There has been an awakening... have you felt it?
I really gotta stop falling asleep in the desert... because this is Movie Night!
Hello and welcome to Movie Night, I'm Jonathan Paula. Tonight, on the eve of its worldwide
premiere, we'll be reviewing the newest entry in the "Star Wars" saga -- but if you haven't
heard my thoughts on the first six films, I encourage you to go back and watch those
older episodes. But for now, let's review "The Force Awakens" - which like all my reviews,
will be free of major spoilers.
After unprecedented levels of hype, speculation, and feverish anticipation, the seventh installment
in the iconic "Star Wars" franchise was finally released worldwide in mid December of 2015.
Although $200 million was spent on production, and even more on advertising - this fantasy
space epic is projected to earn almost two billion, which would make it the third-highest
grossing film in history. Taking on the daunting task of updating this classic franchise without
tarnishing its legacy is director J. J. Abrams - who successfully weaves the old with the
new in a truly magical way. Thirty years after the events of "Return Of The Jedi", a new
sinister threat has risen to rule the galaxy, unless a few young heroes and some familiar
allies can stop them. The PG-13 rated film introduces a host of awesome new characters;
John Boyega is charming, hilarious, and strong as a Stormtropper who deserts the First Order;
Daisy Ridley is a resourceful and resilience scavenger who gets caught up in an intergalactic
struggle; Adam Driver is a moody and unpredictable villain that shares many similarities with
"Darth Vader", Oscar Isaac is a bit less-developed as an X-Wing fighter pilot, and a spunky ball-shaped
droid named BB-8 steals the show in many early sequences. This core group represent the heart
of the new trilogy, and I'm definitely excited to see where their stories take them in future
installments. Virtually unknown prior to casting, newcomer Ridley is especially impressive here
- handling the fast-paced action and softer dramatic moments like a seasoned pro. Besides
Driver, most of the bad-guys are generally forgettable or unthreatening though, including
Domhnall Gleeson who seemed a bit uncomfortable. It was great however to see many of the returning
characters - even if most are regulated to minor, almost cameo appearances. Except for
Harrison Ford, who is terrific as an older, crankier Han Solo - serving as a guide for
Ridley and Boyega, as well as the audience. Quietly dispelling the myth of his storied
history, "It's true. All of it. The Dark Side, the Jedi. They're real." Ford seems more relaxed
and comfortable than ever before, delivering humor and emotion effortlessly. His initial
entrance is simple enough, but it totally gave me goosebumps. The 135-minute story parallels
many beats of the first picture, "A New Hope" - for better, and for worse. This reliance
on familiarly isn't new ground for Abrams though, who lifted entire sections of earlier
"Star Trek" pictures for his last effort, "Into Darkness". While these moments are delivered
in a bigger and more exciting way than what came before, it's hard not feel like this
is a faux-remake, instead of an original sequel. Like, did the bad guys really need to build
a third Death-Star like weapon? Speaking of excitement though - the action in this picture
is downright incredible. Not only is it well choreographed and captured with longer, steadier
camera moves - the visuals flawlessly blend practical effects with realistic CGI. Abrams'
deliberate choice to give this picture a dirtier, lived-in aesthetic - with more traditional
costumes and sets - definitely pays off. It helps the picture remain closer in appearance
and tone to the original three films, instead of the cartoony-style of the prequels. Kinetic
camera moves that whip around and follow behind the Millennium Falcon as dives into a downed
Star Destroyer make for awesome, edge-of-your seat thrills. And I'm also happy to report
that J.J. included very few lens flares this time around. Legendary composer John Williams
thankfully returned with an all new score - and while there aren't any big standout
themes like "Duel Of The Fates" or "The Imperial March" - this 83-year-old still delivers some
excellent chills; especially when recycling leitmotifs of yesteryear. Ever since the conclusion
of the original trilogy in 1983, fans have wondered if this series would ever get a proper
sequel, myself included. But 'Star Wars' creator George Lucas seemed content with only producing
three prequels, and leaving the film count at six. But that finally changed in 2012 when
Walt Disney acquired his production studio, LucasFilm, for a sizable four billion dollars.
"The Force Awakens" was immediately commissioned, and what followed can only be described as
one of the biggest promotional roll-outs in cinema history; every product from perfume
to bed sheets carried the 'Star Wars' logo. But this years-long marketing campaign really
needs to be praised. Not only did a trio of highly scrutinized trailers skillfully advertise
the film's promise without revealing any plot elements... a slow trickle of appetizing glimpses
and information were carefully announced. To put it simply, everyone's favorite space
opera is in good hands with its new owner. The rebirth of the franchise came at a cost
however, as all novels, video games, and toys that made up the "Expanded universe" were
stricken from canon, as Disney's writers pave out a new path. Given the massive admiration
for Lucas's original trilogy, "The Force Awakens" had enormous shoes to fill, especially considering
it had to overcome the lukewarm reception of the prequel trilogy from the early 2000s
- but it has matched or exceeded all expectations in a fantastic way, beautifully expanding
this franchise for a new generation of fans. With a half dozen sequels and spin-offs already
in production, "Star Wars" is back in a big way. Exploring concepts of new beginnings
and finding your purpose, this is wonderful, rewatchable adventure for all ages - even
if it does get a touch violent at times. Despite its derivative structure, "The Force Awakens"
is easily the saga's best movie in 30 years - it's fun, fast, and damn entertaining. Now
let's check out what a few others had to say about it.
Mindful of the hype, the global reaction so far has been a strongly positive one. With
audiences scoring this a NINE out of ten. And while this isn't a perfect film, or even
the best in the franchise - it's definitely worthy of my highest score, I thought it was
AMAZING.
Unfortunately, that does it for tonight's episode - but I'll be back before Christmas
with my thoughts on some recent superhero films. But if you can't wait, click this information-icon
to watch some related reviews. Once again, my name is Jonathan Paula, may the Force be
with you, and have a good Movie Night!