Review! Star Wars: The Force Awakens

Star Wars: The Force Awakens (2015) Directed by J. J. Abrams. Starring: Daisy Ridley, John Boyega, Oscar Isaac, Domhnall Gleeson.

“A long time ago in a galaxy far, far away…”

Star Wars: The Force Awakens is not the best Star Wars film, but it is the most important. I understand that’s a bold statement to make after just one viewing, but it’s the truth. The film does so many things right, that it overshadows the missteps and makes for a great film. It almost makes you forget the prequels even exist. The problem this film will run into is if its audience is familiar with the source material or not. I’m not saying you need multiple viewings of all six films under your belt, but a basic understanding of the story is necessary to truly appreciate the story that JJ Abrams and company are telling. If not, you might stumble through the film feeling confused and wondering what the hell is actually going on.

I’m choosing to write this review as vaguely as possible. I went into this film knowing nothing. Seriously. I only ever saw the initial teaser trailer and a list of the cast. The stories told within the film are so intertwined that if I give one detail away, further explanation might lead to spoiler territory. Even if I discuss the depths of certain character’s roles, that will lead us into spoiler territory. So what does that actually leave me to talk about? Plenty.

For starters, the look and style of the film bring us back to the original Star Wars. In the prequels, we’re in a fantasy–like world where everything is colorful and seemingly wonderful. Then in comes the dark forces of the Sith, creating what we see in the original trilogy which is the Empire taking on the Rebellion. The world is darker and bleaker because the plight of the Rebels is just that. They have no place to call home and they’re on the run attempting to fight back. In The Force Awakens, we see a return to a darker and bleaker world. Yeah, there is more color, but the Rebellion is still on the run and fighting the new dark power that has emerged. Another color introduced in the film is red: the color of blood. Yeah. People actually bleed in this movie, adding a startling sense of realism that in turn strips away any feelings of “kid friendly prequels”. The second you see blood, the film suddenly feels more adult and its stake and consequences feel all the more real.

The film also looks real. I think what turned a lot of people away from the prequels, aside from the bad acting and story, was the smorgasbord of CGI. The Force Awakens has the perfect blend of practical and CGI effects to the point where the two are indistinguishable in most scenes. Yeah there are some scenes that are 100% CGI, but they’re believable. You feel the intensity and the danger. Even the creatures we encounter throughout the film are believable. The entirety of the film is grounded in realism, despite the fact that it’s not because it took place a long time ago in a galaxy far, far away.

The cast is great. The newcomers are stellar and the familiar faces we love give an extra depth to the characters we didn’t see in previous films. Even the villains, who are stronger than those in the prequels, have a greater range and depth to them. We see character arcs that feel familiar, but they’re chopped and dispersed throughout making the characters, both filled with lightness and/or darkness, multi-dimensional rather than monotone placeholders. And of course the score is fantastic. It’s John Williams doing what John Williams does best. It practically writes itself.

My biggest gripe is the story. Again, I’m going to be vague because I don’t want to spoil anything, but for lack of a better term, it feels forced. (I swear there is no pun intended) There are some moments you’re forced to just go with because it’s in the Star Wars universe. There are also moments of character development that could’ve been developed and explored better as the film progressed rather than in its hurried state. There is a hint of predictability to the film. I don’t want to say how or why because then we’re getting into potential spoiler territory, but while The Force Awakens doesn’t follow a particular formula, there are some moments that feel a bit more by the numbers than nostalgic. On top of that, there are a lot of questions that don’t have answers. It’s frustrating at times, especially when one character blatantly tells you that things will be revealed at another time. Other things are explained, but not as fully as I want them to be. It’s interesting, because it adds depth to the scene and characters sure, but it’s frustrating because I want answers now, not in the next two films.

Now maybe some of my questions were answered and I couldn’t hear or see them cause I was too busy muffling my sobs. I cried four times during this film. The nostalgia this film drums up, to me, is overwhelming at times. Here I am, back in a galaxy far, far away with old friends and new ones going on an adventure. Here I am reliving my childhood. A childhood filled with taking the brush part off a broom and using the handle as a light saber as I battled the dark side of the force (my little brother) for the betterment of the galaxy (or the last chicken nugget).

What’s also important to note, the stories told in The Force Awakens have no ending yet. When I was first introduced to Star Wars, it was a VHS boxset and all three movies where there. You’d have to fast forward through the interviews with Leonard Maltin and George Lucas, but there was no waiting or guessing. When one film ended, you put the next one in. If you had a question, you rewound the tape until you found your answer. Then when the prequels came out, we knew where they were headed. Yeah you’d get a surprise or two along the way, but you knew the ending already. There was no real feeling of danger or consequence. As the Force Awakens ended, well, it can really go anywhere from here.

You owe it to yourself to see the film in theatres. Aside from Jurassic World, there is no bigger cinematic event of the year than this film. It needs to be experienced on the big screen for the aerial battles alone. Even if you don’t understand Star Wars, buy the ticket and go see all the people that dress up. I’m sure that’s worth the price of admission alone.

FTS SCORE: 86%