“Traitor!” —Stormtrooper
Today’s quick review: Star Wars: Episode VII – The Force Awakens. Struck by a crisis of conscience, Finn (John Boyega), a Stormtrooper for the First Order, defects to join the Resistance. Crashing on a desert planet, Finn joins up with Rey (Daisy Ridley), a local scrapper, to escape his pursuers and figure out a way to destroy the First Order’s new superweapon. But to do so they must first defeat Kylo Ren (Adam Driver), an aspiring young Sith Lord.
Star Wars: Episode VII – The Force Awakens is a sci-fi action adventure movie and the seventh live-action film in the Star Wars franchise. The Force Awakens kicks off a new story set several decades after the end of the original Star Wars trilogy. The First Order has risen from the ashes of the Empire, Luke Skywalker has gone missing, and only the fighters of the Resistance can keep the First Order from annihilating the nascent Republic.
The Force Awakens features a young new cast, familiar story themes, and an impressive combination of practical effects and modern CGI. The film taps into nostalgia for the original trilogy in everything from its planets to its props to its camera cuts. Fans of the series will feel right at home in the world of The Force Awakens, at least visually. However, the heavy dose of nostalgia can distract from the movie’s own contributions to the universe.
The Force Awakens also sees the return of many of the original Star Wars cast, including Harrison Ford as Han Solo, Carrie Fisher as Leia Organa, Anthony Daniels as C-3PO, and Peter Mayhew as Chewbacca. The returning characters are not worked in perfectly, but they do give the sequel a sense of continuity. For their part, Daisy Ridley, John Boyega, Adam Driver, and the rest of the new cast have a few rough spots but show good potential.
The Force Awakens has issues with how it develops and uses its characters. Rey has the makings of an interesting character arc, but the script is blunt about the gifts it gives her and she’s too stubborn to show much growth. Finn makes a strong entrance as a reformed Stormtrooper but soon takes a backseat to Rey. Kylo Ren meets some success as an experimental type of villain: a temperamental Sith trainee with raw power but little control.
The core plot threads—Finn’s defection from the First Order, Rey’s search for Luke Skywalker, the looming threat of Starkiller Base—are all potent enough to give the movie plenty of material to work with. But individual plot points don’t always make sense, and the film’s grasp on its character motivations is often tenuous. The result is a plot that packs in plenty of action and a good variety of sci-fi spectacle but doesn’t stand up to close scrutiny.
How much you enjoy Star Wars: Episode VII – The Force Awakens will depend heavily on your taste. New fans and those hoping for a fresh take on the franchise will find plenty to love, as well as a few flaws that barely register. Critical fans won’t be able to get over a few crucial decisions that the film makes with its plot and characters. If you’re on the fence, give it a chance just to see if it clicks.
8.0 out of 10 on IMDB. I give it the same for high production values, visual spectacle, and an assortment of good ideas; your score will vary.