I was not exited when I first heard about this movie.
My initial reaction was: Do we really need more Star Wars?
Personally I see the original Star Wars trilogy as a self contained story. The prequels don't really add anything. Also, at the end of the day, they are rather disappointing. So, from my point of view Star Wars was over. There was no further need to explore the world. Let's move on to new science fiction worlds. How about another Tron sequel, Disney? Please please please? Nope. Tommorowland and John Carter both flopped, so we can't have nice things.
When my friends asked me if I was excited for the new Star Wars, me response was a flat: "I'll allow myself to get excited about the next one if this one is any good."
Truth be told, I was skeptical of director J.J. Abrams. I still don't like what he did to Star Trek.
Then the reviews came around. For the first month or so, every review was positive. After awhile, some of the hype died down, and people were actually allowed to criticize the film. People started with all the "It's just a retread of the original trilogy...!" talk.
I don't go out of my way to avoid spoilers, so I read a synopsis of the film. Just like the reviews said, it sounded like it was just a retread of A New Hope and Empire Strikes Back.
One of my siblings wanted to see Force Awakens at our local second run theater. I wasn't still wasn't thrilled about the idea, but when it finally came to the cheap theater, but I E-mailed some friends and planned a movie night. Because that's my purpose in life. I plan movie nights.
(I have one job on this ship, AND IT MAY BE STUPID, But I'M GOING TO DO IT! Okay?)
So I was sitting in the darkened theater doing a pretty good job about staying neutral about the quality of the story. Then the movie started.
I WAS PRETTY MUCH INSTANTLY HOOKED.
I had never seen a Star Wars movie in theaters before. When the music starts, the title and scrolling cliffhanger serial recap starts rolling up the screen, YOU CAN'T NOT FEEL SOMETHING. I was overcome by the nostalgia of having watched Star Wars as a kid. As an adult who has also seen Flash Gordon, I also felt a bit like I was watching a modern day serial. This must be what it felt like to come back to a theater each week to see the adventures of characters you know and love.
The story does play out in a way that is similar to A New Hope. It really didn't bother me until the end though. R2-D2 and BB-8 are very different characters. Yes, there are parallels on missions and character, but they are different enough.
I find it interesting that, of the new characters who are central to the storyline, Rey is introduced last. In A New Hope, Luke is introduced right in the middle. Princess Leia, R2D2, C3P0, Luke, Obi-Wan, Chewie, Han Solo. In Force Awakes it's BB-8, Poe, Finn, then Rey last.
And what an introduction! Rey doesn't have ANY dialog for a good 3-8 minutes. This reminded me a lot of Clint Eastwood's "Man With No Name" in "For a Fistful of Dollars." Also, her top-knot hairstyle really reminds me of a Samurai. Both of those things are appropriate when you consider George Lucas' inspiration included Flash Gordon serials, Akira Kurosawa Samurai films, and Spaghetti Westerns.
My favorite part of the movie, by far, is the bit where Rey and Finn first try to pilot the Millennium Falcon. I love the part where the gun jams in one position, and Rey repositions THE ENTIRE SHIP so Finn can make a shot. So awesome.
I'm not crazy about the way Han Solo is introduced. It seems out of character for him to return to smuggling. He had character growth in the original trilogy. After his close call with Jabba the Hut, I'd think he'd be al little more cautious. Instead he's double crossed two different individuals and HAS TWO DIFFERENT BOUNTIES IN HIS HEAD. This feels more like fan fiction then something that would actually happen.
I also don't like the fight with the big tentacle monsters. They look fake, and not like something that should be in Star Wars. Maybe in the prequel trilogy, but not in REAL Star Wars. Most of the best monsters in real Star Wars are barely seen. The thing in the garbage chute? We see a tentacle and an eyeball. Also, these new creatures instantly eat the bounty hunters, but carry Finn around long enough to be rescued. What's up with that?
Another thing is the humor in this movie. It's very funny, but it's a very modern sort of humor. I feel like the humor in the original movies has a timeless quality, and The Force Awakens will probably feel really dated in the next generation.
Now, my last gripe. I promise.
Starkiller Base.
Basically a new Death Star
This is the repetition from the original movies that bothered me.
1. It didn't need to be in the story.
2. There is no tension.
3. I do not care about the large scale destruction when entire planets filled with people I don't know or care about are being destroyed.
4. It limits storytelling possibilities in the future.
What are they going to do for the 3rd movie in this new trilogy? Build YET ANOTHER NEW SUPER WEAPON?
The thinking here was to give ace pilot Poe something to do in the climax. It didn't work. The stuff with Han Solo, Finn, Rey and Kylo Ren take up all our attention. As it should.
But one of the things Return of the Jedi does PERFECTLY in the climax is give us three different battles and we are equally invested in each one! We care about Luke and Darth Vader. We care about Han and Leia. We care about Lando Calrissian.
In The Force Awakens we completely forget about Poe. And it's not fair.
It may seem like I criticized a lot about this movie, but I think it's important if we are to care about future Star Wars movies that we hold them to a high standard. And I do care. This movie helped me remember HOW to care.
One thing the ending of this movie did well was it got people talking. It's a cliffhanger, but not one that leaves any of the characters in imminent peril. So if the movie flopped, fans could live with it if Disney decided to never make another Star Wars movie again (as if that would happen). It got people talking about what's going to happen next. Myself included.
I told my friends I would be excited about the next one if this one was any good.
And I'm exited about the next one.
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