'Star Wars: The Force Awakens' is the movie fans have been waiting a decade for
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The opening line of "Star Wars: The Force Awakens" says that this will make things better — and it couldn't be more apt.
For any fan who felt George Lucas' prequel series, which spanned from 1999 to 2005, was a let down, the quote speaks directly to you. This is the film you've been waiting for.
I had the pleasure of attending a screening of "The Force Awakens" (TFA) Tuesday evening and it's very obvious this film was made by a fan (director J.J. Abrams) for fans.
The seventh installment in the saga, taking place 30 years after the events of "Return of the Jedi," is like a giant reunion party with a group of best friends you haven't seen in ages. You catch up, reminisce, and go out on another crazy adventure together. It's a lot of feel good fun while setting the stage for the next films. There are many callbacks and nods to the original trilogy. It's nostalgic.
As soon as the Lucasfilm logo and the opening crawl begin you'll probably be grinning through much of the film's beginning as I was, if not for the sheer feeling of watching a "Star Wars" movie then because of John Williams' familiar score once again.
If you've managed to avoid trailers and any types of spoilers up until this point (first of all, congrats, that's nothing short of a miracle) then you will be in for a roller coaster of emotions.
You'll laugh, you'll almost definitely cry (unless you're some heartless Sith monster), but mostly, you'll be cheering.
I'm not going to talk about the film's main plot here because 1. I can't do that without giving away any spoilers and 2. I don't think that's what you're here for given we're still a few days from release.
All you want to know right now are two things: Is the film any good and will you like it?
Both of the answers to those questions are a resounding yes.
From the moment the Millennium Falcon soars through the skies of Jakku just like in the first teaser, you're strapped in for 2 hours and 16 minutes of non-stop action.
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TFA has everything you'd want from a "Star Wars" movie: Han Solo, epic lightsaber battles, more Han Solo, X-wing pilots being amazing at their jobs, Han Solo in the Millennium Falcon, Stormtroopers stinking at their jobs, a Death Star endangering the galaxy, and an adorable ball droid BB-8 who you'll want to go and purchase immediately following the film, that is, if you haven't already.
The two favorites — other than BB-8 — are definitely Adam Driver's mysterious Kylo Ren and newcomer Daisy Ridley's equally mysterious scavenger character, Rey.
The former will be your new favorite flawed and misguided villain. Driver's captivating every time he's on screen and as a viewer you crave to learn more about this Vader-obsessed youth with a fiery temper to match his lightsaber.
Ridley reminded me of Jennifer Lawrence in "The Hunger Games" series — her character Rey is a spunky, independent, tough young woman who can more than hold her own. One almost wonders if script notes said to make Rey a Katniss Everdeen-like character to help drive the "Star Wars" movies into the 21st century. There's never been a girl quite like Rey in a "Star Wars" movie.
Oh and of course there's BB-8, but you already knew you'd love him (or is it her?) from Disney's aggressive marketing of the character. If you're not won over yet by the tiny robot you will be as you chuckle at the droid's movements and noises.
And that's the most surprising thing about "The Force Awakens" — how much you'll laugh throughout the film.
EW's Anthony Breznican noted this after the premiere and I can't even count the amount of times people laughed out loud during the film. That's out of the ordinary for a "Star Wars" film. I've recently gone back and watched the entire saga and though you may chuckle a few times, you're not sitting there laughing wholeheartedly.
And it's not just any one character who's bringing the laughs. It's a combination of the large ensemble — Han, the new droid BB-8, Finn (John Boyega), Rey, and, from the moment he's on screen, Resistance pilot Poe Dameron (Oscar Isaac). Even Kylo, one of the new villains, has a few funny moments (though those may be more unintentional).
That said, I can see why some may get a bit frustrated or may reflect back on the film a few days later and feel it is just "all right."
"The Force Awakens" is easily better than all the prequel films, however, I wouldn't rank it higher than anything in the original trilogy except maybe "Return of the Jedi."
That's because a lot of the film feels derivative.
The basic structure of TFA is similar to "Star Wars: Episode IV - A New Hope."
In the 1977 film, Luke ends up with a droid that has some secret information on the desert planet of Tatooine and needs to hunt out a long lost Jedi named Ben Kenobi.
I can't say much here without giving away the basic plot, but it's not a spoiler for me to tell you Rey ends up with a droid on a desert planet in TFA. That's been in nearly every teaser and trailer.
It kind of makes you wonder what George Lucas' original idea was for Episode VII.
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I'm not saying you're watching the same movie over again, but TFA is pretty much "A New Hope" 2.0.
There are also many conveniences which occur throughout the film to help carry the plot along without ever being explained.
Still, there are many new things Abrams and the crew do for Episode VII to make its mark on the franchise.
One is putting women front and center in the film in Rey, General Leia Organa (Carrie Fisher), and Captain Phasma. The other is that it's incredibly refreshing to see a "Star Wars" movie partially from the viewpoint of a Stormtrooper. Boyega plays the part wonderfully.
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Overall, the film brings the series back to its roots while tying in the prequel and original trilogies. "Star Wars" has always been the story of Anakin Skywalker and his family. With Darth Vader at peace at the end of 1983's "Return of the Jedi" I was worried about how the following films would carry on that legacy. TFA helps carry the series into the next chapter of that story.
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By the time the end of the film comes, you'll wish you were sticking around for episode VIII because May 26, 2017 — the release date for the next film in the new trilogy — is simply too far away.
That's all I'm going to say for now because you don't really need to know much more going in and you probably don't want to know anything else at the moment.
Oh and for those who have been reading every rumor you could possibly find on the movie, you won't be disappointed, but you won't be as surprised by the film's developments either.
There's much more I want to discuss from the film though so after the first showings start coming out Thursday night, check back here for some more in-depth discussions. There will be heavy spoiler warnings abound.
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