Star Wars: Episode VII: The Force Awakens. Rated M (science fiction themes and violence). 135 minutes. Directed by J.J. Abrams. Screenplay by Lawrence Kasdan, J.J. Abrams and Michael Arndt.
Our return to the Star Wars universe was always going to be complicated. Courtesy of a protracted pre-release marketing strategy, expectations about how welcome Abrams’ (StarTrek Into Darkness, Super 8, Star Trek, Mission: Impossible III) vision for the revered saga would be, soared.
The good news is that as nostalgia, The Force Awakens is faultless. The masterstrokes are having Kasdan (Return of the Jedi, Raiders of the Lost Ark, Star Wars: Episode V: The Empire Strikes Back), composer John Williams, and our beloved original heroes of the resistance – Harrison Ford, Mark Hamill, Carrie Fisher, Peter Mayhew’s Chewbacca, and Anthony Daniels’ C-3PO – return.
When Chewie and Han Solo appear on screen together again for the first time, you may very well find it impossible not to either burst into tears or stand and cheer. Abrams’ camera lingers long on the returning icons, allowing us to reconnect with characters who undeniably shaped the cinematic experiences of a generation.
The new leading players – ace resistance pilot Poe Dameron (Oscar Isaac), Finn (John Boyega), a Stormtrooper with a guilty conscience, Rey (Daisy Ridley), who trades space junk for sustenance, and dark lord Kylo Ren (Adam Driver) – deliver outstanding performances and effortlessly match the trusted old guard with an abundance of passion for their place in Star Wars history.
The work of cinematographer Daniel Mindel (Star Trek Into Darkness, Star Trek, Mission: Impossible III) and production designers Rick Carter (War Horse, Avatar, Jurassic Park) and Darren Gilford (TRON: Legacy) is never less than completely spell-binding, and the true wonder of The Force Awakens is how stunning it looks and feels. It is a beautifully detailed realisation, and the entire film contains precious gems of references to the story so far.
Long may it continue.
This review was commissioned by the West Australian Newspaper Group.
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