SPOILERS AHEAD: Review: Star Wars: The Force Awakens · 7:28pm Dec 18th, 2015
WARNING: THE FOLLOWING REVIEW CONTAINS WHAT MAY BE CONSIDERED SPOILERS FOR STAR WARS: THE FORCE AWAKENS. IF YOU HAVEN'T SEEN THE FILM YET, AND DON'T WANT ANY OF IT SPOILED, PLEASE DON'T READ ANY FURTHER.
So, by the blessed power of The Force, I was able to watch The Force Awakens in theaters, and really, it was one of the most purely enjoyable cinematic experiences I've ever had.
Now, since this is a full fledged film review, I must forewarn that, try as I might, a few spoilers, however minor, might slip through. And, as much as I am not one to spend my hours fretting over such things as spoilers as I personally believe a film should be just as good the 500th time you see it, and know every plot twist, as it was the first ever time you saw it. However, there is something incredibly unique, especially in this age of the internet, to be able to watch a film with absolutely no foreknowledge or hint as to what is going to happen. To see it unfold before you, each moment entirely new and fresh for us to take in and admire, is something that must be treasured. And so, out of respect for that wonderful feeling of discovery, I shall avoid spoilers whenever possible.
Anyways, on with the proper review:
Star Wars: The Force Awakens is a gloriously worthy followup to the original trilogy, and a true, deeply felt love letter to the very idea of Star Wars.
Leaping ahead 30 years after the events of Return of the Jedi, The Force Awakens has a lot of ground to cover, not only having the task of introducing us to our new heroes and villains, but also giving us an update on the characters we so know and love from the original trilogy. And in that task, J.J. Abrams and his team succeeded gloriously.
Abrams is a director who obviously loves Star Wars with every fiber of his being, and in doing so, is able to create a film that feels every bit like a classic Star Wars movie, while still able to feel like something new and worthy of the Star Wars mantle as been created. Gratefully avoiding the over abundance of tacky CGI and wooden acting that destroyed the Prequel trilogy, Abrams instead goes for a real world feel, with actual sets built out of actual material, and shooting on 35mm film, which, even in the 4k digital showing I got see, is still able to lend a unique sense of reality to the proceeding. On top of that, his action sequences are full of life and vigor, exploding across the scene in perfectly orchestrated ballets of sight and sound. Furthermore, the more subdued, interpersonal scenes, the meat of which any self respecting Star Wars film thrives on, are also wonderfully handled, with Abrams being able to inject intimacy, character, and humor into those scenes that feels so wonderfully organic and human after the stiff, artificial mechanization that Lucas inflicted on us with the prequels.
He also is able to extract excellent performances from the entire cast as well, with Harrison Ford grandly stepping back into the shoes of Han Solo as if he never left, his worn, grizzled look perfectly fitting an older Han Solo. Carrie Fisher has traded her spitfire temperament from the original trilogy, with a matronly grace, while still having that same spark that makes Leia, well, Leia. her scenes with Ford now carry a weathered sense of endearment and love, as if these two had been together for years.
The new performers, John Boyega, Daisy Ridley, Oscar Isaac and Adam Driver, all do an excellent job crafting their new characters. While it is rather obvious that this film's main goal is to establish the groundwork for further stories, that doesn't mean these new characters are just flat characters. In fact the opposite is true. Rey, Finn, Poe and Kylo Ren all have their own arcs, and their own unique moments of establishment, development, and growth, albeit in vastly different (and rather spoiler heavy) ways. Ridley is able to give Rey a sense of life and spunk, without sacrificing her essential femininity. Rey might be "an action girl", but she's still very much a girl, and that never gets in the way her being awesome, nor is it some excuse to make the men around her look like fools. Every character is on equal footing here, and every character learns something about themselves.
Boyega is obviously having the time of his life as Finn, and also is able to give Finn complexity and nuance, while still maintaining his effervescence and excitement. His chemistry with Ridley is 100% organic, and I can easily see the pair becoming this trilogy's official couple. His interactions with Oscar Isaac also overflow with a real sense of brotherhood and comradery, while his interactions with Solo carry the same sense of giddiness and excitement that every fan in the theater was feeling when we watched the film.
Osacr Isaac, who gets the least amount of screen time overall, still manages to make every second count with his natural charisma and likability. He gives Poe a sense of street smarts, while still keeping him as a grounded, likable guy. His scenes with Boyega are a blast, and his interactions with the droid BB-8 are a real joy to see, as it is obvious that Poe and BB-8 have a history together, and know each other well.
The real showcase here, however, is Adam Driver as Kylo Ren. For most of the film, Driver is in full uniform, and his face obscured by a mask. But even then, Driver makes sure his character is firmly defined, and the emotions expressed. In a way that would make David Prowse proud, Driver acts with his entire body, often saying more with a body movement then with words. On top of that, his verbal acting is top notch as well, and even when he takes the mask off, he still is able to completely convince you as to the real meat of his character. In a film filled with great, memorable performances, his really stands out.
The rest of the cast, filled out by a bevvy of well known faces, such as Domhall Gleeson, Lupita Nyong'o, Andy Serkis, Gwendoline Christie and more, all are having the time of their lives, and giving it their all. Nobody feels out of place, or distracting, and every actor and actress bounces off the other flawlessly.
The VFX work is absolutely astounding, perfectly blending the massive, complex sets and costumes with CGI in a way that perfectly benefits both. Daniel Mendel's cinematography is also perfect, giving the film a rich color scheme far divorced from the desaturation plaguing the modern sci-fi/action pic.
John Williams' score is, as always for the musical genius, wonderful. The new themes, while maybe not as instantly whistle made as the Original Trilogy's, are still damn good new themes, since Williams comes from the last of the old school of composition. Far divorced from the cut-and-paste styling of synthesized horns and cellos of Hans Zimmer and his minions, John Williams instead uses the entire orchestra to color and build on the score, using his trademark brass and soaring strings to paint vivid musical portraits. It's a score that is both fully developed, yet still leaving room for the expanding that will no doubt ensue over the rest of this glorious new trilogy.
So, in the end, Star Wars: The Force Awakens is everything I wanted in a Star Wars film. It has heart, humor and depth, and while it could be argued it follows the Original Trilogy's themes rather closely, that's exactly what I love about it. By going back to the franchise's roots, and using those same building blocks, Abrams and company have laid the groundwork for a new, yet lovingly familiar installment in this epic myth of our times. By refusing to the siren call of cynicism that so often dominates reboots, reimaginings and sequels, we instead are shown a new hope, and a new sense that Star Wars is alive again, and that the best stories are yet to be told.
Five out of five stars. May the Force be with you always.
So happy I got to expierence this in theatres. The Force is still strong with Star Wars.
That's pretty much how I felt; everyone seemed to be having fun with this movie, the set pieces were wonderful, and while it did tread over previous ground at times I feel that it did so with enough respect and new material to make it enjoyable.
I thought that the guy who plays Kylo Ren looks extremely like the guy from Slumdog Millionaire. And am I the only one that thinks General Hux looks like Hans from Frozen?
Now that's just beautiful.