A Cinematic Feat Of Imagination, Vision & Creativity That Hypnotized An Entire Generation!

Rating: Null/10 (19 January 2016)

This is the film that started it all. The first instalment in the Star Wars saga that would later go on to revolutionise its genre, change the landscape blockbuster filmmaking & become a cultural phenomenon, Star Wars (also known as Star Wars: Episode IV – A New Hope) is a cinematic feat of imagination, vision & creativity that hypnotized an entire generation with its freshly envisioned & awe-inspiring world, first-rate adventure, interesting characters, state-of-the-art visuals & an epic soundtrack.
Having no nostalgic relation whatsoever with this epic space opera, all I can say is that my first stint with Star Wars didn't go as well as I anticipated. Where others heaped praise upon its visual effects, set pieces & other stuff, I found it to be a picture that wasn't just awfully dated but also terribly juvenile, filled with cartoonish creatures, unintentionally hilarious & pretty mediocre in all departments. The ingredients that made it a revolution of its time are visible beneath its degraded visuals but it's not as timeless as they say it is.
Set in a galaxy far far away, Star Wars finds the galaxy in a state of civil war for a conflict brews between the Galactic Empire & the Rebel Alliance. The plot focuses on Luke Skywalker, a young boy on a desert planet who inadvertently acquires a pair of droids that possess vital information from Princess Leia regarding the Empire's latest weapon plus her request for help, following which he joins forces with a Jedi Knight, a couple of smugglers & his two droids to rescue the princess from the evil Darth Vader and save the galaxy from the Empire's tyranny.
Written & directed by George Lucas, Star Wars is his pet project that permanently engraved his name in the annals of cinema and later spawned a franchise that would go on to redefine epic filmmaking. What's commendable is the mythology Lucas created from the scratch, taking inspirations from different sources but adding an original touch to it. The movie features a simple good vs evil storyline, but what elevates it above mediocrity is its then-sweeping special effects, innovative filmmaking techniques, fascinating set pieces, stunning score, few excellent characterisations & a sense of something new yet familiar.
Considering the time it was released, Production design team makes efficient use of its limited budget to come up with wonderfully detailed set pieces, the stupid-looking aliens are brought to life with puppetry or whatever means was available back then, Cinematography exhibits some inventiveness which is quite evident from the first frame. Visual effects was groundbreaking in the 1970s but has severely degraded over the years and looks very cartoonish nowadays. Editing provides a consistent pace & fine flow to its narrative but its 121 minutes can become suffocating if you're not intrigued by its fantasy world.
And then there is John Williams who contributes with an iconic score that evokes a sense of epicness at all times plus his soundtrack comprises of tracks that beautifully compliment the story's adventurous ambiance. Coming to the performances, Star Wars is notable for launching the acting career of many and features quite an ensemble in Mark Hamill, Harrison Ford, Carrie Fisher, Alec Guinness & others who chip in with fine inputs in their given roles. Although nearly all the characters present in this film became part of the modern culture, Darth Vader is the only one that was impressive in my opinion, plus James Earl Jones' voice did add an intimidating quality to him.
On an overall scale, Star Wars: Episode IV – A New Hope may not look as dazzling & revolutionary today as it was during its time of release but its influence on later sci-fi space operas & other films cannot be understated. For me, this was more or less disappointing for its severely outdated visual encapsulation never allowed me to take any of the unfolding events seriously and for the most part, it was downright laughable. It may have evoked an entirely different reaction from me if I had seen it at least 15 years ago but as of now, even though the effect of Star Wars on its genre, blockbusters & film marketing can still be felt, I feel no love for the saga that many happen to be so crazy about.