CinePals
CinePals
January 4, 2026

STAR WARS: EPISODE VII: THE FORCE AWAKENS Movie Reaction! | First Time Watch! | Harrison Ford

Quick Read

CinePals hosts react with shock and disappointment to Han Solo's death and Kylo Ren's reveal, while praising new characters and the ending Luke Skywalker cameo.
Han Solo's death by Kylo Ren was a major emotional blow, deemed unnecessary and premature.
The new characters—Rey, Finn, and Poe—were a strong point, praised for their performances and chemistry.
Luke Skywalker's final reveal was an "absolute gold" moment, significantly boosting the film's ending.

Summary

CinePals hosts Chris and Kristen provide a live, first-time reaction to *Star Wars: The Force Awakens*. Their experience is marked by strong emotional responses, particularly shock and frustration over Han Solo's death at the hands of his son, Kylo Ren. They express annoyance at the recurring "family fighting family" trope in Star Wars, and feel Han's death was an unnecessary "shock factor" that happened "too soon." Despite their disappointment with certain plot points and a feeling that the film felt "too new" and "missing something" compared to earlier installments, they commend the new characters like Rey, Finn, and Poe, praising their performances and dynamic. The reveal of Luke Skywalker at the end is highlighted as an "epic" and "money shot" moment that somewhat redeems their overall experience, making them "forgive" the film's perceived shortcomings.
This reaction provides a raw, unfiltered perspective on a pivotal Star Wars film from a first-time viewer, highlighting the emotional impact of major plot twists and character introductions. It captures the immediate fan sentiment regarding the continuation of beloved characters and the introduction of new ones, offering insight into what resonated and what disappointed in the sequel trilogy's debut.

Takeaways

  • Hosts were genuinely shocked and upset by Han Solo's death, especially at the hands of his son, Kylo Ren.
  • The recurring theme of family members fighting on opposing sides of the Force was noted with frustration.
  • New characters like Rey, Finn, and Poe Dameron were well-received and praised for their dynamic and acting.
  • The reveal of Luke Skywalker at the end was considered an "epic" and "money shot" moment.
  • The film felt "too new" and "missing something" compared to previous Star Wars installments, despite good special effects.
  • Kylo Ren's unmasking was unexpected, and his character was described as having "anger management problems" compared to Darth Vader's poise.
  • R2-D2's return and completion of the map to Luke Skywalker was a moment of relief and excitement.

Insights

1Han Solo's Death and Kylo Ren Reveal Elicit Strong Disappointment

The hosts were deeply upset and in disbelief at Han Solo's death, particularly because it was at the hands of his son, Kylo Ren. They felt it was a premature and unnecessary 'shock factor' that left them 'hurt' and 'bummed out,' wishing it had been delayed or handled differently.

Kristen states, 'I'm so upset right now. I can't believe that happened.' () and later, 'I cannot stand the fact they killed Han. Like why?' (). She also calls it 'almost like they did that just because we didn't have anything too traumatic happen. So, it was almost like, you know, I let's throw a shock factor in there and just wipe out Han, which did upset me and I did feel like it wasn't necessary just yet.' ()

2New Characters Praised for Performance and Chemistry

Despite frustrations with plot points, the hosts highly praised the new characters, Rey, Finn, and Poe Dameron. They commended their acting, the dynamic relationships, and Rey's intelligence and humility, noting she was 'fantastic' and 'cool but not over the top.'

Kristen states, 'I really like Poe and Finn's relationship like right off the gate.' () and 'I think the new characters that came into play, they're fantastic. I like them.' (). She adds, 'I really like Rey's character. I thought she was fantastic.' ()

3Luke Skywalker's Ending Reveal Considered an 'Epic' Highlight

The final scene, revealing Luke Skywalker's location, was a significant positive for the hosts. They described it as an 'epic reveal' and an 'absolute gold' moment that provided a satisfying conclusion despite earlier emotional setbacks.

Kristen exclaims, 'Okay, that was a really epic reveal at the end. What the hell?' () and later, 'I think in the entire thing the Luke reveal was absolute gold. It was money, okay?' ()

4Frustration with Recurring 'Family Fighting Family' Trope

The hosts expressed annoyance at the continuation of the 'family fighting family' narrative, with Kylo Ren's turn to the dark side mirroring Anakin's, but in reverse. They felt this storyline was repetitive and 'messed up' for Han and Leia.

Kristen observes, 'there's a pattern here with Star Wars. They we're always fighting our family members.' () and 'it's basically the same story line except for flop because originally we were fighting for Anakin was fighting, you know, to stay away from the dark side and this guy is like trying to stay away from the light side.' ()

Notable Moments

The hosts' shock and emotional distress upon witnessing Han Solo's death by Kylo Ren.

This moment highlights the profound impact of a beloved character's demise on first-time viewers, reflecting a common sentiment among the original fanbase.

The hosts' enthusiastic reaction to the introduction and dynamic of new characters like Rey, Finn, and Poe.

This demonstrates the successful introduction of a new generation of heroes, crucial for the continuation of the Star Wars saga and engaging new audiences.

The hosts' awe and satisfaction with the final reveal of Luke Skywalker.

This scene served as a powerful emotional anchor and a promise for future installments, effectively concluding the film on a high note for the viewers.

Quotes

"

"I'm so upset right now. I can't believe that happened."

Kristen
"

"Why would they sit there and bring Han back into it? I mean, not even bring him back, but you know what I mean? Like I love that they had Han and Leia, Princess Leia, in this, but I cannot stand the fact they killed Han. Like why?"

Kristen
"

"The Luke reveal was absolute gold. It was money, okay? And it was almost like, 'Okay, by you guys adding that it almost and doing it the way they did makes you want to go, 'Okay, I forgive you for anything else I feel like I'm lacking in.''"

Kristen
"

"There's a pattern here with Star Wars. They we're always fighting our family members."

Kristen
"

"I really like Rey's character. I thought she was fantastic."

Kristen

Q&A

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