In the not too distant past, in the same exact galaxy, Star Wars: The Force Awakens took both the country, and the world, by intergalactic storm. Releasing on December 18, 2015, The Force Awakens quickly shattered many box office records even before the movie itself had actually released. Post release? It’s become the biggest movie in the U.S, beating out James Cameron’s Avatar, and it is quickly rising through world records with steady pace. With the final opening weekend estimate sitting around 250 million dollars, and world wide sales reaching nearly 2 billion dollars, it’s safe to say that The Force Awakens has been relatively successful, or a smash hit. Either or. Directed and co-written by acclaimed director J.J Abrams, the film had quite a reputation to live up to, with standards for the movie rising far higher than one could possibly hope to satisfy. So the question is: what is it that has made Star Wars such a cultural phenomenon yet again?
To begin: the writing. One of the biggest concerns surrounding The Force Awakens was the quality of the writing and the level to which the story would compel audiences to love the characters of the series once more. After creator George Lucas stepped away from Star Wars, Disney acquired the brand and all the rights to creating future movies. To say this raised anxieties regarding the possibility of making Star Wars only for young children would be a massive understatement. Not to mention anxieties were already high regarding writing after the not-so-well received prequel movies, which were mercilessly torn apart for their various plot holes, terrible dialogue, and lack of coherent story. Stepping up the plate was returning writer Lawrence Kasdan (who had worked on original trilogy Star Wars films), Michael Arndt, and even Abrams himself. The group turned out to be a near perfect fit for the film, capturing both the old essence of Star Wars that so many fans hold near to their hearts while still making the film extremely relatable and approachable for newcomers to the series. The Force Awakens is thrilling from beginning to end, with drama that will leave audience members in tears, and laughs that will just do the same. The characters all have unbelievable chemistry, carrying out scenes in quick, believable, and most importantly fluent fashion. There’s plenty of easter eggs for old fans as well, that are constructed well enough that new members won’t feel left out at all in the middle of a scene. The franchise hasn’t seen writing this well done since the original trilogy, and even then, some claim it soars above even that.
Almost as important as the rich storytelling, the special effects in The Force Awakens are a natural blend of both Computer Generated graphics as well as realistic practical effects that create a nearly seamless and absolutely beautiful piece of cinema. Even the original release of Star Wars saw groundbreaking special effects that dazzled audiences everywhere; this film is no exception. The environments in The Force Awakens are mainly actual sets found around the world, meaning that desolate deserts and flourishing forests alike are as beautiful in the film as they would be in actuality. Even the inside of ships are as spotless and luminescent as one could imagine they would appear. This is a refreshing return to the series, as the prequels saw mainly CG environments. Some films may be able to pull it off nowadays, but at the time of the late 90’s and mid 2000’s the technology had just not come far enough, and often left environments looking undetailed and flat. While some imagery in the film has been criticised due to its overuse of Nazi tones, it’s really an aesthetic preference that comes down to the individual watcher, and is not reflective of poor quality in the imagery of the movie. Thankfully it’s not only the environments or imagery of The Force Awakens that capture the beauty of the Star Wars universe, as intense and varied color palettes throughout the film steal the audience’s gaze. It’s easy to lose track of the beautiful environments when deep and bright shades of green, blue, and red race across the screen, often erupting into beautiful flashes of light that dazzle. Everything feels just as vintage and familiar to the series as it does fresh and adapted to 2015. The lightsaber scenes alone stand on their own as astounding works of art, as brilliant flashes of light dance both gracefully and dangerously across screen. This, coupled with the intense realism that comes with practical effect explosions and stunts creates both ambient and action-heavy imagery that is as pleasing to the eye as it is engaging.
Returning to Star Wars is composer John Williams, who introduces both re recordings of classic and iconic pieces from Star Wars, but also new pieces that capture the feelings of grandeur that are often associated with the franchise while adding new and creative twists. WIlliams is known for crafting some of cinema’s most iconic music, such as the pieces found in of course Star Wars, but also Jaws and Jurassic Park, so it’s no surprise that his new compositions are just as impressive as they always are known to be. Compositions by Williams breathe life and feeling into The Force Awakens, drawing upon the deepest of human emotions, in order to create both atmospheres of pure dread and oppression, but also exhilarating moments of triumph and adrenaline. To say that Williams brings his all in his compositions for The Force Awakens is a massive understatement. Sound design for The Force Awakens is equally as eloquently pulled off. Familiar and classic sound effects such as the high pitched shrieking of a TIE fighter or the energetic hum of a lightsaber have been tweaked and adapted for 2015, creating high definition sound that feels fresh for a new trilogy. Everything from the ascending tones of engines whirring to life to the sharp bangs of a blaster bolt hitting a wall resonates deeply with the eardrums they hit, and immerse the audience just one level deeper into the Star Wars universe. Attention to sound design such as this is rarely found in cinematography, and is quite an achievement in itself.
Possibly one of the strongest aspects of The Force Awakens comes in one of the most human elements of the film: the acting. The Force Awakens sees the return of many of the franchise’s beloved actors, including Harrison Ford as Han Solo and Carrie Fisher as Princess Leia. Even “lesser” original characters see the return of original actors; a treat for veterans of the franchise. While the old cast holds just as much chemistry as they ever did with each other, it’s the new cast and characters that steal the show. Actors Daisy Ridley (Rey), John Boyega (Finn), Adam Driver (Kylo Ren), and Oscar Isaac (Poe Dameron) expertly execute their roles. Even less seen characters such as Domhall Gleeson’s “General Hux” or Andy Serkis’ “Supreme Leader Snoke” are executed well, with performances that leave the audience wanting. Every moment of drama, suspense, joy, and fear feels real in The Force Awakens, and often times it’s easy to forget that these actors are actors at all. Chemistry between characters is not only present where needed, but is used effectively and not over saturated in the film. The actors not only present their characters in expert fashion, but also play off of each other seamlessly, with interactions feeling as real as any conversation between two people in public. Some characters with great potential are unfortunately wasted, their actors’ performances left something to be wanted. Beyond these few characters, performances are solid at the least and exquisite at the best, creating a cast of characters that are just as important to The Force Awakens as any special effect or plot point is.
To end: the directing. J.J Abrams brings his all in The Force Awakens. There had been some controversy leading up to the release of The Force Awakens regarding the reception of some of Abrams’ other recent films, such as the very similar reboot of Star Trek in 2009. Abrams himself admitted he didn’t do as well as he could have with said film, though pledged to really give Star Wars his all, as he has always been a massive fan of the series. This pledge shows in The Force Awakens, as the film takes Star Wars in different directions in almost every aspect than anything from the likes of creator George Lucas; different directions that were very much needed and make all the difference in this film. Everything from the cinematography of action scenes to the intense shots of dramatic scenes screams “Abrams,” and is something that Star Wars has never really seen before. Abrams was heavily involved in various aspects of the film, and approached it from not only a director’s standpoint, but also that of a fan. The end product is without a doubt some of the best design and cinematography the franchise has seen since the original trilogy, most likely even topping some of that.
All and all, The Force Awakens is at the least a very worthy continuation of the Star Wars franchise, and at the most a masterful blend of both classic and fresh elements that really breathes new life into the series as a whole. Almost everything in The Force Awakens is a hit, from the story to the execution and cinematography of scenes, dramatic and comedic alike. It offers an absolutely beautiful spectacle of an experience that when accompanied by the incredible talent involved and the classic thematic roots of the series creates one of the best films of 2015, no questions asked. The Force Awakens’ extremely rapid ascension into the number one spot in domestic box office grossing of all time speaks volumes for the film’s quality and popularity; however it does not speak nearly as much for the film, as the film does itself. If you’re a Star Wars fan, you’ll absolutely love the ride The Force Awakens has to offer. And even if you aren’t already a fan, this film may very well be the one to turn you over to the “light side.” Whether you love it or you hate it, there’s no denying that The Force Awakens has taken not only the U.S but the world by storm, and has rightfully done so.
