'Star Wars: The Force Awakens' A Review

Star Wars: The Force Awakens is the long awaited and much hyped sequel/reboot of the Star Wars franchise. Thirty years after Luke, Leia, and Han helped put the Empire to bed for good The First Order has risen from its ashes to once again threaten the galaxy. After a failed attempt to reestablish the Jedi Order Luke Skywalker has disappeared. At the order of General Leia pilot Poe Dameron(Oscar Issac) along with his faithful droid BB-8 undertake a dangerous mission to desert planet Jakku in order to recover a clue to Skywalker's whereabouts. Enter capable loner and scavenger Rey(Daisy Ridley) who seems to have an affinity for the force. Enter defected Stormtrooper Finn(John Boyega) who is jarred out of his prescribed role by unexpected morality and emotion. Enter Kylo Ren(Adam Driver) angsty Dark Side acolyte and Darth Vader devotee. The old generation meets the new.

It is gratifying simply to see the characters we know and love again after so long away- Chewy, C3PO, R2D2, Leia, Luke, Han, and a parade of past character cameos. But Harrison Ford is the one with the most screen time and who gives the best performance. During the intervening years Han has aged and changed, Ford plays this with the same wryness but with an emotional complexity unapparent previously. The three new stars put in good turns but there are moments where it becomes apparent they are out of their depth, they are also a bit hamstrung by the fact this first installment in a new trilogy is almost all set up for its new leads.

Visually the film is fun and alluring. Enough homage is paid to the original trilogy but there is still clear progression with technology and world building. We have the clear sense that it is the galaxy far far away and that time has passed. We are familiar but there is enough originality and surprise to keep us engaged. The John Williams score has a similar effect, evoking the original Star Wars but updating and weaving in something new.

With a plot almost identical to A New Hope The Force Awakens offers nostalgic delight with the promise of freshness to come. This seems fair given the course correction required after the bizarre thematic and narrative detour taken during the prequels however future installments in this new age of Star Wars may suffer if they fall victim to the same story rehashing as this inaugural chapter.

Great action, fun but familiar story, a necessary return-to-form.

See It.