The Force Is Strong With This One
The seventh episode in the cinematic Star Wars Saga is arguably one of the most anticipated films in history.
With the continuation of the story set by the original Star Wars trilogy, the news of film director J.J. Abrams taking the helm (the same director who brought Star Trek into mainstream popularity) as well as several cast members from the original Star Wars trilogy reprising their roles, Disney and Lucasfilm have set fan expectations sky high. It is hard to imagine that one of the most hyped films in recent memory can deliver on such grand expectations.
Fortunately, Star Wars Episode VII: The Force Awakens delivers in every aspect of everything a Star Wars fan could want from a sequel.
A lot of the elements from the original trilogy are used once again or explored even further, with Lucasfilm President Kathleen Kennedy highlighting one element being chance encounters. Luke Skywalker, Han Solo and Chewbacca, Princess Leia and the droids C-3PO and R2-D2 are very well known characters from the original Star Wars trilogy, whose paths crossed through chance or circumstance but eventually shared a common goal of destroying the evil Galactic Empire. The Force Awakens manages to recapture that magical element of chance encounters with both new and older characters, and even steers all characters towards the common goal of destroying the new evil power The First Order. Through treading familiar ground set by the original trilogy, The Force Awakens does risk repeating too many elements of the original trilogy without bringing enough new material or elements of its own. This works well for Star Wars fans as it is delivering plenty of fan service with many nods to the past, such as returning characters and iconic costumes, ships and props given their time to shine. Fortunately, The Force Awakens blends the old and familiar with the new very well so as to serve as a gateway from the classic trilogy (Episodes four, five and six) to the new current trilogy (Episodes seven, eight and nine)
The audience is introduced to the new main characters in the film in carefully timed and well-written succession. We are first introduced to Poe Dameron (Oscar Isaac) and his very familiar droid BB-8. After seeing the personality displayed by the BB-8 droid, and with knowledge that it is not a CG character but an actual robot built and used on set, I very quickly grew to love BB-8 as much as I loved R2-D2 from previous films. Poe’s character comes across as more of the sarcastic rogue-like type, the cocky hot-shot pilot very similar to Han Solo. Fortunately Poe’s humorous side isn’t cranked up too high as to be annoying or an attempt to out-humour Han Solo.
Poe Dameron has a chance encounter with Finn (John Boyega) who work together to escape the evil clutches of The First Order, the new group taking over where the evil Galactic Empire left off. The amazing cinematography J.J. Abrams uses when showing The First Order out in force or when demonstrating their power is reminiscent of Nazi German images from World War II. This creates a true sense of fear of the new evil group, lead by Kylo Ren (Adam Driver) and Supreme Leader Snoke (Andy Serkis) who both are practically newer versions of Darth Vader and the Emperor respectively.
Without going into much detail so as to avoid spoilers, Kylo Ren’s character is by far the most interesting and one who’s history is mentioned rather briefly but I would love to see further explored in later films. He comes across as incredibly powerful, unforgiving and oftentimes quietly terrifying, but the amazing performance Adam Driver gives this new evil character suggests deeper emotions and far more complexity behind Kylo Ren than can be explored in a single film. Supreme Leader Snoke however, while only having a few brief appearances, was clearly CG and almost broke me away completely from the immersion of the film. I honestly had trouble paying attention to what he was saying because I was distracted by the CG appearance of his character. With no explanation of who Snoke is, nor any background information on his character, Snoke remains a mystery and one of the weakest characters in the new trilogy so far.
The chance encounters I mentioned earlier shows loveable droid BB-8 crossing paths with Rey (Daisy Riidley), a girl who is stuck on a hot desert planet digging for technological scraps to sell for very little food and water, dreaming of seeing more of the universe and escaping her hostile home. If this sounds familiar to Star Wars fans, it’s because it is very similar to the story of a young Jedi named Luke who was also stuck on a desert planet dreaming of greater things.
When Rey crosses paths with BB-8, and eventually Finn, the three start an incredible adventure that leads them into the path of returning characters Han Solo (Harrison Ford) and Chewbacca. The return of these classic characters from the beloved original trilogy works incredibly well with newcomers Rey and Finn, with Han and Chewie applauded and cheered by the cinema audience upon their arrival on-screen. The chemistry between the characters feels natural and oftentimes playful, with even Rey and Finn left in awe of being in the presence of legendary rebel fighters. Ford’s humour as Han Solo is back, alongside the humorous back-and-forth banter between him and his trusty crew member and best buddy Chewbacca the Wookie. Fans of Star Wars will be pleased to see Han Solo and Chewbacca assisting Rey, Finn and BB-8 throughout the majority of the film, including getting into heated battles with storm troopers and The First Order. This was incredibly joyful to see considering Harrison Ford’s age and news of him breaking his leg early in filming.
Another familiar face entered to a round of applause in the cinema with Carrie Fisher reprising her role as Princess Leia, or as she is now known in The Force Awakens, General Leia. Her appearances throughout the film are brief, but she continues to be a major player, even a brilliant leader, for conducting another major fight against The First Order. Seeing her reunited with Han Solo and Chewbacca is incredibly heart-warming, to the point you feel like you are witnessing the reunion of a close and wonderful family you have not seen in a long time.
The action in Star Wars The Force Awakens is incredibly gritty, sometimes confronting and always intense. Early on in the film the audience is subjected to a scene which explains why this Star Wars earned its Mature rating as opposed to a PG rating. Consider this a fair warning for any parents taking any small children, there are a few horrific, confronting and violent moments throughout this film.
All battle scenes, whether on the ground, in the sky or in space, feel huge in scale and weight with spacecrafts exploding and disintegrating into many pieces before smashing with force (no pun intended) into the ground or a mountainside. The visual effects and sound design during these battle scenes are the best I’ve seen in some time, with J.J. Abrams expertly blending CGI with practical effects to create truly visceral experiences in every battle. Witnessing Han Solo and Chewbacca running across a battlefield blasting Stormtroopers alongside Rey and Finn is a lot of fun to watch, especially when a few funny lines from Han or Finn are exchanged amidst the chaos.
The lightsaber battles feel more deadly and realistic this time around, with fighting style and choreography more reminiscent of the visceral battle between Luke Skywalker and Darth Vader, as opposed to the over-the-top dancing and flipping seen in the lightsaber battles of the prequel films. There is a greater sense of intensity, ferocity and risk with the lightsaber battles in The Force Awakens, with every strike and block feeling quick and purposeful like a sword fight between two sword masters. Truly nerve-racking, edge-of-your-seat intensity, especially the final lightsaber battle towards the end of the film.
The biggest standout of the film was definitely Daisy Ridley, with her near flawless portrayal of Rey as a quietly brave and strong lead character. Her ever-growing fearlessness, subtle concentration and strong independence makes Rey an amazing character to watch as she attempts to escape or battle her way through intense situations. She may appear strong in the beginning of the film, but she still has many weaknesses which we see her confront and learn to conquer over the duration of the film. For a big film about space travel and good versus evil, The Force Awakens is not afraid to explore personal growth and change in its main characters, something which many viewers could draw inspiration from for building confidence and strength. Daisy Ridley is by far the best casting choice for Rey, a strong female lead who everyone strongly supports and cares for by the film’s end.
The absence of Luke Skywalker in the trailers and promotions leading up to the film’s release is completely on purpose and explained early on in the film. While his time on screen is short and there is little to no dialogue, it is still a powerful moment to see Mark Hamill reprising his role as Luke Skywalker. Despite the short screen time, it will be exciting to see what may lay ahead for Luke in the next two films with The Force Awakens acting as an action-packed start to an even bigger story.
Overall, Star Wars Episode VII: The Force Awakens is an amazing action film with plenty of humour, brilliant new characters, the anticipated return of classic characters, and the expertly handled blend of old and new representing a return to glory for the Star Wars franchise. While there is certainly risk of The Force Awakens relying too heavily on elements from the original trilogy, it manages to avoid being a repeat of what was before by introducing many new characters and elements that blend well with the traditional. Rey and Finn are incredibly likeable new characters and BB-8 is a loveable little droid with its own personality and quirks that could make R2-D2 a little jealous. While some CG effects such as Supreme Leader Snoke looking a little too fake and taking away from the immersion, the mixture of CGI and practical effects in battle scenes are a marvel to witness and are all expertly executed.
For fans of Star Wars, forget the prequels, The Force Awakens is a return to glory that perfectly captures the magic of the original films while progressing with a new story and characters. See you at the cinemas, and may the Force be with you.
Positives:
- Takes elements that made the classic Star Wars film trilogy so special and applies it to this new film, giving it the same feel of a future classic.
- The return of Han Solo, Chewbacca, Princess Leia, C-3PO, R2-D2 and Luke Skywalker!
- Daisy Ridley is amazing as Rey.
- Poe Dameron and Finn are likeable and funny new characters.
- Kylo Ren is a fearsome and iconic evil character with a deeper background worth revisiting.
- BB-8 is a loveable little droid with its own humour and personality.
- Awesome, intense and gritty action sequences. Space and air battles have a lot of weight and lightsaber battles feel personal and realistic.
Negatives:
- Some over-reliance on elements from the original film trilogy. Newcomers won’t get most of the references.
- Supreme Leader Snoke looks a little too CG fake.
Rating: 9/10
– Written by Joshua Armstrong
