STAR WARS: THE FORCE AWAKENS

        Photos courtesy of Lucasfilm

The epic space saga between the light and dark side continues in the seventh episode of STAR WARS with THE FORCE AWAKENS.  Thirty years after the fall of the second Death Star, the dark side is still alive.  The defunct Galactic Empire have been replaced by the First Order, a devastating militia that seeks universal domination.  The opposition, the Resistance, a military force led by General Leia Organa stands in the way of the First Order.  

STAR WARS: THE FORCE AWAKENS centers around a former storm trooper Finn, played by John Boyega, who flees the First Order and ends up with a Rey, a scavenger played by Daisey Ridley, who has obtained valuable information about the lone remaining Jedi, Luke Skywalker and his potential whereabouts.  After a run in with Hans Solo and Chewbacca, the foursome of Hans, Finn, Rey and Chewie head out on the Millennium Falcon in search of answers.

STAR WARS: THE FORCE AWAKENS is a nostalgic slice of entertainment, a blockbuster of yesteryear, a film as focused on plot and mythology as it is special effects and set pieces.  

This blockbuster of blockbusters, unlike episodes one through three, isn't hamstrung by a course already determined, but is allowed the luxury of referring back to past characters and events to set the trajectory for the future.  With the luxury of bringing back staples like Leia, Hans Solo, Chewie and more, writer-director JJ Abrams and writers Lawerence Kasdan and Micael Arndt can leave character development as an afterthought with built in ties to the familiar faves.  

Although the foundation has been laid with Finn and Rey, their stoic personalities lend little vested interest.  Kylo Ren, the commander of the First Order's storm troopers, and the new face of the dark side has the most compelling backstory and is certain to push episodes eight and nine on a terrific path.  Presumably Finn and Rey will deliver a more compelling story moving forward, but in THE FORCE AWAKENS they serve more as pawns in a deliberately entangled web of dark family dynamics and big moments.  

Although the film recollects and recreates moments from the original, episode seven still stands on its own with a darker edge and mystery to boot.  STAR WARS: THE FORCE AWAKENS recreates some of the series old magic, while charting its own course.  I highly recommend it with a B+.