Star Wars: Episode VII - The Force Awakens
DVD
Review
by Kam Williams
Newcomers
Join Ford, Fisher and Hamill in Latest Outer Space Epic
The
Force Awakens
is a splendid sequel to Return of the Jedi, the 1983 finale of the
original Star Wars trilogy. This offering follows the uneven prequel
trilogy released over the intervening years, the low point being the
introduction of a jive Jamaican character named Jar Jar Binks.
Episode
VII, which also marks the launch of another trilogy, just might be
the best Star Wars installment yet. This is no surprise when you
consider that it was directed by Spielberg protege J.J. Abrams (Super
8), who'd proved himself worthy of being entrusted with the storied
sci-fi series by virtue of his prior success with the tent pole
franchises Star Trek and Mission Impossible.
The
Force Awakens
represents an ingenious mix of the old and the new, as it features
familiar faces like Harrison Ford, Carrie Fisher and Mark Hamill, as
well as fresh ones in John Boyega, Daisy Ridley, Oscar Isaac and Adam
Driver. The same can be said of the adventure's robotic cast members,
with anthropomorphic android BB-8 joining in the fun with much
beloved R2-D2 and C-3PO.
An
engaging plot interweaves all of the above in a way which never feels
forced. Credit in this regard goes to Abrams for collaborating with
three-time Academy Award-nominee Lawrence Kasdan (for The Big Chill,
The Accidental Tourist and Grand Canyon) and Oscar-winner
Michael
Arndt (for Little Miss Sunshine) in crafting an engaging script
frankly imbued with a little more depth than expected. Betwixt the
hi-tech battles between good and evil, the tale exploits breaks in
the action to serve up a fair amount of nostalgia and sentimentality.
It
all unfolds a few decades after the events in Return of the Jedi,
opening with the trademark conceit "A long time ago, in a galaxy
far, far away..." followed by a crawl explaining what's
transpired since we've last met. At the point of departure, we learn
that the New Republic is joining forces with the Resistance to fight
the Stormtroopers of the First Order, an intergalactic dictatorship
led by the diabolical Snoke (Andy Serkis).
Soon
thereafter, intrepid protagonists emerge in rebel fighter pilot Poe
(Oscar Isaac), renegade Stormtrooper Finn (John Boyega), orphaned
scavenger Rey (Daisy Ridley) and reliable veteran Admiral Han Solo
(Ford). The good guys have a seemingly inexhaustible army of
adversaries to vanquish en route to making the universe safe again
for freedom and democracy.
The hostilities inexorably build to a spectacular, lightsaber battle
best appreciated in 3-D and on an IMAX screen. Nevertheless, for my
money, the movie's most inspired moments are the ones designed to tug
at the heartstrings, like the touching reunion of Solo and Princess
Leia (Fisher).
A
thrilling outer space epic breathing new life into a once flagging
franchise!
Excellent (4
stars)
Rated PG-13 for violence
Running time: 136 minutes
Distributor: Walt Disney Studios
Home Entertainment
Blu-ray Extras: Secrets of The
Force Awakens: A Cinematic Journey; The Story Awakens: The Table
Read; Building BB-8; Crafting Creatures; Blueprint of a Battle: The
Snow Fight; John Williams: The Seventh Symphony; ILM: The Visual
Magic of The Force; Force for Change; and deleted scenes.
To see a trailer for Star Wars:
Episode VII - The Force Awakens, visit:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tt08BH9COsI
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