Good Movie, Not a Good Star Wars Movie

Rating: 6/10 (18 December 2015)

Star Wars: The Force Awakens is a good movie, there's no doubt about it. The first hour and a half I was smiling ear to ear. I loved it. It was fun, quirky, and the characters interacted with each other in a realistic way. I didn't even mind that the plot was somewhat based on the original. But then something changed: the plot became the original, and without any attempts to disguise it. Verbatim, with maybe a few instances altered on the minute mark, the plot became A New Hope, and then it became Return of the Jedi. I was being spoon-fed exactly what I had spent my time watching at home before I went to the theatre. Many people will not have any issue with this, if the reviews are anything to listen to, which reflects a lack of want for new creativity. And with the director at the helm, who can expect much more than a carbon copy (Wrath of Khan 1982). The characters were interesting, but the most interesting one was barely on screen, reduced to a Wedge Antilles-sized role. My biggest worry for the film actual turned into one of its saving graces: Adam Driver. He should have been allowed to be let loose even more, to dominate the film even. So no, the latest installment of Star Wars is not a bad movie. But for any long-time fan (even casual fans), this movie heralds an end to creativity in major blockbusters. Even in the franchise that created the blockbuster. It is simply a rehash of what's been done before (plagiarized is a better word) for the sake of being too scared of taking the story in a new direction.