Saturday, December 26, 2015

Movie Review - Star Wars: The Force Awakens


I haven't written a movie review in a very long time. Let's do this...

I really don't think the Star Wars franchise requires any introduction. It is bound to the human culture like the moon is to the Earth. It's always there... and hard to ignore. When the seventh episode was announced, there was much anticipation and excitement. However, the prequel series has left a bitter taste in everyone's mouth that some kept their expectations as low as it can go. BUT....

Starting from the thunderous applause which shook the theater when the Star Wars theme started playing to the audience jumping in joy at the end credits crawled (which may have led to last night's earthquake in Pakistan), Star Wars: The Force Awakens is an unforgettable ride which made people who called the director J. J. Abrams, Jar Jar Abrams to eat their words with extra bit of their own dignity.

Performance
Let me point you to the beautiful elephant in the room: The main characters of the movie... is a woman and a black man. Read that again slowly if you didn't get that the first time: The main characters of the movie... is a woman and a black man. The two character types who are often shunned in other movies, TV shows, books... you name it. Yet here they are... so beautiful not just in appearance but I never felt like they are movie characters. They were so real... both of them. Daisy Ridley delivered such a phenomenal performance. You'll never notice that she's a newcomer. Her portrayal of Rey is not just any woman; but strong, tech-savvy, kick-assy , independent, courageous individual who sets an example for every women in the society. John Boyega's Finn is a direct opposite of how the society looks upon black men. Finn showed that they do the right thing, walk away from the evil, caring and always there for their friends (“I like this guy”). Rey and Finn are the opposite sides of the same coin in personality. That's what sets them apart. But the value remains the same. With Adam Driver's Kylo Ren, you see the young Anakin and the old Darth Vader in him. That's what makes him so special. You see the Original Trilogy Villain and the Prequel Trilogy “Hero” in him. And finally the return of the original cast.... yeah, I don't even need to say a word. You can't criticize them. It's like criticizing your own mom and dad.

Plot
Well, the whole movie feels like it's a lot of fan service. You can't watch the new movie without watching and loving the previous movies. This is my ONLY gripe about Star Wars: The Force Awakens; you can't jump in. That's not how this movie works. But if you are watching this as a fan, let me tell you... you are in for the ride of your life. I guarantee you, you'll shed at least one tear of joy. Any single spoiler in this movie can ruin the entire movie for you. It's amazing how Disney kept all these secrets during the marketing campaign. Must have been one hell of an effort.

Cinematography and Visuals
SW:TFA goes back to what made the original trilogy so special. You feel the magic. You feel the galaxy far far away. You see the exotic locations. You hear the worlds. We couldn't help but feel nostalgic inside as familiar faces and familiar places comes up when we least expect them to. You see a whole new world and you escape into the aforementioned galaxy far far away. J. J. Abrams is a storytelling genius. We see his handy work and imagine it's George Lucas who worked on the original trilogy. It's clear that Mr. Abrams had gone for a more practical approach than the CGI-fest that was Prequel Trilogy. Just because a new technology exists, it doesn't mean that the traditional should be forgotten, That's exactly what the director tried to prove. Speaking of new technology, the 3D effects had gone to it's absolute peak. If you can, I highly suggest you to go for IMAX 3D.

Music
Again, the magic of the original is intact here. New themes like “Rey's Theme” are orchestral masterpieces which fills your heart each moment you are living in the movie. John Williams prove again and again why he is the king of movie soundtracks.

Legacy
Star Wars: The Force Awakens truly feels like it is the worthy successor to the original trilogy. It feels so connected that you'll never feel like it's something new. You'll feel like you never left the theater so many years ago at the end of Return Of The Jedi. You'll feel like no time has passed and you have returned to the theater next year to watch the sequel. 32 years just seems insignificant. And that is the legacy of this new movie. That is how Star Wars: The Force Awakens shines above all else. That is how this movie becomes legendary.

May The Force Be With You!