Star Wars: The Force Awakens- Review (Spoilers)

A long time ago, in a galaxy far, far, away...

Well kiddos the time has finally arrived. After an achingly long ten years, a torrential downpour of hype, and a metric ton of fan speculation, the newest film in the long storied Star Wars saga is here for our viewing pleasure. While I'm confident most fans have already fought through the crowds to witness this latest offering, I'm also sure there are quite of few of you out there, staring at the setting suns of Tatooine, who are wondering the following: Does one of the most anticipated flicks of the current decade live up to the veritable media fervor that has surrounded it, or is it just another wild bantha chase? Is it superior in every way to the prequels, or is the motivator shot? Is The Force Awakens even so much as just an enjoyable watch, or is it a half-witted scruffy looking nerf-herder?

To be quite honest, if I am to truly asses/answer these questions, I'M AFRAID I HAVE TO GO INTO SOME DEEP SPOILER TERRITORY. If you've yet to get on over to your local theater and watch this movie, there's your warning. It's practically impossible to discuss the positives and the negatives of this picture without delving into a fair portion of the juicy bits from the plot and characters. For those who wish to avoid said spoilers, I will succinctly sum up my opinion as such with a quote from the dark lord of the Sith, Darth Vader himself:

Allow me a moment to elucidate and elaborate. I honestly do like this franchise relaunching installment, and I would definitely encourage any self-identifying Star Wars fan to watch it on the biggest of big screens as soon as possible. This is easily and without a doubt better than the any of the prequel movies, and to clarify, I don't actually hate the prequels with any absolute certainty. There are a lot of excellent ideas in those works, but I feel that they are deeply flawed experiences that add up to nothing more than simply a missed opportunity to expound upon on one of the most influential film sagas to ever be made. Though I do consider The Force Awakens to be greater than its prequel predecessors, it too ultimately fails to truly capture that same force lightning in a bottle that was the trendsetting masterstroke of film making known to us fans as the original trilogy. Of course I will admit to the fact that even the originals are not perfect films by any stretch.

There more than likely is a hint of potential bias in my assessment of this picture (seeing as how the original trilogy is one of my favorite trilogies of all-time) so checking out The Force Awakens for yourself and coming to your own conclusions is probably still the best way to go. For everyone else who wants to investigate this disturbance in the force with me, feel free to keep reading further.

Once more the galaxy is at war. The diabolical First Order has risen from the ashes of the Galactic Empire, and only the Resistance has stood defiant against the First Order's onslaughts. When a map containing the whereabouts to Jedi Master Luke Skywalker is discovered on the desert planet of Jakku by Resistance pilot Poe Dameron, the First Order's Kylo Ren isn't too far behind. Cornered without any chance of escape, Poe has no choice but to entrust the map to his droid BB-8. The small droid flees into the Jakku deserts, and in his travels meets up with the scavenger known only as Rey. Together they embark on a journey to deliver the map to the Resistance, with the hope that finding Luke Skywalker will be the key to bringing the battles with the First Order to an end. Along the way they'll encounter friends and foes, while discovering that the First Order possesses an immense star system destroying weapon called Star Killer base.   

If that synopsis sounds even somewhat remotely familiar to you, it should because you've undoubtedly already seen it. As much as it pains me to write these words, The Force Awakens unfortunately lifts the plot of the original film (subtitled A New Hope) wholesale. Every single major plot point from that flick is unabashedly mimicked here, and I can't help but feel disappointed by that. This is by far the worst part of the whole movie. I mean, we waited for ten whole years just to experience the exact same narrative that was written well over thirty years ago? The creators seriously couldn't be to troubled to conjure up something fresh featuring a brand new story, brand new characters, and would encapsulate the spirit of the original classic we all know and love? They deliberately went out of their way to disavow some of the outright amazing Expanded Universe material (like the excellent Thrawn Trilogy) in favor of regurgitating Episode IV in the hopes that they could capitalize on viewer nostalgia. I'm sorry, but in my eyes this is something I can't in good conscience ignore. Rehashing the story of the inaugural film just reeks of lazy writing from the creators, and they need to be called out for it, not praised.

Totally haven't seen this before...

Don't get me wrong, I'll be the first in line to admit that the prequel flicks were lackluster experiences on the whole, but I can at least say that they tried to chart some new waters regardless of their overall execution and quality. I totally comprehend that this picture is meant to be a relaunch/introduction to a whole new generation of Star Wars fan (and in that regard it fundamentally succeeds) but playing it safe isn't how Star Wars does business. You can tell a story that is in essence familiar, but is at that same time fresh, new and exciting. The original Star Wars was equal parts a love-letter to science-fiction, high-fantasy, and adventure narratives, while also being a pioneering work meant to raise the bar with how we consider making movies and telling stories. Thus, seeing no real effort to tell us a NEW Star Wars story (like the superb Star Wars Legacy comic series did) is incredibly underwhelming, and it really does bring down in my eyes what could have been an otherwise potentially fantastic addition to the saga.

Never mind the fact that another sequel movie like Tron: Legacy was lambasted and torn apart by fans and critics alike for doing the exact same thing. People noted the blatant similarities with the original and its sequel and justifiably called out the creators for it. Why then does Star Wars: The Force Awakens get a free pass for committing the same crime? Is it simply because it's Star Wars, and we as a whole just so desperately want to have another good movie? If anything else can we at least be consistent in our criteria of critiques?

I can almost hear the angry clacking of keyboards now, setting up responses to argue me on this very fact. If you don't believe me, I shall demonstrate by recounting every major plot point to The Force Awakens, and A New Hope.

1. Rebels/Resistance are on the run from The Empire/The First Order because they have info MacGuffin.
2. Said MacGuffin is entrusted to a droid who escapes onto the desert planet Tatooine/Jakku.
3. Lowly moisture farmer/scavenger Luke/Rey finds said droid with MacGuffin. 
4. Protagonist initially resists call to action.
5. Events transpire that ultimately team the protagonist with allies to go on the galactic journey to face the enemy.
6. Allude to the hidden potential of the protagonist who is now destined for great things in a future installment.
7. Introduce nearly insurmountable weapon the enemy possesses that will be fired off just to show how nasty it is.
8. Old mentor character to the protagonist dies at the hands of the major sword-wielding villain.
9. Climatic battle against the insurmountable weapon The Death Star/Star Killer Base ensues. 
10. Hitting the insurmountable weapon's one weak spot ultimately destroys it, with the heroes saving the day.

This reiteration is almost made doubly worse when you consider that the original film honestly did certain elements far better. To be quite frank, nowhere is this more exemplified than with Star Killer base. This singular element alone comes off almost as an afterthought in the whole plot. Seriously, Star Killer base suffers from one of the worst cases of the "oh by the ways" I've seen in a long long time. You see, in the original Star Wars, the Death Star was a pivotal part of the story from practically the beginning. Leia had to get the Death Star plans to The Rebel Alliance before The Empire could do any real damage with it. Those plans are the linchpin to the Rebel's success in the end, as opposed to Star Killer base that just comes off as a "Oh by the way, we have this big nasty weapon here." that only really matters come the third act. No part of the plot honestly hinges on The First Order possessing such a weapon, which removes a lot of the gravitas such a thing could've had. It's pretty much just another obstacle thrown in the way of the heroes, and everything about it raises questions. Does the base move on it's own or teleport somehow to be in range of new targets? Which planets did it destroy when it got fired off? Why would they decide to convert an entire planet into a system destroying weapon/base? I think this clip may be the answer as to the writer's thought process.

We can try to deny it all we like, but it's as apparent as the burning sun in the sky. The Force Awakens is a blatant (and somewhat inferior) retread of A New Hope, no ifs, ands, or buts about it. While this very well could build into something new and substantial come Episode VIII, right now this comes off as nothing more than derivative. At least A New Hope had the forethought and courtesy to end on a fairly complete note. The Force Awakens ends with a ton of major cliffhangers that sequel bait painfully hard, and attempt to build mystery, something Star Wars was never about. Granted, there still is a three-act structure to Episode VII, but the stinger ending and the inconclusive threads remove a good deal of feeling any substantial sense of resolution, or accomplishment for the characters, out of the finale.

Tons of people are praising The Force Awakens as some sort of revelation to the franchise, and in my eyes it simply isn't. Again, I think it's a decent movie, but let's be real here, is this really a watershed film for the franchise? I've seen this sort of behavior from fans before when The Phantom Menace was released all the way back in 1999. Fans proclaimed to the high heavens that Episode I was a rock solid film, built to remind us all as to why the original trilogy was so amazing. They were partially right in that statement, because when I walked out of that flick, I remembered why I loved the initial run so much more. Out of my entire class, and group of friends, I was one of the only people who saw Episode I for what it really was, lackluster. Naturally everyone (as most fans initially do) refused to believe that a Star Wars movie could actually be bad. We collectively smiled and lied to ourselves, and it wasn't until years later that people finally started to admit that The Phantom Menace really just wasn't that good a movie. Without a doubt I feel like I'm seeing that all over again here with The Force Awakens. While it may be years from now, eventually the sugar-high will wear off, and more objective views of The Force Awakens will come. Once more, I will concede wholeheartedly that this is definitely a more fulfilling movie when compared to any of the prequels, but that has a lot to do with the fact it replicated a much better plot from an already superior film.

Moving on from my story concerns, one area where The Force Awakens excels is its characters. A lot of this film's heart comes from the focus on characters this time around, as opposed to the flat, one-dimensional characters of the prequels. The one thing George Lucas seemed to have to forgotten when doing the prequels was that characters are essentially the life-blood of Star Wars. Having lacked emphasis on character in those movies made everyone talk in either cliches', stereotypes, or exposition, making for very boring characters that were hard for fans to have any investment with. In the case of The Force Awakens most of the characters have a far more natural feel to them. The dialogue comes off leagues more in tune with the spirit of the original trilogy, making for some legitimately funny banter/exchanges, as well as some well grounded drama. Not every line is a winner (as some lines are rife with the schmaltz of daytime soap operas) but hey, even the original trilogy had that from time to time.

I found myself enjoying the new cast quite a bit. Oscar Issac's role as Poe Dameron (which unfortunately isn't that prominent) still manages to leave a lasting impression, and I personally can't wait to see more of him in Episode VIII. John Boyega's turn as Finn is one of the most endearing characters I've seen in Star Wars in a long while. I like how he is a guy who is sort of fumbling through the story (like Jar Jar Binks if he was done correctly) and is clearly in way over his head. His decision to finally stand and fight (with a light saber no less) really solidified his character for me. While I do find it a tad disappointing that the promotional material made it look as if he was the hero (sadly turning him somewhat into a decoy protagonist) he's still entertaining as hell, and I want to see where his character goes in the future. The new discovery for this film, Daisy Ridley, gives a palpable performance that is more than worthy of being this new trilogy's true heroine. The on-screen chemistry Ridley has with everyone (be it old or new cast) has such a genuine feel that I have little doubts about what's to come with her as an actress, let alone as a Star Wars lead. Even the new droid BB-8 is incredibly likable. In the wrong hands this little guy could've been annoying to no end, but thankfully he's immensely funny, cute, and an all around awesome addition to an already solid cast of heroes.

A fun character, and an awesome prop/toy to boot!

Of course the returning players all give solid takes as well. Getting to see the now legendary Harrison Ford take a seat on the Millennium Falcon, all the while declaring "We're home." sent some highly nostalgic chills up my spine. One of my fears going into The Force Awakens was that Han Solo would be played exactly how he was in the original trilogy, except that he'd be older. Thankfully Ford plays Solo as someone who has changed over the course of time. While some of his character ticks are still there, we see a Solo here who is somewhat emotionally broken, but still sure of himself in more ways than one. Carrie Fisher's turn as Leia is nice to see, but I feel like we didn't get to see enough of her. I really dig the idea of putting her in Mon Mothma's position as head of The Resistance, but her scenes are so few that she sometimes feels like a non-entity. Much like Solo though, Leia too comes off as someone who's changed over the years from bearing tons of emotional baggage. What's really refreshing though was seeing Chewy become more of a developed character this outing. Even though he still speaks in growls and howls, Chewy actually gets one of the most emotional scenes in the whole flick. Depending on what type of fan you are, you may hate the decision to have Luke Skywalker as nothing more than a glorified cameo at the end of the movie. One of the prime players in the whole saga doesn't even get to so much as speak in The Force Awakens, and I can see that being a very big turn off. I personally though didn't mind the move. Leaving Luke to the background gives the newer cast an opportunity to shine, and I'm damn sure we'll get to see plenty of him come the next installment.

As for the villains, it's sort of a mixed bag. Once again, depending on what type of fan you are, you either really like the villains, or you don't. Kylo Ren, General Hux, Captain Phasma, and Supreme Leader Snoke all have a great deal of potential to be fantastic villains, and while I do like some of them, it must be stated that a portion of them go underutilized. Nowhere is this more apparent then with Captain Phasma. Essentially she is nothing more than a walking talking gun-rack. She doesn't fire a single shot in the film, let alone is ever portrayed as a fearsome/competent captain of her troops. She says a couple lines, get's thrown into a garbage chute (off-screen mind you) and is never heard from afterward. Again, the promotional material made it out like she was going to be a big deal, but she honestly isn't. If it weren't for the knowledge of her being confirmed for Episode VIII I'm going to be completely honest and say that her character was outright wasted here. In my eyes Phasma should've been the storm trooper who fought toe to toe with Finn when he had the light-saber. If that would've happened I don't think a soul would've complained. I wouldn't have her die from a shot by Han like the random trooper does, but she seriously needed something more to do in this movie beyond simply stand there and talk.

Kylo Ren seems to be the most divisive villain on the roster, and for good reason. Fundamentally he is Anakin Skywalker all over again, but in some ways not. Personally I feel like he's Anakin done right, with a much better actor portraying the character type in Adam Driver. I really dig how he knows he's being called to the light-side of the force and essentially prays to the remains of Darth Vader's helmet to help keep him on the dark-side. Playing up his religious overtones to the force feel very appropriate, and while I can see how Kylo can come off as having emo-wank fests, I think they characterize him in a very interesting way. He isn't Darth Vader (let alone a Darth/Sith at all) and he knows it. He appears to be written with a major temper/inferiority complex which I enjoy quite a bit. He isn't your usual villain, in that he spends a good portion of the movie sort of pea-cocking. He puffs up his chest, shows off some of his skill, but ultimately isn't what he wants everyone to think he is. He's very much a Starscream (of Transformers fame) type character, and I enjoy the rivalry that exists between him and General Hux. He's not the best villain to ever come out of Star Wars lore, but he is definitely different from the usual ilk.

Remember when people were only divided over the design of his light saber?

Now onto some of those major spoilers I mentioned earlier. The biggest moment in this movie is the death of Han Solo at the hands of Kylo Ren, who is actually Han and Leia's son, Ben Solo. A lot of fans seem to be divided on the decision to kill Han, and I'm going to throw my hat on the side that says I don't mind this. Harrison Ford is getting up there in age, and has long stated that he wanted Han Solo to go out on a poignant death. It's easily one of the most dramatic moments in the entire film (even though they do make it pretty obvious it's going to happen in the third act) and I feel Han's death galvanizes the stakes for our heroes. I know it can be tough to see a character that is so iconic, that we all love bite the big one, but sometimes that death can take a story that was merely good and make it great. I won't be so bold as to say that Han's death makes this movie phenomenal by any means, but I will say that it certainly gives weight to an otherwise rehashed plot. Hearing Chewy's mournful howl as Han dies, and his subsequent rampage against First Order troopers will quite frankly go down as one of the most heart-wrenching moments in Star Wars history.

The other story bit that's creating a point of contention is the character of Rey herself. By the bottom of the second act it is revealed that Rey is force sensitive, and is perhaps in some ways, one of the most powerful force users we've yet to see in Star Wars. Without any real experience whatsoever Rey is able to pilot the Millennium Falcon with seemingly the greatest of ease, while also besting Kylo Ren (a trained force user) in light saber combat. I honestly do understand when accusations of her essentially being a Mary-Sue get thrown about, but frankly I find myself somewhat in disagreement. Rey is a character who as far as I'm concerned is a natural force user done right. She's been using the force her whole life, but has simply never realized it. And even when she does begin to have an understanding of her powers, she's definitely not fully capable with them yet. For most of her fight with Kylo Ren, she's fundamentally running from him, or on her back heel. It's only when she finally gives herself to the force that Rey actually starts to beat Kylo down. Never mind the fact that she's also fighting an already injured/bleeding-out Kylo Ren. When one takes the time to consider how the force has been said to work throughout the entirety of Star Wars, is it really that surprising Rey is able to do what she can do? I remember a lot of Star Wars fans declaring how they liked the character of Star Killer from the Force Unleashed games, and that guy could literally incinerate people using the force. Where were the accusations of a Gary-Stu then?

Visually, what can I say about The Force Awakens that hasn't already been said? This movie is drop-dead gorgeous in all sense of the word. The decision to use actual film reel, as well as a huge slew of costuming/practical effects was a divine one to say the least. This is hands down one of the most textured and real feeling Star Wars films we've ever had, and I can't give enough of my praise to the special effects department for their obviously dedicated work. The only drawback to the whole flick is the occasional lapses with shaky-cam and two entirely CG characters which, to my dismay, are apparent as hell. I really don't understand why the choice was made to have Supreme Leader Snoke be an all CG character. His proportions and overall appearance are pretty much humanoid and achievable through masks/makeup. The other character is Maz Kanata, who is perhaps even more egregious than Snoke. While I understand that they probably wanted to have Lupita Nyong'o's performance be both physical and vocal, the CG here just really makes her stand out. At least Snoke was covered in heavy shadows which alleviated some of the uncanny valley effect on him. While they're far from the worst I've seen done with CG (I'm looking at you Terminator: Genisys) with so much amazing practical work they're tragically somewhat distracting.

John Williams reprises his role once again as Star Wars composer, and I feel he does just as good a job with The Force Awakens as he's done throughout the entire saga. The First Order's theme, while not as iconic/memorable as The Imperial March is still evocative nonetheless. Getting to hear the likes of some of the classic tunes (like Han's theme) again was quite welcome amid the new tracks. I can only hope with the next episode coming that Mr. Williams will continue his trend of giving us more superb new scores.

Overall I want to emphasize again that I do not hate this movie. I think the opening line "This will begin to make things right"  is quite appropriate in how most fans should see The Force Awakens. Despite of all my criticisms on the film, even though it's not what I would've wanted/preferred to see out of a brand new installment, I will say it is at least what the franchise needs. I'm only coming down somewhat hard on Star Wars because I am a big fan of the franchise, and if we want to see it get better, we have to be willing to criticize it truthfully/objectively. My take away in the end is that The Force Awakens is ultimately a pledge from Disney that they can be trusted to not make Star Wars any worse than the prequels, and I guess that's a starting point. The original trilogy's spirit is certainly there, which for the most part means we're going in the right direction. Perhaps with Episode VIII we'll get a more bold picture, but for now I'm gonna have to call it as I see it, with that being The Force Awakens is most certainly a decent Star Wars flick, but a far distance from the greatest.

Positive Factors

• A return to form for the franchise in more ways than one, and a solid starting point for new fans.
• Strong emphasis on characters both old and new as any good Star Wars installment worth its salt would do.
• Some legitimately funny banter/dialogue along with some poignant drama elevates the whole experience.
• The decision to use actual film/practical effects throughout gives the texture and tangibility Star Wars needs.
• John William's score is just as solid as ever. You'll be humming the tunes from this one in no time flat. 

Negative Factors

• This is a blatant retread of the original film's plot, and unfortunately the original did it better.
• Some of the characters go completely underutilized, or are very like 'em or hate 'em types. 
• While the movie is gorgeous overall, the two completely CG characters are obvious as can be.

Final Rating: Splenderiffic!