Movie Review – Star Wars: The Force Awakens

A long time ago with expectations very, very low…a young man by the name of George Lucas introduced the world to Star Wars: A New Hope (1977). No one could possibly have guessed it at the time, but this was the beginning of one of the most successful franchises of all time. The frenzy was so great that its influence reached far beyond the silver screens. The merchandising success was off the charts in toys, games, clothing and even theme park attractions. In addition to sequels that were released in the 80s, there were three long-awaited prequels released between 1999 to 2005. Unfortunately these movies didn’t come close to matching the quality and magic of the first trilogy.
Thankfully Star Wars fans are both relentless and resilient. With interest still strong even after the lackluster newer movies, a decision was made to move forward with the next trilogy in the space soap opera. Disney, who now owns the rights to Star Wars, turned to a man who recently breathed new life into two well known franchises (Mission: Impossible, Star Trek). J.J. Abrams agreed to take on this massive responsibility, and given his track record for success, gave hope to eager fans. The wait is finally over as Star Wars: The Force Awakens makes its way to theaters everywhere for all to see. Is this the sequel you’ve been waiting for? Or is Disney trying to pull a Jedi mind trick on you? The good news is that we’ve got some SPOILER-FREE answers for you so don’t be afraid to read on.
If you’ve turned on the television lately or have been on any type of social media you’ve surely seen advertisements for Star Wars: The Force Awakens. This means that you will also have a general idea as to what the plot is. In the spirit of keeping the “unknown” unknown, you will not find a detailed synopsis here. What can be said is that this story picks up some thirty years after the events of Star Wars: Return of the Jedi. One of the nice things about the storytelling of this franchise is the brief overview given via ascending scrolling yellow block letters at the beginning of each movie. If you don’t recall exactly what transpired in the last episode, don’t fret, the introductory text will do a decent job pointing you in the right direction.
The plot of Star Wars: The Force Awakens is well thought out and gives a great sense of satisfaction as the story goes on. The mix of action, emotion, laughs and special effects will leave you in a state of pure giddiness, making you wonder why all movies aren’t this compelling and fun. The CGI used was not distracting in any way, shape or form. All of the effects were done in good taste without being excessively cheesy. From an acting standpoint, the assembled cast was a very talented one and a good mix of old and new characters. The some of the familiar faces were those of Han (Harrison Ford), Leia (Carrie Fisher) and Chewbacca (Peter Mayhew). Some of the newly introduced characters of note are Rey (Daisy Ridley), Finn (John Boyega) and Poe (Oscar Isaac). There are obviously other key characters but won’t go through all of them.
Star Wars: The Force Awakens has a familiar feel to it as events unfold. The reason for this is most likely J.J. Abrams dedication to the original works. Even the X-wing and TIE fighters are very similar to those used some thirty-plus years ago. Nostalgia is an area that Abrams excels in because he respects the roots of which his work was born. It’s also a nice treat for your ears to know that award winning composer John Williams is back. Again, nothing but warm and fuzzy feelings towards your senses, including your ears.
Regarding the experience of Star Wars: The Force Awakens, it’s like riding an awesome roller coaster and then reluctantly getting off to give others a chance for a thrill. The irrational selfish voice in your head pouts and wonders why you just can’t stay seated and go around one more time. Yeah that’s the way you’ll feel after the final credits roll as everything is still sinking in. One more time please!
Seasoned Star Wars veterans should find this worthy continuation very fulfilling, giving those of us who were mildly disappointed with the prequels something to finally be proud of. The best thing about the approach that J.J. Abrams takes with his vision of Episode VII is that newcomers can easily become attached, thus falling in love for the very first time…but certainly not the last. If for some reason there’s only one movie you’re able to see in theaters over the next few weeks, you absolutely cannot go wrong with Star Wars: The Force Awakens.