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Star Wars: The Force Awakens Review
10 years ago
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The lines have filtered out. The credits have rolled. The box office receipts have been tallied. The dust has settled.
A new Star Wars sequel has arrived. Which I'm now gonna spill some thoughts over. And also stay as spoiler free as possible, despite the fact that, statistically speaking, all of you has seen the movie twice by now.
It's been 30 years since the events of Return of the Jedi (re: my favorite of the original three. You heard me), and strife still exists in the galaxy far, far away. The evil First Order is making power sweeps from the Outer Rim, the Resistance is attempting to locate Luke Skywalker to help stop them, and on a distant desert planet that totally isn't Tatoonie-by-another-name, a young girl waits and waits for someone dear to her to finally return.
Such is the setup. To answer your first question, yes, the movie is far, far better than any of the prequel trilogy. To answer your second question, no, it isn't as good as any of the original trilogy. But it's still a solid fun time at the movies.
The fun comes in a few ways. For starters, the movie really nails its new crop of characters. Are leads are the aforementioned stranded desert girl, who's got a lot of power waiting to be unleashed, and a former stormtrooper on the run. Each has loads of charisma, a genuinely different backstory that sets them apart from just being "Here's the Luke expy, here's the Han expy" for the new generation, and I was quite taken with them by the end of the movie. Which still leaves the new villain to mention, and he's truly something else. The aspirations to be Darth Vader mixed with the struggle to control his own power, to find his own path beyond a towering family history, a struggle to bask in the Dark while still being drawn back to the Light, he is an absolutely fascinating character. He is truly unlike any character in the cinematic universe before him, a villain who can be both a menacing threat and a cowering child all at once (in a good way). He stops baster bolts in midair, he throws tempter tantrums when hearing bad news, he constantly searches for guidance to a destination he's not even sure about, and so much more. All together, these new characters establish that, at the very least, the next generation of fans really do have a new set of good guys and bad guys they can call their own. They can stand tall and proud next to the original cast lineup anyday.
Not that they need to stand that far apart. A sample size of folks from the older movies make appearances, some just as cameos and others as actual roles. The most present by far is Han Solo, who's essentially the third star of the movie and a big component of the plot. Harrison Ford is having a blast here, completely engaged and animated throughout in a performance that's his best in a good while. With him always is Chewbacca (who, quite frankly, has never been better), and the bickering and commentary running between the two are real highlights of the movie. In particular, most of the biggest laughs come out of Han trying something, and Chewy making some snide growl at the right moment. The best new original lines (of which there sadly aren't many) come from him as well.
In fact, there's lots of humor to be found. While some of it has a modern, too-self-aware/snarky tone that's present in all Blockbusters these days (a side effect of Marvel's rise to power), by and large it all works. The jokes are great, the character beats fit perfectly, and it's all really effective in sweeping us along in the fun tone that the movie has going for it. Because really, that's what counts here. This movie is fun. It's engaging, the plot moving along at a steady clip and never getting too bogged down. The action sequences, particularly an aerial chase with the Millennium Falcon and all things lightsaber duel-related, are very well put together and invigorating, though I was a bit let down at the lack of a real space battle sequence (apart from a short one in the beginning, which had character beats so enjoyably on-point that it almost made up for said earlier complaing). The effects are a fine mix of modern CGI and practical models, along with a good helping of physical makeup and puppetry, the sort of things that modern geeks love and everyone can agree looks great.
It's a mix of old and new, and that right there is also the movie's biggest flaw. Because when you get right down to what the story is presenting, you'll notice pretty quick that the whole affair is sticking uncomfortably close (both in structure and actual plot elements) to the original Star Wars. Droids on the run are hiding secrets, family ties are revealed, a sinister fascist-style enemy reveals the destructive power of an impossible weapon, and so on. Callbacks to the originals are constantly popping up, some as minor background details, others as scene-centering moments of pure fanservice. The movie never wants to break off too far and become its own thing, except when it finally does in a few key scenes, at which point the effect is somewhat jarring because we can't quite decide what the movie is trying to do. It needs to set up a new storyline and universe, but it doesn't want to stray far from what we all know and love. It's got a death grip on the nostalgia side of things that really does make us sometimes long more for a movie we've already seen rather than take in the new stuff we're watching right now. It's not nearly as egregious with piggybacking off greatness as, say, garbage like Jurassic World, but it
And then there's the plot elements that don't quite work. Plenty of comparisons have been made to director J.J. Abrams' earlier work, particularly his 2009 version of Star Trek, which had a lot of similar problems. Characters and important plot elements will end up really close to each other because they need to, and big problems will be quickly solved or brushed aside because it's time for that to happen. In fact, when you really stretch out and try to examine what's going on in the movie, a lot of stuff feels so thin as to fall apart right then and there. Abrams has long proven that he excels with casting, characters, and a quick and breezy action atmosphere, and that's definitely the case here. But he still can't nail down a story that can stand up to just a few tugs at the seams, nor can he break free of decades of past influences to make something that's really his (though at least he's finally made something worth watching more than once).
One area where I was truly let down was in the score. The score of the original trilogy (and even the prequels) cast long shadows, they being some of the most memorable and iconic pieces of orchestration ever assembled in motion picture history. You know the opening credits, the Imperial March, the Cantina song, the lightsaber duel... even lesser-known pieces like the Battle of Hoth and the Space Battle Over Endor (my two favorites of the series) are immediately called back to mind as soon as you hear them. The new movie, however, doesn't have any such pieces. It samples the iconic notes where appropriate, and what is present is definitely just fine and fitting for the scene at hand. Indeed, there's plenty to be said for it trying to flow with the movie and not be some big bombastic thing. But in a movie that's aping the originals in so many other ways, going soft (and, ultimately, forgettable) with the score seems such a strange decision.
But for all these flaws, I still had a great time. Which counts for a lot! Because in the end, it's a fun movie. It's a enjoyable movie. It's got its heart and soul in just the right place, and it keeps you grinning to the end. In so many ways, it's a good movie, the sort of good movie that we need right now. It is a course correction for the whole franchise, something that says "Everyone just chill out, let's ease down and try things again, serious this time." Standing on the shoulders of giants is never an easy task, and here we've got a new sequel to three movies that have defined a genre (and a moviegoing landscape) for decades now. To just be a great ride would've been enough, which is was. I bag on it for sticking so close to nostalgia, but there's some things that are just necessary. Sitting in a dark theater as the opening crawl gets going and that famous music starts is one of those things. Because the movie hit that atmosphere just right, and that is an atmosphere of Star Wars. This really feels like a Star Wars movie, and it's easy to forget what a magical thing that really is.
So it came and went. The positive points outweighed the negative ones, so the movie gets a friendly pass. It also leaves me eager and somewhat nervous for Episode VIII. Because by the time it rolls around, then it's time to get real. To really break free and be its own beast. To be a coherent piece of both character and storywork that manages to hold up, and not just be another glitzy popcorn thrillride. I know the series has the ability, I know the people making it have the talent. So I want to believe it'll turn into a movie that's more than half as good as something like The Empire Strikes Back.
Even though I'll also settle for more moments of BB-8 zipping around. Love that little droid so very, very much.
A new Star Wars sequel has arrived. Which I'm now gonna spill some thoughts over. And also stay as spoiler free as possible, despite the fact that, statistically speaking, all of you has seen the movie twice by now.
It's been 30 years since the events of Return of the Jedi (re: my favorite of the original three. You heard me), and strife still exists in the galaxy far, far away. The evil First Order is making power sweeps from the Outer Rim, the Resistance is attempting to locate Luke Skywalker to help stop them, and on a distant desert planet that totally isn't Tatoonie-by-another-name, a young girl waits and waits for someone dear to her to finally return.
Such is the setup. To answer your first question, yes, the movie is far, far better than any of the prequel trilogy. To answer your second question, no, it isn't as good as any of the original trilogy. But it's still a solid fun time at the movies.
The fun comes in a few ways. For starters, the movie really nails its new crop of characters. Are leads are the aforementioned stranded desert girl, who's got a lot of power waiting to be unleashed, and a former stormtrooper on the run. Each has loads of charisma, a genuinely different backstory that sets them apart from just being "Here's the Luke expy, here's the Han expy" for the new generation, and I was quite taken with them by the end of the movie. Which still leaves the new villain to mention, and he's truly something else. The aspirations to be Darth Vader mixed with the struggle to control his own power, to find his own path beyond a towering family history, a struggle to bask in the Dark while still being drawn back to the Light, he is an absolutely fascinating character. He is truly unlike any character in the cinematic universe before him, a villain who can be both a menacing threat and a cowering child all at once (in a good way). He stops baster bolts in midair, he throws tempter tantrums when hearing bad news, he constantly searches for guidance to a destination he's not even sure about, and so much more. All together, these new characters establish that, at the very least, the next generation of fans really do have a new set of good guys and bad guys they can call their own. They can stand tall and proud next to the original cast lineup anyday.
Not that they need to stand that far apart. A sample size of folks from the older movies make appearances, some just as cameos and others as actual roles. The most present by far is Han Solo, who's essentially the third star of the movie and a big component of the plot. Harrison Ford is having a blast here, completely engaged and animated throughout in a performance that's his best in a good while. With him always is Chewbacca (who, quite frankly, has never been better), and the bickering and commentary running between the two are real highlights of the movie. In particular, most of the biggest laughs come out of Han trying something, and Chewy making some snide growl at the right moment. The best new original lines (of which there sadly aren't many) come from him as well.
In fact, there's lots of humor to be found. While some of it has a modern, too-self-aware/snarky tone that's present in all Blockbusters these days (a side effect of Marvel's rise to power), by and large it all works. The jokes are great, the character beats fit perfectly, and it's all really effective in sweeping us along in the fun tone that the movie has going for it. Because really, that's what counts here. This movie is fun. It's engaging, the plot moving along at a steady clip and never getting too bogged down. The action sequences, particularly an aerial chase with the Millennium Falcon and all things lightsaber duel-related, are very well put together and invigorating, though I was a bit let down at the lack of a real space battle sequence (apart from a short one in the beginning, which had character beats so enjoyably on-point that it almost made up for said earlier complaing). The effects are a fine mix of modern CGI and practical models, along with a good helping of physical makeup and puppetry, the sort of things that modern geeks love and everyone can agree looks great.
It's a mix of old and new, and that right there is also the movie's biggest flaw. Because when you get right down to what the story is presenting, you'll notice pretty quick that the whole affair is sticking uncomfortably close (both in structure and actual plot elements) to the original Star Wars. Droids on the run are hiding secrets, family ties are revealed, a sinister fascist-style enemy reveals the destructive power of an impossible weapon, and so on. Callbacks to the originals are constantly popping up, some as minor background details, others as scene-centering moments of pure fanservice. The movie never wants to break off too far and become its own thing, except when it finally does in a few key scenes, at which point the effect is somewhat jarring because we can't quite decide what the movie is trying to do. It needs to set up a new storyline and universe, but it doesn't want to stray far from what we all know and love. It's got a death grip on the nostalgia side of things that really does make us sometimes long more for a movie we've already seen rather than take in the new stuff we're watching right now. It's not nearly as egregious with piggybacking off greatness as, say, garbage like Jurassic World, but it
And then there's the plot elements that don't quite work. Plenty of comparisons have been made to director J.J. Abrams' earlier work, particularly his 2009 version of Star Trek, which had a lot of similar problems. Characters and important plot elements will end up really close to each other because they need to, and big problems will be quickly solved or brushed aside because it's time for that to happen. In fact, when you really stretch out and try to examine what's going on in the movie, a lot of stuff feels so thin as to fall apart right then and there. Abrams has long proven that he excels with casting, characters, and a quick and breezy action atmosphere, and that's definitely the case here. But he still can't nail down a story that can stand up to just a few tugs at the seams, nor can he break free of decades of past influences to make something that's really his (though at least he's finally made something worth watching more than once).
One area where I was truly let down was in the score. The score of the original trilogy (and even the prequels) cast long shadows, they being some of the most memorable and iconic pieces of orchestration ever assembled in motion picture history. You know the opening credits, the Imperial March, the Cantina song, the lightsaber duel... even lesser-known pieces like the Battle of Hoth and the Space Battle Over Endor (my two favorites of the series) are immediately called back to mind as soon as you hear them. The new movie, however, doesn't have any such pieces. It samples the iconic notes where appropriate, and what is present is definitely just fine and fitting for the scene at hand. Indeed, there's plenty to be said for it trying to flow with the movie and not be some big bombastic thing. But in a movie that's aping the originals in so many other ways, going soft (and, ultimately, forgettable) with the score seems such a strange decision.
But for all these flaws, I still had a great time. Which counts for a lot! Because in the end, it's a fun movie. It's a enjoyable movie. It's got its heart and soul in just the right place, and it keeps you grinning to the end. In so many ways, it's a good movie, the sort of good movie that we need right now. It is a course correction for the whole franchise, something that says "Everyone just chill out, let's ease down and try things again, serious this time." Standing on the shoulders of giants is never an easy task, and here we've got a new sequel to three movies that have defined a genre (and a moviegoing landscape) for decades now. To just be a great ride would've been enough, which is was. I bag on it for sticking so close to nostalgia, but there's some things that are just necessary. Sitting in a dark theater as the opening crawl gets going and that famous music starts is one of those things. Because the movie hit that atmosphere just right, and that is an atmosphere of Star Wars. This really feels like a Star Wars movie, and it's easy to forget what a magical thing that really is.
So it came and went. The positive points outweighed the negative ones, so the movie gets a friendly pass. It also leaves me eager and somewhat nervous for Episode VIII. Because by the time it rolls around, then it's time to get real. To really break free and be its own beast. To be a coherent piece of both character and storywork that manages to hold up, and not just be another glitzy popcorn thrillride. I know the series has the ability, I know the people making it have the talent. So I want to believe it'll turn into a movie that's more than half as good as something like The Empire Strikes Back.
Even though I'll also settle for more moments of BB-8 zipping around. Love that little droid so very, very much.
I got annoyed by the constant nostalgia pandering. I kept recalling to the George Lucas quote used extensively in the Mr. Plinkett reviews: "It's like poetry, it rhymes." I was hoping that it wasn't ACTUALLY the Millenium Falcon, just another ship like it. That they didn't have to blow up a hole in the space weapon to make it blow up.
Some of the editing made me laugh because it came off like a YouTube Poop, done for comedic effect, when it obviously wasn't supposed to be. And that last shot in Ireland was very obviously just a helicopter doing circles around the actors?????? It was stupid and left the film on a sour note to me. The overly CGI critters at the watering hole and the tentacle monsters came off as stupid and gave me "remastered edition" flashbacks.
I both love and hate Kylo Ren, but in a good way. He's very much a child still, sort of an emo rebellious person, but his gift in the Force gives him great ability for good OR evil, he was just seduced by the dark side. I loved how Rey discovered he was afraid as not being as great as Vader (which of course the marketers/toy makers want him to be, so there was a nice extra layer there). I'm worried he's probably going to end up being redeemed at the end of 9 and be too much a duplicate of Vader's storyline.
I liked the movie and I'll probably see it again once it's out on digital download, or if friends invite me. I feel like it's not for me, per se, but for little kids who never got to experience new Star Wars or be part of an unfolding of an epic from the very beginning. It's a good movie and I'm really interested to see what they do with the spin-off movies and media.