WARNING: THERE ARE MINOR SPOILERS BELOW. NOTHING TOO REVEALING, BUT I RECOMMEND YOU SEE THE FILM BEFORE YOU READ

MY REVIEW.

“Star Wars: The Force Awakens” is the much anticipated sequel to the 1983 film “Return of the Jedi”. It picks up many years later with a new group of characters. The Galaxy is now facing a new threat: a terror faction named the First Order. Their main mission is to rule the Galaxy and destroy all who oppose them. Their commander is a ruthless, mysterious, powerful Sith, Kylo Ren (Adam Driver). Kylo has an ambition to find and kill the last Jedi who is able to restore order and revive the Jedi ways, Luke Skywalker (Mark Hamill). Luke’s unknown location is also a main concern for General Leia Organa (Carrie Fischer), a General from the Resistance that now trying to find him too. Han Solo (Harrison Ford) and Chewbacca meet some new companions: Finn (John Boyega), a defective First Order Stormtrooper, and Rey (Daisy Ridley), a scavenger from the Jakku planet who acquired Luke’s location through a BB-8 rolling droid. This unexpected team is forced not only to fight and resist the First Order, but also to find Luke Skywalker and restore peace to their respective planets. The film is directed by JJ Abrams, the same man responsible for giving new life to the Star Trek franchise.

Many films today don’t often live up to the hype and reputation surrounding their release, but I can safely say that “The Force Awakens” is the sequel that Star Wars fans have deserved for over thirty years. From a technical standpoint, it is among the very best films that I have seen in 2015. First of all, the sound mixing and production values that went into this film are truly remarkable. You really owe it to yourself to see this movie in a theater because with many tight shots the film puts the audience right in the center of the action. One thing I greatly enjoyed about the film was the overall set designs surrounding our characters. There’s a nice feel of gritty destruction as a result of the battles in films 4-6, and it gives the film a great respect for the history of this franchise. Most of the film is also done in practical effects which collides the imagination of the 70’s and 80’s with the technological advances behind the camera of today. Completed by 3D effects that aren’t overdone or feel cheesy, and the movie packs quite a powerful punch to breathe new air into a release that we thought we would never see again. I am personally only a fan of one of the first three episodes, but it never felt like this film faulted me for my disliking of that particular era. It stays true to the morals and ethics of the past films, and that is what made it the easiest to get lost in this world again.

This is certainly an emotional generation time piece that resignates strong on the heartstrings of fans young and old for this saga. There is certainly that feeling on-screen and off that this film will serve as a passing of the torch for the new generation of jedi’s who choose to inhabit it. This leads me to the strongest part of the film for me personally: The casting. Much ridiculous controversy as surrounded the casting of Boyega as one of the central protagonists of the film, but to those people I say you are miserably wrong. Finn’s character is one of a villain turned rogue after the realization of the true evil who he is serving. That is an easy stance to get behind, and it made for the most original of plot structures during this movie. One of the things I was greatly worried about was the material written for Han Solo and Leia, but my fears were put to rest with a script that is every bit as inviting to them as it is to the new cast. Ford and Fischer serve as parents to these younger counterparts, so it’s nice to see their teachings going a long way in telling the audience at home that these are the actors and actresses who we are trusting with our baby. Harrison Ford gives his best performance in years, returning to the role that made him famous. The movie has a lot of great comedic dialogue for his on-screen return, and fans can’t help but smile every time his character runs into trouble. Adam Driver also greatly delivers as the film’s main antagonist. I’ve always thought that the best villains are the ones whose story you can understand but not fully support. There’s a big secret with his character that I won’t spoil for you, but it’s nice to see a human side of a villain that feels every bit like a monster at times. Without question though, the absolute best performance of the film comes from the beautiful young starlet named Daisy Ridley. As Rey, Ridley structures a strong female presence that female fans of the original movies have been yearning for. She smart, beautiful, strong, and says so much in a facial reaction that’s easily communicative with the audience. This young cast will give us much to look forward to in future offerings, and I for one can’t wait to see where their directions take the story.

What Star Wars film would be great without another strong musical offering from the great John Williams? John once again supplies melodic and harmonious tones throughout the film that really narrate the way for where our characters journies go. Williams feels this story and it’s characters because he has been a part of it since the beginning. Kylo Ren would be nothing without Williams musical organs guiding the way for what emotional explosion is about to blow when he walks into the room. The long shots and beautiful views of the jedi planets would be lost without that ambitious theme playing to communicate to the audience that this is the land you have been waiting three decades to see again. It’s all so nostalgic despite many of the film’s central scores being composed over the last five years. Williams has always been one to do that with ease, and “The Force Awakens” gathers it’s narrative wings from the man with the golden ear.

I did have a couple of problems with the film, but nothing that I would say ever ruined the experience for me. The first is in the lack of advancement in technology for The First Order. It has been thirty years and yet this crew designs the same deathstar that was deemed defeatable during “The Empire Strikes Back”?? It seems to me that thirty years of war would create some advancements in advantage to exploit the very weaknesses of the jedi force. My second problem was a little more severe to me, and it’s in the film’s repetitve nature in scenes that often leave it searching for a voice of it’s own. The movie re-creates several of the same line reads and action shots from episodes 4-6, and even the most minor of fans will recognize things borrowed from other movies. I understand that this film is paying homage, but there comes a time when tribute turns into trauma creatively when the film isn’t paving it’s own road. To me, the best parts of the movie were when the story and it’s characters took their original directions, so I felt that reaching back into the bag of already used party favors was unnecessary.

Overall, “Star Wars: The Force Awakens” is a carefully treaded step back into the childhoods of every fan tortured during the schmuck of badly written prequels. Disney has certainly shown that they are more than capable of taking the metaphorical lightsaber and swinging to succeed. JJ Abrams delivers on an emotional rollercoaster that is every bit as sweet as it is epic. Even if you have never seen a Star Wars film, i feel like “The Force Awakens” has something for everyone. It’s the first step in a bigger journey that will fill us with goosebumps for galaxies to come.

9/10