MOVIE: Star Wars: The Force Awakens, AKA the Biggest Nerdfest of Our Generation
Where to begin on this one...
I, of course, come in with a complete bias of the situation before me, having been a Star Wars fan since I was able to comprehend movies. I am a forgiving soul when it comes to the sacred franchise, as I will even argue the merits of the dreaded prequels. There are few movies these days that make me revert back to a state of childlike wonder, with out loud cheers and gripping the seat with anticipation.
I weep for those going to this movie having not been previous fans of the series, as this movie was no doubt made by a fan for the fans. There are so many shoutouts, homages, easter eggs and even direct quotes from the original trilogy that I found myself feeling a bit force fed (if you would pardon the pun). Coming in as a fan already though, I felt like I was in on some inside joke between JJ Abrams and those few in the fandom club, and it felt pretty nice.
The movie is the first covered by the Disney umbrella, as you may know, so I knew they were going to be careful with such a huge endeavor, especially since they announced their upcoming cash cow amusement park extension. Of course, it's going to be good. It's got a reputable director at the helm, the original cast, an outrageous budget and a devoted fanbase of 30 years going strong. I caught the 'Certified Fresh' rating and all the celebrity tweets raving about it's excellence. Of course, it was going to be good.
But just how good was something I wasn't expecting. I tend to be a harsh critic on script-writing and acting most of all, and this was where I found myself most impressed. The script was just clever enough to feel new but just on the nose enough to remind you that you were still watching a Star Wars movie. And the acting, oh man, the acting. Particularly by the newbs to the universe, Ridley, Boyega, Isaac, and Driver, were out of this world (again with the pun pardons). Ridley was a badass female lead to do the girls proud, while Boyega delivered some of the cheesier lines with believable ease, Isaac was funnier and more likable than I anticipated.
But let's talk a bit about Adam Driver. I expected just another Darth Vader-esque villain trope, marching around to the Imperial March with a mask on and intimidating people around him with his height and heavy steps. However, every time that mask came off was when the real money-making began for him, and there was a moment he made me cry with his conviction. Let me tell ya, I never cry. Except for in TFA when Adam Driver lets his vulnerable yet somehow monstrous eyes bore into your innermost soul.
The only complaint I guess I could nitpick out was the blatant fact that the story felt maybe too familiar. The plot is basically A New Hope spun for a modern generation. However, we all enjoyed a New Hope, so why not?
It was also a little tough seeing our once spry heroes all aged and even decrepit. Everyone is slower, greyer, weightier. However, it's the original cast or nothing. How they look in the grand scheme of things is way preferable than an alternative.
Also, most of my guesses about the so-called 'twists' in the story were right (even some that were not directly revealed were heavily foreshadowed), so I advise to not go in with hopes of the same outrageous shockers we got with the Empire Strikes Back. Even when you are not sure what's going to happen next, you'll see a road sign coming from a mile away to warn you. Still, we may see them coming but it somehow didn't ease their impact any less. At times, I was grabbing my heart violently to ease the feels. Other times, I saw my friend in the row ahead of me turn to share a look of awe.
Because there is something about Star Wars. It's different. It's ingrained on our hearts to love it almost as a part of our culture. We love it and it's finally loving us back in an epic way. I can't wait to see it again.
Bottom line: Even if you aren't a Star Wars fan, this is a great time to become one.
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