STAR WARS EPISODE VII: THE FORCE AWAKENS
Director: JJ Abrams
Cast: Harrison Ford, Daisy Ridley, Adam Driver, John Boyega, Oscar Isaac, Carrie Fisher, Andy Serkis, and Mark Hamill.
Rated PG-13 for sci-fi action violence.
It's been no secret that STAR WARS: THE FORCE AWAKENS has been my most anticipated movie of the year, maybe of my lifetime. I paid close attention to every casting confirmation, trailer release, and basic plot points confirmed by Disney, while also avoiding major spoilers and the horde of TV spots that have been released in the past few weeks. Many have asked me how the movie could possibly live up to such fervor and anticipation. I was worried myself that it would disappoint. I've seen the movie twice now, and it hasn't even been a full 24 hours since it opened to the public. I can safely say that THE FORCE AWAKENS hearkens back to everything I loved about the original trilogy while introducing new, complex, and exciting characters.
I'm going to write a slightly different review since most people don't want any spoilers, including plot details. So, I will say nothing of the plot or the motivations of these characters. I will be writing a spoiler-heavy review most likely tomorrow for those of you who have seen the movie, or for those who simply do not care about spoilers. Though you should, but that's your call. You can also expect a video review from The CinAmigos sometime next week.
Director JJ Abrams had an overwhelming task when he accepted the job to direct the first STAR WARS film in a new trilogy. Die hard fans, including myself, had been let down by the prequels. The acting was wooden, the dialogue was weak, and the characterizations were not that interesting or flat out annoying. Abrams also had to continue the saga with a new film set 30 years after the events of RETURN OF THE JEDI. Seriously, so many things could have gone wrong. Too much fan service, not enough fan service, story continuity issues, introducing new characters, reintroducing classic characters in their twilight years, and so much more. Given all that was required of JJ Abrams and co-writer Lawrence Kasdan, I was not disappointed.
This new film feels like it exists in the same galaxy as the original trilogy. Practical effects are seen in abundance, and the CGI that is used isn't meant to be flashy or to take away from the story. Okay, perhaps the story is a little too familiar, but I don't love STAR WARS because of its complex narrative and plot points. I love STAR WARS because of its mythos, its characters, the exploration of good and evil. Guess what? THE FORCE AWAKENS has all of that, even if the story is a little weak. To me, it was a respectful blend of A NEW HOPE and THE EMPIRE STRIKES BACK.
There's a surprising amount of humor in the movie, but it works because it feels natural and consistent with the characters. The action is exciting and captivating, again mostly because of the character motivations behind the action. Harrison Ford settles right back into Han's boots alongside Chewie. Rey (Daisy Ridley) and Kylo Ren (Adam Driver) were my favorite things about the movie, which may be surprising since they are brand new characters, but that's a credit to the actors, JJ Abrams, and Lawrence Kasdan. Thank you for giving us such great characters to reintroduce us to this galaxy.
There were a couple plot conveniences here and there, and maybe one or two jokes felt slightly out of place given the gravity of their respective scenes, but these are petty complaints. Whatever minor problems I had, they were wildly cast aside by the numerous amazing things I LOVED about this film. Oh, and it only got better for me the second time. Not many movies do that.
RATING: A
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