The force is strong with this one

Rating: 9/10 (27 December 2015)

I might be in the minority by saying that I actually enjoyed the prequels. However, for every amazing lightsaber duel, they ultimately lacked the heart and character that made the original films so special. The originals were and still are able to take you on a journey to a galaxy far far away. That's exactly where The Force Awakens shines. It retains the thrill of the original trilogy by introducing these wonderful new characters on a journey of discovering their identity. Let's get one thing straight; this is the finest experience I've had in cinema in the last three years, the last being The Dark Knight Rises.
It goes without mentioning that some of the cast are back to reprise their iconic roles. Harrison Ford looked as happy as ever capturing the spirit of the arrogant smuggler, Han Solo, which we all know and love. Carrie Fisher and Peter Mayhew are back as Princess Leia and Chewbacca. Mark Hamill returns as Luke Skywalker for a role that is almost certainly going to be expanded upon with the next few episodes. There are many new additions to the cast; newcomer Daisy Ridley plays Rey, a scavenger who is fascinated by what (30 years later in the film universe) seems to be the myths of the Jedi and the rebellion. John Boyega, who starred in Attack the Block, plays Finn, a storm trooper disgusted by what he sees. The charismatic Poe, who in Oscar Isaacs's own words is "the best pilot in the entire galaxy", joins him. Another new little addition that was heavily featured in the marketing campaign was the droid BB-8, which helped to add humour and acted as a reminder that you are a part of this fantasy world. This is due to the fact that eight versions were built for filming with the minimal use of CGI. I can't forget Adam Driver who brilliantly plays antagonist Kylo Ren, a mysterious adversary alongside Domhall Gleeson's General Hux, both of which belong to the First Order, who threaten to disrupt any real order left. These characters and their stories intertwine in a narrative that echoes 'A New Hope' and warrants nostalgia. There are parallel story arcs however, and so whilst this is very much a new film, it will almost welcome fans of the original trilogy with open arms. In hindsight, perhaps one strange flaw is that this film somewhat feels as if I've already watched it. Regardless, I am sure the intention is to warm fans before directors like Rian Johnson and Gareth Edwards experiment with the upcoming central and anthology films.
Director JJ Abrams and co-writer Lawrence Kasadan have done a fantastic job in creating a character driven narrative, where the focus is on developing these characters. Unlike the prequels, we are given characters that we actually begin to care about. JJ Abrams is clearly a fan, as there are lot of throwbacks to the original episodes. There is also a perfect blend between the humour and action, all of which help craft this enjoyable experience in the 2 hour 15 minute run-time. As a little bonus, composer John Williams who has featured in all of the films so far is back, and he does not leave us disappointed with another great soundtrack.
The use of practical effects is something I briefly touched on earlier, and is something I was extremely pleased with. The prequels had an over-reliance on CGI and digital effects, seemingly abandoning the traditional practical effects that were preferred in the original trilogy. The crew clearly went out of their way to help the audience traverse to this world and this is evident through some of the real sets and costumes.
I was a slightly apprehensive when Disney purchased the rights from Lucasfilm in 2012 for £2.5 billion and Star Wars VII was seemingly announced. With that said, my worries are swept away and this is a film that deserves success, both critically and financially. It merits a new trilogy and these additions to the cast have great chemistry and on-screen presence. I am beaming in anticipation to see how the Star Wars franchise now develops.