STAR WARS: THE FORCE AWAKENS (Spoiler free review)
I’m not going to lie to you here…. this review is 100% biased. No, I don’t work for Disney or Lucasfilm (but I’m available if they want me!!). It’s biased because I, like the millions of other fans who purchased tickets two months ago, went into the theater with decades of love for the franchise. My infatuation with a galaxy far, far away began the moment I first saw A New Hope as a small child. There hasn’t been a single year of my life where I strayed from that path. It’s hard not to be biased when you’ve watched the movies more times than you can count.
Star Wars fans all approached this new saga with excitement masked in conditioned caution thanks to the prequel trilogy. J.J Abrams and crew had an unenviable job when it came to this movie. The fan legions are so quick to judge, even though they’re going to watch whatever comes out regardless (BECAUSE STAR WARS!). Disney did an admirable job keeping details of the movie under wraps. In the internet-poisoned era of everything being known ahead of time, they ensured we had to experience Star Wars the way it is meant to be experienced.
When the day finally arrived, I felt like a kid on Christmas Eve. It had been many years since I felt that way. I had no qualms using vacation time to take half a day off from work to make preparations. On the drive in my wife and I had a serious talk with our children about the dangers of spoilers. It wasn’t exactly the ‘sit down talk’ I ever imagined having with my kids, but it was treated like a drug-awareness lecture. I referenced a scene from the Simpsons to make sure they understood how gravely important the matter was…
Palpable excitement was shared by my wife and kids as we arrived at the theater an hour and a half prior to showtime. Lines for the various first showings stretched out the door. Each pulsing column of nerdom was peppered with Jedi, a Luke here and a Leia there, and even the random maskless Mandalorian. The most notable feature was that everyone seemed happy because the day had finally come. We found our seats then eagerly waited with 3D glasses in at the ready.
Butterflies swarmed my stomach as those giant yellow letters popped from the screen. Originally, I told my 5 year old daughter that I’d summarize what was written afterwards rather than reading it like I normally do when we watch Star Wars; she understood we shouldn’t bother others in the theater. Instantly, I had an instant change of heart then leaned over to whisper every line into her ear. She gripped my arm tighter with every word.
As much as I’d like to go through specific details, I would never risk lessening it for others so I will focus on my impressions instead. Throughout the movie I found myself laughing, cheering, and even crying. It was all one of the most curiously awesome experiences of my life. I can claim that because once again I felt like a six year old boy being introduced to this fictional universe all over. What made it all so surreal was the fact that my own children sat beside me going through the same thing. We did it together and formed a special memory in process. The feeling was oddly overwhelming, to be honest.
THE FORCE AWAKENS is everything we wanted/needed it to be. It is a proper homage to what came before while setting an exciting stage for what’s to come. Focus on the use of practical effects kept it away from the sterile realm which plagued the prequels. All the while, John William’s score drives the emotion on screen like it always has.
There are some who will nitpick or criticise because ‘no movie is truly perfect’. However, when the film is approached with even a hint of the love and respect it deserves, I think you’ll agree that it’s pretty damn close to being perfect.
My rating of STAR WARS: THE FORCE AWAKENS is a 10 out of 10.
I cannot wait to go see it again, and again, and again.
1 Comment
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Belligerent Barnes 
The Force Awakens isn’t as good as people say it is. I think it makes a mockery of the prequels.