It feels so good to review films that are actually awesome!

Rating: 10/10 (20 January 2012)

STAR WARS! Just the title evokes a reaction and what follows is a series of emotions. Passion, joy, love, laughter, anticipation and excitement. A long time ago in a galaxy far, far away there was once such a thing as really good films, and Star Wars may be just about the greatest of them all. Without going into too much detail on the other films of the original trilogy, Star Wars may actually be the best of the three just because of its simplicity. Sure Empire takes it to a deeper level, but Star Wars is just the simple and relatable fable of Dorothy on her farm, wishing for a greater existence in life, however in Star Wars our Dorothy is Luke Skywalker, searching for his own purpose in life. We've all been there surely? That's what great films are made of.
Star Wars starts out with a small and soon to be obsolete rebel ship being pursued by the ominous and disturbingly bad guy looking star destroyer of the evil empire! The storm troopers soon board and take control of the ship, lead by their captain in command, Darth Vader. The moment Vader steps out from the smoke, stands tall above the dead rebels and his infamous breathing begins, one can easily distinguish the fact he is the most bad-ass evil villain in the history of villainy. And he is. No doubt Vader is as bad as they come, but you instantly get the sense there is more to this guy than first appearances would give. More on that later. So Vader and his storm troopers take the Princess Leia hostage, played wonderfully by Carrie Fisher, who has sent her faithful R2-D2 and his tag along C-3PO away with the plans of destroying the death star, down to tattooine, the Sahara of the galaxy. Que Luke Skywalker, played subtly by Mark Hamill, who dreams of a bigger purpose in life. The chances of fate bring him and the two droids together and from there the film catapults young Luke into the adult world of the rebellion fighting for freedom against the empire.
So many great characters to talk about in Star Wars, Han Solo takes the cake for being the best character for my money. He is cocky, smug and shows growth of character the most throughout the film. Harrison Ford created his first iconic character in the arrogant and charming space pilot, captain of the millennium falcon (another amazing creation) and best friend to wookie Chewbacca. I also really like the character of Ben Kenobi. Not only was Alec Guiness the superb choice to be cast as the character, there is so much depth and richness to the character too. Ben is just an old guy hiding in the desert of tattooine to begin with, but once he rescues Luke and they get off of tattooine with Han Solo and the gang, Ben starts opening his mouth and you really get the sense that this guy was once a really formidable Jedi, and still is to an extent. The real power of the force lies within his voice, within his wisdom and advice, which are truly inspiring, not only for Luke, but for the viewer too. Not only is Ben a great mentor and adviser, he is a bad-ass. His climatic duel with Vader is not only thrilling but also insightful, as Ben willingly sacrifices himself, realising he will pave the way for Luke to become a Jedi and save the galaxy. Awesome stuff.
Special effects are also a triumph in this film. Everything from the glow of the lightsaber to the fantastic final battle of the death star at the climax of the film all come together in a crescendo of beautiful storytelling. It isn't just effects for the sake of effects, they are in aid of the story and help enhance it. Also, the score of Star Wars is truly memorable and without a doubt, the opening credit sequence of the film along with its famous score makes for a thrilling film moment every viewing.
Star Wars has so many great themes involved, but as Ben realises when he surrenders himself to Vader, it is all about the bigger picture. Its about the future, its about growth and learning, coming of age and of course, Han shot first. Star Wars might just be the perfect film of all time.