Star Wars: The Force Awakens - 8 Reasons It's Better The Second Time

8. Having A More Relaxed Attitude Makes For A Far Superior Viewing Experience

If you're a big fan of the saga, it was arguably impossible to watch Star Wars: The Force Awakens the first time around in the right way; there was too much hype, too much pressure... not just on the filmmakers who put it all together, but on you, the viewer. Fans had spent the sum of two years leading up to its release wondering what The Force Awakens would look like, after all - they'd spent countless hours imagining what was going to unfold on that fateful day of release, how it would feel to watch those iconic characters embarking on a new adventure in 2015. And for all intents and purposes, having a bunch of expectations about anything is only ever good for disappointment. Watching The Force Awakens for the first time, your senses were far too heightened; you were trying to absorb everything and process everything on the screen, to the point where the experience was probably more draining than entertaining. Given the circumstances, it was impossible to do it any other way, of course - that's how these things work. Still, watching Episode VII for the second time is a totally different beast; having absorbed the story once already, and having been made aware of all its narrative beats, you're able to sit back and watch it the same way you'd watch any other movie. And it's a great feeling to be able to do that; there's no stress involved because you know what's coming. The second viewing is all about just enjoying the movie, freed from the hype.
Contributor

Sam Hill is an ardent cinephile and has been writing about film professionally since 2008. He harbours a particular fondness for western and sci-fi movies.