Star Wars: The Force Awakens

Starring: Harrison Ford, Mark Hamill, Carrie Fisher, John Boyega, Daisy Ridley, Oscar Isaac, Adam Driver, Lupita Nyong'o, Andy Serkis, Domhnall Gleeson, Anthony Daniels, Max von Sydow, Peter Mayhew, Gwendoline Christie, Simon Pegg, Greg Grunberg, Warwick Davis, Ken Leung, Thomas Brodie-Sangster, Daniel Craig (uncredited)
Directed by: J.J. Abrams
Rating: PG-13
Genre: Science Fiction, Action, Adventure
2015

Times Seen:
Tim: 3

Summary: Light and dark forces collide in an attempt to retrieve a map that is purported to lead to Luke Skywalker.

Review:

Tim: In many ways, Star Wars: The Force Awakens still doesn't feel like real life to me. George Lucas selling Lucasfilm to Disney was mind boggling enough. Then, we actually got the 7th Star Wars movie. Then, we got the perfect director in J.J. Abrams. And to top it all off, not only is the film incredible, it shatters every conceivable domestic box office record, concluding its theatrical run with an impossible-sounding $936 million. This film just blows my mind.

My biggest hesitation going into this film ended up as the movie's greatest strength. I grew up on Star Wars, so Luke, Han, and Leia would always be the heart of the franchise. While I knew all three were coming back, I couldn't really envision anyone else taking up their mantle. The writers did a shockingly amazing job of giving us these incredible, game-changing characters. I still find this hard to believe, but I absolutely love Rey, Finn, and Poe Dameron. I can't fathom how they did this, but I love these new characters every bit as much as the old. I would watch the three of them in a dozen Star Wars films, even without Luke, Han, and Leia. That is this film's most stunning achievement- they have managed to transition the franchise away from the previous generation to the new one. There's no way that should have happened, but it did. The new characters infused this franchise with new blood. I cannot wait to see where it goes from here.

This happens because of the perfect combination of writing for the character and the ideal person to bring these characters to life. I've never heard of Daisy Ridley before this movie, but she is wonderful as Rey. I love that this franchise now features a strong, intelligent female as its main character. That differentiates this movie from the old guard while also giving us a character we love and believe in. Ridley gives exactly the performance you want. John Boyega gives a career making turn as Finn. I loved his character and can't wait to see more of him. He had help with the wonderful dialogue, but his comedic timing was perfect. He's stunningly good and steals the show. Oscar Isaac is the biggest name of the three and hits a home run with his portrayal of Poe Dameron. He's just such an incredibly cool character, he carries the torch from Han Solo. I loved these three performances and the characters they played.

The supporting cast is good. It was so good to see Harrison Ford as Han Solo and Carrie Fisher as Leia. I loved seeing Mark Hamill as Luke, even if it was only for a moment. Adam Driver is an unexpected choice for the villain, but he was very effective. I love the sound of his voice with his mask on. Really, the entire supporting cast was strong and they added a great deal to the film.

While I loved Star Wars: The Force Awakens, I do have to mention my biggest complaint about the film. It's one that many have raised- this is basically the same story from the original film. The "death star" may be bigger, but it plays out exactly the same way. This was problematic for me, as it spoke to a lack of creativity. This movie travels down a path we've already been in this franchise. That is the biggest thing that holds this back from being even better. I get staying close to the original because you're rebooting the franchise, but this is the most worrisome thing about the next trilogy. It absolutely needs to stand on its own and give us something we haven't seen before. I was somewhat forgiving because of the myriad strengths of this film, but it is an undeniable flaw that travel that same path again. I pray the next film is original, or we will have serious problems.

Outside of that major flaw, Star Wars: The Force Awakens is nearly everything I want in a movie. It was exciting, truly funny, heartwarming. It featured beautiful special effects, paid tribute to the original movies and set up new characters for the future. It featured a few unexpected twists and was just a purely fun, thoroughly enjoyable movie. In a year of many great films, Star Wars: The Force Awakens was my favorite film of 2015. It was far better than even my lofty expectations. For the first time in a long time, I'm truly excited about the future of this franchise.

Rating 1-10
Tim's Rating: 8.5



If You Enjoyed This Movie, We Recommend: Star Wars, The Empire Strikes Back, Return of the Jedi, Star Wars Episode I: The Phantom Menace, Star Wars: Episode II: Attack of the Clones, Star Wars: Episode III: Revenge of the Sith