Film Review: Star Wars: The Force Awakens (2015)

One of the most common criticisms the author of these lines has received regarding his film reviews is that they are "subjective". This can very easily be answered by stating that reviews are inherently subjective by their very nature. However, there are certain cases where some reviews are more subjective than others for various reasons. In the case of the author of these lines, this could be the Star Wars saga, towards which he has a relationship that is very likely to differ significantly from that of younger readers. Anyone who had the opportunity to watch the original trilogy (and especially the first two films, A New Hope and The Empire Strikes Back) shortly after their premiere experienced cinema in a way that could not be compared to anything else, establishing parameters for a long time that defined what was and was not a good film. For the same reason, the new incarnation in the form of the prequel trilogy—which, burdened by the ego of its boastful creator, realistically could not have fulfilled such high expectations even if it had not been—represented one of the greatest cinematic disappointments, at least for part of the audience whose sentiment is best illustrated by the claim that "George Lucas raped their childhood". The third trilogy in line, however, following a practice now quite popular in Hollywood, attempts to turn a new leaf by offering the audience a sequel that simultaneously serves as a kind of reboot. This was significantly aided by Lucas selling his life's work to the Disney studio. Thus, J. J. Abrams took the helm, a filmmaker who, thanks to the commercially successful reboot of Star Trek, gained a reputation as a master of reviving ailing media franchises and film series.

Disney, in fact, did not really have to try too hard, considering it is a studio which, as in the recent case of John Carter (a film based on the novel that, intentionally or not, inspired Lucas), can afford to squander over $200 million on a commercial "dud" without it even being noticeable on the final financial balance sheet. And when one considers the fanatical loyalty of a decades-long built global audience, including those for whom even Star Wars in the form of the hated prequels was better than no Star Wars at all, Disney could very easily have placed Uwe Boll in the director's chair and still not have to worry that the film would break all viewership records and create yet another river of money flowing into Hollywood. Partly out of humanity, partly out of pride and concern for reputation in future history books, and partly out of common-sense calculation that the planned trilogy over the next few years could fall victim to unforeseen circumstances, the new Star Wars has been made by playing it "safe", that is, by attracting new fans while catering to the old ones. Here, perhaps the most important is the involvement of Lawrence Kasdan, the screenwriter of The Empire Strikes Back, the film considered the best part of the saga, whose contribution and name at the top should be a guarantee that Abrams will not stray too far from the parameters established over three decades ago.

The plot of the new film, titled The Force Awakens, begins thirty years after the events depicted in Return of the Jedi, that is, after the rebels led by Luke Skywalker (Mark Hamill) succeeded in destroying the evil Galactic Empire. After that, the Galactic Republic was restored, but Skywalker had meanwhile disappeared without a trace after failed attempts to rebuild the Jedi Order. This was then exploited by the First Order, an organisation seeking to restore the Empire and having built an impressive war machine for that purpose, which is opposed by the Resistance organisation led by Leia Organa (Carrie Fisher). On the desert planet Jakku, Poe Dameron (Oscar Isaac), one of the Resistance pilots, comes into possession of the location where Skywalker has hidden, but before he is captured by First Order stormtroopers, he is forced to hide this information in the droid BB-8. The droid is later found by Rey (Daisy Ridley), a local girl who makes a living by scavenging scrap. When she is located by First Order stormtroopers led by Kylo Ren (Adam Driver), she is aided by FN-2187 alias "Finn" (David Boyega), a stormtrooper who has decided to desert, and the two of them, along with the droid, use a dilapidated and abandoned spaceship which turns out to be the "Millennium Falcon", the legendary ship whose owner is now the ageing but still adventure-ready smuggler Han Solo (Harrison Ford).

Judging by the first film, Abrams' approach to Star Wars is significantly different from Lucas's, and in this case, that is a very good thing. Abrams, who by his own admission was not a particular fan of the series, approached everything as a professional craftsman, and unlike his predecessor, was not burdened by the reputation of a New Hollywood auteur who in his later years had interpreted commercial success as proof of his own creative genius. Instead, the first trilogy was carefully compared with the second, observing what worked and what did not. The result is a film that evokes a déjà vu effect, but in a slightly more positive sense—audiences who have not seen the first three films will find it exciting and cool, while older audiences will be stirred with pleasant memories. Abrams' refusal to reinvent the wheel is also evident in the narrative structure, as well as the iconography which almost shamelessly recycles the original trilogy. This is especially the case at the beginning, when it appears as a remake of A New Hope. Thus, we once again have a desert planet where the hero lives, whose life will be changed by a droid with an important message, turning them into a hero of galactic adventures. The only difference is that the new film is far more explicitly subjected to the canons of political correctness, so the hero is female, and her main sidekick is played by Black actor John Boyega. Later in the film, references to the other two films can be found, so The Empire Strikes Back receives its "homage" in a scene that offers a new variation of its iconic plot twist. Maz Kanata, the wise cantina owner portrayed by CGI-enhanced Lupita Nyong'o, is an obvious replacement for Yoda, and those seeking tributes to Return of the Jedi will also find them in scenes set in forest locations.

Abrams and Disney are also aided in all this by CGI technology which has advanced sufficiently, or rather been used in such moderation that it does not overly distract the viewer, so the action unfolds at a frenetic pace. Part of the cast is also quite enthusiastic, especially Ford, who despite being in his eighth decade of life clearly enjoys reprising the most famous role of his career. However, all this cannot hide some shortcomings, which primarily concern Kasdan's screenplay. His economical approach has prevented the new Star Wars from becoming bloated, but on the other hand, it has also opened some significant plot holes. Primarily, this refers to the insufficiently explained detail that the First Order, which should be an illegal paramilitary formation, suddenly possesses military and technological resources several levels more impressive than those the Empire it seeks to restore had, or that it is capable of causing destructive horror in an even more spectacular manner than the legendary Death Star, as seen in the apocalyptic scene depicted in the middle of the film. The second problem is the poorly defined character of Finn, who is initially shown to have a serious PTSD issue, only to later become something of a comic sidekick. The lack of attention to detail is also evident in the fact that the otherwise very good Daisy Ridley, despite having grown up on a desert planet, speaks flawless BBC-style British English, while Boyega uses a standard American accent. However, perhaps the greatest disappointment is the casting, or rather the decision to have Adam Driver, an actor widely known for his role as the man who "serviced" Lena Dunham as the protagonist of the TV series Girls, play the main antagonist. The least one could say is that the said actor lacks the charisma worthy of Vader's successor, or that Star Wars ceases to be taken seriously the moment he removes his mask.

All these shortcomings, however, have had no effect on the commercial results, just as they will not significantly spoil the overall impression of the start of the new trilogy. The Force Awakens represents almost an improvement over the previous three films, while the first three did not even attempt to surpass them. Because of this, in this case, benevolent lack of ambition, it represents not only a solid example of first-class Hollywood entertainment but also a kind of new hope for the franchise towards which some today cannot be as objective as they would like to be.

RATING: 6/10 (++)

(Note: The text in the original Croatian version is available here.)

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