of the movie because of it. At the same time, I almost don't blame them. I see Han Solo and Chewy come on screen and automatically I am glued, even if they say or do nothing very meaningful. It's still fun to watch because you love the characters just so damn much.
With that in mind can you blame people for being equally unenthusiastic about R1's characters? Take out the nostalgia crutch and people will suddenly start picking everything apart with a fine tooth comb.
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