The Star Wars Epic

Rating: 10/10 (22 March 2007)

The Star Wars Epic: A review of STAR WARS
"The Force is what gives a Jedi his power. It's an energy field created by all living things. It surrounds us and penetrates us. It binds the galaxy together."
 Obi-Wan Kenobi
With the years, the Force has become one of the keystone elements of the movie Star Wars. Physicists have yet to determine whether the Force really exists or is only an appealing invention of George Lucas. However, there is undoubtedly a special type of force that attracts children and adults to the Star Wars epic. The movie is powerful because it contains three valuable elements: a good screenplay that places a fascinating protagonist into a well-crafted environment.
The script of the movie Star Wars is interesting and well-written. The story begins in the middle of an intergalactic war between the Empire and a rebellion that has raged for years and has left the universe in ruins. Star Wars follows a pattern analogous to most great epics. On his quest, the central hero struggles with destiny and fights scary monsters, while inwardly the hero tries to discover his/her true nature. Heroes such as the Greek mythological character Oedipus try to escape their destiny, but ultimately run directly into it, and so does Anakin Skywalker. The movie deals with the theme of good versus evil, and shows that good and evil are in an ever-lasting battle all around us. When Anakin is transformed into Darth Vader, he symbolically wears his all-black life-supporting suit as a token of his obedience to the Dark Side, whereas Luke and Leia wear white garments. The script is alive with simple jokes and puns, similar to operas and plays by great composers and writers such as Mozart and Shakespeare. And yet here each word has a significant meaning and connects to myriad themes. The movie talks about courage, fear, love, and devotion. It discusses politics and forms of government. It talks about life, the universe, and everything.
Star Wars tells the tale of the Jedi, the masters of the Force, who are also the guardians of peace in the galaxy. Their actions and clothing allow their image to be versatile and charismatic. They are men of wisdom (as indicated by their robes, resembling monks and wizards), they are travelers (also adventurers), and they are warriors. The Jedi's weapon is the light saber, a meter-long beam of pure energy that can cut through almost anything. This mace serves three purposes. First, the light saber is a more "elegant" weapon than a gun because it requires more skill to use, which reveals that the Jedi are skillful fighters, not languid or timid individuals who shoot only from the distance. Second, being a non-existent, almost miraculous weapon, it captivates the viewers. Last, it allows for battles that exemplify skill and exquisiteness easily traced with the eye.
Star Wars is above all the story of Anakin Skywalker, a gifted boy with unnatural and even mystical powers to control the Force. Similarly to Jesus Christ, he has no real father and was conceived by the Force, or God. Anakin is ultimately chosen to "bring balance to the Force," just as Jesus is the Savior of humankind. The young Anakin grows aware of the inequalities in life and wishes to set off on a quest to correct the misfortunes of the world. At the same time, his omnipotence does not help him to resolve his inner conflicts. On one hand, he is afraid of changes, but he cannot stop the changes relating to his life, feelings, and events around him. On the other hand, he yields to his emotions and falls in love, which contradicts the Jedi code regarding serenity of mind. Thus he becomes blinded by fear, anger, and hatred. His inability to deal with these changes eventually leads to his demise. Throughout the episodes Anakin directs his vigor into controlling the world, instead of defending and helping his fellow friends, and grows from a bright and ambitious youth into the malicious Darth Vader. With his evil grip and reverberating breathing sound, Darth Vader is a spectacular movie villain. He possesses extraordinary powers to repel and annihilate his opponents and attract and electrify the viewers.
The movie presents a universe of different creatures, different lifestyles, and different history. The characters travel to numerous planets in the Inner, Middle, and Outer Rim of the galaxy and visit the deserts of Tatooine, the forests of Naboo, the perpetual rains of Kamino, the snows of Hoth, and the technologically-developed city of Coruscant. There are diverse races unlike humans who speak and think differently. The different means of transportation include speeders, pod racers, shuttles, sub-space star ships, and gigantic battle cruisers. The composer John Williams complements the movies with stirring music, while the costumes are lavish, yet effective. The special effects, including lasers, shotgun blasters, and ship explosions, make the movie even more dynamic. All of this helps the viewer immerse himself/herself into the movie and forget about reality, which contributes to the success of Star Wars.
The Force has two aspects: the light side and the dark side. The light side of the Force is associated with goodness and benevolence. Its users seek to improve themselves through knowledge and training and to serve others, rather than rule over them. The dark side of the Force is aligned with fear, hatred, aggression, and malevolence. Anyone influenced by the dark side concedes to his passions and aims at seizing all power. Neither the light nor the dark side of the Force is dominant; both have advantages and disadvantages and complement each other, similar to the yin and yang dichotomy in Chinese philosophy. The concept of the Force will forever dwell in the hearts of the Star Wars fans. That is why no matter whether it really exists or not, it will not disappear. May the force be with you!