Star Wars: The Force Awakens Review
I just got back from watching Star Wars: The Force Awakens. The force was with this movie because it is everything it should be. J.J. Abrams and company did a fine job turning this franchise around after the George Lucas prequels were largely disappointing.
Right from the start, we are introduced to Finn & Rey, the story’s main protagonists. In my opinion, Finn steals the show. He is funny, heroic, and most importantly, likable. The onscreen chemistry between the two is there and I hope it will be until the trilogy’s finale.
The antagonist is named Kylo Ren, a former Jedi apprentice who turned to the dark side. Some of the powers he shows onscreen suggest he is powerful with the force, but his scant skill with a lightsaber and frequent tantrums suggest he is still very much in training. In fact, the lifghtsaber fights are nothing like the flashy, choreographed duels in the prequels. This makes sense because those characters were Jedi Masters who were highly trained in a different time. It’s amateur night in episode VII.
There are numerous parallels and recurring themes between this movie and the original trilogy. You’ll notice Rey’s desert-like homeworld reminiscent of Tatooine, BB8 as the lovable successor to R2D2 who also happens to carry important information. There’s the destructive evil super-weapon that must be destroyed much like the Death Star of old, and of course, the eternal struggle between good and evil that is the light side versus the dark side. However, the parallel that makes the biggest impact is the family affair between a father and his son which has a shocking outcome.
Disney is on the right track to bring this once dying franchise back to life. There are already two spin-off movies in the works: Rogue One, about a group of rebel fighters on a mission to steal the plans for the Death Star, and an unnamed Han Solo origins movie. Furthermore we still have episodes VIII and IX to look forward to. Thus our Star Wars needs will be met for quite some time.
This is definitely the kind of flick you want to see in the theater. The good news is that after only two weeks since its premiere, the long lines and sell outs at theaters are over. So go out and watch it. You won’t be disappointed.
