Where The Whole Thing Started - For Some Inexplicable Reason

Rating: 5/10 (5 February 2016)

A confession right off the top: I'm not a Star Wars fan. This original came out when I was a teenager. Everyone was so into it that I finally had to watch it. I did. And I didn't like it. I realize that puts me very much in the minority, but - whatever - I just didn't like it. I was totally bored with it for the most part and I've never watched it or any of its sequels (or prequels) since, until I rewatched this just a few days ago. My brother in law decided that my daughter had to be introduced to the Star Wars phenomenon, so he brought the DVDs of those first three movies over and we sat and watched the first one. My daughter's 11 - and wise. She agreed with me. "Do we have to watch the other two, dad? I was bored." "Yes, honey, your uncle brought them over to watch with us, so we'll watch them when he's over." So, eventually, I'll get to watch "The Empire Strikes Back" and "Return of the Jedi." I'm as enthusiastic as my daughter.
So, to this movie. I was still bored with it. It has one of the least interesting beginnings I've ever come across. It's a struggle to watch the first hour or so. And once the action really starts - it's just a gigantic space battle, and I just don't buy that good old Luke Skywalker can go from farm boy to ace fighter pilot like that. And really you have to mix in some pretty weak performances - especially from the two main leads. There's a reason that Mark Hamill and Carrie Fisher never really did much after Star Wars. They're just not that good! Harrison Ford is the only one who managed to turn his role in this into a big-time acting career - but, let's face it, most people remember him as Indiana Jones and not Han Solo. Granted that George Lucas got some big names in this - Alec Guiness as Obi-Wan Kenobi and James Earl Jones as the voice of Darth Vader. But the newer, younger crowd of actors just wasn't that good. And then there were the aliens. Some of the worst looking aliens I've ever seen - especially in the bar scene in Mos Eisley. I really loved the alien who looked like a green-ish burlap sack with bright buttons sewed on for eyes. Add on some ridiculous dialogue and irritating droids who get far too much of the ridiculous dialogue to top it off.
Those are things that stand out for me that just didn't work for me. I'm not dissing "Star Wars" completely. There were some good things about it. Give George Lucas credit for imagination. This was a very interesting and imaginative universe he created. And the space battles were pretty well done - I just thought there was too much of it. And let's face it - Darth Vader has become an iconic character; one of the greats in Hollywood history. Everybody knows Darth Vader - whether they like Star Wars or not. And "the Force." Who doesn't know about "the Force." Something has worked well when characters and other things get sealed in the popular imagination. And I admit again that I am in the minority. You can't deny that Star Wars has become a cultural phenomenon. I may not understand it, or buy into it, but I can't deny it. To some extent, it really re- invigorated what had become a tired concept - space-based sci-fi. (I'm sure it's no coincidence that "Star Trek" - which was being planned as a TV relaunch as I understand it - actually ended up appearing on the big screen not long after the amazing success of "Star Wars.") So Star Wars changed a lot of things and created a legion of fans that lasts to this day. I can't deny any of that. And yet, I still can't bring myself to really like this movie. But since I can't deny its impact and importance - it gets a 5/10 from me.