The Fun Awakens

Rating: 8/10 (17 December 2015)

After a long wait of 10 years (32 years if you were not a fan of the prequels) Star Wars is finally back bringing with it a media circus of adverts, toys and even branded cereal. With the expectations sky high, the important question is does the film match the hype. As a fan of the series, I am happy to say it does. From the very start, the booming volume of the iconic Star Wars theme and the first line in the crawl of 'LUKE SKYWALKER HAS VANISHED' you sense you are in for a great experience.
Directed by J.J Abrams (who most recently directed the rebooted Star Trek films) the story is set 30 years after the last outing with our heroes in Return of the Jedi and explores to continuing struggles between the rebel alliance and the Galactic Empire (now called 'The Resistance' and 'The First Order'.
Old favourites Han Solo and Chewbacca guide our new heroes Finn and Rey against new adversaries, most notably the terrifying and mysterious masked Kylo Ren. Together our heroes must travel across the galaxy to return a droid back to its rightful owner whilst evading the evil First Order.
All of the characters have a part to play and commit to their roles especially actors John Boyega and Daisy Ridley who work really well together and you quickly care about each of their struggles and goals. You never feel as though you are watching an actor but a character in a much larger story arc.
The use of practical effects is a refreshing change to the usual computer generated overload found in most modern films. There is a real feeling of care taken when making this film, indeed worthy of the original classic trilogy. From the wide landscape shots of alien worlds to close up space battles, you really do lose yourself in this impressive world.
However the film does suffer from a lack of story in the final act film where nostalgia becomes a little too familiar to a previous film and borders the line of just plain copying. There is also more comedy in this film than any other Star Wars movie which does not derail the event, but occasionally does take you out of the experience.
The film echoes nostalgia from the original 1977 movie whilst offering something new and engaging at the same time. Star Wars finally returns to being the film it was always intended to be, fun. An aspect that was majorly lacking in the last 3 films.
Overall The Force Awakens is certainly an experience worth seeing on the big screen to fully appreciate the visual spectacle. Whether you are continuing the saga or meeting these characters for the first time, you will feel most welcome in this galaxy far far away.