- Location: Regal Lakewood 15
- At the risk of being too blunt, is it more surprising that J. J. Abrams made a good movie or that anybody made a good Star Wars movie? I have to admit, Star Wars: The Force Awakens is so much better than expected that I felt transported back to 1999, back when a new Star Wars film sounded more like a promise than a threat. It's so good in fact that I'm willing to forgive Mr. Abrams for completely mishandling the Star Trek cinematic universe, an action I now realize was intentional sabotage by a real-life rebel whose alliance clearly lies on the Wars side of the great sci-fi divide. I should eventually get around to talking about the film itself, but it isn't every day (or even every decade!) that the film series you loved as a child produces a worthy sequel.
- Thirty years after Return of the Jedi, that same galaxy far, far away is still experiencing its fair share of problems. Luke Skywalker (Mark Hamill) went into self-imposed exile so long ago that people have started thinking of him as a myth, while the remnants of the evil Empire have slowly reorganized into the even more explicitly fascist First Order. In the meantime, the deservedly-promoted General Leia (Carrie Fisher) commands the rebellion-turned-resistance, while Han Solo (Harrison Ford) and Chewbacca (Peter Mayhew) have returned to their double-dealing ways. Naturally, C-3PO (Anthony Daniels) and R2-D2 show up, too -- this is a Star Wars film, after all -- but they do not take up any more screentime than is necessary. None of these pleasantly familiar characters are the main focus of this story, and it is that much better for it.
- Instead, this is a film primarily about the struggles of three newcomers to the Star Wars universe. One of these new arrivals is an intrepid orphan named Rey (Daisy Ridley), who finds herself torn between keeping vigil for her long-absent parents and following the darling droid BB-8 (BB surely stands for "beach ball") into adventure. Whereas the heroic Rey is clearly an amalgam of Luke and Leia from the first trilogy, the next new arrival is a rather different character. You see, Finn (John Boyega) is a former stormtrooper. His original name was FN-2187, but the appalling brutality of the First Order quickly compelled him to leave his white helmet behind. Which brings us to Kylo Ren (Adam Driver), the character most responsible for Finn's defection. Decked out in black robes and an imposing mask, Kylo Ren comes across as a petulant Darth Vader fan who knows he could never live up to his hero. From his ostentatious lightsaber crossguard to his frequent force-powered tantrums, Kylo Ren may be the most enjoyably insecure villain in the entire galaxy.
- That I've gotten this far without mentioning the plot of The Force Awakens is perhaps the strongest indication that this is a proper Star Wars movie. There's a desert planet, a gigantic death laser, a rebellion, and a bar full of interesting creatures--what more do you need to know? The film has one big surprise near its end that packs a surprisingly emotional punch, but otherwise this is the most natural extension of the original Star Wars trilogy that I could imagine being put to film. In fact, the biggest difference between this entry and the original movies may be the high quality of its acting and dialogue. There are no groan-worthy lines or bad accents to be found, and everybody in the cast performs admirably, from its iconic stars to those in lesser roles (including Oscar Isaac, Lupita Nyong'o, Max von Sydow, Domhnall Gleeson, Gwendoline Christie, and the voices of Andy Serkis and Simon Pegg). After years of languishing, perhaps the force really has reawakened to inspire a whole new generation of fans.
