Star Wars: The Force Awakens

Title: Star Wars: The Force Awakens

Year: 2015

Director: J. J. Abrams

Rating by the MPAA: PG-13 for sci-fi action violence

Official Page








Official Trailer




STEPH SAID

Rating: 

Review:

*This review contains spoilers.*

I heard this movie was great, and knowing that it was Disney and directed by J. J. Abrams I didn’t doubt it. I left the theater disappointed. The first half of the movie is wonderful. The new characters are brilliant, funny, brave and strong. They defy categorization; they break gender boundaries. And, I care for them deeply. However, once Leia arrived, the movie only went downhill.

When I realized that this was another destroy-the-death-star plot I was furious. This is the same plot of Star Wars 4 and 5. This is the third time this plot is used! The third time! After this I began drawing parallels between this story and a new hope. A droid is trusted with critical information from a rebellion sympathizer. The droid is then acquired by the main character, who lives in a dessert. The main character, with the help of a friend, sets out to deliver the droid to its destination.

Also, after Leia’s return I realized the travesty of her relationship with Han Solo. They lost a kid to the dark side! I understand that can drive a couple apart. But they weren’t even sad, it was like “We are so distraught and disappointed that we are living our separate lives. And when we see each other for the first time in years, let’s pretend nothing has happened. Let’s talk normal and make jokes, even when talking about our kid who drove us to be separated.” They were so low-key, all the time. I couldn’t help but think, “They are so old!” I believe Han Solo and Leia deserve so much more. They don’t deserve that story line, but if that is what they got, at least make it powerful, sentimental. Make us ache for their pain. Give us the feels.

Another similitude with previews Star Wars movies was the death over the great chasm. The minute Solo stepped on the bridge I knew he was going to die. It was no surprise at all. Every moment after that, until his death, I was asking “really?” “really?!”

On top of this, the main character’s story doesn’t even gets peeked at. Just some vague images of her being a little kid and that’s it. Her ending was just as vague. She was just standing there, literally. That ending had so much potential. A movement, a word could’ve changed the whole movie, but instead everyone just stood there. And then roll credits.

All of this without getting technical. For example, why couldn’t any computer identify the map BB-8 had? How did R2-D2 discover the rest of the map? Who is Snoke? How is he the Supreme Leader? Who are the knights of Ren? How exactly does the Death Star work? Does it move next to the stars it will use? Why would J. J. Abrams make the First Order resemble the Third Reich? Why wasn’t Leia’s base destroyed along with the resistance planets? How did a janitor became a stormtrooper? How exactly did Poe survive? How did Leia know what was happening inside the Death Star? And while we’re at it, how did Finn find Rey inside the Death Star? He went to where he saw her, but she should’ve been long gone. Who made the map to Skywalker? He certainly didn’t. And, why was Rey sent after him? So many things left unexplained!

I think they were trying to pay homage to previews Star Wars movies, and join the best of the first and second trilogy in one epic movie. And probably that’s why so many people love it. However, the lack of a developed and consistent plot, and the fact that they recycled so many things I have already seen, without making an effort to renovate them, left me feeling utterly bored and annoyed.