Star Wars: The Force Awakens spoiler-free review
(Note: I started writing this somewhere in January, but failed to finish it sooner. Since TFA has been released in Blu-ray format last month (April), and in honor of May the 4th and Revenge of the 5th, I've decided to finalize and publish this review. I also just didn't want what I've already written to go to waste. This review is ideal for those considering whether the DVD/Blu-ray would be a good reason to part with their money, but also wouldn't want to be spoiled.)
Disclaimer: I'll try to make this as spoiler-free as possible, but I might accidentally slip-out something, so best approach with caution.
When I first saw Star Wars: The Force Awakens (SW:TFA), I tweeted this right after I got out of the cinema:
#TheForceAwakens is a beautiful love letter to George Lucas' #StarWars
Bravo, J.J. Abrams!
— was @mjangelacruz (@prodigalpowtato) December 16, 2015
I've read and heard a lot of complaints saying how unoriginal The Force Awakens (TFA) was. The way I see it is that it's exactly what it meant when it said "Every generation has a story".
Like some commercials for the film's merchandise or sponsors, to me, SW:TFA symbolizes the handing-down of the love for Star Wars to a generation whose parents probably haven't even hit puberty yet when the Original Trilogy (OT) first came out in cinemas.
(If you're curious, here are the commercials I was referring to)
As observed by some fans who've seen the OT when it premiered in the 70s and 80s, TFA tried to recreate the feeling that they had seeing Star Wars (now subtitled A New Hope) in theaters when it first came out when they were kids.
In a way, TFA was for the generation who've only heard stories of how and why the OT became so special to its fans when it premiered. Agreed, we could just watch copies of the OT to find out its appeal, but already having heard about all the secrets and plot twists, and that the available clear copies of the OT are all "special editions" with bits and pieces added or changed, it's different experiencing the magic of Star Wars first-hand without any sort of bias due to prior knowledge or exposure. That, I think, was what TFA was trying to give the new-blood fans, the excitement of discovering and experiencing for themselves a galaxy far, far away.
"Chewie, we're home"
SW:TFA charmingly connected the old with the new, roping in well-loved characters while successfully introducing the next generation. The plot and story, with all its Easter Eggs and throwbacks, reminds me that this was still the Star Wars universe despite George Lucas no longer helming the film and the screenplay or script. Here we have the same old toybox, but this time, it's the new kids' turn to play.
It's fun how they intertwined the story of the new characters with that of the originals, which was usually done by flipping the scenario and making the veterans put the newbies in some of the situations they were in back in A New Hope (ANH). These recollections are sometimes blatantly shown or just hinted at, partly making them inside jokes for those well versed with the OT.
One of the main gripes most people have with TFA because of these reminiscences is how close the plot resembles that of ANH. To me, it serves as a good jump-off point story for the new trilogy. The mirroring helps make TFA look the part of being in the same universe as the OT and Prequel Trilogy (PT) and not just another inter-galactic sci-fi story in space.
"Just let it in"
Being severed from its creator and assimilated into a franchise-churning, corporate entertainment giant has its drawbacks. With Marvel, which succeeded in its blockbuster movie franchise plan, also being under Disney's wing, there was great pressure on the TFA crew not only to please fans, but to also be able to duplicate Marvel's accomplishment.
Abrams and the TFA crew tried their best to deliver on all fronts. In this aspect, they were able to achieve their goal. There was something for every type of viewer, but it was given in average servings, like an aperitif to a multi-course meal, it gives a taste but its not filling, and is meant to whet the appetite for the rest of the franchise's upcoming installments.
In trying to please everyone, TFA suffers with too many things going on at a limited time. If it was a stage play, it has over four acts, all performed within two hours and 15 minutes. It was able to decently close every act, but it felt hurried; subsequent scenes immediately snapping one out from the moment and preventing viewers from taking in the emotion or depth of some scenes--that's to be done after you get home from the theater and when you have time to think about what just happened.
"Who are you?"
Unlike ANH which kick-started and served as the progenitor for the whole Star Wars universe, TFA was building on something that already existed, and people have their expectations based on the preceding six films.
The OT acquainted us with the main players in the SW universe while the PT gave us the back story to the villains and major supporting characters. TFA is the first of the series that will be doing a follow-up. Like ANH, it is given the privilege to introduce brand new characters while, at the same time, it is limited by the already established universe.
One of the differences between ANH and TFA is the existence of the internet. Back then, ANH could be independent of Empire Strikes Back (ESB) and Return of the Jedi (RotJ). The subsequent installments of the OT were completely at the mercy of The Maker, George Lucas, and the whole crew. Luke being Vader's son, and Leia being Luke's sister, almost nobody saw those coming, especially the latter one.
Nowadays, with the internet being ever present, it has become much easier to discuss theories regarding characters and events. Given enough clues and with the help of the whole online village, there have been theories regarding some shows and movies that proved to be correct.
This online speculation serves as both a blessing and a curse for TFA. On the downside, keeping the identities of the new characters secret or mysteries to be disclosed in subsequent installments has become a lot harder. On the other hand, this recent culture of idea-sharing and validation will help keep the interest for the rest of the films in the Sequel Trilogy (ST).
TFA was incredibly able to mitigate the negative effects of online speculation. There are a lot of mysteries regarding the new characters and situations that they were magnificently able to still keep under wraps, even after the film's release, reserved for the eventful reveal in the films to follow.
"There were stories about what happened"
Personally, I liked TFA. It's not perfect, but nothing ever is. With all the hurdles and expectations that it had to go through and live up to, I think Abrams and the crew of TFA were able to sufficiently and adequately give a fitting sequel to the OT and a perfectly positioned foundation for the rest of the ST.
For all that it has accomplished, to me, TFA deserves 3.5 to 4 stars.
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