Star Wars Episode VII: The Force Awakens
Help me J.J – you’re my only hope.
Star Wars: Episode VII – The Force Awakens
As a child of the ‘80s, and with the force awakening again this month, it’s fair to say that I’m happier than John Boyega’s agent, George Lucas’ accountant and Peter Mayhew’s wigmaker all rolled into one. After all, Star Wars taught me not just about life, but also what makes the perfect movie. However, what with Disney’s sticky mickeys all over it, and with the plot still shrouded in mystery, I sense a disturbance in the force. My only (new) hope is that director J.J Abrams, who did a great job with the Star Trek reboot, has also learned his Star Wars lessons:
A New Hope taught us that underdogs and anti-heroes are more powerful than empires and star destroyers, and also with the aid of some rolling credits, you can trim an hour of bullshit off the start of a movie and jump straight into the action.
Empire… taught us that some movies don’t have a happy ending, but do have a great story, and that a sense of dissatisfaction felt at the fini, is one of the most powerful emotions that a film-maker can elicit in an audience and not to be underestimated. Also, a jaw-dropping plot twist doesn’t hurt any.
Return… taught us that redemption is one of the most satisfying themes in cinema. From evil villains to naïve heroes, no one is exempt, and it’s never too late to learn your lesson. Also, you never leave a man behind. Even if he’s frozen in carbonite.
But with the light side of the force, comes the dark side…
Episodes I, II, and III taught us that I) Even after three hits, you can still miss – so don’t get cocky, kid. II) Jar-Jar Binks can fuck off. Everyone thinks so. Everyone. III) Even a 15 minute lightsaber duel can be dull if the result is already a for(c)e gone conclusion.
So, will The Force Awakens be any good? Well, I have my fears, but we all know where fear leads, so let’s stay positive. Ultimately though, we’ll just have to wait until the 18th to find out if the force is strong with this one, or whether it’s all gone a bit Qui-Gon. Help me J.J – you’re my only hope.
10/10 (please)
