I mused with a chuckle on Christmas Eve as my young nieces and nephews were surrounded by a host of Star Wars toys and paraphernalia. That’s when the true power of this phenomenon set in for me. 30 years prior, I was the one ripping open Christmas gifts and ecstatic over the new action figures, mock lightsabers, and model warships I had to play with. And now, three decades later it’s as powerful as ever with the release of the newest installment to the series, “The Force Awakens.”
Before tackling a review of this magnitude, I want to lay out some groundwork from my perspective. There’s no denying the impact and success of the Star Wars franchise – on Hollywood itself and the cultural impact of nearly everyone in the world. From movies to books, and from comics to toys, the franchise has reaped profits in the billions while doing the unthinkable in todays world of short attention spans – its remained relevant for an entire generation.
The series laid the framework for the Science Fiction genre with effects that were far ahead of their time and a story that was unique unto its own. Even those scarce and few that have never watched one second of any Star Wars movie know the names of the characters associated; Darth Vader, Luke Skywalker, Han Solo – like they are members of their own family.
I’m a fan of the original series, growing up watching and re-watching the VHS tapes on a near endless loop. I’ve read some of the books, and much to the chagrin of purists who refuse to recognize the prequel trilogy as cannon and hate George Lucas for their production, I thoroughly enjoyed those movies as well.
That said, 2015 sees the release of “The Force Awakens,” the first in the next series of movies. With George Lucas’ much publicized sale of the franchise to Disney, I have to admit I was quite skeptical.
Episode VII picks up in real time – thirty years after the events of “Return of the Jedi,” with the ultimate war between good and evil still raging on. A story is put in place with the ongoing battle between the former Galactic Empire – now known as the First Order, and the Republic. Unlike some of the other entries in the series, “Awakens” serves more as a starting point and framework for further adventures to come than as a complete movie on its own.
The rebel alliance has new faces – hotshot pilot and soldier Poe Dameron (Oscar Isaac), First Order defector Finn (John Boyega), and a quick moving and inadvertently comical droid BB-8. Similar to the arc of Luke Skywalker, “Awakens” hero comes not in the form of a skilled warrior, but in that of a homeless scavenger named Rey (Daisy Ridley) who is tossed into the mayhem through no fault or intentions of her own.
Where criticism of the prequel films often stemmed from the acting performances of its cast, the stars of “Awakens” shatter this notion completely. I thoroughly enjoyed the casting of Oscar Isaac – a lesser known actor who dazzled me with his performance in last year’s “Inside Llewyn Davis.” Isaac’s character Poe Dameron fits the part so well he could be inserted into any one of the previous movies with effortless ease. Poe Dameron looks and acts like a member of the Rebel Alliance in every way shape and form. Likewise John Boyega does a great job with the character of Finn – with a story arc that goes from good to bad, coward to hero in a smooth and natural way. Finn adds humor – a facet include in all Star Wars movies, and is a likeable addition to the lore of the series.
The hands down star of the film is Daisy Ridley, who I won’t pretend to have heard of or seen before, but has earned a permanent spot on my radar now. Ridley has astonishing breadth, and exercises all of her talents in the role of Rey. We see a character excellently developed by means of sheer attitude, survivability, and a brief but troubling flashback. Rey brings a deep emotion to the table that makes “Awakens” shine with a style overlooked in some of the other installments. Ridley possesses a natural beauty that will keep you hooked, with eyes that bring to life the thoughts and troubles of Rey, as she slowly begins to recognize her own inner powers and heroic place in the universe.
The Star Wars saga has always been able to put forth a great villain to serve as opposition to the heroes. Its tough to fill the evil shoes of the predecessors like Darth Maul, General Grievous, Lord Vader, or Emperor Palpatine; characters that oozed evil while possessing their own individual style and ability to make you love them with hate. I liked the character of Kylo Ren (Adam Driver) as the newest antagonist to wield the notorious glowing red lightsaber. Kylo Ren has a loaded backstory, and episode VII seems to just brush the surface – leaving him with an ambiguous undertone that will doubtless be explored in the upcoming movies.
Are there elements I didn’t care for? Sure.
Shots like a crashed star destroyer laying menacingly in the sand like the wreck of an old ship on the bottom of the ocean floor gave me goose bumps. I loved the nods, easter eggs, and homage paid to the original movies, but it went a bit overboard at times.
The character of General Hux (Domhnall Gleeson) seemed a bit contrived as the military face of the First Order. At one point he gives a speech that mimics the ranting of Adolph Hitler and it just doesn’t seem to fit with the rest of the Star Wars mold. Gleeson looks like a hipster heartthrob and can’t hold a candle to the greatness of Peter Cushing’s Grand Moff Tarkin.
Without giving anything away, the primary weapon the First Order uses seems a bit familiar. And Captain Phasma (Gwendoline Christie) the female boss of the stormtroopers is a bit of a reach and smells of Disney marketing. I understand the need to be inclusive of all genders, races, and creeds but the main character is already a female. A woman storm trooper comes across as just plain silly.
I enjoyed the inclusion of characters from the original series, with Harrison Ford reprising his classic role of space pirate Han Solo – accompanied as always by his furry sidekick Chewbacca. While integral to the story, Ford’s dominating presence serves as a perfect compliment to Ridley and the others. I thought the weakest link was Carrie Fisher, playing Leia Organa – princess of Alderaan in the original series and now general of the rebellion. While the character makes perfect sense, Fisher drops the ball with her acting (or lack thereof). Still, it was truly fascinating to watch these iconic stars interacting with the new talent – people that weren’t even born when the original movies were created.
As one would expect, the special effects and the visuals are mind blowing. We see classic vehicles like the TIE Fighter and Millennium Falcon still alive and well, with obvious new additions that blend perfectly with the present world while not going overboard in terms of showing off technological advancements. The score is solid – composed again by the great John Williams. And the trademark opening crawl is thankfully alive and well.
I close by circling back to how we started. If you are a die hard “Star Wars” fan with an R2-D2 tattoo who doesn’t think Jar Jar Binks is annoying because you refuse to even acknowledge the existence of Episodes 1-3, then “The Force Awakens” isn’t for you. Keep your head buried in 1977. The only one missing out is you.
If you are a casual fan, then this is a great action packed and fun movie. If you are a newcomer to the series, the classic characters mixed with new talent is a great introduction to an amazing universe. I urge you to go back and watch all the other movies, and I hope they give you the same happiness and joy that they have given me for my entre life – and continue to do.
I left the theatre vowing to see it again in a few days. I already know I will buy the DVD. I’m counting down the days until the release of Episode VIII.
“Star Wars” is as much a part of American history as it is a thing of cinematic beauty.
by – Matt Christopher
