"I was raised to do one thing... but I've got nothing to fight for." - Finn.
First things first, I won't spoil anything. As much as I would love to write about every single thing that happens, this really is a film that you should watch without having read too much about the plot and character details. So here we go: we have a new Star Wars film and, thankfully, it's a good one. Star Wars was something I really cherished growing up, and was easily a primary factor in kicking off my interest in film from a young age. I was mesmerised by the action and creatures, and learned to appreciate the story as I got older. The first Star Wars film I ever saw was Episode I: The Phantom Menace back in 1999. I was four years old, and soon after, I endlessly watched the original trilogy on VHS. Back then, the idea of Episode VII was just a dream, and I couldn't see it ever being made. Years later, here I am reviewing it.
I'll describe the plot as briefly as I can. The film is set 30 years after the events of Episode VI: Return of the Jedi. After the fall of the Galactic Empire, a new threat has arisen: the First Order. Lead by the mysterious Kylo Ren (Adam Driver), they seek to hunt down any traces of the Jedi, which leads them to the planet Jakku. There, they encounter skilled pilot Poe Dameron (Oscar Isaac), who possesses a map that will reveal the location of Luke Skywalker (Mark Hamil). With the map hidden inside his droid companion BB-8, the map must be returned to the Resistance, a small group that oppose the First Order. Eventually, BB-8 joins forces with Jakku resident Rey (Daisy Ridley) and rogue First Order soldier Finn (John Boyega). The team, accompanied by the familiar faces of Han Solo (Harrison Ford) and Chewbacca (Peter Mayhew), set off to join up with the rest of the Resistance in order to stop the First Order from ruling the galaxy.
Like the original trilogy, the focus in The Force Awakens is all on the characters. Star Wars has never been a franchise that has sold itself on the basis of a complex story, and so you need good characters to keep you engaged. The new characters, Rey and Finn, are both very likeable and are given plenty of depth. Finn strives to do the right thing, despite his connection to the First Order and Rey is troubled by her past. The performances of Boyega and Ridley greatly aids their likeability, and the two of them have fantastic on-screen chemistry. Of course, the film would feel empty without the return of some familiar faces. Harrison Ford, much as he did with Indiana Jones seven years ago, slips back into his iconic role with ease. It was such a joy to see the old players in a new Star Wars film, and to have them complimented by such a talented new cast. Kylo Ren is our villain for this latest instalment, and I felt he was a welcome addition to the long line of Star Wars antagonists. I felt the choice to give him some well handled comedic moments was a smart one, as it shows a conscious effort to make him more than just evil.
As one would expect, the film has plenty of action sequences. Again, I won't go into too much detail for fear of spoiling anything. Compared to the prequels, which certainly placed action as the priority over story, The Force Awakens structures the action in a way that feels better paced and more natural alongside the story. In some moments in the prequel trilogy, it felt like some of the action was there simply because there hadn't been a fight for sometime. In that sense, the action was just there to keep anyone from getting bored by the lengthy exposition. In The Force Awakens, the action works well with the story because the plot is more character driven, and so ensures the action remains exciting rather than simply being a distraction.
A massive plus for me was the use of practical special effects. I mentioned in my Jurassic World review that I was disappointed by the film using too much CGI when I had heard a more practical approach was going to be used to bring the creatures to life. In The Force Awakens, CGI is only used when necessary, and so the various monsters and set-pieces look far more convincing and impressive. I hope future blockbuster films follow in The Force Awakens' footsteps in this regard. It always looks better if you can have something really there in front of the camera, rather than using CGI all the time.
My only gripe, and its only a minor one, is that the story felt a little too reliant on a previous Star Wars film. Now, this one has plenty new to offer with its well developed characters and old cast returned for expanded roles, but the basic premise felt a bit too familiar. I am willing to be more forgiving for the film's basic plot, however, as it serves as primarily an introduction to the new characters, and needed to be less exposition filled than the prequels. Hopefully the next instalments in this new trilogy can create a bigger scale plot, but not one that falls into the same problems that plagued Episodes I-III.
I really do want to go into further detail, but everyone has remained so tight-lipped on the details of the plot, characters and action, that I can't help but feel morally obliged to stop here. In short, the film has managed to live up to the huge expectations as both a sequel and re-introduction to series. Gone is the awkward dialogue and length exposition of the prequels, allowing for a more exciting and engaging experience. It celebrates everything that is wonderful about Star Wars, and is sure to please both dedicated fans and new audiences. The force is strong with this one!
Pros:
+ Engaging new characters, and good use of the old players.
+ Good pacing for the action, with plenty of room to develop the characters.
+ Excellent performances from the cast (particularly Boyega and Ridley).
+ The championing of practical effects when possible.
Cons:
- The reliance on a previous Star Wars story formula, but this is only a minor complaint.
Like the original trilogy, the focus in The Force Awakens is all on the characters. Star Wars has never been a franchise that has sold itself on the basis of a complex story, and so you need good characters to keep you engaged. The new characters, Rey and Finn, are both very likeable and are given plenty of depth. Finn strives to do the right thing, despite his connection to the First Order and Rey is troubled by her past. The performances of Boyega and Ridley greatly aids their likeability, and the two of them have fantastic on-screen chemistry. Of course, the film would feel empty without the return of some familiar faces. Harrison Ford, much as he did with Indiana Jones seven years ago, slips back into his iconic role with ease. It was such a joy to see the old players in a new Star Wars film, and to have them complimented by such a talented new cast. Kylo Ren is our villain for this latest instalment, and I felt he was a welcome addition to the long line of Star Wars antagonists. I felt the choice to give him some well handled comedic moments was a smart one, as it shows a conscious effort to make him more than just evil.
As one would expect, the film has plenty of action sequences. Again, I won't go into too much detail for fear of spoiling anything. Compared to the prequels, which certainly placed action as the priority over story, The Force Awakens structures the action in a way that feels better paced and more natural alongside the story. In some moments in the prequel trilogy, it felt like some of the action was there simply because there hadn't been a fight for sometime. In that sense, the action was just there to keep anyone from getting bored by the lengthy exposition. In The Force Awakens, the action works well with the story because the plot is more character driven, and so ensures the action remains exciting rather than simply being a distraction.
A massive plus for me was the use of practical special effects. I mentioned in my Jurassic World review that I was disappointed by the film using too much CGI when I had heard a more practical approach was going to be used to bring the creatures to life. In The Force Awakens, CGI is only used when necessary, and so the various monsters and set-pieces look far more convincing and impressive. I hope future blockbuster films follow in The Force Awakens' footsteps in this regard. It always looks better if you can have something really there in front of the camera, rather than using CGI all the time.
My only gripe, and its only a minor one, is that the story felt a little too reliant on a previous Star Wars film. Now, this one has plenty new to offer with its well developed characters and old cast returned for expanded roles, but the basic premise felt a bit too familiar. I am willing to be more forgiving for the film's basic plot, however, as it serves as primarily an introduction to the new characters, and needed to be less exposition filled than the prequels. Hopefully the next instalments in this new trilogy can create a bigger scale plot, but not one that falls into the same problems that plagued Episodes I-III.
I really do want to go into further detail, but everyone has remained so tight-lipped on the details of the plot, characters and action, that I can't help but feel morally obliged to stop here. In short, the film has managed to live up to the huge expectations as both a sequel and re-introduction to series. Gone is the awkward dialogue and length exposition of the prequels, allowing for a more exciting and engaging experience. It celebrates everything that is wonderful about Star Wars, and is sure to please both dedicated fans and new audiences. The force is strong with this one!
Pros:
+ Engaging new characters, and good use of the old players.
+ Good pacing for the action, with plenty of room to develop the characters.
+ Excellent performances from the cast (particularly Boyega and Ridley).
+ The championing of practical effects when possible.
Cons:
- The reliance on a previous Star Wars story formula, but this is only a minor complaint.
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