Reviews Film / The Force Awakens

This is the Star Wars we were looking for

Without getting too deep into details, this is what it means to be Star Wars. Not just the return to Practical Effects and smarter/more limited use of CGI.

We actually have a cast we care about. The acting was superb; the best in any Star Wars film. Rey, Finn, and Poe are very easy to like, they are reasonably flawed, you care about what happens to them, and you want them to succeed. In one hour, it accomplishes what the prequels failed. Even the humor was on point, because it was character-driven (like Empire).

Kylo Ren is a worthy successor to Darth Vader, by acknowledging that he will never be Vader and rolling with it. Even BB-8 was endearing and not shoehorned. The Stormtroopers are humanized as well, which makes them easier to root for. Of course, the best part is when the new bridges with the old (once Han Solo and Chewie return, the good movie becomes great, because that chemistry is very well done and endearing).

The dialogue is probably the best you'll see in a Star Wars film. It uses exposition when it needs, it knows when to be funny without taking away from a scene, its action scenes were grounded and violent (but not too flashy), and it knows when to be serious without being grimdark or overbearing. Perhaps most importantly, it utilizes a lot of visual storytelling, where the body language of the characters and actors tell the story for you (like Finn, with a Stormtrooper helmet, perfectly conveys his horror of war without needing a single line of dialogue).

It is very similar to A New Hope, and sometimes too much so, but it mostly works well with what it has, and it does add some variety to what was done before. Some of its major characters were underutilized, some things weren't answered (and probably will be in later films), and one can argue it played too safe.

Definite flaws, but not too much where it kills the viewing experience overall (just like the originals). I'd argue it... modernized Star Wars for film goers, and it brought back the look, feel, and heart that was missing for so long. I say it's the best since Empire, but that's my preference.