SPOILERS AHEAD!
STOP NOW IF YOU HAVEN'T SEEN IT YET.
OR SCROLL TO THE BOTTOM FOR THE VERDICT.
Star Wars, for many of us, has been with us for a significant portion of our lives, in some cases our whole lives. It was one of the first genre films to be taken from B movie subject matter presented in an A movie way. Being introduced to Star Wars as children gives it an advantage over every movie that has come after it and gives it a special place in our hearts and memories. We hold those original three films in high regard, even with all their flaws which most of the time we easily overlook. Basically I'm saying that nothing will ever be as good as the original Star Wars trilogy even if future films are technically superior.
Star Wars set the standard for science fiction and genre films as a whole. The new Star Wars films, as a result of the originals, have more money and resources than most. Being in this position they should be held to a higher standard, but given how closely regarded the original trilogy is with fans, nothing new will ever surpass let alone equal those first three films. That's just the nature of the situation. Yet fans are hoping for the greatest Star Wars film they've ever seen. This sets up every new Star Wars film to fail. Sometimes a grand legacy is a curse. This begs the question: Why do we want more Star Wars films if we are just going to trash them because they aren't as good as the originals?
So now you know where STAR WARS: THE FORCE AWAKENS is sitting. Does this movie pull off a miracle and do the impossible? It certainly is in a position to do so what with having the original cast back and a few examples of what NOT to do from a trilogy of prequels a decade past. If there will ever be a Star Wars film that could surpass the originals in a way that fans would accept it would be with these ingredients. Star Wars: The Force Awakens stands poised to be perhaps the best Star Wars yet.
THE PLOT
A droid containing vital information escapes the imperialist First Order onto a desert planet where it is befriended by a young woman. The droid has to get back to the resistance forces. They escape the barren planet on a junked out smuggler's ship with the First Order in pursuit. A masked man in black wielding the force captures the girl and takes her to his giant battle station and interrogates her. Then the base fires its secret weapon destroying entire planets in one shot. A group of unlikely heroes both young and old band together on a rescue mission to save the girl and destroy the battle station before all is lost.
THE GOOD
The actors. It really is amazing seeing Harrison Ford, Carrie Fisher, Mark Hamill, Anthony Daniels, Peter Mayhew, Tim Rose, and Mike Quinn back in another Star Wars film. It was a great experience just seeing them again in the roles I've loved since my childhood. Then there is the new cast. Daisy Ridley delivered a great performance as the mysterious Rey (she reminded me of a young Keira Knightley). John Boyega and Oscar Isaac both make likeable characters and ones you genuinely care for by the end of the film. Add into that veterans like Max Von Sydow (whom I swear hasn't changed in the last 20 years) and Andy Serkis and you've got an awesome team of actors. There was even a brief appearance by amazing martial arts actors Iko Uwais and Yayan Ruhian from the action epic THE RAID. Those two guys are extremely talented and it was a welcomed surprise to see them.
THE BAD
A New Remake. When you read my plot synopsis above did it sound familiar at all? Basically this movie is a remake of A NEW HOPE. While that isn't a bad thing it certainly isn't what I wanted from a new Star Wars film. A New Hope is actually my least favorite of the original trilogy. It is also one of the most familiar films to the general populace, the last film in cinematic history that needs to be remade (in my opinion). The whole time I kept waiting for this movie to do something new, to really take off into a new direction, but it never did. Sure the genders are different for some of the roles but that's it.
The Scale. The whole time I'm watching the movie I'm waiting for the moment when things ramp up to the next level, that moment when the stakes gets really high. But it never happens. At one point Han Solo has a line that essentially says "Been there. Done that." Again, treading familiar territory isn't always a bad thing, especially when you're repeating a formula that so many people love dearly. But Star Wars should be setting the new standard, not going the safe route. The last three films, each of which taking new directions, have been panned and mocked by fans and none-fans alike, but at least they gave us something we hadn't seen before.
THE VERDICT
I realize that this is the first film of a new trilogy and as such it is merely a set-up film. Set-up films have this feeling of just existing because it is necessary for the next films. It's like eating the vegetables on your dinner plate because Mom told us to. Some of us like vegetables. Some of us prefer our steak, mashed potatoes, and ice cream. I'm being harsh, but seriously this film should've upped the game. You know something is amiss when you find yourself thinking of going back and watching the prequels again.
Overall Ranking: 5 out of 10
Good. Average.
I rate it much higher, but I am unabashedly a fanboy whose first memory of the silver screen was R2-D2 in 1977. I do think they gave lip service to the idea that history was repeating itself, at least partially through the influence of the Force. I'm okay with that for a couple reasons. One, Star Wars is not technically science fiction so much as it is fantasy, and in that regard stories tend to be "same story, new generation" (though this is the 2nd time in a row JJ has done this, and the first was with genuine scifi with Star Trek into Darkness). Two, the bar is highly set, and I think JJ and Kasdan chose to make the story as familiar as possible so as to reward the lifelong fans who have waited for this day. I know it worked for me. I don't think for an instant the next film is going to be a rehash of TESB. I think they've used this opportunity to establish that yes, this is indeed your parents' Star Wars, and now they can do something narratively fresher for the next umpteen films.
ReplyDeleteVery nicely said. I like that you brought up Star Trek Into Darkness, which again I feel the actors did an amazing job as with this movie, but I was similarly a little disappointed with that it was a pound for pound remake of Wrath of Khan. I guess I just don't understand why someone, when given the keys to the kingdom, would choose to repeat perhaps the most revered and most familiar of stories albeit with a few role reversals. In harsher terms it's ripping off one's self. I expect such from lesser filmmakers and studios trying to make a quick buck and was surprised to see it from the best of the best. You do bring up some very good points, things I hadn't thought of like recreating the experience audiences had in 1977 for a new generation. That's all well and good but why not just re-release the original film in theaters again like they did in 1997?
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