Star Wars: The Force Awakens, 2015.
Directed by J.J. Abrams.
Starring Mark Hamill, Harrison Ford, Carrie Fisher, Anthony Daniels, Kenny Baker, Peter Mayhew, Tim Rose, Adam Driver, Oscar Isaac, Andy Serkis, Domhnall Gleeson, John Boyega, Daisy Ridley, Gwendoline Christie, Lupita Nyong’o, Ken Leung, Miltos Yerolemou, Max von Sydow, Jessica Henwick, Christina Chong, Simon Pegg, Billie Lourd, Crystal Clarke and Pip Andersen.
SYNOPSIS:
30 years after the defeat of the Galactic Empire, a new threat rises. The First Order attempts to rule the galaxy and only a ragtag group of Heroes can stop them, along with the help of the Resistance.
Needless to say, Star Wars: The Force Awakens had a lot of high expectations going in as J.J. Abrams brought the old guard of the franchise back together with a new cast for the next generation of fans. The Force Awakens succeeds in reviving the magic of the Original Trilogy and creates intriguing new characters for fans to root for. While it doesn’t reach the height of the originals, nearly every aspect of this film is great from start to finish.
The new cast make great additions to the franchise. While his role could have been expanded a bit more, Oscar Isaac is full of charm as the daring Resistance pilot Poe Dameron, bringing a lot of fun and energy to his performance. John Boyega similarly displays a lot of energy as Finn, transitioning from moments of comic relief to dramatic weight with ease. Lupita Nyong’o rounds out the new protagonists as Maz Kanata, giving a stellar performance as the old and wise barmaid.
The real standout of the cast, however, is Daisy Ridley as Rey. Rey is the arguably the heart of the film as she finds her place in the galaxy. Much like Luke Skywalker before her, Rey is presented as the common person suddenly thrust into situations bigger than she’s ever known. Not only is Rey relatable, but she’s a well written and individualized character, able to stand apart from other characters. Rey’s character lends much of itself to Ridley’s performance as she imbues so much intrigue, excitement and curiosity into the character. Rey is by far already one of Star Wars’ best characters.
It’s a joy to see the returning cast on-screen as well. Of them all, Harrison Ford gets the most screentime as Han Solo, adding some new layers to everyone’s favourite nerfherder smuggler. In so many of Ford’s recent films, he just seems tired and phoning it in, but he seems genuinely happy to be back as Han, displaying a wearied character whose given up on working towards a better purpose in life. Carrie Fisher is similarly great in her few scenes as Leia, continuing the excellent chemistry between herself and Ford, while Mark Hamill is able to convey so much emotion in one look than anything else he does in the film.
While the protagonists are excellent, it’s the antagonists that get the short end of the stick. Gwendoline Christie’s Captain Phasma is severely underused; she never really gets a moment to call her own and dominate the screen. Adam Driver gives an intimidating performance as the series’ new villain Kylo Ren, but he’s rather underdeveloped. His motivations seem rather one note and much of his history is left unexplained, no doubt being saved for Episodes VIII and IX. While he has a foreboding presence in the first half of the film, that is somewhat lessened in the latter half. He is still an effective villain, but his presence just isn’t the same as the film goes on.
The Force Awakens is, however, the best looking Star Wars film, perfectly merging practical sets and effects with CGI. The action scenes look excellent, whether its watching the Millennium Falcon flying above the desert of Jakku or X-Wings dogfighting TIE Fighters. Abrams has a keen eye for visuals throughout the film, displaying a great sense on what to focus on whether it’s the action or quieter character moments.
Where Abrams’ direction falters a little bit is in the call backs to the Original Trilogy, specifically A New Hope. Many of the call backs are not subtle and can be somewhat distracting. Abrams was obviously targeting the older fans’ feelings of nostalgia (a fact I spoke about a few weeks ago), but he was quite overt in his attempts to harken back to Star Wars’ former glory, ranging from certain lines or shots to full-out story points. It’s not enough to derail one’s enjoyment of the film, but will certainly be a distraction for the hardcore fans.
Star Wars: The Force Awakens is ultimately a return to form for one of the biggest franchises in cinema history. It’s got a great blend of characters, action and heart while opening new and intriguing doors for future films. The antagonists could have been better developed and the call backs fewer, but Abrams nevertheless delivered a worthy addition to the Star Wars saga.
Flickering Myth Rating – Film: ★ ★ ★ ★ / Movie: ★ ★ ★ ★
Ricky Church
https://www.youtube.com/watch?list=PL18yMRIfoszEaHYNDTy5C-cH9Oa2gN5ng&v=WWU57JuvPl0
Originally published December 22, 2015. Updated April 15, 2018.
