Movie Review: Star Wars - The Force Awakens
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By: Mithrandiel
NOTE - The following review contains no spoilers for the film, though the central characters and some basic plot points may be referenced for framing.
The ever-increasing excitement regarding Star Wars certainly hit a fever pitch in the last 48 hours. All over the country people were buzzing, excitedly awaiting their viewing. The latest installment broke pre-sales records, topping $100 million before the movie even officially opened. As if the hype and excitement weren't challenging enough to meet, there's also the fact that The Force Awakens is the direct descendant of one of Sci-Fi's greatest movie franchises of all time. Yet despite these overwhelming expectations, I can say with confidence that walking out of the theater after The Force Awakens was a completely different experience or feeling than my reaction to the prequel trilogy when it first arrived over 15 years ago. Others have said it already, but I will say it as well: it felt genuine. The Force Awakens feels like it slides right into the larger canon of Star Wars and even though it's separated from episode 6 by over three decades, it succeeds in picking up right where the series left off.
The pacing of the film is excellent, as the two hours and change flies by at light speed. The opening scene introduces our fearsome villain, Kylo Ren, as he seeks critical information on the whereabouts of Luke Skywalker, The Last Jedi. If the black outfit and mask didn't give it away, the introductory scene to his methods and abilities firmly establishes his place on the Dark Side. We also meet Finn, a morally-conflicted stormtrooper who realizes very quickly that slaughtering innocents isn't one of his strengths, and capitalizes on the first chance he can get to escape. In the process he crash lands on the planet Jakku, where we meet our central character, Rey. This early segment of the film harkens back to A New Hope in the form of a desert planet and a restless youth who is both anchored to the only place they've ever known while simultaneously yearning for adventure. A scavenger, Rey collects scraps off of old Imperial cruisers and destroyers and attempts to trade them in town for a pittance. Feisty and capable, Rey is hardly a character in need of saving, as Abrams demonstrates on numerous occasions.
Our new heroes (and villains) are all excellently cast, and will likely enjoy a catapult into future work in Hollywood following what's sure to be a staggeringly successful box office weekend. In watching the movie you can tell that Adam Driver (Kylo Ren), Daisy Ridley (Rey), and John Boyega (Finn) realize the weight and impact of the roles they are playing as part of the Star Wars franchise. Of the three newcomers I would say that Driver stood out, delivering an achingly honest portrayal of a young warrior who, unlike the Vader of Star Wars past, is vulnerable to temper tantrums and miscalculations.
Complementing the new faces are the former heroes of Episodes 4-6: Han Solo, Leia, and Chewbacca (Chewie). The stories of their adventures have passed into legend and myth, and so in a way they all get a fresh start in The Force Awakens. We find Han and Chewie much like we found them in Episode 4 - up to no good. Leia has become a resistance General, insistent upon battling The First Order; a revived branch of the Empire seeking to finish the work that Darth Vader had started all those years ago. Luke Skywalker has vanished, but his role as the last remaining Jedi is critical to the success of the resistance, and so finding him is the central goal driving the movie.
As for our returning actors, reviving a relationship as memorable as Princess Leia and Han Solo could be a daunting task, especially given the long delay between their last appearance together, but Carrie Fisher and Harrison Ford make it look as easy as riding a bike. The looks that they exchange and their brief moments of dialogue conceal a deep and wide history that I hope is explored more in the coming films. They performed excellently.
Speaking of recurring appearances, there are two key veterans that really help The Force Awakens continue the tradition of episodes 4-6. First, the masterful John Williams has reprised his role as lead composer, drawing us once more into the world of Star Wars with his distinct style. Second, and perhaps more importantly, Lawrence Kasdan has re-claimed the helm in writing the script. Since Kasdan wrote for The Empire Strikes Back and Return of the Jedi, it shouldn't be too surprising that his style revives the formula that we saw in the earlier Star Wars films.
With all of its successes, there are some things that felt a bit off. First, Rey is almost too good at everything. Abrams seems to club viewers over the head with just how capable Rey is and emphasizes her independence almost to a fault. It's okay for heroes to have some flaws...they're allowed to have weaknesses. Rey's character doesn't seem to have any, though more may be revealed about her in future films.
On a related note, while Rey's character seems to be exceedingly good at everything, Finn seems fairly useless. Sure, he knows to get away from The First Order to preserve his status as a good guy, but following that he spends a lot of his time running away and second-guessing the movements of the resistance. While Driver's Kylo Ren balanced the strengths of a promising young warrior of the dark side with the weaknesses of impatience and a short temper, Rey and Finn seemed to be polar opposites and the lack of balance struck me as odd.
Finally, while it does preserve the spirit and feel of the original trilogy, many would argue it's because the film has almost the exact same framing as A New Hope. As such, while the film certainly brings in new story elements and is seeking to expand the universe originally built by Lucas in the late 70s and early 80s, you do get an overwhelming sense of familiarity.
Overall, however, The Force Awakens did what many believed to be impossible: it preserved the experience and feeling of the original trilogy and revived that excitement and energy for a new generation. To those who criticize its similarity with A New Hope, I would argue that the formula is similar for a reason. Much like the awakening of the Force could lead to the rise of a new generation of Jedi, this film was designed to give birth to a new generation of Star Wars fans; a task at which it succeeds brilliantly.
