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

Purchase: DVD/Blu-ray/4K

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.

Star Wars: Episode VII - The Force Awakens 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.

Purchase DVD/Blu-ray/4K UHD physical copy of Star Wars: Episode VII - The Force Awakens today at Amazon.com

Stream Star Wars: Episode VII - The Force Awakens in Digital HD/4K from the AppleTV store.

Hayden Christensen Talks Vader in Upcoming Obi-Wan Series  3/10/2022 4:01 PM EST
In May, we will finally get to see the much anticipated Disney+ series "Obi-Wan Kenobi". The series will mark the return of "Star Wars" film stars Ewan McGregor and Hayden Christensen, both set to reprise their roles as Obi-Wan Kenobi and Anakin Skywalker/Darth Vader, respectively.Christensen recently spoke about the upcoming series, warning, "We're going to see a very powerful Vader."Series write...  More>>

The Book of Boba Fett Begins Wednesday December 29 on Disney Plus  12/27/2021 1:49 PM EST
Just a reminder for all you Star Wars fans that "The Book of Boba Fett" will be premiering on Disney+ this Wednesday, December 29."The Book of Boba Fett," a thrilling Star Wars adventure teased in a surprise end-credit sequence following the Season 2 finale of "The Mandalorian," finds legendary bounty hunter Boba Fett and mercenary Fennec Shand navigating the galaxy's underworld when they return t...  More>>

Book of Boba Fett Red Carpet Premier Postponed  12/22/2021 3:05 PM EST
Due to the rise of Covid cases, the red carpet premier of Disney Plus' "The Book of Boba Fett" has been postponed."Out of an abundance of caution, we will be postponing the ‘Boba Fett' fan event. It will be relocated to the 8th of February in celebration of the finale," the studio said in a statement.The premier was to take place at the El Capitan Theatre in Hollywood on January 4. "The Book of Bo...  More>>

Ivanna Sakhno Cast in Star Wars Ahsoka  11/29/2021 5:11 PM EST
Ivanna Sakhno (Pacific Rim: Uprising) has been cast in the upcoming Disney+ series "Star Wars: Ahsoka", a spinoff from "The Mandalorian".Sakhno will star alongside Rosario Dawson and Natasha Liu Bordizzo."Star Wars: Ahsoka" is executive produced by Jon Favreau and Dave Filoni and written by Filoni. Production is set to begin in March 2022....  More>>

Obi-Wan Kenobi Series Confirmed for 2022 Release  11/12/2021 1:47 PM EST
It has been confirmed by Disney that their Obi-Wan Kenobi series will debut on Disney+ next year. There's no word yet on a specific date, however.A sizzle reel shown to the press showed some concept art as well as behind-the-scenes footage with Ewan McGregor and Hayden Christensen. In the footage, McGregor says, "Have another swing at each other, might be quite satisfying for everybody".He added, ...  More>>

Star Wars Rogue Squadron Production Delayed  11/8/2021 3:56 PM EST
"Rogue Squadron", a "Star Wars" film that was slated to be released in December 2023, will now be delayed. It has been removed from Disney's production schedule.Director Patty Jenkins is said to have some scheduling conflicts, so the production that was supposed to start in 2022 won't be happening.Jenkins directed "Wonder Woman" and "Wonder Woman 1984", as well as 2003's "Monster". She also has a ...  More>>

Disney+ Brings Back Hayden Christensen As Anakin Skywalker In Ah...  10/25/2021 9:43 AM EST
Hayden Christensen, the actor who portrayed Jedi Knight, Anakin Skywalker in both Attack of the Clones and Revenge of the Sith. Christensen will return to his role in Ahsoka, the upcoming live-action series on Disney Plus. The series will star Rosario Dawson as Ahsoka Tano, the former apprentice of Anakin Skywalker.Disney will have to be creative, Christensen's casting in Ahsoka is set around the...  More>>

The Book of Boba Fett Set for a December Release Exclusively on ...  9/29/2021 3:15 PM EST
Disney+ has announced that the new series "The Book of Boba Fett" will be premiering on Wednesday, December 29.The Lucasfilm, Star Wars universe series finds legendary bounty hunter Boba Fett and mercenary Fennec Shand navigating the Galaxy's underworld when they return to the sands of Tatooine to stake their claim on the territory once ruled by Jabba the Hutt and his crime syndicate.Temuera Morri...  More>>

Star Wars: The Empire Strikes (Symphonic Suite from the Original...  8/14/2021 12:53 PM EST
Composer John Williams was born in 1932 in Queens, New York. Over the span of a seventy-year career, he became a composer, conductor, pianist, and trombonist and has won an astounding twenty-five Grammys. He has also been nominated for fifty-two Academy awards, placing him just behind Walt Disney for the most Oscar nominations. His 1977 score for Star Wars was chosen as the greatest film score ...  More>>

Star Wars: The Bad Batch Gets a Season 2 Renewal From Disney+  8/5/2021 2:05 PM EST
"Fans have enthusiastically embraced the action and drama of "Star Wars: The Bad Batch," and we are excited to see the Star Wars animated universe continue to expand on Disney+. As the dedicated streaming home for the Star Wars franchise, we can't wait for the second season of this fan-favorite animated series," said Michael Paull, President of Disney+ and ESPN+.Executive producer Dave Filoni said...  More>>

Loki Writer Michael Waldron to Write New Star Wars Film  1/7/2021 1:44 PM EST
It's being said that Michael Waldron ("Doctor Strange In The Multiverse Of Madness") has been chosen to pen a new "Star Wars" feature film. This would be just one part of the recent deal that Waldron and Walt Disney Studios struck.The writer was also involved in the Disney+ series "Loki", as a head writer and executive producer. There is a chance that this new deal could also bring him back for "L...  More>>

LEGO Star Wars Holiday Special Coming to Disney Plus  10/15/2020 1:12 PM EST
On November 17, Disney+ will be bringing us the "LEGO Star Wars Holiday Special". November 17th is also known as the fan-favorite holiday Life Day first introduced in the 1978 "Star Wars Holiday Special"."The LEGO Star Wars Holiday Special" reunites Rey, Finn, Poe, Chewie, Rose, and the droids for a joyous feast on Life Day. Rey sets off on a new adventure with BB-8 to gain a deeper knowledge of t...  More>>

Star Wars: The Force Awakens 3D Collector's Edition Blu-ray Review

Ever since the Star Wars: The Force Awakens film was announced, the anticipation was palpable. When the movie finally came out last December, the frenzy surrounding it was incredible and, even though some of the plot was recycled, it managed to deliver. Much to audiences' delight, it fed their sense of nostalgia and refueled their love of the Star Wars franchise. It also introduced some new, young talent. Earlier this year, the film was released on Blu-ray and DVD and now, in time for holiday shopping, the 3D version is coming to stores.

For those who missed all the hype, Kylo Reno (Adam Driver; Girls) and the Dark Side are trying to get the map to where Luke Skywalker (Mark Hamill; Star Wars Episode IV: A New Hope) is hiding and, apparently, the rebel alliance has it. While looking for it, the Dark side also have been building what equates to a weapon of mass destruction (death star anyone?). Meanwhile, the map seems to have been hidden away inside a droid called BB-8 who is now hiding out on a desert planet with an orphan named Rey (Daisy Ridley; Scrawl).

Finn (John Boyega; 24: Live Another Day) is a soldier under the Dark side, but he doesn't have the stomach for killing innocent people. Poe Dameron (Oscar Isaac; Ex Machina) is a leader in the rebel alliance who gets captured and taken to Kylo Ren. With Fin's help, Poe escapes and they head to find BB-8. After their ship is hit, Poe is presumed dead and Finn ends up teaming up with Rey to take BB-8 to the General/Princess Leia (Carrie Fischer; Star Wars Episode IV: A New Hope). With Finn's help, The Rebels destroy the weapon and Rey, using the map, finds Luke; hence, setting us up for the next installment where she will most likely train as a Jedi.

Sound familiar? That's because some of it is. We've seen it before in previous Star Wars films. However, there are enough new elements, like the cast, to keep us interested. Ridley is simply fantastic as Rey and every time she is on screen you can't help but be drawn to her. Boyega and Isaac are solid and their "bromance" was all the buzz after the movie came out last year. Familiar favorites like Hamill, Fischer and Harrison Ford (Indiana Jones Series) give the audience a sense of nostalgia as they pass the torch to the next generation of actors. Driver plays Kylo Ren well as the conflicted bad guy who prays for guidance from his long dead grandfather, Darth Vader.

If you saw the film in the theater in 3D like I did, you were hopefully struck by how well it was done and thought it was most definitely worth the extra few dollars you spent on seeing it. Well, if you own a 3D television, then you will, once again, want to splurge and buy the Blu-ray in 3D. The disc is even more impressive than the 3D theater version. The contrast in the depth of the objects in the foreground and background is dramatic and the quality is simply excellent.

The 3D Blu-ray is presented in 1080p resolution with a 2.39:1 aspect ratio. While the picture is exceptionally clear, it does tend to be a little dark at times, which can happen with the 3D version as opposed to the regular Blu-ray. Despite that, the colors are beautifully rendered and run the full spectrum. The DTS-HD 7.1 Master audio is fantastic as every swing of the light sabers can be clearly heard with the familiar swoosh we have all come to know and love. The mix is also balanced pretty well between the dialogue and sound effects.

The disc extras include a mix of previously released material with new features. Included in this set is:

NEW! Audio Commentary: Director J.J. Abrams discusses the history of the franchise, the process of making the film and gives insight into what he had in mind and how to make the film fresh while keeping in line with it's predecessors.
Secrets of The Force Awakens: A Cinematic Journey
The Story Awakens: The Table Read
Crafting Creatures
Building BB-8
Blueprint of a Battle: The Snow Fight
ILM: The Visual Magic of the Force
John Williams: The Seventh Symphony
NEW! Deleted Scenes while keeping the deleted scenes form the 2D release this edition expands slightly to include 3 more scenes.
Force for Change
NEW! Foley: A Sonic Tale The Foley artists discuss what it was like creating the unique sound effects for the iconic film.
NEW! Sounds of the Resistance delves into the classic sounds of the franchise while it discusses the new additions for this film and how they wee created.
NEW! Dressing the Galaxy discusses the costumes of the film and how they play a part in the overall look, as well as to help shape the characters.
The Scavenger & The Stormtrooper: A Conversation with Daisy Ridley and John Boyega

As a fan of the franchise, I thoroughly enjoyed this most recent addition because even though it wasn't quite original, it still had enough elements to make it unique while staying true to the series.

The script deserves a grade of B, the scenery, special effects and acting a B+, and the 3D version an A+! Definitely own this one, it's worth it!

Overall grade: A-

-- Allison Hazlett-Rose

Be sure to subscribe to FlickDirect, Flick2, and our Movie Trailers YouTube Channels.

9/9/2016 10:07 AM EST

Behind the Magic: The Visual Effects of Star Wars: The Force Awakens

A sample of the visual effects work created for Star Wars: The Force Awakens. The history of ILM leads all the way back to 1975 and origins of Star Wa...
7/10/2015 10:16 PM EST

Comic-Con 2015 Reel

Fans at San Diego Comic-Con's Hall H were treated to a special look behind the scenes of Star Wars:The Force Awakens by director J.J. Abrams, producer...

7/21/2014 8:47 AM EST

J.J. Abrams Reveals X-Wing in Star Wars: Episode VII

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 o...
11/28/2014 10:45 AM EST

Teaser

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 o...

4/16/2015 2:09 PM EST

Teaser 2

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 o...
10/19/2015 10:15 PM EST

Trailer

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 o...