Star Wars: The Force Awakens (2015) [Review]

"It's true. All of it."

PLOT SYNOPSIS

30 years after the deaths of Darth Vader and Emperor Palpatine, Luke Skywalker has disappeared and a new galactic war is on the verge of breaking out. Amidst these events, a young scavenger on a forgotten planet will embark on an incredible, destiny-defying journey.

REVIEW

STAR WARS: THE FORCE AWAKENS is here, and it is undeniably a good time. I cannot express how great it felt to finally walk out of of a Star Wars film feeling satisfied and filled with hope for the future.

Now, it does have faults. Quite a few, really. Its references to the original 1977 classic are a little too on the nose at times, and some characters are horribly underused and underdeveloped (which is supposed to be remedied in Episode 8 I hear). Additionally, many script elements, from dialogue to the narrative itself, are flimsy. However, when you think of all this movie gets right in its mission to course-correct the franchise, you can forgive its missteps.

The new characters are beyond interesting and nuanced, and I cannot wait to live through a new generation of adventures with them to discover all their origins, secrets and destinies. Out of the new cast, the most mesmerizing star was Daisy Ridley. She has just become the next big female heroine, coming out of nowhere to become one of the saga's most memorable characters, not to mention a powerhouse actor that will take the industry by storm. In a way, she's to this film what Harrison Ford was to the original: a scene-stealer with a very bright Hollywood future.

Daisy Ridley as Ray

John Boyega's Finn goes in a direction that I don't think many of us saw coming and, while he can be a bit over-the-top/irritating at times, is a surprisingly fun character that will bring much-needed levity to the proceedings as time goes on. Adam Driver's turn as Kylo Ren offers up an incredibly complex villain, and as a result the audience is taken on a roller coaster ride of emotions. Lastly, Oscar Isaac's hotshot pilot character Poe Dameron is likeable and, while sidelined a little too long, makes his presence felt in each of his scenes.

As for the original cast, the standout is without a doubt Mr. Ford. I haven't seen him be this into a role in a very, very long time. After practically phoning in a delivery in INDIANA JONES AND THE KINGDOM OF THE CRYSTAL SKULL (2008), and seeing his late-career catalogue in general, I was doubtful he could be Han Solo again. Boy was I wrong. Other than the grey locks, this is 1977 Han Solo all over again. He is so spry and energetic in this. I still can't believe his performance, to be honest. Bravo, sir. Bravo.

It's nowhere near the original trilogy, but STAR WARS: THE FORCE AWAKENS is a solid entry in the much beloved franchise that succeeds more than it falters. In the end, that's all us movie-goers wanted, right? Mission accomplished, Mr. Abrams.

SUMMARY

We'll never replicate the magic of the original trilogy, but this comes darned close. A must-see if you're a fan of the franchise.

VERDICT

GOOD

PROS