‘Star Wars: The Force Awakens’ Theatrical Review IV

Director J.J. Abrams has managed to capture the magic Star Wars brought to theaters in 1977 and make it new again. With its perfect blend of beloved characters, new characters and familiar themes, Star Wars: The Force Awakens takes us back to a galaxy far far away to revisit this incredible story of good vs. evil.

While the Emperor and his empire may have been destroyed in Return of the Jedi, out of those ashes emerges the First Order, lead by Supreme Leader Snoke (Andy Serkis) and his apprentice Kylo Ren (Adam Driver).

As the First Order attempts to gain power over the galaxy, the Resistance, led by General Leia Organa (Carrie Fisher), fights back. Meanwhile our newest heroes, Rey (Daisy Ridley) and Finn (John Boyega), get caught in the middle.

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Abrams manages the balance between practical and visual effects expertly, creating a visually stunning movie. Today’s visual effects make the Dark Side an even more powerful and terrifying force to be reckoned with. The use of performance capture creates dynamic alien creatures, most notably Lupita Nyong’o’s performance as the sassy and wise Maz Kanata.

This new story is full of the edge-of-your seat adventure and family drama textbook to the Star Wars saga, but it’s also funny. This movie is surprisingly funny while not detracting from the gravity of the conflict at its center.

The parallels between The Force Awakens and A New Hope are strong but in a good way. Abrams and his co-writers Michael Arndt and Lawrence Kasdan, take what worked in the original trilogy and revitalize the formula with their new characters Rey, Finn, Kylo Ren and Poe Dameron (Oscar Isaac). Each one echoes characters from the past while still being their own.

In Rey, we have an orphan scavenger abandoned by her family on the desert planet of Jakku. Ridley’s performance rings true as the fierce and earnest woman trying to find where she belongs.

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Finn brings an entirely fresh perspective to the galaxy as the rogue Stormtrooper, trying to come to terms with what the First Order has done and plans to do. As Finn, Boyega is endearing and his comedic timing is spot-on.

While Kylo Ren could have easily been a Darth Vader copycat, helmet and all, Adam Driver and the story (and, let’s be honest, the visual effects) make him an intimidating villain who can stand on his own despite Driver and the character’s youth. Full of anger and pain, he’s monstrous and murky all at once.

As Poe Dameron, Isaac plays a cocky X-wing pilot. While all of the characters exhibit palpable chemistry with one another, Isaac’s with Boyega is electric and immediately brings the audience on board this new tale.

If Ford and Fisher had any problems slipping right back into Han and Leia, it did not show. Both actors’ performance felt like a homecoming as they appeared onscreen, yet both gave the new cast space to gain their footholds in this story.

This was true of the story as well. While the movie was full of delightful callbacks to the original trilogy, most were subtle, some even drove plot. Yet while The Force Awakens honors the past, this franchise is ready for the jump to hyperspace into the future of the galaxy.

 

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