STAR WARS: Episode Ⅶ – The Force Awakens (2015)
directed by J.J. Abrams
★★★★☆
Once again, J.J. Abrams helms a beloved sci-fi franchise “reboot” with a wealth of knowledge and respect for the source material. While it effectively rewrites the former Star Wars sequel canon (which, to be fair, Lucas would have mostly dismissed in his sequels anyway), it introduces several unique and fascinating new characters, while keeping the original cast around to pass the torch.
Rey and Kylo Ren are two of my favorite Star Wars characters ever, and this film does a good job setting up how their stories will progress in this new trilogy. Finn, Poe, and Hux made great supporting characters, and all of the actors, new and returning, deliver great performances. Adam Driver in particular truly shines in his role as Kylo Ren.
Most of the movie feels new and fresh, with a few welcome hand-waves of nostalgia for us old fans. We are introduced to some familiar faces about halfway through, and Abrams provides a few mysteries to keep us on our toes. Unfortunately, as we pass the halfway point, the main story gets sidetracked by what feels like an unnecessary retread of plot points from the Original Trilogy. Although these don’t detract from the adventure and emotion, both of which are a level above any previous Star Wars film, they leave several unresolved threads and make the final battle feel a bit too similar.
The highly derivative third act subplot and the complete wastes of Max Von Sydow and Gwendoline Christie are my main complaints about an otherwise fantastic entry in the ongoing saga, and the intriguing new characters and dynamic cinematography more than make up for these shortcomings.
