The Force Awakens!

Rating: Null/10 (29 January 2016)

Set in a galaxy far, far away, Star Wars: The Force Awakens (also called Star Wars: Episode VII – The Force Awakens) takes place about thirty years after the events of Return of the Jedi and follows three people. First is Resistant pilot Poe Dameron who, while trying to obtain intel regarding the whereabouts of Luke Skywalker is taken hostage by the First Order, a military power that arose from the ashes of the Galactic Empire. Second is Finn, a reformed First Order stormtrooper who frees Poe from his captivity before they crash-land on a desert planet. And third is Rey, a self- sufficient scavenger who after encountering BB-8 (Poe's droid) & Finn, embarks on an adventure that finds her & Finn joining the fight alongside the Resistance in order to bring down the First Order, commanded by Kylo Ren, a dark warrior strong with the Force.
Co-written, co-produced & directed by J.J. Abrams, best known for infusing a new life into the then-derailing Mission: Impossible series and later rebooting the Star Trek franchise for the present generation, The Force Awakens brims with nostalgic touches & clever homages to the original trilogy while moving forward with its own story and is an action-packed sequel that stays true to its origins. There's a gleam of freshness that permeates every frame of this latest chapter in the Star Wars series and Abrams does a spectacular job in finding that balance between its spectacle & drama. While the elements that made its past chapters a frustrating experience for me are still there but it's good to see that the story is more focused on the human characters than the dumb aliens. Although the plot follows a predictable route, it offers plenty of fun throughout its runtime.
The script packs in a narrative that almost qualifies as a remake of A New Hope but what's refreshing to see is the stability the writers aspire for while focusing on the old & new characters. The new additions are given an interesting arc to work with while the veterans take care of the nostalgic elements in addition to their added contributions. The action is exciting and makes its presence felt on regular basis, humour is effectively utilised, its adventurous vibe is consistently maintained, and both the light & dark side of the Force is handled with care. A few twists & surprises are also in store which keep the entertainment going plus it also paves the groundwork for next episodes in line. Another welcome aspect of The Force Awakens is just how well it works for even those who aren't familiar with the saga, while at the same time providing a pleasant experience to its loyal fanbase.
The technical aspects are expertly executed with J.J. Abrams opting for the old-school methods to bring this blockbuster to life. Production design team does a magnificent job with their splendidly detailed set pieces while the wonderfully chosen shooting locations add an otherworldly feel to it. Cinematography makes exquisite use of colour palette, dynamic camera movements, familiar transitions & clever angles to give its images a retro vibe. Another surprise is the absence of solar flares, a rarity in Abrams' features. Editing is firmly carried out yet its 135 minutes of runtime feels slightly overlong. Visual effects is highly commendable with traditional effects preferred over CGI although the latter is still present in sufficient dose. Last but not the least, John Williams returns to the Star Wars saga for the seventh time to contribute with another beguiling score that blends with the unfolding events in a seamless fashion.
Performance has never been this franchise's strongest suit but The Force Awakens packs a few surprises in this department too. Returning to the fold are Harrison Ford, Carrie Fisher & Mark Hamill in their iconic roles of Han Solo, Leia Organa & Luke Skywalker respectively and the stupid- looking characters such as R2-D2, C-3PO & Chewbacca are also present. But it's the new cast comprising of Daisy Ridley, John Boyega, Oscar Isaac & Adam Driver who impress the most. Ridley is a revelation in the role of Rey, Boyega's performance is equally compelling, Isaac is effortlessly charismatic as Poe and even though Driver's Kylo Ren is no Darth Vader, he still makes up for an interesting villain for he's highly relatable with our current world's real face of terror. However, the standout character in my opinion is that baby-faced, football-shaped droid called BB-8 which evoked instant adoration from its first appearance & steals every scene it is in.
On an overall scale, Star Wars: The Force Awakens commences a new era in Star Wars saga and is a fine example of epic filmmaking that's just as committed to its narrative & characters as it is to its state-of-the-art visuals. Much of its plot is a repackage of A New Hope but I found it to be more involving than the original for some reason. Rarely any film has faced the level of hype this latest episode of Star Wars was subjected to and even though it didn't exceed all expectations, it did deliver an incredibly fun, consistently entertaining & thoroughly satisfying experience that scores high marks in both quality & quantity. Once again, J.J. Abrams has succeeded in resurrecting a dusted franchise and signs off at a point from where numerous possibilities for the sequels emerge, and it's going to be interesting to see what direction the next two episodes will head in. But until that time, The Force Awakens is definitely a cause for celebration for this latest episode accomplishes nearly everything its fans anticipated & then some more.