Kind of okay isn't good enough

Rating: 4/10 (2 January 2016)

I do not believe that Star Wars is the pinnacle of human achievement, nor do I buy into the notion that the original trilogy contains great spiritual and philosophical depth. What the original trilogy does have is a unique charm, largely thanks to the good vibes between the characters and unabashed enjoyment of the weird and wonderful.
So, what to make of this latest Star Wars instalment? Sitting in the cinema, I was dazzled by the spectacle on the screen, and though I had feelings of unease at various points, there was never time to reflect on what caused them. After a few days to digest what I've seen, I've come to the conclusion that my unease was justified. The movie has a glossy surface, but scratch it a little and serious problems come to light.
On the other hand, I think those who call it the worst movie ever , exaggerate wildly and should perhaps be made to watch some really appalling movies in order to recalibrate their reference system. "The Force Awakens" is kind of okay. But being kind of okay is really not good enough in the context.
There were things I definitely liked about The Force Awakens. The new droid, the wreckage of imperial AT-ATs and star destroyers buried in the desert sand, the terrified people watching the approach of the death ray, the courtyard of flags at Maz Kanata's. Visually, it is pretty good. And it was lovely to see Han and Chewey, though it should seriously worry the makers if the best thing about their new movie is the guest appearance of the old characters.
So, what happens when we scratch the surface? The most blatant failing of the movie, as lots of people have pointed out, is that it is a shameless AND incoherent rehash of A New Hope. It is so much a rehash that it is not worth bothering to use the new names they've invented for things, New Order, resistance, Supreme Leader etc. The second is that, as with most current movies, the makers got carried away with the technical possibilities and forget about such negligible details as allowing the audience to relate to the characters and plot. A few other scratching exercises reveal further problems:
Rey: I like the idea of having a female main character. In the original trilogy, Leia is said to have force powers, but she never gets to explore them. Rey could follow in her path and take it further. The actress made a reasonable job of the role. However, the accusations of Mary-Sueism that have been levelled at the character are entirely justified. She would have been so much better if she had struggled a bit more instead of being instantly perfect at everything.
Finn: I also like the idea of a storm trooper revealing a human face and defecting from the empire. It would have been good if this defection had been better motivated, but the concept as such is appealing. Sadly, this character is spoiled for me because he is so overtly agenda-driven. They might as well have had big flashing arrows over his head with the caption: "LOOK!!!! HE IS BLACK!!!!" Why? This is Star Wars, with countless species from across the universe, so skin colour really isn't an issue. In fact, one of the main characters of the original trilogy is black, though you may have to stop and think who it is, because you probably didn't notice. I bet nobody ever thinks of Lando as "the black guy," because he is just Lando and he is intriguing and awesome and his skin colour is completely irrelevant and that's how it should be. Obviously there ought to be people of colour in the new film, but they should be there naturally and their presence should not be shoved into our faces like some great moral achievement. But Finn, sadly, has "I'm the black guy" stamped all over his character. It's a shame.
Poe: He is the one new character with the potential to revive the original trilogy's charm. He really had a wow factor. Alas, after the opening he disappears for most of the movie, and then reappears arbitrarily but doesn't play much of a role. What a waste. But then again, we should perhaps be glad we didn't get a chance to scratch at his surface.
Kylo Ren: He creeped me out and I thought it was a great moment when he took his helmet off and his face was so unexpected and striking. But then inevitably one has to ask why he wears a helmet at all, and as soon as his background is established, one has to ask what the deal with him is altogether. The prequels take pains to explain why Darth Vader turned to the dark side, and it is more or less convincing, but Kylo Ren's motivation seems to have been teenage spite. Becoming a Sith lord as the equivalent of slamming your door and sulking in your room? That's a little hard to buy.
Han: Harrison Ford wanted Han to be killed off so he could be rid of the role. Fair enough. But an amazing and beloved character like Han Solo deserved a much better send-off than what he was given here. He should have died in Leia's arms (or failing that in Chewey's) and after some relevant achievement, and possibly with a nonchalant comment on his lips. His death should have driven the more sentimental members of the audience, e.g. me, to tears. Instead we just have a moment of, Oh, whoops, Han is dead, what a shame; and he is chucked away like a piece of rubbish. It saddens me that that awkward embrace is the last interaction between Han and Leia that we'll ever see.
Plot holes galore. I'm looking forward to how the Big Bang Theory dudes will ridicule the concept of the star-draining super weapon.