Star Wars: The Force Awakens Review

Star Wars: The Force Awakens is the seventh instalment in the 38 year old series, and the first of the sequel trilogy of trilogies.

If you have not seen the previous films, or would simply like to refresh your memory of the major plot points that lead up to The Force Awakens, you can do so with this summary of Episodes I – VI.

So, where do I begin with such an enormous film? The plot. Being that the last Star Wars was released back in 2005, ten years ago. Being that The Force Awakens is not only the start of a new trilogy, but also the start of a new directors take on the series, it would be assumed that the plot would be incredibly fresh whilst remaining heavily linked to its predecessors, right? Wrong. Whilst it is a new film with new characters, new locations and new weapons with old characters and links, the plot itself can be considered ‘inspired’ by that of an earlier film in the franchise.  The film takes place thirty years after the defeat of the Galactic Empire, where a new enemy that takes the form of the First Order, led by (Darth Vader fanatic) Kylo Ren, threaten to rule the galaxy. After the First Order (a very Nazi-esque organization) begin kidnapping children and using them as Stormtroopers, replacing the clones, defector Finn (John Boyega – Attack the Block) escapes, landing on the planet Jakku, where he meets Rey (Daisy Ridley – Scrawl), a scavenger who gains the company of droid BB-8, which possesses a secret map. Along the way they team up with Han Solo (Harrison Ford) and Chewbacca to ensure that the intelligence is received by the Resistance, informing them as to the whereabouts of Luke Skywalker (Mark Hamill), the last remaining Jedi Knight.

In a slightly more detailed but spoiler-less look at the plot, as stated earlier it takes the new form of an already told tale. It begins with a lonely, young character, surviving each day as it comes on a desert-like planet, until a droid turns up, followed by an interesting acquaintance, as they travel across the galaxy whilst the first character learns more about themselves and their capabilities. Skip forward in time to a sphere-like star that can fire a laser powerful enough to destroy a plane in a single shot while a pilot aims to take the perfect shot to destroy it. Sound familiar yet?   That’s because it follows a similar premise to that of Star Wars: A New Hope. Don’t start believing they’re exactly the same film as they take different approaches to what they do, and with The Force Awakens being a sequel, it acknowledges the chains of events all the way from A New Hope to the end of Return of the Jedi to help explaining the plot.

Much like that of Luke Skywalker, George Lucas’ lack of presence was noticed significantly in this film. Whilst it still felt like a Star Wars film, there were traces of JJ Abrams’ style all the way through, and what would a JJ Abrams film be without lens-flares? Yes, whilst he leaves his mark with cinematically enhancing flares, there aren’t quite as many as you’d expect for a film riddled with neon lights and lasers, including a moment where a lightsaber isn’t even on the screen anymore, but the flare of it still remains. Not only is the film beautiful to look at with graphics of a next level, but if you watch the original trilogy beforehand you will really appreciate the leaps-and-bounds of which visuals have come on since. As expected, with CGI being part of the graphics, they are potentially the most noticeable enhancement and visual development of them all. Once again, if you revert back to the original trilogy, it was filled with robotics that were great for their time, and still managed to bring life to the characters they were representing (Yoda), however they weren’t exactly smooth or emotive. However, progressing from that of the prequel trilogy, the CGI is smoother and more realistic than ever, allowing for an easier experience to observe! After all, this is Star Wars, and the CGI can be summarised by the iconic glow and effect of the lightsabers which have been edited to perfection in every sense, from the light they emit, to the sound to match, to the flickering structure they are, a pure art form to maintain that of the franchise.

Much like a lot of upcoming films, The Force Awakens is led by stars who were relatively unheard of, that is until they gained their roles in what is most likely the biggest film of 2015. Not only do they do a fantastic job and justify their casting, but also prove that the biggest films do not require the biggest names to become huge successes. And in fact, more often than not, when an obscure actor/actress is cast it allows you to focus on the film and believe in their character far more. Daisy Ridley has had multiple parts in television shows such as Casualty and  Toast of London as well as a major role in the 2015 independent film Scrawl, and has finally caught a big break displaying her skills and competence, doing a perfect job in restoring the franchise. John Boyega, however, has had a slight bit more experience on the big screen.  Whilst he also has filled the majority of his filmography with television roles, he also starred in the 2011 British action, comedy, sci-fi Attack the Block, which put him on the casting radar.  The final major introduction to the series was Adam Driver, who was set to oppose Rey and Finn as the villain Kylo Ren. Once again, Driver’s filmography mainly compiled of short television appearances and independent film roles.  As for the rest of the cast, including Harrison Ford, Carrie Fisher, Oscar Isaac, etc, don’t really need any introduction or explanation as to what it is that they are famous for. All that needs to e said is that all actors and actresses within this film gave it their all and earned their roles.

The way a moving-image story is told is all down to the cinematography, which director-of-photography Daniel Mindel (Star Trek Into Darkness, The Amazing Spider-Man 2) got near perfect! Working in collaboration with the beautiful colours and lighting, the shots and angles help the the narrative to not only flow well, but also tell it just as well as the dialogue.

As stated, this is the seventh film in the franchise, which means that there was always going to be a high count of references and easter eggs, predominantly of the original trilogy.  Not only have films become increasingly filled with references, but as Disney own Marvel and Star Wars, and with the Marvel Cinematic Universe being packed with easter eggs, there wasn’t any doubt that The Force Awakens was going to at least contain half a dozen references to the previous trilogies.

Another thing that Star Wars is famous for is its music. Even those who haven’t seen the films have at least heard the ‘Star Wars Main Theme’ and the iconic ‘Imperial March’. Even if you weren’t a fan of the prequel trilogy, it is safe to say that the music remained constant and brilliantly executed. Well, once again John Williams has returned to deliver yet another amazing score to accompany a near perfect film. With 23 tracks and a runtime of over an hour, The Force Awakens is never short of an effective underlying sound.

Overall, despite a few minor details and the previously inspired narrative, Star Wars: The Force Awakens is an outstanding all-rounder that delivers on multiple levels and will have you entertained from start to finish. Whether you’re a die-hard fan of the franchise, or are just being dragged along by your friends that are, you are sure to not only enjoy it, but also lose yourself in its enormity.

 

9.3/10