Star Wars: The Force Awakens - Film Review
Star Wars: The Force Awakens is directed J. J. Abrams and stars Daisy Ridley, John Boyega, Adam Driver, Oscar Issac, Harrison Ford, Carrie Fisher, Peter Mayhew, and a cameo from Mark Hamill.
Plot
30 years after Return of the Jedi, Rey (Daisy Ridley), a scavenger from the planet Jakku, finds BB-8, a droid that knows the whereabouts of the long lost Luke Skywalker (Mark Hamil). Rey, as well as a rogue stormtrooper, Finn (John Boyega), Han Solo (Harrison Ford) and Chewbacca (Peter Mayhew) are thrown into the middle of a battle between the Resistance and the legions of the First Order.
Review
This is the first great Star Wars film since 1983. I know I said I liked Revenge of the Sith, but that movie isn't great. I think this one is. This was actually my favorite film of 2015. I'm not gonna bring up how people say this movie is too similar to the original Star Wars, I actually didn't realize that until people were saying that online, and I still don't care.
This is also the only movie I've seen more than once in theaters, I saw it twice in two different theaters, I saw it the day it came out, then I saw it two months later at another theater, which is the main theater I go to now.
Like most of my reviews, I'm not even sure where to start.
The effects are really good here, it's mostly practical but there's some CG but only when it's needed. It doesn't over rely on it like the prequels did.
A few things I was wondering, for the desert planet in the movie, why couldn't they have just gone back to Tatooine instead of creating a new planet, Jakku?
When Rey picked up Luke's old lightsaber in Maz Kanata's place that was thought to be lost forever after The Empire Strikes Back, why did she have visions when Luke didn't after picking up his father's lightsaber, the exact same lightsaber? How did Maz even find it in the first place?
How did Rey become nearly as effective as a force user in a few hours when it took Luke Skywalker a few years?
How do Han Solo and Chewie find the Millennium Falcon? Why couldn't they detect it when it was just sitting abandoned on Jakku? Lando doesn't seem like someone who would throw a ship that sentimental to either Han or himself away.
How does Poe Dameron (Oscar Issac) get from Jakku to the Resistance HQ? He said he just "woke up" after being tossed by the fallen TIE Fighter and made his way back to the Resistance, so what about his mission the get BB-8 back?
Has anyone who designed Starkiller Base not heard of what happend 30 years prior? Both Death Stars had a fatal flaw that was so easily accessible to Rebel ships, so why would you want that on your base? A base that's supposed to be more powerful than both Death Stars.
Why would Luke Skywalker leave a map to the planet he's hiding on?
Let's talk about the characters.
Daisy Ridley is great as Rey, a scavenger who lives in an abandoned Star Destroyer who sells old parts from droids or ships for half portions, discovers BB-8 and goes with Finn, Chewie and Han to stop the First Order.
John Boyega is great as Finn, or FN-2187, the stormtrooper who turns over a new leaf and joins the Resistance to destroy the First Order. He's one of my favorite sequel trilogy characters.
I really liked Adam Driver as Kylo Ren, though some of the people don't care for Kylo Ren that much, but I really liked him. As everyone knows he is the son of Han and Leia who turns to the Dark Side. In the Star Wars Expanded Universe, Han and Leia had twins, Jacen and Jaina, and in the Legacy of the Force novel series (are those books any good by the way?) Jacen betrays everyone he knows and becomes Darth Caedus. I wouldn't be surprised if I found out that some inspiration for Kylo Ren came from those books. Anyway, I really like Kylo Ren and think he's a good character. Also, if he's the leader of the Knights of Ren, then how come we never see any other Knights of Ren?
Oscar Issac's good as Poe Dameron, he's the commander for the Resistance's Starfighter Corps, owns BB-8, who contains Luke Skywalker's location, and is rescued by Finn.
Maz Kanata, I don't really have much to say about her except asking about how she got Luke's lightsaber. I actually saw a video talking about a theory that Maz Kanata was hidden in both the prequels and the original trilogy, although J. J. Abrams created her based off his teacher so I'm not sure how valid that theory is. Check that video out here if you want.
Harrison Ford is great as Han Solo, the smuggler turned general we all know and love. He's pretty much the same as he is in the originals but older, so there's not much to say, but it was really sad when he was killed by Kylo Ren.
Same with Peter Mayhew as Chewbacca, the Wookiee smuggler and friend of Han Solo.
Carrie Fisher is back as Leia, who is now a general and leader of the Resistance who wants to stop the First Order and find her brother Luke. J. J. Abrams was asked why Leia is not a Jedi in this movie like she is in the Expanded Universe, and he responded that she simply chose not to be a Jedi and decided to lead the Rebellion, the Resistance and consider herself General.
C-3PO is back in the movie and you don't recognize him because of his red arm (how he get that arm anyway?). He's pretty much the same as he is in every Star Wars movie, so there's not much to say.
Same with R2-D2, who has powered down since Luke's disappearance.
Mark Hamill is back for only a few seconds as Luke Skywalker. He disappeared after trying to start a new generation of Jedi, but his apprentice Ben (Kylo Ren) turns to the Dark Side and then destroys it. Those few seconds were great. My mom thinks that Luke is Rey's father but I'll find out when I see The Last Jedi.
I'm very excited to see The Last Jedi tomorrow, I'll have a review of that up soon.
I'm not sure if I like this movie more or less than Return of the Jedi so I'll just give it the same rating.
9/10
Previous review - Return of the Jedi
Next review - Star Wars: The Last Jedi
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