Movie Review: Star Wars: The Force Awakens

The following review originally ran on Starpulse.com in 2015.

You can finally forget about those awful prequels, because Star Wars is back on brand thanks to director J.J. Abrams. With Star Wars: The Force Awakens, Abrams accomplishes the herculean feat of transitioning George Lucas’s original Star Wars films into a new series, while still making his movie feel like a part of the same cinematic universe.

The picture’s main task is to act as a bridge between films. And in that task, The Force Awakens succeeds impressively, because Abrams perfectly balances the old with the new. He returns to basics, delivering the elements that made Star Wars entertaining in the first place: thrilling action, mind-blowing special effects, characters you can root for, and an epic story. Abrams also includes plenty of nods to the originals for fans. To link the series, he catches you up on the 30 years since The Return of the Jedi by connecting you with old friends. What’s amazing though, is how he gets you to care about new characters too by intertwining everyone’s arcs.

The Force Awakens hits very similar dramatic beats to A New Hope, but the movie feels like an upgrade to the franchise rather than a rehash due to the complexity of its characters and the strength of its acting. All of the main personalities are more intricate in their motivations and influences, especially returning characters, who are affected by what they have endured over the past 30 years. Plus, the cast itself is much more diverse, which allows lots of gifted actors to shine.

Speaking of actors, the talent in The Force Awakens is easily the strongest of any Star Wars film to date, something that leads to a number of excellent performances. This collective ability elevates the entire movie and inspires each cast member to try his or her hardest. Even Harrison Ford, who is normally very one-note (albeit a good one), gives a nuanced turn as Han Solo. It probably also helps that Abrams uses a lot less CGI in favor of real locations and costumed aliens, giving the actors real people and objects to play off.

Another way that The Force Awakens feels like an upgrade is the dramatic heft of its violence. Characters bleed and injuries seem severe, adding to their impact, since no one seems safe. Battle scenes feel grittier and more stressful too due to Abrams’s active camera, but not in a melodramatic way. Its realism adds to the story rather than cheapening it. And its violence never feels gratuitous or unsuitable for younger viewers.

If I saw The Force Awakens as a kid like the original Star Wars films, I would call it perfect. But since I can’t help watching movies critically now, I must briefly mention the things about it that aren’t effective. What’s funny, is that they’re the same things that don’t work in the original trilogy; I just never noticed them before. First, it’s heavy on exposition, doing a lot of telling without enough showing. Second, when it stops to handle interpersonal moments between action scenes, the movie’s pace slows too much. And third, its dialogue can be super corny when its characters try to show each other affection, diluting these moments.

However, if these things didn’t irk you before, they aren’t going to bother you in The Force Awakens. Even despite my quibbles, the film is a return to form for the franchise, as well as an excellent bridge between what George Lucas built and what comes next. The Force Awakens is an engaging picture that will not only delight fans, but it will leave them clamoring for more Star Wars.

9-year-old Evan’s rating: ✭✭✭✭✭

29-year-old Evan’s rating: ✭✭✭✭