Wide Awake

JJ Abrams' foray into the franchise is far better than we could have hoped for

By Alex De Vore

As Thursday wore on, SFR Art Director Anson Stevens-Bollen and I felt our Star Wars tickets burning holes in our respective pockets. Obviously the new installment from sci-fi overlord JJ Abrams had been highly anticipated by a couple of super-nerds like us, but even more than that, it represented a possible turning point for the series after the garbage of the prequel trilogy.

Now that we've seen the film, I am happy to report that it has essentially erased any concerns we may have had about the franchise while opening an exciting new chapter in the operatic space tale of love, loss and lasers.

Turns out the only thing Star Wars really needed was less George Lucas, and JJ Abrams has cobbled together an exciting mélange of the old and the new into a tight and action-packed story. The Empire, as we all know from Return of the Jedi, is no more, but a new shady and evil sect has risen in their place. The First Order is basically the same thing—maybe a little more Nazi-like—right down to the storm troopers, the mysterious and monstrous puppet master who pulls the strings from his throne and is like, I dunno, royalty or something, maybe, and the masked super-villain, Kylo Ren, who is so totally evil, but maybe there's something about his past we don't know yet that might explain why, and we'll just have to be patient and find out.

Anyway, everyone is looking for Luke Skywalker, who has disappeared under mysterious circumstances, and the fate of the galaxy rests on the shoulders of a precocious BB-8 droid that gives R2-D2 a serious run for his money, a beautiful lady scavenger who also has a mysterious past and a storm trooper in the midst of a crisis of conscience. Yeah, it's badass. And far more complex than most of what Lucas had going on, not counting the baffling and pointless intergalactic political intrigue stuff we all had to suffer through. … Jar Jar Binks in the Senate? Shut up.

We shan't delve into further details so as to not spoil it for those who haven't been yet, but suffice it to say that some serious shit goes down. The true genius of Abrams' vision is in the mirroring of certain aspects from the original trilogy while constantly expanding the details in satisfying ways. The battle of light vs. dark is the oldest story in existence, but through artfully executed moments of fan service via cameos, blink-and-miss-it background moments and the use of CGI as enhancement rather than focus, The Force Awakens solidifies itself in the canon while blasting its way into a league of its own. For every harrowing dogfight in space or samurai-esque light saber duel, there is a tantalizing emotional thread to follow or legitimately funny exchange to enjoy; for every gasp-inducing reveal or unbelievable plot twist, there is a beautiful vista or solid performance. Seriously, this movie is far better than you were probably prepared to hope for.

Of course, this is only the first chapter of a trilogy, so questions remain, but the heart-wrenching final moments provide a satisfying conclusion while leaving the door wide open to take the story in any direction its caretakers desire. Longtime fans and initiates will find more than enough to love here, and no matter where you fall on the Star Wars love spectrum, one thing's for sure—the next chapter can't come soon enough.

Star Wars: The Force Awakens
Directed by JJ Abrams
Regal, Violet Crown
135 min.
PG-13

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