The Force Awakens came out in December of 2015. It had been 10 years since the last ‘Star Wars’ movie was released and 32 years since the last good ‘Star Wars’ movie was released. The hiatus was tough on fans, considering, for many years, it was never a guarantee that we would get to reconnect with our beloved heroes on screen. However, Disney swooped in to claim Lucasfilm in 2012, ensuring that a new wave of ‘Star Wars’ movies would soon be hitting shore. Episode VII launched the Disney era of ‘Star Wars’ films, and it also launched the Sequel Trilogy. Not only would we be introduced to a slate of new characters, but we would additionally get to reunite with Luke Skywalker, Han Solo, and Leia Organa following the events of the original films in the saga. It was apparent that ‘Star Wars’ was heading back to its roots. It was heading back to real effects, real sets, and real characters. Above all, it was heading back to what made it so amazing in the first place. Let’s go.
Story: 8
This is a point of contention amongst the diehard ‘Star Wars’ fans. The biggest critique of this movie is that it is too similar to A New Hope. And on the surface, it is. In A New Hope, our main character is from a sand planet. They unknowingly find a droid with vital information, and it’s this droid that drags them into a galactic conflict where they find their true abilities within. In The Force Awakens, our main character is from a sand planet. They unknowingly find a droid with vital information, and it’s this droid that drags them into a galactic conflict where they find their true abilities within. Oh, and there’s a giant space station that gets destroyed in both films. But whenever I watch The Force Awakens, no matter how much I think about the similarities, I just don’t feel like it’s a reboot. The characters we meet and the places we go are enough to make this story its own. Do I wish there weren’t as many similarities to the original? Of course. That’s why I dock some points off. But this movie finally felt like ‘Star Wars’ again. It didn’t feel like the nonsense stories we got in the prequels. This plot was fun, adventurous, exciting, and it kept me on the edge of my seat. That’s exactly what ‘Star Wars’ should be.
Characters: 9
The original ‘Star Wars’ movies were all about the characters. This movie, thankfully, reverts back to that. We are introduced to Rey, who might be the most compelling character in ‘Star Wars’ history. The not only physical, but emotional journey we go on with her is incredible, and Daisy Ridley is brilliant in portraying the scavenger from Jakku. Kylo Ren is another standout in this movie. He’s up there with Rey when it comes to compelling characters, and he is absolutely the most complex villain we’ve seen on screen. Finn and Poe are great in their supporting roles; their chemistry together also provides some of the best moments in the film. BB-8, even though he is just a puppet, is absolutely phenomenal. He stole the hearts of the audience every time I went to see the movie in theaters. But the one character who I was over the moon with in this movie is Han Solo. Originally, I was insanely nervous to see an original character I so desperately loved come back. I didn’t want his character to be ruined. I was anxious of him being in the hands of someone other than George Lucas. Not to mention, Harrison Ford had not been the most impressive in his latest acting jobs. But he killed it in this one, and I was wrong to have my doubts.
Locations: 7
The movie doesn’t receive a whole lot of points in this category because we’ve seen these types of planets before. Jakku is a sand planet; so is Tatooine. Takodana is predominantly a forest planet; so is Endor. Starkiller Base’s interior is a snow planet; so is Hoth. And Starkiller Base’s exterior is another Death Star. It was nice to see practical locations after all the CGI of the prequels, but I just wish these practical locations would’ve been more unique. Again, it was an attempt to pander towards the original ‘Star Wars’ fans who were disappointed by Episodes I, II, and III.
Jakku
Takodana
Starkiller Base
Humor: 10
This is the funniest ‘Star Wars’ film and it’s not even close. I remember sitting in the theater absolutely floored by how hilarious this movie was. There isn’t a single joke that doesn’t land, and there are a number of jokes that will leave you in tears. This was highly refreshing coming off of the bland and dispassionate prequels; yet again, another key element of the original ‘Star Wars’ and its success had been restored. And at no point is the humor distracting or forced. It all fits seamlessly into the story. This scene is a prime example of just how funny this movie can be at times. It’s absolutely genius.
Score: 8
This is an interesting category, because lots of the film’s score harps back on themes of the past. Normally, I would take away more points, but this regression (in terms of themes) is representative of what the movie, as a whole, was trying to accomplish. JJ Abrams and Lucasfilm were trying to make a movie that captured why we fell in love with ‘Star Wars’ in the first place. Music is a big part of achieving that. Therefore, it makes total sense for the score to utilize a number of old themes. This isn’t to say that John Williams doesn’t bring anything new to the table. “Rey’s Theme” and “Kylo Ren’s Theme” are two pieces of music that will be in the ears of ‘Star Wars’ fans for decades to come. Other than that, though, there isn’t a whole lot of new, groundbreaking music.
Pacing: 9
The pacing in this movie is very similar to A New Hope (mainly because the plots, as we discussed, are very similar). There is a definitive beginning, middle, and end, and the progression from each point is very smooth. A New Hope’s pacing, however, is very slow, while The Force Awakens is the fastest-paced movie in the entire saga. Fast-paced films can often lack in many different areas, with character development being one of them. The pacing of Episode VII, though, does not compromise the overall quality of the film; it works really well.
Dialogue: 8
The dialogue scores this highly almost solely because of the humor. It’s just a very well-written and well-executed script when it comes to the gags. The dialogue is also very poignant in the more emotional parts of the movie. It feels very personal and real. Unfortunately, I can’t give the movie more points in this category because there aren’t a whole lot of memorable lines in the serious moments of the story.
Action: 9
It’s really good. I was exhausted by the end of watching this movie because there was so much action to take in; this movie certainly does not lack in lightsabers, spaceships, and blasters. But the action, unlike some past ‘Star Wars’ films, is properly maneuvered into the story. I think the highlight moments in the realm of action are the Millenium Falcon Chase, the Battle of Takodana, and the Starkiller Base Assault (including the final lightsaber battle). The Millenium Falcon Chase is awesome because we get to see just what the beloved spaceship can do in this age of visual effects. The Battle of Takodana is awesome because it’s the first time we’ve seen X-Wings and Tie Fighters battle on land. And the Starkiller Base Assault is awesome because the back-and-forth between the aerial attack and Rey/Kylo Ren’s final confrontation is epic. All of the action in this movie is epic, and it significantly enhances the story.
Cinematography: 9
This movie pops visually, but it scores this high in cinematography because the camera movement is really fitting for the film. As mentioned above, this is a very fast-paced movie. The camera, as a result of this, moves very fast. It’s not as if it’s steady for a series of really short shots in a scene. The shots are very prolonged, but they quickly track the actors and the events going on in the moment. It makes the audience feel as if things are constantly on the move, which, in the context of the film, works perfectly.
Moments: 8
Han Solo’s death (spoiler) is the biggest moment in this film. It’s absolutely gut-wrenching. Rey using the Force to grab Luke’s lightsaber is an iconic moment, too. And the scene where Rey finally finds Luke might be the best ending scene in ‘Star Wars’ history. The re-introductions to classic characters are also very nice, but that pretty much rounds out the moments in this film’s entirety. And none of them would crack the Top 10 of any ‘Star Wars’ fan’s favorite moments. That’s why I can’t give it more than an 8, even if the moments I mentioned are so incredible.
Overall Score: 85