Star Wars Episode VII: The Force Awakens

            “Star Wars” is probably the most famous franchise in cinema. As soon as it premiered in 1977, it exploded into pop culture faster than you could yell “SLOW DOWN!” It’s hard to avoid seeing anything that isn’t “Star Wars” related: movies, tv shows, spin-offs, video games, towels, costumes, toys, SPAGETTIOS, you name it. What’s there to be said about it that hasn’t been said already? Let’s first take a glance at the previous films.

            The original trilogy, spanning from 1977 to 1983, is considered by many to be one of best film trilogies of all time. It introduced the world to Luke, Leia, Han, Chewbacca, and brought a renewed interest in adventure films and science fiction, which paved the way for rival studios to try and cash in on the success with their own works. So many iconic moments in cinema have spawned from these films, paying homage to classic adventure serials while adding a sci-fi twist. If I had to choose a favorite, I would have to say “A New Hope” is my favorite out of the original trilogy.

            Then came time for the prequel trilogy, from 1999 to 2005. Millions of fans turned against Lucas for what he did in these films, even more so than for what he did with the special editions to the original trilogy. The political plot-points, the corny dialogue, the stilted acting, the racist stereotypes, I mean for god’s sakes, JAR JAR BINKS! I do think the prequels are weak, but unlike everyone who says “The Phantom Menace” is the worst, “Attack of the Clones” is the only film that I hate out of the whole series. Why? Because it’s the only one of the films that doesn’t have a direct narrative purpose. It’s just a filler movie. In fact, the “Clone Wars” miniseries by Genndy Tartakovsky felt more like an “Episode II” than the actual film.

            So yeah, “Star Wars” has definitely been something that people go into detail on constantly. While I’m not TOO big into it today, it’s still pretty damn impressive how far it’s gone. As you can imagine, when news of Disney buying the rights to the franchise and announced “Episode VII” back in 2012, fans were hyped. The hype went even higher when J.J. Abrams was announced to direct the film, coming off the recent reboot of “Star Trek.” While I was looking forward to seeing what Abrams would do with the films, I wasn’t quite as hyped as everyone else was. Not that I was being skeptical about it, but I wanted to keep my expectations at a reasonable level.

            Now that “Star Wars Episode VII: The Force Awakens” has hit theaters, what do I think of it? Well, my feelings toward this film are about the same as “The Avengers” and “Avengers: Age of Ultron”: it’s good and very entertaining, but I don’t think it’s AS big of an experience as everyone would make it out to be.

            In this film, it’s been years since the empire has been taken down, but it’s risen again under the First Order, led by Kylo Ren. During its war with the Resistance, we follow a lone scavenger named Rey, who gets caught up in the middle of the war, after encountering Finn, a traitor of the First Order, and BB-8, a droid from the Resistance that has important information on the whereabouts of a missing Luke Skywalker.

            One of the major selling points is the returning use of practical effects. It’s not like the prequels where they’re surrounded by blue screen or the special editions where it’s thrown in for no reason; you’re seeing actual sets, puppets, and animatronics. CGI is used in the film, but it’s only to a minimum. They use it for certain effects when it’s absolutely necessary, and it all fits in with the story. Thank you, Mr. Abrams for being dedicated to the craft of film making.

            The performances in the film were also handled very nicely. Daisy Ridley as Rey was a very likable protagonist, showing her capabilities through battle and her travels. Even when captured, she’s still stands up for herself. It was also very refreshing to see more female fighters in the “Star Wars” films, in the same vein as when we saw Furiosa in “Mad Max: Fury Road.” I don’t know why, maybe it’s because they both start off in the desert. John Boyega as Finn also gives a very sympathetic performance. While he may start out as a Stormtrooper clone, he still has a conscience of his own. Boyega does a great job as a man who is determined to do what he believes is right, even if it means changing sides. It’s really nice to see the star of “Attack the Block” go to a much more mainstream movie in the span of four years. I was really glad to see Oscar Isaac as the Resistance X-Wing Fighter, Poe, but he sadly gets pushed aside for a majority of the film. Oh well, maybe we’ll get more of him in the sequel. Adam Driver plays Kylo Ren, the new Sith lord following Darth Vader. He provides a strong intimidation factor through the film, and gives the new characters a run for their money. This is a guy who means business, willing to do anything in his power to take charge of the war and surpass Lord Vader.

            As you’d expect, the actors from the original trilogy make their return. Harrison Ford, Anthony Daniels, Carrie Fisher, Peter Mayhew, Mark Hamill, the gang’s all here, and they’re just as good as they were back in 1983. We even get cameos from other “Star Wars” related actors like Ewan McGregor, Frank Oz, Warwick Davis, and even some big name actors like Bill Hader, Ben Schwartz, Simon Pegg, Daniel Craig, Lupita Nyong’o, Kevin Smith, and Max Von Sydow. They even work in a cameo for Alec Guinness, the original Obi-Wan, by using archival audio. That was a nice little nod to the fans.

            Now if I have any complaints, it would have to be with the film’s plot. Not to go too deep into spoilers, but the film’s story does have a lot of similarities to “A New Hope.” “A New Hope” is my favorite of the series, but it is very noticeable through some key scenes, which leads to very predictable moments. This isn’t the first time Abrams has done this; “Star Trek Into Darkness,” was simply a retelling of “Star Trek II: The Wrath of Kahn.”

            Now with more films planned in the series, each of them having a different director on board, am I excited for “Episode VIII?” Well, considering they have Rian Johnson, the director of “Brick” and “Looper” on board, I’ll admit I’m a little more excited to see that. However, I will keep my expectation reasonable, so I don’t overhype myself.

            Overall, is “The Force Awakens” worth seeing? Absolutely. It gives the fans what they want: a “Star Wars” film that’s made for fans BY fans. It’s easy to understand the pressure Abrams was going through when developing this movie, but in the end it pays off for the most part. I’d say go and give it a watch, but I’m guessing you already have.

Rating: 8/10