What a time to be alive! Thanks to the efforts of JJ Abrams and all involved in the production of this film, we live in a world where we are going to movie theatres to watch great Star Wars movies. Despite the astronomical pressure and fan expectation, I think its fair to say that The Force Awakens, the 7th film in the Star Wars franchise, is a massive success and one of the most entertaining films I've seen all year. This film is the reason why I love movies in the way that I do.
But I'm getting ahead of myself and have completely spoiled what I thought about it, but I'm sure you understand where I'm coming from. Star Wars Episode VII: The Force Awakens is directed by JJ Abrams and tells the story of a post Return of the Jedi Star Wars universe, taking place approximately 30 years after the destruction of the second Death Star and the fall of the Galactic Empire. Since then, Luke Skywalker has gone missing and both the First Order (the reincarnated Empire) and the Resistance (the rebels) are both desperately searching for a lead to Luke's whereabouts. And that's all I'm going to say about the plot, because it's best you go into the movie not knowing anything for the full experience.
One of the biggest complaints people (myself included) have of the Prequels is that they're paced atrociously with scenes which do nothing to progress the plot or flesh out characters. Thanks to JJ Abrams fantastically frantic, fast-paced direction, The Force Awakens never ceases to be entertaining. Every single scene in this film matters, and the excitement levels never drop and the film never ceases to be supremely entertaining.
Abram's vibrant and passionate direction of this film seeps into every single frame. Everything to do with this film in terms of its aesthetics was absolutely spot on; it felt like it belonged in the Star Wars universe. The cinematography was fantastic with every shot having something special about it, John William's iconic musical score was back in full force (pun intended) and the use of practical effects over computer-generated imagery was an utter masterstroke by the filmmakers. The locations, the costumes, the use of puppetry, the visual and audio effects all felt like Star Wars to me. I was thrilled to see a film look as if it was shot somewhere on this Earth as opposed to in a fake, blue screen environment. I know some people are complaining that the CGI of the 2 motion capture characters was off, but I didn't have that problem at all! For me, when CGI was used it was used very well.
The action sequences in this movie are all filmed and executed to perfection, with both battles on the ground and in the air both being equally enthralling. Plus, the lightsaber battles were everything I wanted them to be! There was no pointless choreography and the fights were brutal, taking place between two or more people with the intention being to kill the opponent. Because its so real, the stakes are higher and its more entertaining to watch unfold. The fights feel like a bi-product of the internal conflict between characters and not the other way around, which is how it should be in my opinion.
Every shot of The Force Awakens is injected with the raw passion of the filmmakers who went out of their way to make every scene as perfect as they possible could. Having filmed on these amazing locations and brilliantly crafted sets almost certainly aided the actors in this film, all of which give phenomenal performances simply because they're so thrilled and enthusiastic to be performing in a Star Wars film.
One performance which stands above the rest was Daisy Ridley's portrayal of Rey; which is the physical embodiment of perfect casting. She's fantastic in this film, and so is her character. Rey is smart, quick-thinking, likeable, and can really hold her own in a fight. She's another strong female lead in what has been a good year for female leads in blockbuster films, and she tops this list with ease. I can't wait to see Rey in future films, because out of all the characters in this film (of which there are a few), she has the most interesting future and room for character development for sure.
But I have to admit that John Boyega's Finn may well be my favourite character in this film. His performance is the most charismatic out of everyone and a lot of the movie's humour channels through him, and works like a treat. Not only does he have natural on screen chemistry with Daisy Ridley, but Finn's character arc is the most noticeable and interesting one to watch unfold. It was great to see a Star Wars film get into the psyche of a Stormtrooper, and it's Finn's morality and willingness to do what is right that makes him so likeable and relatable.
When I say this movie has humour, I really do mean this movie is hysterical in so many places. And the fact is a lot of the humour in this film comes out so naturally and courtesy of so many characters. It would have been possible for them to go overboard on it but I think all of it was used excellently to liven up the tone of a film which is incredibly thrilling and emotional in a lot of places. I've also gotta give a shout out to BB8, who's awesome. I need one of those things around the house!
There are also so many other characters that don't get a lot of screen time in The Force Awakens, but I honestly can't wait to see more of them. One such character has to be Oscar Isaac's Poe Dameron, the most likeable, badass X-wing pilot in the galaxy. Seriously though Isaac is a quality actor and deserves the roles he's getting because he is so good in every role he is given.
The Force Awakens does this incredible thing where it pays homage and respects the old, but gets you excited and enthusiastic for the new and desperate to see more of where these characters are going to go and what they're going to do. It also would've been easy for them to shoe-horn in the traditional characters (like Han Solo) for nostalgia purposes. That is the complete opposite of what they do in The Force Awakens. In fact, Han Solo is integral to the plot. To see Han Solo and Chewie in the Millennium Falcon in a film released in 2015 was almost too much for my nerd brain to handle at times.
Harrison Ford knocked it out of the park playing Han Solo once again, proving that this was the role he was born to play. Both Han and Leia share a really beautiful scene in a hangar which was one of the most emotional moments of the entire film. In fact, due to the performances of both Ford and Fisher combined with the direction and the screenwriting, you really felt a sense of history and pain within Han and Leia's relationship.
And what's a Star Wars film without a great villain? Thankfully, The Force Awakens is no exception as the galaxy's new evil bastard goes to the man named Kylo Ren. He's honestly my favourite villain of the year. One of the reasons why I loved him so much was because he was actually a vicious, unpredictable villain who could lose his temper at any moment. He's completely irrational and devoted to an unhealthy degree to the man he idolises; Darth Vader. Despite the fact you hate Kylo Ren more than anything in this world, you still have a good grip on his motivations for his actions. This is especially during an intense scene between Ren and Rey, which synonymously makes Rey the most interesting character going into future instalments.
There are definitely some characters in this film which do not have much screen time, one of which being Andy Serkis' Supreme Leader Snoke, but you have to remember this is the first film of 3. We're getting 2 more films after this which will answer all of the unanswered questions, of which there are plenty. And the fact of the matter is, I can't wait to have them answered! Isn't that the point of the first film of a trilogy, to satisfy you by setting everything up but leaving you to speculate and ask questions about what is to come?
The only negative thing I can say about The Force Awakens is the use of some very familiar plot points, most notably the purpose of BB8 in the film and the Starkiller Base, the home of the First Order. Other than that, I loved every remaining aspect of this film. And to that I owe JJ Abram's a massive thank you. Thanks for bringing glory back to the Star Wars franchise by making an entertaining and emotional film which gave me everything I wanted.
Over to you Rian Johnson, you have some serious shoes to fill, but all of the tools needed to do it!
Rating - A
Thanks for reading, and may the force be with you!
Matt
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