The Force. Jedi. Tie Fighters. Millennium Falcon. Han Solo, Leia, Luke Skywalker. They are back. The most anticipated film series returns with “Star Wars: The Force Awakens.” Richard has an initial review.
Star Wars: The Force Awakens
(Walt Disney Pictures)
Directed by J. J. Abrams
Produced by Kathleen Kennedy, J. J. Abrams, Bryan Burk
Written by Lawrence Kasdan, J. J. Abrams, Michael Arndt
Starring Harrison Ford, Mark Hamill, Carrie Fisher, Adam Driver, Daisy Ridley, John Boyega, Oscar Isaac, Lupita Nyong’o, Andy Serkis, Domhnall Gleeson, Anthony Daniels, Peter Mayhew, Max von Sydow
Music by John Williams
Richard’s Take:
Approximately 30 years after the events of “The Return of The Jedi,” the long-loved universe continues with the beginning of a new era of “Star Wars” films. The first new film, “Star Wars: The Force Awakens,” combines some of our old favorites with a bunch of “shiny” new heroes.
I have to admit, this is one review I was hoping to say something good about a new “Star Wars” film. I grew up with the original movies, so I was crossing my fingers and toes that this would not be a major disappointment. Luckily, I have faith in 21st century film making again.
So most of you are wondering if “The Force Awaken” is similar to the original three:
- “Episode IV: A New Hope” (1977)
- “Episode V: The Empire Strikes Back” (1980)
- “Episode VI: Return of the Jedi” (1983)
or the prequel versions:
- “Episode I: The Phantom Menace” (1999)
- “Episode II: Attack of the Clones” (2002)
- “Episode III: Revenge of the Sith” (2005)
Happily, I’m glad to say — “The Force Awakens” is a worthy follow up to George Lucas’ original trilogy that started in 1977.
Without giving away the surprises in this initial review, the film starts with the capture of a Resistance spy / “hotshot” X-winged pilot (Oscar Isaac as Poe Dameron), who has hid a digital map in his droid, the soccer ball-shaped BB-8. Dameron orders his droid to escape with the wanted geographical information. Then, “Episode Seven” of the film series begins the new adventures for a troubled stormtrooper (John Boyega playing Finn), who decides to save the pilot from the clutches of the First Order, the evolution of Darth Vader’s Galactic Empire. After escaping and crashing on the planet where Dameron was captured, the two are separated, where Finn meets a scavenger (Daisy Ridley as Rey) … and her new companion BB-8.
With the Empire hot on their trail and destroying everything around them, the duo attempts to escape on an old “garbage” ship — named the Millennium Falcon. Soon, Finn and Rey befriend the ship’s original owner Han Solo (Harrison Ford reprising his role) and pilot Chewbacca (the returning Peter Mayhew in his full fur ball), where they help the duo in bringing the map to The Resistance, which is led by a princess-turned-general Leia (Carrie Fisher). The rest of the film follows The Resistance battling the First Order and attempting to destroy their new superweapon — the major super sized-version of a Death Star-like planet killer. Also on the script is the mystery of the masked villain Kylo Ren (Adam Driver) and how he relates to some of the characters, as well as “Where is Luke Skywalker?” (Mark Hamill), who has now disappeared somewhere in the galaxy.
J. J. Abrams (TV’s “Lost,” “Star Trek” reboot films), who also co-writes and co-produces the film, takes the directing reins and actually brings a straight forward approach to the story. Anybody can follow it and we don’t need a cheat sheet to remember their names. (I could never remember the name Qui-Gon Jinn, played by Liam Neeson, in “The Phantom Menace”) A nice touch, Abrams doesn’t bring in an assortment of unnecessary characters for the toy collection, like what Mr. Lucas did in his prequel films (Also, for the fans, no Jar Jar Binks here). The two-time “Star Trek” director does stay focus on the action without breaking the moment with another action sequence simultaneously. Everything is in a linear motion. As you heard or read, Abrams uses real sets and actual build ships to convey the story. It works. Welcome back to practical effects. His use of CGI special effects are used only when necessary, like during ship battles or displaying huge star destroyers laying waste on a planet. The actors are talking to actual people or creatures that are not computer generated. A welcome changed to the recent catalogue of high profile CGI films.
Out of the original cast, Ford (and Mayhew’s Chewie) takes most of the screen time. Seeing him and the walking carpet board their old Falcon and saying “we’re home” brought a smile to my face. It was a great cinematic moment to see Mr. Ford don the outfit and watching him use his smuggler’s quick wits again. The scene where Solo and Leia are reunited is also a high point as we welcomed back old friends that we never thought we would see again in the “Star Wars” timeline on film … and that includes the moment we see the old Jedi himself, Luke Skywalker, again. In addition, hearing the roar of the tie fighters, the good-old Falcon flying around, and enjoying the music of John Williams throughout the film truly brought back memories.
Newcomers Ridley, Boyega, and Isaac are wonderfully cast and good enough to take the baton from the original cast, but no matter what, Fisher, Hamill and Ford will always be the true icons of “Star Wars,” as well as Vader, C-3PO and R2-D2.
While “The Force Awakens” is a fantastic reintroduction to “Star Wars,” there are a little nitpicks. Some of the reveals of characters were a little too quick, like they had to get it out of the way to keep the story moving. Keep those surprises going. Let us get used to the new characters before we drop the surprising news. Additionally, why do we need another Darth Vader-wanna be in the mix (thinking of Dark Maul in “Episode 1” and now Kylo Ren). Does every villain need a hood and a mask? While Driver did the best he could with Kylo Ren, it felt like we are watching a ghost of Darth Vader or his doppelganger walking around with a cool-new double sworded, light saber. His character of Ren idolized Vader, but maybe a different type of villain running the Galactic Empire would have been preferred.
Abrams does recreate comparable moments or scenes we remembered from the original trilogy, unlike what he did with “Star Trek Into Darkness,” where that sequel was a basically a recreation of “Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan.” Watching Finn shooting the blaster from the Millennium Falcon is a nod to Luke Skywalker’s first time doing that three decades ago. Or Solo walking through another cantina with an assortment of creatures like in “A New Hope.” Or using certain lines or catchphrases again (Han Solo talking about his Kessel Run in 12 Parsecs). While some were cheesy, these moments were a tip of the hat to the “Star Wars” fans and the original source material that Mr. Lucas gave us. Abrams also kept the original look of the opening sequence with the scroll of this chapter floating in space and then tilting down to see a massive ship in the frame.
No matter what anybody thinks… hate it or love it … this is the “Star Wars” we have been waiting for. Thank you Mr. Abrams, the cast and production staff for giving us the true spirit of “Star Wars” again. Welcome back to a galaxy far, far away.
(More “Star Wars” reviews are coming in the next couple of days)