Star Wars: The Force Awakens - Review: Fun but Nothing more

Rating: 7/10 (22 December 2015)

Star Wars: The Force Awakens is a fun movie. I thought that all of the action scenes were great and they kept me on the edge of my seat. All of the new actors were fantastic in this movie. Adam Driver (Kylo Ren), Daisy Ridley (Rey), John Boyega (Finn), and Oscar Isaac (Poe Dameron) delivered great performances. I loved the relationship between Poe and Finn instantly from the moment they met. My only problem with Poe's and Finn's relationship is when it's established. For example, Finn helps Poe escape the clutches of the first order (which is evil) by stealing a space vehicle. Poe and Finn escape the fist order ship and then are immediately attacked by enemy vehicles. Poe and Finn use their vehicles weapons to attack the oncoming enemy vehicles. While Poe and Finn are attacking, they laugh and have a good time as if they aren't currently in a life or death situation. Poe and Finn eased through the situation like it wasn't life or death... which that is something I can not believe. Finn and Rey have a really good relationship that doesn't feel forced or unnecessary. I do have a problem with one of Finn's and Rey's action scenes... Finn gets grabbed by some squid looking creature. The creature uses its tentacles, grabs Finn, and then it carries him away; I should note that this creature has been eating people nonstop, whatever is in the creatures way, it's going to get eaten, and yet it doesn't want to eat Finn for some reason. Rey saves Finn by closing some doors on the creatures tentacles. That whole scene between Rey, Finn, and the squid creature felt pointless and unnecessary. Kylo Ren is threatening and hostile; This man can go berserk and attack anything or anybody at any given moment. Harrison Ford (Han Solo) steals every scene that he's in. Carrie Fisher (Princess Leia) is efficient. The scenes between Solo and Leia are really magnetic. However, I feel like Leia has nothing to do in this movie except for have scenes with Han Solo. SPOILER ALERT: Han Solo dies. I didn't mind his death scene, I actually thought it was pretty tense even though I saw it coming. It's when Leia tells Solo to bring back their son is when I knew Solo was going to die. SPOILER ALERT: Kylo Ren is Han Solo's and Princess Leia's son. I didn't really know how to take that information at first... I was shocked. However, there's one scene of exposition where Leia and Solo explain to the audience what happened with Ren, to me the dialog felt a little clunky, but Ford and Fisher delivered their lines with grace as clunky as they seemed. SPOILER ALERT: Luke Skywalker is in the movie for 15 seconds. I thought Skywalker was going to say the lines from the trailer to Rey, but he didn't; Rey finds Skywalker on a mountain and he just stands there, and then it's over. I was wanting some Luke Skywalker, I was waiting for some Luke Skywalker, and I got 15 seconds of Luke Skywalker... I was a bit disappointed. I know they're coming out with episode 8 and that ones suppose to answer the unanswered questions, but just have this movie feel like one movie. movies need to feel more condensed and confined. I don't want to watch a sequel or a prequel to understand what's currently going on with the movie I'm watching. Have the movie run on it's on two feet. Overall, I had fun with this movie, but that's all I can say. The characters, the action, and the actors were all great, but I just didn't really care that much about the story. This movie didn't have any memorable scenes and it didn't leave me with anything to wrap my brain around. Ultimately, by the end of the movie I felt really disappointed.