Star Wars The Force Awakens Review

2015 in film

Dec 19

Written By Rendy Jones

Preview

PG13: Sci-Fi Action Violence

Disney, Lucasfilm

2 hrs and 16 Minutes

Cast: Daisy Ridley, John Boyega, Harrison Ford, Oscar Isaac, Carrie Fisher, Anthony Daniels, with Adam Driver, and Mark Hamill

Editor’s Note: This review was originally published during my adolescence. Outdated language might be seen in these old posts. Since then, my thoughts and values have grown. This review is being presented as they were originally written, grammatical errors and typos and all. Because to do otherwise would be that same as claiming these flaws has never existed.

BACKSTORY: Last month I used a gift card from Fandango to buy tickets to the Force Awakens on December 19th 9:00 AM. IT WAS A PAIN IN THE ASS! I was on a line for the theater to open while waiting for my friend Emily. She texted me 7 in the morning saying don't be late when she was the late one. So during the first several trailers she calls me saying how she couldn't find a theater. After leaving and trying to find her she got her ticket but they didn't give her the IMAX 3D glasses. SO AFTER going upstairs and downstairs and upstairs to get her glasses, the infamous theme began and we just ran in the theater just in time to watch it.

STORYLINE: Three decades after the defeat of the Galactic Empire, a new threat arises. The First Order attempts to rule the galaxy and only a rag-tag group of heroes can stop them, along with the help of the Resistance.

REVIEW: I remember vividly last year when I went to the theater Thanksgiving day in Lincoln Square. I went to watch Horrible Bosses 2. After all the trailers, one was left and once it opened I got confused like what film is this? Then once I saw Finn pop up in a stormtrooper costume, I shook in my seat in surprise. Once the logo appeared, a genuine squeal came out of me. The past 390 something days after seeing that trailer, the hype train began and now the movie is out. Fans, critics and now I can all agree STAR WARS THE FORCE AWAKENS RULES. What makes this film work is that it proves that JJ Abrams is an auteur. With directors such as Phil Lord and Christopher Miller [my favorite to be honest] they're able to take a small property and expand it to something bigger with brain and heart. With JJ Abrams, he can take a huge property that everyone knows and loves and expand it to a story with not only brains, and heart, but most of all dimension which is exactly what this film has. With the Force Awakens, you have a new story that separates from all the other films from the original trilogy with new characters that has complexity and humanity in them. You naturally root for our new heroes just as we rooted for Skywalker in the original trilogy. The inclusion of Solo and Leia into the new story gives even more depth into their characters we never seen before. Their interactions are more human than their constant flirting in the original trilogy. What also makes this film great is that it's constantly action packed with amazingly choreographed fight scenes. A lot of the film is CG, but it's mixture with practical effects just makes the environment spiritually similar to- you know what screw it. I'VE BEEN BEATING AROUND THE BUSH BUT I'M GOING TO SAY IT THIS MOVIE HAS THE SAME FEEL OF THE ORIGINAL TRILOGY BUT ADDS MORE! This movie is so similar to the original Star Wars that might as well call it a remake. I mean even the transitions are the same as all the old films. What makes me like it more than the original Star Wars and Return of the Jedi [which is really unwatchable personally] is the inclusion of comedy. Thanks to films such as Guardians of the Galaxy being such a rewatchable film because of the humor, this movie does a great job on being comedic since the original trilogy lacked humor with the exception of Han Solo. If any director would need to see this film to gain knowledge out of this it wouldn't be George Lucas, but would have to be Colin Trevorrow [the director of Jurassic World] because Abrams shows how to reboot a franchise with delicate care and taking risks. With Jurassic World it's the same shit we saw in 1993 and was too safe to do anything new until the last 20 minutes. This film constantly takes risks and do new things left and right and makes you feel on the edge of your seat and you don't regret one second of it. With the comedy, it might get tonally inconsistent with the serious situations but it's something you might just have to deal with because its constant.

IMAX 3D: When a movie says go IMAX for the real deal of an epic film. GO IMAX GODDAMN IT! THIS FILM WAS MADE FOR IMAX 3D. THE 3D IS AMAZING. There is no reason for you not to see this in 3D at all. If you are a cheap bastard who doesn't like 3D because it either hurts your eyes or its too much money, RISK IT ALL! The movie uses the 3D to its advantage. It helps the action scenes, it makes you feel as if you're traveling to another planet, and most of all YOU FEEL LIKE YOU'RE WITH THE CHARACTERS EVERY STEP OF THE WAY! Don't be a dick and go see this film in 3D.

LAST STATEMENT: With new fleshed out characters and so many spiritual similarities to the original trilogy Star Wars The Force Awakens didn't only awaken the franchise to its once former glory, but awakens the fans as well as they will watch and rewatch this as many times as I will this holiday season. Disney gave us the best Christmas present we've been waiting so long for.