Star Wars Episode VII : A sight for sore eyes

Rating: 8/10 (1 January 2016)

So, all apprehensions aside, there I was like the zillion others on first day and first show in plum seats at an IMAX screen. Eager once again to listen to the swoosh of the light sabres and the bleep bloops of the droids, I was lost in wondering . Brought back I was by the familiar music. Jolts were sent through to the hippocampus and by the time the Epic prologue text started sliding into the abyss, first episode of welling up with goosebumps was all but seen through. As the minutes passed by, I could see Abrams sticking to the stereotypes of the original trilogy. Picking pages off Episode IV, in showing the attack of the villain upfront in a show of might and attitude, followed by introduction of protagonists in some daily routine event. It was all so familiar the making style, with minute hiccups. We all were let know that we are once again in a Star Wars movie. Period. Each of the old characters was being received with cheers and whistles and tears. All in all a very busy half an hour. As the reels went by, the allegories started to become more pronounced, indicating that the film is a part of the original puzzle. The transition to 30 years ahead was decently achieved . Now, since the promotion of the movie, it was being sold as the star wars for the new generation. Even though it is, there is so much adhering to the old storyline that the old fans will find themselves engrossed much and boasting less about star wars of the 70's. The nostalgia was all expected, but I liked that Abrams hasn't played too much off the introduction of the vintage characters and let them reprise the nuances of the characters as they go about exploring the unexpected turn of events as they come. 10 points for the blend in. One of the major possible failure was averted in the tech department. The technological advances in the story were kept to the minimum, since a period of 30 years accounts for little, when it's all happening long ago in a galaxy far far away and almost at the peak of it's technological evolution.
Let's take a dig the character build up(the new ones).Kylo Ren. He's every bit Han would have been had be been in the force club. It's pretty evident that he would be on his way to the dark side. Kylo here provides us with the lawful-evil factor. With the Lawful-good and gray-good characters are being incubated and introduced to their destinies in some far away systems, we are given a glimpse into developmental stages of their evil counterpart. Kylo is pretty advanced and powerful with the ways of the force. He's shown to have built his own lightsabre. Now as you remember, building your own lightsabre is an important step in the training. But he's not an expert yet, so his light sabre is crude, probably malfunctioning at the hilt, a DIY error, could happen to anyone. So enough with the complaints about the leaking light fan boys ! Get over it ! There's so much more to look at in the film. With all the balancing act(pretty evident, actually a little too evident at times, you can literally point the scenes out) Abrams has done before setting sail to the story, there are still places where you feel that he has sacrificed the detailing or build up of a scene, making the subsequent scene a bit hurried. For the cast, Star Wars has been known to spring unknown actors and making them household names. The new set of actors have been probated well through the film. Adam Driver has tried his best in Kylo Ren, but as I said, Abrams left him high and dry by puncturing his character a little, poor him. John boyega, playing the path breaking storm trooper Finn (again , part of the trailer, no spoiler here) is the audience's eyes in the film. Daisy Ridley now, is the female protagonist and Luke Skywalker's counterpart and has done promisingly well. Let's wait for Episode VIII to comment more on her (Yes there is going to be VIII and IX ). And in the supporting cast, along with the old R2 unit D2 and his darling buddy C-3PO (boy was I happy to hear his voice again ), there is a newer, faster running droid. Goes by the name of BB-8. He has definitely saved crunch time in the action scenes ! Each of the older droids and Chewie, with his signature growls , make you reach for tissues at their respective entry scenes, needless to say. Carrie Fisher and Mark Hamill are worth mentioning as part of the nostalgia package as well. And last but not the least, the man, the Legend, Harrison Ford. The old Ford never goes out of character. It's just treat to watch him as a more matured Han Solo yet with same old flare ! 8 and a half from me for not messing it up and connecting and starting the new story in a Star Wars Legacy style. With the nostalgia factor gone, it would be real interesting to see if the sequels can withstand the test of time.
P.S. : Despite knowing that she hails from the force family, and the number of Jedi is already down to one, I'm intrigued as to how Leia can sit this one out and become an administrator ! Really Puzzling.