REVIEW: STAR WARS: EPISODE VII- THE FORCE AWAKENS
I watched A New Hope when I was 14, on my tiny VHS-exclusive TV in my room. I didn't understand a majority of it, and it was a crime to watch that 1977 special effects beauty on my miniature television, so this past summer I've tried to atone for my movie buff sins (YOUHAVENTSEENALLTHESTARWARSMOVIESWHATSWRONGWITHYOUYOURENOTAREALMOVIEFAN) etc. I watched the entire original trilogy, but the summer ran out with the person I was watching them with (no way I, who needed a guide through the galaxy on my first run was watching them alone) and I didn't get to see the prequels. I'm sure some fans out there envy me, some will probably advise me to stay away from them. But I've now still only seen 4 out of 7 Star Wars movies. The saga never interested me as a kid, when Revenge of the Sith came out when I was in fifth grade I remember being overwhelmed and bored by the nerds I hung out with because they wouldn't shut up about it. So why was I so pumped to stand in line for an hour after already having bought my ticket online with people who dressed up as Chewbacca, Luke and Sexy Darth Vader? Well...it's a phenomenon.
In line for the 8 o'clock showing on December 18th, my friend and I discussed how Star Wars has transcended pop culture. It's a religion. Movies can certainly be a religion, but for six movies to be the primary base of one's obsession freaks me out a little bit. SNL just did a sketch about how real Star Wars fans play with their toys: keeping them in their boxes and watching them through a glass case. Of course those are the extreme fanboys, but for a fictional universe to have that impact on anyone, especially this enormous cult of fans that have salivated over anything having to do with the franchise is mind blowing. There was a phase where I hated the mentioning of Star Wars because I felt so in the dark about it, but now that I've seen the original trilogy (I'm going with A New Hope as my favorite for the time being, though once I see Jar-Jar in Phantom Menace I may be persuaded otherwise) and have watched the newest film on its opening day, I must say I'm a convert...
...and most of the magic I experienced was the wonder of not knowing a single major detail that wasn't given to the public through the trailers. So this review will not be long at all, and I'll only talk about a few things the trailers have already shown the public. So...I REALLY, REALLY LIKED THIS MOVIE, and I'm sure after maybe seeing it again/mulling it over in my brain for a few more days I think I'm even going to love it. It's so much to take in, with a passage of three decades since Return of the Jedi ending, J.J. Abrams had the world on his back when he undertook the making of this film. And boy, does it pay off.
The four main new characters are excellent. John Boyega as Finn works so well: he's one of the most relatable characters in the universe I've seen since Luke Skywalker (who won't be brought up in this review). There's a gleam of wonder in his eyes in most of his scenes, and he balances drama with some of the film's funnier moments, which maybe distracted a teensy bit at times. Adam Driver as Kylo Ren...woof. His voice is a reflection of his character for sure: different but similar to Darth Vader's. Vader is the man Ren wants to be, and casting this skinny, on-the-rise actor was a great way of making Ren the figurative shadow of Vader. Oscar Isaac as Poe Dameron was as expected: a very solid, charismatic turn from one of my favorite actors working today. But Daisy Ridley. Wow. An actor hasn't been up for an Oscar in the Star Wars universe since Alec Guiness in 1978, but if anyone should break that streak it's her. I recently watched a compilation of how many women other than Leia in the original trilogy spoke: the answer was less than two minutes. It was wonderful to not only have this new female presence, but just this presence in general. She commands the screen: exuding charm, fierceness, strength and intelligence. Her character has the biggest arc in the film. I can't wait to discuss it in my spoiler review.
My biggest concern about the Star Wars franchise as a whole is that it's so massive and all-encompassing that I could get lost it in it. I'm very happy to report that, people like me, who are just casual fans, will not get lost as long as you've seen the original trilogy, which is all I have to my name. The plot is clear and straightforward. The special effects will be Oscar-winning I believe: there's a brief CGI monster that disappointed me for maybe two minutes, and then the rest you can clearly see Abrams and his team wanted to bring SW back to its roots: puppets, practical effects, etc. Back in 2011 Abrams made Super 8, which was a love letter to Spielberg movies. Episode VII is both a love letter to the original trilogy and a very capable continuation of the franchise so many hold dear to their hearts.
Rating: 3.5/4 stars
P.S. I'm gonna wait until the beginning of next year to write my spoiler review, giving people plenty of time to digest, get rid of some of the hype that might be clouding their judgment.
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| BB-8: One of my favorite characters I'll be discussing later |
...and most of the magic I experienced was the wonder of not knowing a single major detail that wasn't given to the public through the trailers. So this review will not be long at all, and I'll only talk about a few things the trailers have already shown the public. So...I REALLY, REALLY LIKED THIS MOVIE, and I'm sure after maybe seeing it again/mulling it over in my brain for a few more days I think I'm even going to love it. It's so much to take in, with a passage of three decades since Return of the Jedi ending, J.J. Abrams had the world on his back when he undertook the making of this film. And boy, does it pay off.
The four main new characters are excellent. John Boyega as Finn works so well: he's one of the most relatable characters in the universe I've seen since Luke Skywalker (who won't be brought up in this review). There's a gleam of wonder in his eyes in most of his scenes, and he balances drama with some of the film's funnier moments, which maybe distracted a teensy bit at times. Adam Driver as Kylo Ren...woof. His voice is a reflection of his character for sure: different but similar to Darth Vader's. Vader is the man Ren wants to be, and casting this skinny, on-the-rise actor was a great way of making Ren the figurative shadow of Vader. Oscar Isaac as Poe Dameron was as expected: a very solid, charismatic turn from one of my favorite actors working today. But Daisy Ridley. Wow. An actor hasn't been up for an Oscar in the Star Wars universe since Alec Guiness in 1978, but if anyone should break that streak it's her. I recently watched a compilation of how many women other than Leia in the original trilogy spoke: the answer was less than two minutes. It was wonderful to not only have this new female presence, but just this presence in general. She commands the screen: exuding charm, fierceness, strength and intelligence. Her character has the biggest arc in the film. I can't wait to discuss it in my spoiler review. My biggest concern about the Star Wars franchise as a whole is that it's so massive and all-encompassing that I could get lost it in it. I'm very happy to report that, people like me, who are just casual fans, will not get lost as long as you've seen the original trilogy, which is all I have to my name. The plot is clear and straightforward. The special effects will be Oscar-winning I believe: there's a brief CGI monster that disappointed me for maybe two minutes, and then the rest you can clearly see Abrams and his team wanted to bring SW back to its roots: puppets, practical effects, etc. Back in 2011 Abrams made Super 8, which was a love letter to Spielberg movies. Episode VII is both a love letter to the original trilogy and a very capable continuation of the franchise so many hold dear to their hearts.
Rating: 3.5/4 stars
P.S. I'm gonna wait until the beginning of next year to write my spoiler review, giving people plenty of time to digest, get rid of some of the hype that might be clouding their judgment.
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