"Hope is not lost today... It is found."
Leia.
 |
| A Force to be reckoned with... |
A brief editorial note- I'm trying to keep this spoiler-free... It wasn't easy.
SYNOPSIS:
So, here we are; J.J. Abram (now
something of a go-to guy for reboots after his success with Star Trek) helms Disney's latest
blockbuster franchise- the first of many sequels to be set in the
Star Wars universe.
30 years after the events of Return
of the Jedi, Force Awakens finds the galaxy under threat from a new
enemy- the First Order, led by the sinister (and self aggrandisingly titled)
Supreme Leader Snoke. Also counted among their number is the
darkness-tainted Kylo Ren, a Jedi apprentice turned bad. Elsewhere, Rey, a
scavenger on a far-flung desert planet, comes into possession of a
droid which the whole of the First Order will stop at nothing to
possess. Forced to unite with Finn, a runaway Stormtrooper suffering a crisis of
conscience, as well as some recognisable faces from the old
Rebellion, Rey not only becomes embroiled in this latest galactic war, but
also sheds some light on her own mysterious past...
SCRIPT: 1/ 2
Back in 1999, Star Wars fans could hardly contain their excitement leading up to the release of The Phantom Menace, George Lucas' long awaited follow-up to his original trilogy. To say that the Phantom Menace was something of a disappointment falls a long way short of the mark, and the following two films did little to remedy that bitter sting...
Back in 1999, Star Wars fans could hardly contain their excitement leading up to the release of The Phantom Menace, George Lucas' long awaited follow-up to his original trilogy. To say that the Phantom Menace was something of a disappointment falls a long way short of the mark, and the following two films did little to remedy that bitter sting...
OK, to be honest, the script for Force Awakens isn't
without issues, but it's hard to discuss what these are without
giving away some massive spoilers. I'll likely get round to discussing these
another time, but for now I'll err on the side of discretion...
What I can say is, Force Awakens
borrows lovingly from the original trilogy, in a way that feels more
reverential than lazy- although the R2D2 related 'revelation' after the climax was
both clumsy and irritating, undermining much of the film's central conceit. However,
despite this 'Deus
ex machina' moment (and a few other minor concerns), screenwriter Lawrence Kasdan, whose
previous credits include Empire Strikes Back
and Return of the Jedi, plays something of a blinder! In no small
way the film owes it's success to him. Kasden's story is reverent,
touching, at times tragic, and perhaps most surprisingly of all, very funny-
the humour flowing naturally from the characters and situations while
never seeming forced or campy.
Possibly the biggest 'fair' criticism to throw at Force Awakens (seeing how other plot related issues may be covered in the fullness of time) revolves around it's heroine, but we'll come to that a little later. I should cover it here, seeing as it's a writing-related issue, but it makes more sense later...
PACE: 1 / 2
At just over 2 hours, Force Awakens
felt like it would benefit from a little trimming. Although, to be fair, each installment of the original trilogy was likewise over the 2 hour mark, and when you
compare Force Awakens to The Phantom Menace (which again has a similar run time), this feels one Hell of a lot less bloated. Perhaps in light of that, the issue isn't so much length than pace? One sequence in
particular, concerning rampaging monsters and a completely
unnecessary Han Solo back-story, was completely unneeded. Entertaining enough, but felt like padding in relation to the main plot. There was also a lull during the
'smuggler's keep' portion of the story, and personally I'd have
finished the film maybe 4 minutes sooner...
OK, I don't think I'm giving too much away now by saying the film ends with the heroine coming face-to-face with Luke. No dialogue, just a dramatic and meaningful stand-off. It's this section I'd personally have held back till the next film, but I do understand the reasoning behind it's inclusion her. I think a great many fans would simply have imploded without a glimpse of the character. I just felt as though it was an odd note to end the film on, considering how snappy the original trilogy handled their closing moments. Still, not a major gripe.
OK, I don't think I'm giving too much away now by saying the film ends with the heroine coming face-to-face with Luke. No dialogue, just a dramatic and meaningful stand-off. It's this section I'd personally have held back till the next film, but I do understand the reasoning behind it's inclusion her. I think a great many fans would simply have imploded without a glimpse of the character. I just felt as though it was an odd note to end the film on, considering how snappy the original trilogy handled their closing moments. Still, not a major gripe.
ACTING: 2 / 2
I cannot stress enough, as a long-time
Star Wars fan, what a giddy thrill it is to see some of the older
actors and actresses reprising their roles. The inclusion of such
beloved characters, like Han Solo, Chewie and Leia, go a long way
to keeping this new effort feeling much more like a traditional Star
Wars film. Harrison Ford looks as though he's having the most fun
he's had in years, and effortlessly steals every one of his scenes
with that devil-may-care charm the fans have come to love. His scenes
with Carrie Fisher (playing Leia, his on-screen old-flame), while brief and are intensely emotional- it was raw and very
moving to see them embrace once more...
So, it's all very well that the
old-hands get their moment to shine, and shine they do, but what of
these new-bloods? Despite an array of familiar faces, the real stars
of the show are Daisy Ridley, John Boyega and Adam Driver- who in
turn play the films heroes Rey and Finn, and it's answer to Darth
Vader, Kylo Renn. Can they hold a torch to the original stars? Oh
yes. Daisy makes a very plucky lead in what can only be described as
the post Twilight / Hunger Games revolution, and at no point is she
ever not at the real cut-and-thrust of the adventure. Even after
being captured, Rey is no damsel in distress, and is soon going about
the business of hatching her own escape... And here's my concern from earlier;
But, as capable and commanding a presence as Ridley is, it's Boyega of the two that most charms the screen. His turn as the rouge Stormtrooper is one of the film's real strengths, and he makes the most of a part that allows him, by turns, to act humorously naïve, impishly excitable and genuinely soulful.
And as for Adam Driver? Rest assured, these new films have a very charismatic and delightfully complex antagonist in Kylo Ren, and I have no doubt he will go down in Star Wars history as THE definitive Dark Side Jedi. He may not have Vader's bulk or icy composure (why try to even compete with that?) but what he does have is a hair-trigger temper and enough issues to make him one very messed up kid. He's the galaxy's answer to We Need to Talk About Kevin; a pompous, delusional, petulant outcast with dangerous powers beyond his understanding, and that's a combination a hundred times more frightening than any Vader or Darth Maul- a lethal cocktail that speaks of our own generation of toxic brats. Like so many internet "trolls" who hide behind their screens to feel omnipotent, Kylo Ren retreats behind a mask to hide his own insecurities- and everything in Driver's astute use of body language in-and-out of said mask confirms this. It's creepy because it feels real, not simply the fantasy bogeyman role that Darth Vader once occupied.
If there's an issue to be had with Rey, it's that she's probably too capable. When we meet her, she already speaks fluent droid, she's a tough athletic explorer, a gifted mechanic and electrician, a hot-shot flyer and a kick-ass fighter. During the film's climax she sees to her own escape, perfects some advanced Jedi mind tricks without any guidance, and comes off on top during her first light saber battle with an accomplished enemy. With a repertoire like that, her growth surely can't be as dramatic as the naïve young farm hand who dreamed of joining the rebellion all those years ago? While it may not be beyond the realms of possibility that Rey would have all these skills, it does feel like bad writing- heroes need to develop. Potentially, yes, she could be due something of a hard fall in the next film, but still- Luke only survived his first adventure because of all the help he had along the way; a magical teacher, a gruff gunslinger, a giant alien-bear. Before he meets these allies he gets his ass kicked by some sand mutants, and he would have been murdered in the bar room if not for a swift intervention. Hell, Luke only manages to defeat the Death Star because he gets some ghostly advice and a friend blows Darth Vader out of the sky. In comparison, Rey never actually needed anybody's help with anything- is this a symptomatic flaw of Hunger Games fallout? The 'politically correct' brigade gone mad? Possibly, but whatever the reason for it, she's still an overpowered character...
But, as capable and commanding a presence as Ridley is, it's Boyega of the two that most charms the screen. His turn as the rouge Stormtrooper is one of the film's real strengths, and he makes the most of a part that allows him, by turns, to act humorously naïve, impishly excitable and genuinely soulful.
And as for Adam Driver? Rest assured, these new films have a very charismatic and delightfully complex antagonist in Kylo Ren, and I have no doubt he will go down in Star Wars history as THE definitive Dark Side Jedi. He may not have Vader's bulk or icy composure (why try to even compete with that?) but what he does have is a hair-trigger temper and enough issues to make him one very messed up kid. He's the galaxy's answer to We Need to Talk About Kevin; a pompous, delusional, petulant outcast with dangerous powers beyond his understanding, and that's a combination a hundred times more frightening than any Vader or Darth Maul- a lethal cocktail that speaks of our own generation of toxic brats. Like so many internet "trolls" who hide behind their screens to feel omnipotent, Kylo Ren retreats behind a mask to hide his own insecurities- and everything in Driver's astute use of body language in-and-out of said mask confirms this. It's creepy because it feels real, not simply the fantasy bogeyman role that Darth Vader once occupied.
AESTHETIC: 2 / 2
And we finally come down to it.
Forgetting for a moment the acting, the old cast members, the plot
points, the gags- what really solidifies this film as being a part of
the Star Wars universe is it's visual and audio DNA. It LOOKS like Star Wars. It SOUNDS like Star Wars. Because of that, it FEELS like Star Wars! Stormtropers
attack, X-Wings soar, the Millennium Falcon dives, Blaster rifles
fire, Light Sabres bristle with power as they clash- it's all instantly familiar.
Aside from being poorly written and poorly directed, the prequel films didn't look or feel much like Star Wars- they were cartoonish and CGI laden (about the only thing they had going for them was a decent score). Force Awakens cannot be accused of making that same mistake, and it has a real scene of old-fashioned physicality to it- what CGI it does utilise, for the most part, it does so sparingly.
Aside from being poorly written and poorly directed, the prequel films didn't look or feel much like Star Wars- they were cartoonish and CGI laden (about the only thing they had going for them was a decent score). Force Awakens cannot be accused of making that same mistake, and it has a real scene of old-fashioned physicality to it- what CGI it does utilise, for the most part, it does so sparingly.
INTENTION: 2 / 2
So, aside from the mass media frenzy
and excitement surrounding the release of Force Awakens, the
older and more cynical fans (that is to say, those old enough to
remember how crushed they felt after the prequels) could be forgiven
for a slight apprehension... So it's with a sense of overwhelming
relief I can truthfully say "put those fears to bed". Force
Awakens is EXACTLY the film YOU want it to be! A film for fans, by
fans. It's clear from the outset the referential love these
film-makers have for the original trilogy. George Lucas, I suspect,
must have been secretly hoping for a flop (since Disney essentially
paid him to keep away), so it's no great surprise he's been quite
outspoken recently. Lucas didn't much like Force Awakens, labeling it a "retro film" (I'm not even sure if that's actually a criticism?) but if
anything, that can only mean Disney are getting something right. Sour
grapes, Mr. Lucas?
A further criticism leveled at Force Awakens
in respect of it's attempts to restore what has gone before is “it's much too similar to A New Hope”,
and to be fair it's easy to see why people feel that way; it does
share a great many plot points with the first film, but (to my mind
at least) it felt less of an exercise in recycling old ideas and more
like a return to the familiar Star Wars films of old, and I
can't blame the film-makers in this instance for playing things safe-
there's plenty of time for originality in what's still left to come.
FINAL WORD: 8 / 10
Force awakens is a roller-coaster film
in every sense- it's exciting, it's fun, it's scary, it's dramatic. It's also got space ships,
shoot-outs, weird and wonderful aliens, a multitude of planets,
villains with English accents, explosions, light-sabre fights, and
more! Everything you'd want in a "true" Star Wars film.
Aside from making money (which it has, and
by the bucket load), Force Awakens felt like a sincere effort to put
the Star Wars franchise back on the right track, and it absolutely
has. JJ, whatever my reservations concerning him have been in the past,
has breathed fresh vitality into this series (no small feat after the
prequels) and set the mark pretty high for the inevitable follow-ups.
I suppose the highest compliment I can
pay the film is this: watching it I felt like a young kid again, and
surely that's what Star Wars is all about?
Final, Final Word; I had the good fortune to see this film with not only two very good friends, both of whom are also Star-Wars fans like myself (and were just as relieved with the new film as I was), but also with my good lady. She's not particularly 'into' films, hadn't ever seen a Star Wars movie before this point, and didn't particularly have any inclination to- she came along mostly just to meet my friends and have a night out... Well, if anyone out there's thinking "do I need to be a fan for Force Awakens to make any sense" or "I don't really like fantasy and science fiction", then worry not. My lovely lady thought the film was amazing, and she found the story easy enough to follow without any prior knowledge. Oh, and she laughed a LOT (see, told you it was funny).
So, there you have it, fan or not, Force Awakens is a hugely enjoyable experience.
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