STAR WARS EPISODE VII - THE FORCE AWAKENS : A Review
Star Wars. A Saga born from the brain of one George Lucas in 1977. It is now over three decades old and going on four in just another year and a half. The very mention of the title can trigger any number of multiple reactions ranging from "fall down prostrate" adoration to fist clenching anger and hatred. Fans of the series itself are divided into many different factions, all at war with one another, arguing to this day over what constitutes "true" Star Wars. There is the Original Trilogy, or OT, that consists of Star Wars (later renamed to Episode IV - A New Hope), The Empire Strikes Back (Episode V), and Return of the Jedi (Episode VI). There is a plethora of books, video games, and cartoons released in the wake of the OT that has come to be known as the Star Wars Expanded Universe, or EU. Then in 1999, 17 years after the release of Return of the Jedi, George Lucas released the first volley of what would become the Prequel Trilogy, or PT, that consists of Episode I - The Phantom Menace, Episode II - Attack of the Clones, and Episode III - Revenge of the Sith. Many fans consider the PT to be an abomination even though it sought to explain the origins of the conflict witnessed in the OT. To this day, ten years after the last of the Prequels was released, the PT remains divisive, with heated arguments still raging over their credibility and worth as films in the official Star Wars canon. Not to mention the Special Edition remixes Lucas released of his OT with new scenes and expanded effects that also set fans ablaze with reactions ranging from content acceptance to vehement denial.
Lucas became so disillusioned with his brainchild due to the incessant hate from fans over what he had done to his films that in 2012 he did the unthinkable and sold off the rights to his whole company, Lucasfilm Ltd., that included the rights to his baby Star Wars to the cultural behemoth Disney Co. Lucas made off with a $4 billion payday and Disney was able to add another legendary franchise to their banner that includes Marvel and Pixar. Fans were aghast. How could Lucas betray them again? Hadn't the Special Editions and the PT been enough of a slap in the face? Well, the joke is on those "fans" because they were the ones who drove Lucas to that point. With Star Wars now firmly under their umbrella Disney immediately set about launching a whole new Sequel Trilogy, or ST, as well as a series of standalone spinoff films that will be known as the Star Wars Anthology.
To kickoff both new directions Disney/Lucasfilm looked to directors who were either already established or promising up and comers to take the reigns of the flagship films from both new series. The first Anthology film, now titled Rogue One - A Star Wars Story, was granted to Gareth Edwards, an up and coming director I rather greatly admire who had made a bit of an impact with his first feature film Monsters in 2010. An extremely low budget, under $1 million, Sci-Fi creature feature made with only two actors and extremely minimal crew that surprised many with how beautiful much of it ended up looking with Edwards doing all of the visual effects himself on his home computer. He was gifted the honor of directing the 2014 Legendary reboot of Godzilla to, in my opinion, staggeringly excellent results as a result of Monsters. Rogue One - A Star Wars Story is set to be released on December 16 of 2016. Now, to direct the first in a whole new Trilogy that would pick up after the fateful events of Return of the Jedi Disney turned to a director with some already well established credentials. J.J. Abrams has become known throughout Hollywood as something of a reviver of old film and TV series long thought dead. He started on TV actually and the series that bear his name are very well renowned. ABC's Lost anyone? Or Alias? Or more recently Fringe? He made his feature film directorial debut in 2006 with the third installment of the Mission Impossible film franchise. After two radically different films before it M:I-3 was rather well received overall for being somewhat a course correction for the series. His second feature film, however, is where it really gets interesting. Another iconic old Sci-Fi series with Star in its title owned by Paramount was in dire straights and in need of some fresh blood. Star Trek! Abrams' reboot of that series was a critical darling upon release and managed to make a pretty nice impact on viewers overall who had thought Star Trek was bound for the graveyard of history. Ironically, maybe, many said that Star Trek 09 had more in common with Star Wars than really anything from previous Trek outings. This was no accident that 09 Trek had some Wars in it as Abrams has freely admitted that while he likes Trek he was always more into Wars. Super 8, a loving tribute to the films J.J. grew up watching and adoring, and the first sequel to the new Star Trek series titled Into Darkness followed in 2011 and 2013 respectively.
It was after Into Darkness' release that Disney approached J.J. about Star Wars. Of course he said yes to directing a new film and now, two years later, after much hype and anticipation, not to mention sheer terror and anxiety on Abrams' part, we have arrived at the beginning of a brand new chapter in the legendary Star Wars Saga. Does Star Wars Episode VII - The Force Awakens, or just Star Wars The Force Awakens on all promotional material, live up to the monolithic hype that has surrounded it from its very first official announcement?
YES! Yes, Yes, Yes and more Yes! In this humble, and new, reviewer's opinion The Force Awakens is nothing short of a monumental success that delivers every conceivable thing that a film bearing the Star Wars name should deliver. It is loads of fun and it expands the mythic universe that George Lucas spawned almost four decades ago into enticing new directions. Paying great homage to what has gone before, and yes that means even the much maligned PT (which I happen to love), but especially to Abrams' beloved OT (more specifically A New Hope), The Force Awakens is the infusion of new passion and blood that Star Wars, like Trek before it, desperately needed to survive into a new generation.
Now the story. I will not spoil any major plot points, I promise. 30 years after Return of the Jedi ended with the defeat of the evil Galactic Empire a new threat has emerged out of the Empire's ruins. The First Order, under the leadership of Supreme Leader Snoke (Andy Serkis), his immediate subordinate and Dark Side warrior Kylo Ren (Adam Driver), and General Hux (Domhnall Gleeson) is in full swing attempting to reinstitute Imperial rule over the Galaxy and they have a new and powerful weapon on their side. Starkiller Base, a super weapon of mass destruction capable of destroying an entire planetary system from lightyears away, built into a planet itself. General Organa (heretofore known as Princess Leia played by Carrie Fisher) is the leader of the Resistance to this new regime and has sent her best and most daring pilot named Poe Dameron (Oscar Isaac) on a very important mission to retrieve a missing piece of a map that will reveal the location of an old ally who has gone into hiding. Poe finds the missing piece on the desert planet of Jakku and soon after The First Order shows up also seeking the map. Poe pulls a Princess Leia and hides the critical information in his much beloved droid companion BB-8 and sends the droid away to avoid its capture before being captured himself. A First Order Stormtrooper named FN-2187 or "Finn" as he will be called from here on (John Boyega) comes into the mix when he decides to forsake the First Order and he too ends up on Jakku. Living on Jakku is a young woman named Rey (brilliant newcomer Daisy Ridley) who works to obtain limited food rations as a scavenger looting the remains of ruined Imperial Star Destroyers and other vehicles that litter the desert landscape. When Rey comes across BB-8 and Finn the three of them are catapulted into an adventure that will bring them face to face with familiar old heroes like Han Solo (Harrison Ford) and Luke Skywalker (Mark Hamill).
I have desperately tried to avoid spoiling anything huge in the above synopsis. What's there is essentially covered in the film's trademarked Title Scroll. Now, yes indeed J.J. pays tribute left and right to iconic Star Wars staples, but never once does he let the homage overbear the new story he is trying to set up. That's right, set up. I agree with reviewer Chris Stuckmann who rightly points out that George Lucas fashioned the original Star Wars as a potential standalone with an ending of its own because at the time the future of Star Wars was very much in doubt. When it became a smash success and a sequel was guaranteed he was able to leave The Empire Strikes back on a cliffhanger because the third and final film of the Trilogy was practically a sure thing. People in my generation grew up with the ability to watch the entire Star Wars Trilogy on VHS from one to the next without having to wait three years between movies. The Force Awakens tells a story yes, but it is also a setup for a guaranteed larger story that will span Episodes VIII and IX. As such, don't expect every question asked in The Force Awakens to be answered in The Force Awakens. Many things that are set forth in this one are to be continued and expanded in the forthcoming Sequels. Of course we don't have to wait three years now. More like one and a half for Episode VIII to be released in the summer of 2017.
Now, how about those characters? Story is important yes, but without likable and relatable characters it would all be empty talk. Thank heavens J.J. and his co-writers Lawrence Kasdan (another Star Wars alumnus from Empire and Jedi) and Michael Arndt, not to mention the casting directors, have come up all aces with a fantastic cast of fresh new faces, on top of OT veterans, to carry this universe forward. The old hands on deck, Harrison, Mark, and Carrie, are outstanding and very welcome sights. Harrison Ford is on fire and passionate in a way he has not been in a long time. He seems genuinely happy to be back and his camaraderie with fellow returnee Peter Mayhew's Chewbacca feels as if there really hasn't been a three decade break between the films. Ford is truly remarkable and he brings all of the necessary added wisdom (in some areas) and increased world weariness that the intervening years demand be there without sacrificing who Han Solo still is at his core. A charming badass with a soft heart he still tries to hide. Carrie Fisher is still beautiful as Princess Leia, who has shed the Princess moniker for the more apt General Organa since she is now more involved with the military. The scenes she shares with Ford are so sweet. I'm sure that was one of the biggest concerns of anyone going into this film was whether or not the chemistry between the old cast members would still be there. Well, it is and it's beautiful. There is a genuine tenderness to their interactions with each other and it ensures that the coming developments are all the more powerful and shattering. Mark Hamill is indeed in the movie, but I will not reveal any more than that because it is something you have to see for yourself. And yes, Anthony Daniels is back as C-3P0 and he is a hoot as always, as is R2-D2.
However, it's the new characters that will really make or break this new Trilogy. Daisy Ridley is a simply luminous new find as Rey. She owns the screen whenever she is on it and makes certain that her character will never be known as a "damsel in distress". Rey is strong and resourceful on her own and more than capable of kicking butt when needed. John Boyega is exceptional as Finn. This is a wonderful new idea for a Star Wars film. Having a Stormtrooper, who are known to be brainwashed from youth to obey without remorse, realize the atrocities he is forced to be a part of and forsake the training that has been pounded into him from his early childhood is a great way to give the audience an insider's perspective on the film's bad guys. Finn is a very endearing character and you really come to care about him and root for his conscience to point him in the right direction. Boyega nails every nuance and gives a fully committed and lively performance. Oscar Isaac as ace pilot Poe Dameron is yet another home run for J.J. and crew. Isaac brings a genuine lovable warmth and assuredness to Poe that makes him instantly ingratiating and worthy of our rooting interest. His relationships with both BB-8 and Finn are beautiful highlights. Speaking of BB-8, that little droid is a badass. He is PERFECT! Perfect I say. The little "basketball" or "soccer ball" or "volley ball", as some have no doubt called him after seeing him in the previews, steals virtually every scene he is in. He is adorable, but never cloying or sappy. He's got an attitude that gives R2's a run for his mechanical bolts and he fits in seamlessly with the three leads. I want one. That is all.
Well, that is our three new good guys, but what about the bad guys? Well, Adam Driver as powerful and deadly Dark Sider Kylo Ren? Outstanding work. Driver does indeed find all of the right ways to make his villain someone we can genuinely fear and yet at the same time feel for. Ren's motivations for the things he does are slowly unraveled throughout the film and Driver hits every note to make for a bad guy that is as desperately torn up and conflicted as he is fearsomely savage. Domhnall Gleeson is General Hux and delivers his role with all of the vein popping intensity that it requires and he is very good at it. Gwendoline Christie is Captain Phasma, a Stormtrooper Officer, and she is also quite good in her brief screen time. It will be very interesting to see if she shows up in the future. And finally there is Supreme Leader Snoke who is played in Motion Capture by famed Gollum actor Andy Serkis. Here is one I cannot really praise yet because he really doesn't have enough time on screen, or do enough in the story here, to gauge whether or not his character is going to be worthwhile in the coming films. He's fine enough, but his role is limited for now, kind of like the Emperor before him.
The rest of the cast is comprised of small parts. Some destined to be expanded upon in the next two installments and some just background filler, but in the best way as they make the world of the film feel alive and real. The one small role that I just know has to be included in Episodes VIII and IX is Maz Kanata, motion captured and voiced by Lupita Nyong'o. Maz is a very promising character indeed and Nyong'o is good in the role. She's funny and she also possesses some information that will no doubt come in handy in the future.
It's a $200 million blockbuster film so surely it has to show that amount of money was spent on it right? Absolutely. The Force Awakens is a visual tour de force par excellence and every penny of that large budget is on the screen. The production design, location shooting, cinematography, and visual effects are all state of the art and as close to flawless as is possible. J.J. has become known for having a penchant for "lens flares". His two Star Trek films were peppered with them, but they never bothered me. It was an energetic look for those films. Some popped up in Super 8 too. In The Force Awakens J.J. and his cinematographer Dan Mindel, who worked together previously on M:I-3 and the first two Star Trek reboot films, have reigned the flares in for the largest part so as to more faithfully mirror the look of the Original Trilogy. Their work is, in a word, gorgeous. The Force Awakens is a beautifully shot movie with great camera work and lighting taking full advantage of the locations chosen for filming whether they be soundstage or actual locations across the globe. The harsh desert environs of Jakku give Tatooine a run for its money even and J.J. and Dan capture everything with striking clarity and precision while also embracing some of the flaws inherent in shooting 35mm film with Anamorphic lenses. The production design of the sets is also outstanding. Rick Carter, a veteran of such film classics as Jurassic Park and Forrest Gump, and Darren Gilford (Tron Legacy and Oblivion) have outdone themselves in crafting environments that all at once recall the old while whole heartedly ushering in the new. A beautiful balance was struck throughout. The visual effects of Industrial Light & Magic under the supervision of Roger Guyett are all top of the line and seamless. All of these elements come together to ensure that The Force Awakens is the best looking Star Wars film yet. Really how could it not be with the current technological advances and money on its side?
Now what would a Star Wars film be without music? Well, J.J. has gone and done it by luring the illustrious John Williams back for another shot at giving a musical voice to the "galaxy far, far away". It's a fine score to be sure and it fits the film without detracting from it or calling necessary attention to itself. However, there is one area that it, sadly, kind of falls short in. Namely, it does sort of fail to find new themes that are as memorable for the new characters as the old themes are for the older characters. The old themes are there and they are still as gorgeous as always, but we might have indeed expected another groundbreaker like the scores for A New Hope and The Empire Strikes Back. What we get is a fine score, but it does sort of lack an identity of its own. Of course, John Williams is 83 years old. He has contributed so many classic film scores to the world of cinema that I will not strike this against him at all. How could I? He came back to a series that he helped launch and has delivered a good score for a new film within that series. Once again, maybe the next two installments will take what was started here and expand and enrich it.
So, Star Wars Episode VII - The Force Awakens is not just a great Star Wars film, it is a great film period. It has everything a film like this needs to succeed and succeed it does with aplomb to spare. J.J.'s can set put his worry to rest and breathe again. He has now successfully revitalized THREE major film series in less than a decade and made it seem so deceptively easy. It can't be easy. Mission Impossible is one thing, but with two icons like Star Wars and Star Trek and their veritable oceans of fans frothing at the mouth and ready to tear into anyone who might conceivably screw up what they perceive as "their" series it is truly remarkable that J.J. has kept as cool as he has. My love for the Star Wars film Saga is huge. I have recently had an epiphany, after watching the whole Saga again from Episode I to Episode VI in sequence, wherein I recognize that Star Wars represents EVERYTHING I love about movies as well as the kind of movies I love. Great stories that take me to other worlds where the only limit is how far I can imagine, great characters that I can truly come to love and care for as if they were real flesh and blood people and be emotionally invested in their fates, and just amazing worlds of wonder and creativity that excite my eyes and my mind and my heart. Star Wars has it all and The Force Awakens is a very welcome and wonderful new addition to the Saga. The Star Wars Universe has literally limitless potential for exploration on film and now it seems we will finally see that exploration take place before our gratefully wonder filled eyes. It is indeed a great time to be a movie lover.
5/5
Review written by Eric Spearman on 12/19/2015
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