Spoiler-Free Review: 'Star Wars: The Force Awakens' Is Definitely The Film We've Been Looking For

The wait is finally over, check out our spoiler-free review of 'Star Wars: The Force Awakens'.

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Star Wars: The Force Awakens

         
0 3 out of 5 stars
Director:
J.J. Abrams
Starring: John Boyega , ‎Daisy Ridley , Adam Driver , Carrie Fisher , Harrison Ford
Screenwriter(s):
Lawrence Kasdan, J. J. Abrams, Michael Arndt
Duration: 2hr 16 min P
Release Date:
December 17 (UK)
Country:
USA
MPAA Rating:
PG

Well, well, well. After what seemed like a lifetime of waiting, the day is (almost) upon us and Star Wars: The Force Awakens finally sees the light of day. So the burning question is: has it been worth the wait?

We can reassuringly say yes, it has—for the most part anyway. It still has some notable flaws but none that does a lasting disservice to an otherwise well polished film. With so much hype building up in the past few months, for it to come out as a disappointment would’ve been inconceivable—but as the prequels have taught us it’s not far-fetched. To director J.J. Abrams credit he hits the nail on the head with this one.

Without giving too much of the plot away, The Force Awakens finds itself thirty-three years after the events of Return of The Jedi, with the galaxy still in a state of disarray. Now, it's up to a new generation of heroes, Finn, Rey and Poe Dameron (played by John Boyega, Daisy Ridley and Oscar Isaac), to come in and save the galaxy. At its core, that's what this new Star Wars film is all about: a new generation. It acknowledges its own glorious past, through the returning appearances of Han Solo, Chewbacca and Leia, without having to rely on it. This is about creating a new legacy. Abrams successfully crafts a story that can rightfully hold its place to the original trilogy, something that its creator, George Lucas, failed to do with those ill-conceived prequels.

Visually, the film is stunning. Whilst the Industrial Light & Magic manage to get the special effects and CGI pinpoint, it's the breath-taking environments and locations that really grab the eye. The shots used to cover the endless dunes of Jakku are nothing short of amazing, almost giving you a Lawrence of Arabia feel. The outdoor sets have a more natural presence to it which, again, was severely lacking in Lucas' prequels.

As for the cast, the new faces are pretty much front and center; Ridley and Boyega are the stars of the show and their on-screen rapport is pretty good (for the most part). Boyega certainly puts to rest the unnecessary cynicism from various Internet trolls with his performance as Finn. Ridley plays Rey very well, even though her character's back-story is never properly fleshed out as the film progresses. The same can be said for Andy Serkis as Supreme Leader Snoke, who is quite underused and his presence wasn't as ominous as Emperor Palpantine. But issues like that are mainly down to the script.

As for the main antagonist, Adam Driver's Kylo Ren is an odd character to adhere to and his performance never really gets kicking until towards the end. During the early stages of the film, his portrayal borders teenage angst, almost harking back to Hayden Christensen's whiny Anakin Skywalker (which is never a good thing) so you never really loathed him or find him quite fascinating, up until a certain point. That being said, there is eventually a moment where that perception changes, and Driver delivers it oh so well.

The returning cast all get good screen time, though, and it's nice to see Carrie Fisher and Anthony Daniels back as Leia and C-3PO. But it's all about everyone's favourite duo, Han and Chewie, and you'll pleased to know they get the most screen time in terms of returning characters. As a Star Wars fan, it's great to see Harrison Ford and Peter Mayhew reprise their iconic roles and you can tell Ford in particular hasn't missed a step as the loveable space scoundrel. 

Star Wars: The Force Awakens manages to undo any bad vibes brought on by the prequels, and it is a worthy sequel to the originals. Dare we say it: The Force Awakens is A New Hope for a new generation of cinema-goers. My only other gripe is that its conclusion felt quite contentious. I felt more could've definitely been expanded on in terms of closure, or at least a resounding ending, but otherwise it didn't effect the overall enjoyment too much. 

Star Wars: The Force Awakens will definitely appeal to audiences old and new, and for me, it certainly awakened a joy for a franchise that I thought had faded as I got older.

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