Harrison Ford Saves this Movie

Rating: 7/10 (23 February 2007)

"Star Wars" is a good movie, but it is nowhere near the cinematic masterpiece fans and the AFI claim it to be. It is an interesting and often exciting adventure story with elements of mysticism and Kurosawa flicks spun into a science fiction landscape. It's fun for a Saturday afternoon matinée, but it seems a bit silly to compare this movie to, say, "Citizen Kane" or "2001: A Space Odyssey."
The acting is fair. None of the stars, with several big exceptions, wowed me with their portrayal of allegedly mythic heroes. Mark Hamill, as Luke Skywalker, still seems a little green around the edges, and is far from being a mature hero. Princess Leia, played by Carrie Fisher, also seems a bit immature as the "damsel in distress," and her acting is a bit wooden. No, the most intriguing character in this movie, and arguably the biggest star and electric dynamo of the "Star Wars" franchise, is Han Solo. He, unlike Luke Skywalker, is a fun guy to watch: a brilliant antihero with ambiguous morals who actually undergoes a moral transformation in the movie, from gruff space pirate to reluctant member of the Rebel Alliance. Ford clearly know how to make this character come to life. Unlike Luke, Han Solo is a macho man's man, a guy who's tough and not a pure hero. Ford's acting, unlike Hamill's or Fisher's, is the most convincing, most emotional, and the most fun to watch. It's no coincidence that "Star Wars" made a Hollywood A-list star out of Ford, rather than Fisher or Hamill, and that Spielberg and Lucas later chose him to be the title hero for the equally successful "Indiana Jones" movies. The reason Ford came out on top above all the others stars is that, well, he's just that good!
Other actors who do well include Alec Guinness, as Obi-Wan Kenobi, and body-builder Daivd Prowse as Darth Vader. I think poor Mr. Prowse has not gotten the credit he deserves for donning the Darth Vader costume and making the role truly menacing. Sure, James Earl Jones is Vader's voice, but Prowse IS the man behind the mask, and he is just as responsible as Jones for making Lord Vader one of cinema's most iconic villains.
Overall, this is a good movie, but again, not a timeless work of art for the ages. Watch it for Harrison Ford, who is one of the greatest action heroes of all time.