Star Wars: Episode VII - The Force Awakens (2015)

Star Wars: Episode VII - The Force Awakens © Walt Disney Pictures. All Rights Reserved.

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Director:	J.J. Abrams
Writers:	Michael Arndt
Cast:	Peter Mayhew, Harrison Ford, Mark Hamill, Carrie Fisher, John Boyega, Daisy Ridley, Adam Driver, Oscar Isaac, Andy Serkis, Domhnall Gleeson, Max von Sydow, Anthony Daniels, Kenny Baker, Lupita Nyong'o Gwendoline, Christie Crystal, Clarke Pip Andersen
Released:	Friday, December 18, 2015
Length:	136 minutes
Studio:	Walt Disney Pictures
Genre:	Sci-Fi/Fantasy, Action/Adventure
Rating:	Some material may be inappropriate for children under 13.

Synopsis

Visionary director J.J. Abrams brings to life the motion picture event of a generation. As Kylo Ren and the sinister First Order rise from the ashes of the Empire, Luke Skywalker is missing when the galaxy needs him most. It's up to Rey, a desert scavenger, and Finn, a defecting stormtrooper, to join forces with Han Solo and Chewbacca in a desperate search for the one hope of restoring peace to the galaxy.

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Star Wars: Episode VII - The Force Awakens Theatrical Review

In 1977, the words "A long time ago in a galaxy far, far away... " kicked off what would become one of the largest pop culture phenomenons in history, the Star Wars saga. The six films, countless TV shows, books, and video games that have been released have created their own little niche in today's society the world over.

Now, 32 years after the debut of the original film, Disney, with the help of director J. J. Abrams (Mission Impossible: III), have come to pick up the wreckage of the series. After the much hated prequel films, Abrams seeks to bring back the glory with Star Wars: The Force Awakens.

In 2012, George Lucas, the creator of the saga, sold Star Wars to Disney for $4.05 billion, relinquishing the reigns of the series that was near and dear to his heart. Until this point, fans around the world had thought the film series had ended with the Revenge of the Sith in 2005, as this is what Lucas had hinted at, but fans were given hope when Disney announced the plans to release a plethora of new films based in the universe, including Episodes VII, VIII and IX, which continues the story of the Skywalker family line.

Episode VII, The Force Awakens, begins 30 years after the famous battle on Endor, as well as the destruction of the second death star, with the galaxy in disarray. Gone is the evil galactic empire, but in it's ashes, a new enemy, called the First Order, has taken up in it's place, threatening the galaxy's peace and posterity.

Saying anymore will give away all the great surprises that the film holds in store for its audience. Rest assured though all the characters you know and love return, as well as some new ones that will quickly find a place in your heart.

In addition to the old Star Wars cast that audiences have grown up with, a new, all-star cast has been brought in to be the centerpiece of this new trilogy including relative newcomers Daisy Ridley, John Boyega (Attack the Block), Adam Driver (Girls), and Oscar Isaac(Ex Machina). The actors seem made to embody each of their respective roles and truly are great additions to the Star Wars universe. Gone are the wooden one dimensional characters from the prequel films. They are replaced with three dimensional characters that have more to them than what appears on the surface. Daisy Ridley easily steals the show and will be someone who will grace the silver screen for a long time to come.

Coming back to script, the film was written by director JJ Abrams and Empire Strikes Back writer Lawrence Kasdan, and they do not disappoint. The script is smart, fresh and, surprisingly, filled with humor. Gone are most of the childish elements that made fans of the original trilogy cringe, and in it's place, is dialog and scenes that are there to help move the story along.

If one has followed JJ Abram's career, one would know that he is a very capable director who, truly, is one of the best in the industry. For The Force Awakens, he has brought his "A" game to the table. While JJ Abrams normally pours his heart and soul into whatever film he is working on he gave everything he had into making this film into what the fans would want. Being first and foremost a fan of the saga himself, he wanted to make a film he knew he and other fans would enjoy and overall he does not disappoint.

The only true disappointment that can be found with The Force Awakens is the score, composed by Star Wars and industry veteran John Williams. While certain score elements from the other films can be found through the 135 minute run time, the rest of the score is very forgettable. No new themes that played through the film are memorable, and this truly is a let down for a film in a series that has some of the best scores done in the history of cinema.

The Force Awakens is an amazing film, using elements from the original classic trilogy that people have come to know and love as well as adding an incredible young cast that give it it's own originality. It is a smart, fun, clever film that easily takes the mantle as the best Star Wars film released since Empire Strikes Back.

-- Nathan M Rose

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