It’s been 10 years since the last “Star Wars” film, and as
the seventh installment of the beloved space opera franchise, there’s a
ridiculous amount of expectation being heaped upon “Star Wars: Episode VII —
The Force Awakens.” Fans are hoping the film will capture the spirit of the
classic original trilogy of films while making them forget the bitter
disappointment of the prequels. Adding additional baggage, this is also the
first “Star Wars” film made without the guidance of series creator George
Lucas. Fresh off reinvigorating the “Star Trek” series, director J.J. Abrams
was a solid choice to usher the massive franchise into a new era, and his
effort should leave most everyone happy. “The Force Awakens” is an exhilarating
ride, delivering solid action, big emotions, and compelling new characters,
even if the film too often looks to the past rather than toward the future of
the series.
Abrams
introduces us to a new cast of characters, several of whom will presumably be
our guides through this new trilogy of films: Rey (relative newcomer Daisy
Ridley), a scavenger living on the desert planet of Jakku; a defecting Stormtrooper named Finn (John Boyega,
who should already have been a star after “Attack the Block”); and
wisecracking, superstar pilot, Poe Dameron (a
charismatic Oscar Isaac), all set to face down the villainous Kylo Ren (Adam Driver, who is excellent).
Set 30 years
after “Return of the Jedi,” the familiar opening crawl explains that the Empire
has not been completely vanquished, and a new power, known as the First Order,
has risen from its ashes. The Resistance, led by General Leia Organa (Carrie
Fisher), fights to defeat this dark new presence. And famed Jedi Luke Skywalker
(Mark Hamill) has mysteriously vanished.
In addition
to the return of favorite characters — Han Solo (Harrison Ford) and Chewbacca
(Peter Mayhew) soon join in the fight — the story beats start to feel routine.
Even without Lucas’s involvement, you can still feel the influence of his
mantra that these films are like poetry, with each chapter “rhyming” with the
one that came before. This idea is presumably meant to illustrate how history
often repeats itself, but in the context of a film series, it just seems like
lazy storytelling. The story is loaded with familiar elements, references, and
callbacks to the original trilogy: the rise of the Dark Side, a visit to a
seedy alien watering hole, and the creation of a Death Star-like weapon (it’s
bigger this time).
In the world
of this film, the original trilogy’s characters have become almost mythic (not
unlike in real life), and the new characters are sometimes awestruck standing
before the figures whose exploits are so familiar to them. Abrams is himself a
fan of the “Star Wars” franchise, and whereas Lucas found inspiration in the
old serials, samurai films, and comic books he grew up on, Abrams clearly spent
his childhood watching “Star Wars.” This leads to “The Force Awakens” feeling
like a film based in nostalgia. But if it sometimes feels like “The Greatest
Hits of Star Wars,” there’s a good reason people buy those albums.
But Abrams,
working from a script he co-wrote with Lawrence Kasdan
(“The Empire Strikes Back”) and Michael Arndt (“Toy Story 3”), nails other
aspects of the film — especially the characters. As the prequels proved,
creating great characters is even harder than finding a decent story to place
them in. The new cast of characters are instantly appealing, and the writing is
supported by some pitch-perfect casting. By far, the best section of the film
is the opening 35-40 minutes where we’re introduced to our protagonists, before
the old familiars show up to jockey for screen time. Ridley and Boyega in
particular, are fantastic: Rey and Finn provide the heart of this new film, and
we get hints of interesting backstories that will no doubt be explored in
greater depth throughout the next two installments. The fact that the film’s
two lead characters are a young woman and a man of color — and what that will
mean to kids who aren’t used to seeing themselves represented in the world of
blockbuster filmmaking — can’t be underestimated.
The buzz
leading up to the film’s release stressed the production’s use of real sets and
practical effects, adding a pleasing tactility to the movie (being shot on film
helps). Speaking of physicality, there’s also more blood than any previous
“Star Wars” film (not a lot, but parents should probably be warned that it’s
there). “The Force Awakens” is the first “Star Wars” film I’ve seen in 3D, and
I can’t deny the pure excitement of seeing X-wings and TIE fighters whooshing
overhead, and while the format isn’t required to enjoy the film, it does add an
additional layer of excitement to the series’ trademark space battles and
dogfights.
There’s
another two years to wait until we get the next chapter in this story: “Episode
VIII,” directed by Rian Johnson, then “Episode IX” from “Jurassic World” director,
Colin Trevorrow to follow in 2019. Only time will tell whether the names Rey,
Finn, Poe, and Kylo Ren will grow to the same pop
culture ubiquity as Han, Leia, Luke, and Vader, but the potential is certainly
there, and that’s a success in and of itself. Now that we’ve established that it’s
still possible to make exciting “Star Wars” films, I hope they’re allowed to
diverge onto their own unique path. The filmmakers have succeeded in making us
fall in love with an entirely new cast of characters, and now I can’t wait for
them to be sent off on some thrilling adventures of their own.
This article appears in Dec 23-29, 2015.
