Star Wars The Force Awakens
Usually at this time of year everything we see and hear is related to Christmas. You could however, be forgiven for thinking that the big day had been cancelled as this year things are a little different – the only event anyone is talking about is the new Star Wars movie, Star Wars: The Force Awakens.
The excitement and anticipation has been almost unbearable for many, but this writer is not one of those people. I didn’t grow up with the films like many others; my mum wasn’t a fan of them so they just weren’t available in my house. My first actual experience was with George Lucas‘ monster that was The Phantom Menace, and it wasn’t great. I was on a school trip and although we were promised that those of us over the age of twelve could go and watch The Mummy, sadly there were a few members under twelve and (as the more liberal 12A certificate didn’t exist) we were all herded into Star Wars. Over the next few years I watched both Attack of the Clones and Revenge of the Sith, again neither captured my imagination.
It wouldn’t be until I was at University that I would watch the original trilogy and maybe because I was so late to the party, or maybe because I’d seen the prequels again, I failed to connect with the story. I had thought that my time enduring them was over and done with; then Disney went and bought the rights and announced even more.
Star Wars The Force Awakens
I know I won’t be the only non-fan that gets dragged along to the cinema by an obsessive fan and I’m here to tell you how non-fans will cope.
Thankfully the film is in the hands of J.J Abrams, a man who also rejuvenated the Star Trek franchise. He seems to have approached this new project from the same angle and does a great job of welcoming new people / non-believers into the fold. The one thing that had really turned me off of the previous six movies is that there were just too many alien races and I just didn’t have the time or energy to keep track of what race was what and where their allegiances lay. This time around these races take more of a backseat role and allow you to focus in on the main characters.
Star Wars The Force Awakens
All of the new cast are likeable and, in another positive, this film actually has a range of female characters. The franchise is notorious for having a distinct lack of female characters, especially strong ones, and so far it looks like this new trilogy hopes to correct the balance. Just how the extreme loyalists will feel about so many women being featured so prominently is yet (remember there was a portion who got on their high horses about a black stormtrooper) to be seen, but having a female character so central and important to the plot definitely gives this film a more realistic grounding. Our main character Rey is a strange mixture of Emma Watson and Keira Knightley, and is definitely a tomboy.
The story is typical Star Wars, its all about the force and the light side versus the dark side yada yada (that’s not a character – well I don’t think so) but won’t need too much attention to follow. Stepping away from the politics-heavy first (1-3) trilogy, episode seven is action packed with set piece after set piece and, in true Abrams fashion, they are a wonder to behold.
It’s big, and its brash, but for once it’s a Star Wars movie that doesn’t come on too strong. Non-fans may not be turned, but at least it’s a well-made film that is a watchable and sufficiently entertaining, if not captivating, film for us.
Read our official spoiler-free review of the film over here.
