STAR WARS: THE FORCE AWAKENS

Star Wars: The Force Awakens

Grade: A-

**Currently in Theaters**

Starring: John Boyega, Daisy Ridley, Adam Driver, Harrison Ford, Oscar Isaac, Domhnall Gleeson, and Carrie Fisher; with Peter Mayhew as Chewbacca, Anthony Daniels as C-3PO, and Andy Serkis as Supreme Leader Snoke

Premise: As the evil and destructive First Order seeks to rid the galaxy of all Jedi, members of the resistance band together to fight back.

Rated PG-13 for intense action violence and destruction, disturbing images, and some emotional content

If you’ve ever underestimated the power of The Force, I’m assuming the past three days have set you straight. Forget Harry Potter. Forget Middle Earth. Forget The Avengers. Forget even the prehistoric attractions of expensive dinosaur theme parks. With crowds massing for every showing at every theater, social media forums exploding, box-office records collapsing and “don’t you spoil it for me” threats being uttered everywhere from those who are climbing the walls in their anticipation to see it, it’s clear that the seventh Episode of the Star Wars saga, J.J. Abrams’ The Force Awakens, is the biggest movie of all time, if not yet in worldwide box office receipts then certainly in pop culture impact and “It-Film” status.

But how is it?

It took me a second viewing to figure that out. Nothing beats the marquee opening night showing with the huge crowds, the spontaneous mid-film ovations and the excitement of knowing you’re one of the first people to see a movie some have been waiting years to see. Thursday was a wonderful experience—waiting in line with a group of friends who were all excited for the movie and wearing franchise memorabilia, cheering and high-fiving complete strangers when the theater doors opened, miraculously sitting with my entire group together despite an obviously sold-out showing, the cheers for even the pre-film credits and the loud, lengthy ovation at the end. However, despite the Star Wars love-fest, I wasn’t entirely sold on the movie. I thought maybe the sheer anticipation and all the buzz kind of swallowed the film, not to mention I have a devil’s advocate Dark Side that can sometimes spring up when everyone I know unanimously loves or praises one particular thing. So I went to see it again. I had to buy my ticket in advance again, I had to wait in line again, I sat by one of my good friends again, and I clapped at the end again, but I came away with a significantly better overall impression. The Force Awakens is not a perfect movie nor would I call it the best movie I’ve ever seen, but, as far entertainment goes…I mean, come on, it’s freaking Star Wars.

(To give you an idea of what “freaking Star Wars” implies, I’ll have you know I’m sitting here writing this while wearing Star Wars themed pajama pants, drinking out of a Star Wars-themed glass, and kicking around a pair of Star Wars-themed slippers, and I’m not even the biggest or second-biggest Star Wars fan I know. It’s freaking Star Wars)

Plot

**I feel pretty ridiculous writing this, but if you somehow have little or no familiarity with the Star Wars universe—and I do mean universe—ask a friend. You need not have seen all six previous movies. Shoot, you really don’t have to have seen any of them—considering this movie, like all the others, is preceded by the caption a long time ago in a galaxy far, far away, you can technically assume this is complete and utter made up stuff and you can therefore accept anything that comes onscreen. Then again, since this movie is loaded with characters who have previously appeared in movies at least three times, a complete novice may find themselves a little lost or disconnected.**

***On my honor, this is a very basic, spoiler-free synopsis. I’m actually quite proud of how it lays out the plot with minimal major details being revealed. Only minor spoilers ahead***

In the wake of the destruction of the Galactic Empire, a new dark-hearted, power-hungry legion, called The First Order, rose. Employing advanced, deadly weaponry, legions of highly-trained troopers and fronted by individuals with powers spawned by the all-encompassing Force, The First Order seeks to wipe out any trace of resistance in the galaxy. As the film opens, one of the First Order’s prime commanders, the dark-robed, lightsaber-wielding Kylo Ren (Adam Driver), leads an assault on a planet called Jakku in pursuit of one of the rising stars of the resistance, pilot Poe Dameron (Oscar Isaac). Poe is captured, but he leaves some key information inside his droid sidekick, a rolling little number called BB-8. Once captured, Poe is subjected to torture and constant questioning. Meanwhile, BB-8 is discovered by a young woman named Rey (Daisy Ridley), a lonely scrap scavenger and budding mechanic. Alerted that the little droid contains some important information, Rey is soon further caught up in the intergalactic drama when she encounters that most unlikely of things, a First Order deserter, Stormtrooper-gone-straight Finn (John Boyega). When First Order troops and aircraft descend on the settlement in which Rey lives and works, she, Finn, and BB-8 are forced to flee, commandeer an old spaceship, and escape Jakku. Once in space, they cross paths with the resistance, meet some near-mythic individuals who fought the Empire back in the day, and separately and together fight to find their courage and unleash their true inner strength.

What Works?

I had to see The Force Awakens a second time to convince myself it wasn’t merely a Star Wars Greatest Hits compilation—working off some of the most iconic characters, storylines, and fake technologies in movie history, writer/director J.J. Abrams and co-writers Michael Arndt and Lawrence Kasdan (who wrote 1980’s The Empire Strikes Back and 1983’s Return of the Jedi), obviously couldn’t start from complete scratch or ignore all the content of the previous six films. Some have already quibbled and called this movie basically a re-do of A New Hope (the added-later subtitle to George Lucas’ original 1977 Star Wars film). But after a second viewing, I do think The Force Awakens is less an homage to the old series than just another intergalactic adventure made very much in the vein of the movies that so many love. Part of my initial impression likely came from the opening night crowd’s reactions to every familiar item that appeared onscreen—it got to the point that even very minor characters (like the fish-faced Admiral Ackbar), and completely inanimate objects (like the Millennium Falcon starship) were greeted with ovations. But after a second viewing...I mean, of course they were going to bring back C-3PO and R2D2, and of course they found ways to welcome Han Solo and General Leia back into the fold, but it’s not a complete remake. I mean, Star Wars is such a popular brand (Freaking Star Wars!!) that it’s hard not to evoke something the huge fanbase loves. Why not avoid some backlash and give it to them? Ultimately, The Force Awakens has only slightly more completely-identical elements to the original film than Creed has to the original Rocky.

That being said, there is a lot packed into The Force Awakens. The breakneck pace can be disorienting early on, but the movie starts to even out, and though it does ultimately feel like two-and-a-quarter hours, I’m sure many would gladly watch the next installment immediately afterward. There are at least four new villains who could have recurring appearances in future films, at least three new good guys, too (four if you count the enjoyably-precocious BB-8). Oh, and there are major roles for close to half-a-dozen returning favorites. Entire new planets and solar systems are introduced. There are exciting chases, spectacular aerial space battles, amiable new character alliances, giant laser cannons, good guys flying a Tie Fighter, a guy stopping a laser blast in mid-air with the power of the Force, and topsy-turvy scenes that beg to be seen in 3-D. There was always going to be a little downtime involving indecisive characters and search-your-feelings Force-related mumbo-jumbo, but the last third of the movie is, for the most part, top-of-the-line Star Wars stuff. A character learning to use The Force from scratch the way Marvel superheroes discover their powers? That’s exciting! Classic banter between Han Solo and non-English-speaking sidekick Chewie? Terrific! The best-choreographed and most brilliantly-filmed lightsaber duel of the entire series? You bet. And a gimme nominee for the year’s single most gripping scene? Yep...I mean, if that scene doesn’t absolutely quell all the noise in any theater, nothing will.

The effects are great, of course, the signature score that plays at the beginning and end will have anyone worth knowing humming or pretend-conducting with their hands, and a cast that looked so promising in all the build-up to the movie’s releases delivers. Harrison Ford reminds you why he became such a big star for playing Han Solo. Carrie Fisher’s less active than before but no less likable a screen presence. The beloved non-human characters like C-3PO, R2D2, and Chewbacca—bolstered by new addition BB-8—are as welcome as any people. Oscar Isaac, who’s tended toward moodier fare thus far in this career, brings classic swashbuckling charm to Poe Dameron. On the other side of the good guy/bad guy spectrum, Domhnall Gleeson looks primed and ready to take the snarling, pale-faced, nefarious baddie crown many have worn before him. New leading lady Daisy Ridley excitingly explores new territory as a budding Force warrior—even Luke Skywalker’s introduction to The Force didn’t seem as exciting and flat-out cool as it does here. Best of all is Kylo Ren, effectively embodied by the baritone-voiced Adam Driver as a boiling cauldron of undeniable power, hot temper, and rumbling insecurity that ensure the character registers as more than just a cool new, robed, masked figure with a B-A cross-guard lightsaber. It’s Ren you’re most anxious to see and learn about in the future.

What Doesn’t Work?

Most of the concerns I have involve the screenplay, which not only fires through about thirty minutes of character introductions and stage-setting plot points at a dizzying rate, but doesn’t quite delve into character psyches when it needs to. No one’s going to Star Wars for character development alone, of course, but where the film soars with the layered depiction of Kylo Ren, it short-circuits with a less-than-convincing set-up for Finn, the former Stormtrooper. John Boyega proves an open, likable presence, but not only is his desertion from the Order rather rushed, but he seems way too much of a chatty, energetic spark-plug then one would expect from someone previously brainwashed and trained only for mindless destruction. Star Wars isn’t always super serious, but it’s supposed to be a space opera, not an action-comedy. Another character sadly shortcut who was prominently featured in the movie’s marketing material is Captain Phasma, the silver-uniformed stormtrooper voiced by an appropriately-malevolent Gwendoline Christie, who has a mere handful of lines. There’s also a case of “how did so-and-so escape from the exploding such-and-such in such a short amount of time” implausibility that could have audience members scratching their heads. And then, despite featuring an appropriately exciting plug for the sequel, Abrams lets the film veer into Peter Jackson Movie territory at the end with a series of wordless, teary-eyed close-ups that seem like they may never end.

Content

Hmmm. Put it this way: The Force Awakens is a little more cutthroat than the average superhero movie. There’s almost no blood despite all the laser blasting and lightsaber swinging, but The First Order proves early on that they’re not averse to the average village massacre or planetary genocide. Kylo Ren’s tendency to use The Force to manipulate people’s bodies and/or force secret information out of them has a torture-scene quality that could be unsettling for the kiddies. There’s no sex or nudity, and no swearing, but there’s enough pell-mell action and destruction to make this a solid PG-13.

Bottom Line

I called it already—the biggest film of all-time right here. And it ain’t half-bad. J.J. Abrams has done George Lucas and his iconic series proud with The Force Awakens, an often-dazzling mix of action and imagination. Led by some intriguing new characters and a villain with real depth, extended cameos for returning favorites, and an ending that leaves you wanting more, Episode VII proves it’s not just a rehash of earlier elements but a new, exciting adventure. It’s not perfect, but it’s a kind of high-level entertainment even most Marvel movies can’t provide.

Oh, did I mention this movie’s climactic lightsaber battle is the best one in the series so far? Yeah, so there’s THAT...

Star Wars: The Force Awakens (2015)

Directed by J.J. Abrams

Screenplay by Lawrence Kasdan, J.J. Abrams, and Michael Arndt

Based on Characters Created by George Lucas

Rated PG-13

Length: 135 minutes