'Star Wars: The Force Awakens' film review (spoiler-free)
A truly great "Star Wars" film is more than just lightsabers and stormtrooper costumes. Simply setting a space opera in a galaxy far, far away and throwing in some lightsabers is not enough (a point the Prequel Trilogy proved). The maligned and divisive "Star Wars" prequels lacked something less tangible - namely the exciting vibe of a grand heroic adventure. "The Force Awakens" (opening in theaters nationwide Dec. 18) represents the start of something exciting rooted in something familiar.
In short: Set approximately 30 years after the events of "Return of the Jedi," a new threat imperils the galaxy. Harrison Ford, Mark Hamill, Carrie Fisher, Adam Driver, Daisy Ridley, John Boyega, Oscar Isaac and Domhnall Gleeson star. (Watch the trailer)
Although Ford, Fisher and Hamill get top billing, this seventh "Star Wars" film truly belongs to its new stars. Han Solo, General Leia and Luke Skywalker remain key to the story, but make no mistake: Episode VII is the old guard passing the torch to its new core characters: the deserting stormtrooper Finn (Boyega), the scavenger Rey (Ridley) and the evil Kylo Ren (Driver).
In the end, this is an intimate story about a small group of characters the audience truly connects with -- and that was the key element at the heart of the Original Trilogy and one that was sorely lacking in the Prequel Trilogy. "Force Awakens" takes the time to introduce the values of each new character, and not just their circumstances.
Boyega proves he is a true leading man - he is a multi-dimensional character searching for purpose. Driver's Kylo Ren is, in many respects, the anti-Vader. Kylo Ren is absolutely a character with ambitions and convictions -- and his volatile human edge makes Kylo Ren one of the most compelling characters in the entire "Star Wars" series yet. And boy it is great to have Han Solo back. Harrison Ford recaptures the roguish charm of the fast-talking smuggler -- but the actor brings a new weariness and sense of life experience to the smuggler who once firmly declared "I'm in it for the money." Although Finn, Rey and Kylo Ren drive the story, Han Solo is arguably the heart and soul of Episode VII.
Casual fans can rest assured - you don't have to marathon all six previous movies to understand what's going on in "The Force Awakens." A cursory knowledge of the original trilogy ("Star Wars"/"The Empire Strikes Back"/"Return of the Jedi") will suffice because "The Force Awakens" invests its energy beginning a new saga rather than being stuck in the past.
"Force Awakens" is not perfect. While the first act moves along with purpose (especially impressive since it introduces three several new characters while setting up the rest of the movie), the movie does get bogged down a bit in the second act. Although the middle of the movie is by no means "slow," it is where "Force Awakens" could have been tightened up a bit (if only to speed up the pacing). Massive plot holes and story gaps make Episode VII a bit uneven and clunky at times. While this new movie features a ton of new characters and dynamics -- the fundamental story structure is alarmingly similar to the original "Star Wars." It's difficult to ignore the glaring basic narrative parallels between "A New Hope" and "Force Awakens" -- it's a similarity that can be distracting at times. And a couple main characters - namely Poe Dameron (Isaac) and Captain Phasma (Gwendoline Christie) are underutilized and their characters are not developed to any extent.
"The Force Awakens" exceeds its near impossible expectations: it kicks off a new trilogy and introduces intriguing new characters -- but most important of all: "The Force Awakens" recaptures the wonder and excitement of storytelling absent from the franchise since the early '80s. It leaves many tantalizing questions unanswered -- opening up exhilarating new territory to explore in a galaxy so many fans have loved for so many decades.
Final verdict: "The Force Awakens" is the best "Star Wars" film since "The Empire Strikes Back."
Score: 4/5
"Star Wars: The Force Awakens" is 135 minutes long and is rated PG-13 for sci-fi action violence. The seventh film in the franchise opens in theaters nationwide on Dec. 18 in various large-screen, 3D and standard formats.
