A scene-setter for the future

Rating: 10/10 (3 January 2016)

When you need to revitalise a sickened body, the first thing you need to do is cleanse it of the poison. The title 'The Force Awakens' seems to suggest that a period of rehab is needed before the franchise can return to the track set by the original trilogy.
The sickness created by the 'prequels' was manifold: the Force suddenly became this scientifically-explained phenomenon that could be measured and manipulated, improbable action sequences made possible only with CGI became so usual that the integrity of the universe was compromised, plots and interplanetary wars were driven by matters of inconsequence and the biggest issue of all- the fact that the outcome was established from the outset- turned on a single 'epiphany' that was simultaneously extremely weak in its manifestation but traumatically powerful in its outcome.
In other words, there was no depth. No soul.
To tackle this, the filming returned to the beginning with equal emphasis given to models, large sets, live special effects and a real 'feel' to the laws of physics. Yes, there is great deal lifted from the original film in terms of character and plot, but these characters are given more depth to their personality. None of them dominate the film to the point that they are 'invincible' protagonists or capable of superhuman feats of combat- they are feeling their way through the story with triumphs and disasters little by little. The way real people do. And this is as true for the villains as it is for the heroes.
I expect the next film to build on this foundation. We have no children blowing up the big bad guys ship or Jamaican jamborees taking on improbable android armies in improbable (and, ironically, Disneyesque)ways. Yes, there are absurd planet-killing behemoths to overcome, but you do not leave the cinema with the conviction that this was what the story was all about.
The film is not 'monumental' like the first, but neither is it a cartoon. It re-establishes some of the merits lost by CGI and the cheapness that it embodies and puts the emphasis on character. I hope the storytelling will come.