With all the history attached to the name, it’s no surprise that the hype for Star Wars VII: The Force Awakens was massive.
Assuming you haven’t been living alone in a cave for the past 40 years, you’ve probably heard of Star Wars. The first set of films exploded to the scene in the ‘70s and ‘80s, forever altering pop culture and future films.
To everyone’s relief, the film seems to be doing just fine.
Directed and co-written by J.J. Abrams, Star Wars: The Force Awakens follows a blend of old and new characters of the saga. “Han Solo” and “Chewie” represent the older crew on the screen while “Luke Skywalker’s” presence is felt throughout.
Meanwhile the fresh faces provide an likable crew for the newer films. Among the new characters is pilot “Poe Dameron,” former stormtrooper “Finn” and isolated scavenger, “Rey,” played by Oscar Isaac, John Boyega and Daisy Ridley respectively. They make up part of the Resistance, which won its earlier war with the evil Galactic Empire and now faces The First Order, led by its commander “Kylo Ren.”
After the missteps of the last three films of the series, it’s a relief to see the Star Wars name returned to its former glory. Abrams, along with co-writer of two other films in the saga, Lawrence Kasdan, deliver a hugely entertaining story packed with action.
Most of Abrams’s past works bring a true sense of adventure with them, and The Force Awakens is no different. The movie explodes from scene to scene, delivering great action and a few laughs. The new guys are all interesting and easy to root for, and everything together feels like what a sci-fi adventure should strive to be.
All that said, the film’s critical acclaim, while mostly deserved, is a little over hyped. It is an entertaining success that has made more than $2 billion at the box office, but the movie isn’t perfect.
There’s so much history jammed into the film that it muddles the storyline, which already feels pretty formulaic. But these are nitpicks.
The real accomplishment goes to Abrams, who took on this incredible task and performed it admirably. The Star Wars legacy is secure, the series is fun again and if you haven’t gotten around to seeing it yet, it’s still in theaters.
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