Episode VII is the best Star Wars film since 1980. That’s not to rag on Return of the Jedi, or – as is so fashionable – to heap more on Episodes I, II and III. The Force Awakens is simply the best film of the slated nine-film saga since The Empire Strikes Back. It’s rad.
Before going any further, let’s get this out of the way – there will be no spoilers, but hey, this is a review, there will be plot points. If you want to enter your first Star Wars flick in ten years with absolutely no prior knowledge, now’s the time to hit the back button (or we’ve got a great piece on how you can convince a friend to go see it with you if they’re not a fan of the saga, just click here).
Okay, you’re still with us? Great, here’s the set-up.
With the Empire defeated, instead of a New Republic forming with the Jedi Knights its guardians of peace and justice, the First Order arose. Essentially they’re Empire 2.0, and with the need for a gang to call them out on their evilness we’ve got the Resistance (a super different name for ‘The Rebel Alliance’).
The First Order are led by a mysterious, bald, screaming-out-for-a-back-story-scar-on-his-noggin baddy – represented only in hologram form – called Supreme Leader Snoke (played by Andy Serkis).
The Anakin Skywalker to Snoke’s Emperor Palpatine is Kylo Ren (Adam Driver), who packs that sweet – if controversial – cross-hilt lightsaber, and a helmet which makes him look like Darth Vader with a bob haircut.
Leading the Resistance is General Leia Organa (Carrie Fisher). Conspicuously missing are Han Solo (Harrison Ford) and Chewbacca (Peter Mayhew), as well as the original trilogy’s primary hero, Luke Skywalker (Mark Hamill).
We pretty much pick all this up in the awesome opening crawl. And I say awesome because it is. Episode I’s opening crawl was some lengthy essay about trade agreements.
Who cares? This time around, the crawl teaches us who the baddies are, that Luke Skywalker is missing, and that Princess Leia – sorry, General Organa – has sent her best pilot to a mysterious planet, based on a tip-off learnt from an “old ally” (guess who – it rhymes with ‘San Holo’).
Slap the words “A long time ago in a galaxy far, far away…” before that setup, and I’m on board.
But while The Force Awakens is absolutely a Star Wars film – director JJ Abrams has talked about how he wanted it to have the same DNA as the originals – this is not a film about the old heroes.
Instead, this story is about Rey (Daisy Ridley), Finn (John Boyega), Poe Dameron (Oscar Isaac) and Ren (Adam Driver).
Um, and Han Solo. Because if there was one thing missing from the prequel flops, it was a dry, hot everyman. And even at 73, Harrison Ford (who receives top billing) delivers that in spades.
“Chewie, we’re home.”
Us too Han, us too.
Sexy septuagenarians aside, this is a film for Gen Y. But rather than dismiss such a notion, remember that in 1977, Star Wars was a film aimed at the kids of the time; so just enjoy it when our black lead says “Droid, please”, or when Poe Dameron confronts Kylo Ren with a pregnant pause followed by the question, “Are you talking first? Or am I? Who’s supposed to talk first?”
Oscar Isaac, just generally tearing it up as Poe Dameron.
It’s a funny movie. Seriously, people laughed out loud in the cinema, and not just to be that guy who laughs to impress others about how they get things. The comedic moments will make you chuckle. But that shouldn’t be a surprise – just about any Star Wars scene without Hayden Christensen in it was pretty funny.
But it’s also dark. As promised, there will be no spoilers, but it’s not ruining it for anyone to say that significant characters die – that has happened in every Star Wars film to date. Even ignoring that, there’s a whole lot more death involved this time around.
The opening sequence owes a lot to Saving Private Ryan, and as Finn holds a dying Stormtrooper comrade in his arms, you actually feel for the bad guys. They’re just dudes doing their job – Finn shows us as much over the next two or so hours. Heck, the dying man even wipes a bloody hand down Finn’s helmet. Blood! In a Star Wars movie! From a Stormtrooper! That shit doesn’t happen!
John Boyega, ready to sweat and hyperventilate like a champ.
In terms of performances, our leads Ridley and Boyega carry their responsibility with aplomb, just as Hamill and Fisher did in the original trilogy. But, of course, your droll, non-Force sensitive pilot – Isaac’s Poe – is the one you wish got more screen time. Hey, there are two more episodes of this trilogy to go, fingers crossed!
As far as the bad guy… I’m just going to say it, I don’t rate Adam Driver. Rolling Stone described him as “one of the most promising actors of his generation”, which I’m just not on board with. He’s not bad by any stretch, he’s just serviceable. Bad guy, yup, sure, believable – but as terrifying, intimidating and emotionally charged as James Earl Jones’ voice work? Hell no.
Domhnall Gleeson does deserve a shout-out though; his General Hux is a great homage to Peter Cushing’s Grand Moff Tarkin from A New Hope.
But then the whole movie is a great shout-out to Episode IV. The ‘droid with vital information’ setup, the desert planet opening setting, the old-pro-teaches-new-pro relationships, the emotional climax; this is a Star Wars film from start to finish.
But it’s a 2015 Star Wars film. And it’s awesome.
Just go see it. Then let’s talk frankly, without fear of spoiling it!
★★★★
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