(IMPORTANT NOTE: While I will do my absolute best to avoid major spoilers for the film, those wanting the film's plot to remain a mystery until they see it are recommended to skip the first paragraph of this review)
"Chewie, we're home"
30 years after the events of Return of the Jedi, from the ashes of the Empire rose the First Order, led by head general Kylo Ren (Adam Driver). Meanwhile, on the planet Jakku, a lonely droid named BB-8 is unintentionally left behind by its owner. BB-8 finds a friend in a scavenger named Rey (Daisy Ridley). Meanwhile, a stormtrooper named Finn (John Boyega), at the sight of his fellow stormtroopers killing innocent people, decides to escape and "do the right thing". Finn finds refuge on Jakku, and meets Rey. With the First Order needing BB-8 for crucial information, a new exciting adventure is about to unfold.
The actors do a great job, especially the new ones. Ridley makes a great female lead. Tough, self-assured and armed with a take-no-prisoners attitude, Rey is a nice character addition to the galaxy far, far away. Boyega is relatable and emotionally-sincere as Finn, while Oscar Isaac provides enthusiasm as a pilot named Poe Dameron. Unrecognizable thanks to motion-capture CGI, Oscar winner Lupita N'yongo is also very solid as a cantina owner. Andy Serkis also does a nice job in his mysterious motion-capture role as well. And Driver gives Kylo Ren more sophistication and a little more emotional depth than what you would normally expect out of a villain.
It's nice to see Harrison Ford, Carrie Fisher, and Mark Hamill back. Out of all three, Ford is given the most to do, as his character is more integral to the plot. But he truly brings back the character of Han Solo. His interactions with Chewbacca are just as fun and witty as normal. And Ford even adds a little more heart and sincerity to the role also. BB-8 was my favorite character of the film, as he was adorable, fun, and hysterical with the bits of humor he was given. In fact, there were several funny moments throughout The Force Awakens.
The legendary John Williams brings a whimsical, nostalgic, and exciting score to this latest galactic turn. Winning the Oscar for Best Score for the original Star Wars in 1978, the 83-year old still has it. The visual effects and action sequences are downright spectacular, with a blend of practical effects, costumes, puppets, props and green screen effects. It's so nice to see real sets and on-location filming (filmed in Abu Dhabi along with other Middle East/African deserts). The cinematography and editing cuts in a similar way to the original trilogy. In fact, only two motion capture characters feel just a tad out-of-place in the Star Wars mythology as well as production history.
On the downside, there isn't much. A few characters are underused (but may get more time in Episode VIII), including Poe and Gwendolyn Christie's Captain Phasma. The action gets close to getting over-the-top at times, and maybe it would have worked a little bit better to slow down the pace a tad to give the story a little more bite. The Force Awakens does actually have a decent story in the midst of all the very impressive action, but in the midst of the airship battles and one or two light saber battles, the character development of Rey and Finn gets a little lost in the midst of it. Now, this error could very well be corrected in Episode VIII (and one flashback does hint at that), but that does add more pressure on the screenwriters to try and balance things out more next go round.
I was, at first, skeptical about getting Episode VII out this soon after Disney's acquisition of Lucasfilm. Honestly, 3 years to develop a highly-anticipated movie seems a little rushed. In fact, there were quite a few complaints from Lucasfilm president Kathleen Kennedy about how Disney was "insistent on a 2015 release".
But, surprisingly, the finished production doesn't seem to show hardly any signs of rushing. Because, as a movie by itself, The Force Awakens is about everything you'd want from not just a Star Wars movie, but a sci-fi film in general. I'm not a Star Wars fanatic, but the thing is, you don't necessarily need to be a fanatic to enjoy this film. Its exciting and fun, and it also never drags. In addition to that, director J.J. Abrams succeeds in giving the film memorable characters, and in bringing back the fun, old-fashioned feel of the first trilogy (which I watched in its entirety for the first time in many years earlier this year).
Now, does The Force Awakens make me want to buy costumes and light sabers and make me an obsessive of this franchise? No. (well, except maybe a BB-8 action figure lol). But, as a critic of quality, The Force Awakens is still a reboot and set-up film at just about its finest.
Score: 8.5/10
Content Problems Families Should Be Aware Of:
Language: Two uses each of "d---" and "h---".
Adult Content: Nothing much beyond a kiss on the forehead. Finn holds Rey's hand (but she clearly doesn't want to). A shapely woman is shown reclining on an unknown creature.
Violence: Sci-fi violence and action throughout, along with some scenes that will frighten younger children. Various spacecrafts fire lasers at each other. Various explosions and deaths (with little to no blood). Loud, high-speed chases with fast-moving cameras. Two people are impaled with light sabers. Someone puts bloody fingerprints on a stormtrooper helmet. We see a couple of other wounds with some bleeding. A death star-like weapon destroys a few planets with many souls dying in the process (we don't see much besides exploding planets). People fly into the air as a result of some shooting/explosions. At the beginning, villagers are shot by a group of stormtroopers in execution style.
Drugs/Alcohol: Its unclear, but some alcohol could very well be served at a cantina.
Other: One character lies out of fear.
