The Force Awakens – SPOILER FREE
A lot of hype and a lot of anticipation for JJ Abram’s take on the far away galaxy that we all know and love. There was a lot riding on this sequel after the disappointing prequels and a 4 billion dollar acquisition that let Disney play in the Star Wars sand box. I’m not even going to bother burying the lead here, though I do hope you’ll keep reading this SPOILER FREE review. You should see this movie. For so many reasons. My original review was simply “get off the internet and go see Star Wars The Force Awakens.”
Picking up three decades after the events of Return of the Jedi The Force Awakens finds the galaxy still in turmoil. The Empire is no more, but in it’s place a similar organization known as the First Order is eager to take their place. The Rebel Alliance, now the Resistance, is lead by General Leia Organa with the help of a newly formed Republic. The Resistance, like the Rebel alliance is on the Light side of the force and relies on unlikely heroes to do the right thing.
First, a lot of credit has to be given to JJ Abrams. He is long established as a fantastic creator, writer, and director; the guy even made Star Trek interesting. The direction, editing, and balance in The Force Awakens is outstanding. The film never has a dull moment for all of its run time of one 135 minutes. The dialogue is well thought out, especially when compared to the last installments in the saga. Smart characters, snappy wit, and some seriously emotional moments for fans of every age elevate The Force Awakens beyond just a standard sci-fi adventure movie.
Abrams didn’t spearhead the film alone. Lawrence Kasdan was brought back in a stroke of absolute genius. Kasdan had a hand in what is widely considered the best film in the franchise, The Empire Strikes Back. He also wrote for Return of the Jedi, and the immensely popular, in its day, Shadows of the Empire video game. Michael Arndt is credited as the third writer on the film. Arndt doesn’t have the huge history in Star Wars that Kasdan has, but he does know how to write a hit. Little Miss Sunshine, Toy Story 3, and Catching Fire are three incredibly different movies that got on extremely well with audiences.
Leading up to The Force Awakens there was a ton of excitement around the core cast returning to their iconic roles. Why shouldn’t there be? Han (Harrison Ford), Luke (Mark Hamill), Leia (Carrie Fisher), Chewbacca (Peter Mayhew), C-3P0 (Anthony Daniels), and R2-D2 (Kenny Baker as a consultant) haven’t been played on screen since 1983. without delving too deep into each of the classic characters specific plots I will say it was so good to see them. It really felt like seeing old friends, even relatives, after a long absence. These characters were instrumental in shaping so many lives, I don’t think this is an overstatement in the slightest.
The classic characters are all played perfectly in line with who they were, where they were going, when we last saw them with the natural progression as if the last three decades happened for them at the same speed they happened for us. Unnecessary exposition on exactly what happened to everyone at every major milestone is avoided. instead the characters are given natural dialogue to reference their lives, making them feel more real and not muddying the crisp waters of the plot.
The new comers to the universe were an unknown factor for fans. Like the rest of the movie, they don’t disappoint. The new heroes are, ex-Stormtrooper Finn (John Boyega), ace pilot/scavenger Rey (Daisy Ridley), ace fighter pilot Poe Dameron (Oscar Isaac), and the droid BB-8 that was created using practical effects! Boyega and Ridley have a great give and take throughout the whole movie as drama and comedy each find their place and never overstay their welcome.
What’s Star Wars (or any successful franchise) without some cool villains? Kylo Ren (Adam Driver) is the scariest kind of adversary. He’s a true believer. Expertly acted and with a surprising amount of depth Driver really delivers on carrying the weight of the big bad. He is a dark side force user who doesn’t go by ‘Darth’ and doesn’t call himself a Sith, but he does have a master. Emperor Palpatine is dead, making room for Supreme Leader Snoke (motion capture master Andy Serkis). In the original trilogy the Imperials outside of Vader and Palpatine were very interchangeable, The Force Awakens aims a bit higher with The First Order’s military men, and women. General Hux (Domhnall Gleeson) is intense, scary, and perfectly cast. He delivers a speech so intense I got chills during both viewings. It’s like Satan himself found Hitler and took their hatred out into a wide galaxy. Captain Phasma (Gwendoline Christie), or the chrome trooper, is in charge of the Stormtroopers. Christie never takes her mask off preserving the tough and cool exterior of her character, much like the fan favorite Boba Fett.
With the movie making technology we have in 2015 the story of Star Wars can come to life in ways like never before. The aerial combat sequences are absolutely breathtaking. Watching this movie in any high quality large format puts you right into the action. The use of first person in cock pits as a scale to it that wasn’t ever fully realized, even with the impressiveness of the original trilogy and the effects that still work today. One scene in particular is shot from the ground and shows an x-wing in aerial combat with tie fighters. This tracking shot is so well executed you’d believe it was a stunt flyer in a functional ship.
The lightsaber effects have a small but unique newness to them too. No, I’m not talking about the hilt of Kylo Ren’s blade, I’m talking about the colored glow. The way the sabers were pulled off in the previous films, prequels included, didn’t really allow the light to properly exist in the environments. It’s a small touch but one that makes the lived in futuristic sci-fi world feel that much more real. There’s plenty more to say about sabers but that will have to wait until the open season on spoilers.
The Force Awakens feels very much like a classic Star Wars movie. It may take place three decades later and with an entirely different company and creative team behind it, but it’s every bit the natural sequel we needed. The passing of the torch from the classic characters to the new is a delicate endeavor that will span more than just a single film. Lucky for all of us, that means more Star Wars. The Force Awakens can also serve as an excellent jumping on point for new audiences. The a-ha moments won’t mean as much and the old characters will look old in a more literal way than ‘classic’ but the standalone story is completely enjoyable on its own. This is the franchise that kicked things off at Episode IV remember.
This may be a little disjointed but it’s hard not to spoil anything when all I can do is gush over how much I liked this movie. It made me feel like a kid again. It delivers everything you want it to, it brings the franchise into new life that a year ago I didn’t even accept that it needed. Thanks for making it this far but get off the internet and go to the theater!
Adam’s Verdict on The Force Awakens 6/5
Director
J.J. Abrams
Cast
Daisy Ridley, John Boyega, Harrison Ford
Have you felt it?
The sequel to my all time favorite film franchise arrives and it feels good to be back in this universe. Star Wars Episode 7 is a thrilling space adventure that brings back the original cast for another run.
In this new chapter, we’re introduced to some new characters that will be bringing the audiences into the next set of trilogies. These characters are complex, interesting, and incredibly likeable. They make excellent additions, and I’m really look forward to seeing what comes next.
Daisy Ridley as Rey and John Boyega as Finn are absolutely 100 percent brilliant. The care that is taken to develop these characters is the strongest thing about this movie. You’re almost instantly ready to follow them wherever. Oscar Isaac as Poe, Adam Driver as Kylo Ren, and Lupita Nyong’o as Maz Kanata are all equally amazing here.
Harrison Ford is back as Han Solo and it’s like nothing has changed for him in the last 30 years. Still a scoundrel and getting into situations as he flies throughout the galaxy. Along with sidekick Chewbacca, they just happen to come across his old ship, the Millennium Falcon, as it was just newly stolen from a junk yard. He is our guide as he escorts our heroes (and some villains) along the way to their destinies.
The movie is a whole lot of fun, but it’s not without problems. Some of the overall storyline felt a little forced (no pun intended) and even though there’s a certain pattern to the older movies, this one is incredibly similar while at the same time being radically different.
The issues I have with the movie may have more to do with what I was expecting versus what was presented. This is very much the next chapter in the saga that leaves a lot, A LOT of questions to be answered. I was hoping for more of a “stand alone” adventure to set the next chapters. Now I’m going to have to dig into the extra spin off material to fill in the gaps (thanks Disney).
Now this is definitely the Star Wars movie that fans were expecting back when the prequels were announced. It’s funny, sad, epic, and leaves you wanting more. Star Wars is back, and now that Disney is in charge, it’s going to be around… forever.
Grade 4 out of 5
– Markellus
