Star Wars: The Force Awakens – A Winning Combination of "A New Hope" and a "Newer Hope"

Rating: 10/10 (31 December 2015)

The plot of "Star Wars: The Force Awakens" (hereafter "SW:TFA") is as follows – a group of freedom fighters must escort a beeping 'droid containing information which may be a critical key in defeating an enemy bent on universal conquest. Golly gee, this sounds an awful lot like "Star Wars IV: A New Hope", doesn't it? Some "SW:TFA" viewers have grumbled about director J.J. Abrams pulling this "moth-eaten" plot out of the closet. I think it's a stroke of nostalgic craftiness.
Perhaps Abrams sensed that after the arguably grim, depressing, and disheartening trilogy about the descent of Anakin Skywalker into Darth Vaderism, moviegoers needed a bit of reminding about why we still cherish the "Star Wars" saga/myth. As has been said countless times before, it's not really about the light saber play, spaceship dogfights, or dazzling universal vistas that make this space opera timeless – it's the flawed, complicated, empathetic characters (whether human, 'droid, or alien) who strive to be heroic and/or struggle with corrupt impulses. With this reminder, Abrams (a life-long "Star Wars" fan) and "SW:TFA" reawaken "Star Wars"'s greatness.
Abrams borrows the "A New Hope" plot, but does not slavishly copy it. He adds his own distinctive touches to move the old "A New Hope" plot into a "Newer Hope" plot. First, he immediately jumps into action by showing former Empire (now known as the First Order) Stormtroopers attacking a Rebel Alliance (now known as the Resistance) outpost on the desert Tatooine-like planet Jakku. The Stormtroopers are seeking the new 'droid" unit containing the secret information: BB-8, who looks like a beach ball with a salad bowl for a head. Ace Resistance pilot, the Hans-Solo like Poe Dameron ("Do you talk first, or do I talk first?") inserted the information disk into BB-8. Poe urges the spherical droid to flee into the desert wasteland and somehow locate former Princess (now Resistance General) Leia Organa (Carrie Fisher).
But then, another radically new development (and character) appears. One of the Stormtroopers is suddenly reluctant to continue massacring the Resistance outpost. He doesn't even have a proper name, until Poe finds him and christens him Finn (John Boyega). Poe and Finn attempt to escape in an X-Wing fighter but a New Order pilot shoots them down. They crashland back on Jakku and Poe disappears into some kind of vortex. The confused, battle-weary Finn stumbles around Jakku until he finds BB-8 with "SW:FKA"'s third original character, Rey (Daisy Ridley).
Like a Jawa, the orphaned, solitary, self-reliant Rey scavenges Jakku for scrap metal to trade for food. She is on the verge of trading in BB-8, but senses the 'droid is much too valuable. Rey, BB-8, and Finn form a hasty trio and run desperately for transport to get away from the First Order forces. They have to settle for the bucket of bolts that happens to be the Millennium Falcon (remember her?). They manage to escape, largely because of Rey's uncanny command of mechanics and technological devices. Before long, they run into the Falcon's original owner, our favorite intergalactic wiseguy, Han Solo (Harrison Ford) and his hirsute co-pilot Chewbacca (Peter Mayhew).
Mostly, Han is still the devil-may-care, humorously irreverent smuggler still being chased by vengeful customers, as he is in "SW:TFA". And yet, the grizzled veteran has mellowed somewhat; he now believes in the Force more and agrees to help Rey and Finn with their mission. After deciphering BB-8's data as a portion of a map, Han and company all escape to the Endor-like forest planet Takodana to seek a wizened, wise cantina owner Maz Kanata (Lupita Nyong'o) who can connect them to the Resistance.
The First Order, nominally led by the merciless General Hux (Domhnall Gleeson) but ultimately controlled by the towering Emperor-like Supreme Leader Snoke (Andy Serkis), track them there and attack. General Leia and her Resistance forces also arrive and counterattack. Maz reveals that Luke Skywalker's (Mark Hamill's) light saber is hidden in the cantina and entrusts Finn with it. However, Finn wants no further part of the Resistance/First Order war and seeks asylum with other aliens. Meanwhile, Rey shows signs that she would be a more appropriate recipient of the light saber. She shows strange abilities and powers far beyond fixing things. Nevertheless, the First Order captures and imprisons her. The First Order's chief warrior, a fallen, iron-masked, Jedi Knight with anger-management issues named Kylo Ren (Adam Driver) attempts to seduce Rey to The Dark Side on a new, gargantuan Death Star about 100 times the original's size. Han, Chewie, and a re-converted Finn mount a rescue. Do they succeed? Is Rey truly Jedi material? Who is she anyway, and, for that matter, who is Finn? Who are Kylo's parents? Where is the rest of the map and what does it show? Do C-3PO (Anthony Daniels) and R2-D2 (Kenny Baker) show up? Did Poe survive the vortex? Just where the hell is Luke, assuming he's still alive? Why is he missing? "SW:TFA" answers some of these myriad questions and mysteries and leaves others tantalizingly up in the air, for future sequels.
"SW:TFA" is, in my opinion, a thorough triumph. It's hyperspeed-paced yet clear and comprehensible. All the characters are serious yet funny and not trapped in self-importance. In fact, the otherwise bold, appealing, and resourceful Rey and Finn are somewhat reluctant heroes, but still game for the danger the First Order represents. Unforeseen, genuinely shocking and emotional confrontations occur. Most importantly, "SW:TFA" takes the old, seemingly rusty and time-worn elements that distinguish "Star Wars" and makes them new, fresh, exciting, and more relevant than ever. The eighth sequel can't arrive fast enough.
The Force is indeed awake and a "Newer Hope" (embodied by Rey, Finn, and BB) for the Resistance is born.