REVIEW: Star Wars: The Force Awakens (2015)

If there's anything that can wake me up from my hiatus (even if it's only temporarily), it's this film. Because what kind of movie critic would miss the chance to review the return of the most iconic film series of all time?

I'm just gonna say this right here, right now: at it's core, Star Wars: The Force Awakens is basically a remix of A New Hope. In terms of characters, plot, it's quite obvious that SWTFA is an homage, a throwback to the nearly 40-year-old film, although with a little of its own slight changes. Some things don't change: the opening crawl is still there, still the same; wipe transition is still a thing; the soundtrack is still big and loud and grander than ever. Other things are different, but you can draw parallels between this film and the original Star Wars. Finn (John Boyega) is Luke Skywalker, the young hero with a heart that just wants to do the right thing; Rey (Daisy Ridley) is Leia, strong-willed, courageous and independent who needs no saving; and well Kylo Ren is so obviously a Darth Vader knockoff in a new mask and a cooler lightsaber.

(And when I say knockoff, I mean that in the fondest of ways)

Also, R2-D2 is now made of two spheres with a new coat of paint and renamed to BB-8. Easily one of the cutest things I've ever laid eyes on.

But I'm not saying that the similarities is a bad thing. I loved the fact that I could pick out element that came out of the original films, there were scenes that echoed some of the most memorable parts in the episodes IV, V and VI. It was nostalgic, perhaps even more so for those who have been fans of the series since the very beginning.

Hello, it's me.

I absolutely adore the writing in this film. Pacing is good, and there's hardly a dull moment in all two hours. The script is original, natural, and witty. Just like in the original films, Han Solo (Harrison Ford) basically gets all the best lines in the film, with Finn being a close contender. 

As the leads of the film, both Boyega and Ridley carried their roles incredibly well. Even Adam Driver who plays a character who's quite literally Darth Vader's successor was excellent in portraying a powerful antagonist, but is impulsive and unstable. Basically, Adam Driver is what Hayden Christensen's Anakin Skywalker could have been, should have been. Partnered with veterans of the series such as Harrison Ford and Carrie Fisher, the acting and characterization are simply on point.

Kylo Ren's gonna give Darth Vader a run for his money.

Watching TFA while being shrouded in so much mystery was a great experience. To go into the movie almost blind, not knowing what was going to happen—not because I avoided any trailers and what-nots, but because there was little to nothing that I could find out about it before actually watching the film itself. This is when I got to experience what the audience might have felt when watching the original trilogy all those years ago, since every big twist in the original films were spoiled way before I even got around to watching them. But with TFA, I get it. I get how big deal it must have been back then, with revelations of Darth Vader's identity, and the true relationship between Luke and Leia. I never did get the full impact of those scenes. Until now, that is. And trust me on this, TFA has some pretty strong tricks and twists up its sleeves.

I know a lot of you might decide to go into TFA without watching the previous films, especially the original trilogy since it's old and the special effects are basically wonky and outdated by now, but I implore you to take some time and marathon them. TFA might be the first installment of a new trilogy with a largely different cast, but it is does take place decades after the incidents in Return of The Jedi, it is at its core a sequel to the original trilogy. It would be hard to understand the significance of some of the things and characters in TFA. For one, when Han and Chewie first appeared on the screen, it just felt so good and amazing seeing them back that it got such a loud reaction from the audience.

Am I being a little preachy? Maybe. But seriously, don't watch TFA without ever having watched the original films. A lot of fun gets lost when that happens.

Han: Chewie, we're home
Me: *sobs uncontrollably*

Feel free to ignore the prequels though. Trust me, at this point we really can forget that train wreck ever existed.

Me when I think about the prequel trilogy.

From the hands of director J.J. Abrams, Star Wars: The Force Awakens is the comeback that fans of this series—new or old—truly deserves. All the hype that built up to this were not wasted, and it's very well worth the wait.

2017 cannot come soon enough.

Brb, gotta go hunt down BB-8 merch.

Other trivial musings : I'm terrible disappointed with Gwendoline Christie's Captain Phasma. I mean come on, you cast Brienne of Tarth and that's all there is to her role??? ಠ_ಠ


 TL;DR : Excellent revival of the series, solidifying its status as one of the greatest movie franchises of all time. Overall a great, fun ride to a galaxy far, far away.

I rate it : 8/10 stars

Should you watch it? YESSS but only if you watch the original trilogy before.

STAR WARS: THE FORCE AWAKENS (2015)

Genre : It's Star Wars. It's an entirely new category on its own.

Runtime : 135 mins

Director : J.J. Abrams

Cast : Daisy Ridley, John Boyega, Oscaar Isaac, Adam Driver, Harrison Ford, Carrie Fisher

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