Dog’s Movie House: “The Force Awakens” Lives Up To The Hype!

 

Howdy Folks!  It’s The Kendog!

Han Solo (Harrison Ford) and Chewie (Peter Mayhew) in "The Force Awakens"

Han Solo (Harrison Ford) and Chewie (Peter Mayhew) in “The Force Awakens”

 

 

 

It’s finally here. . .and it doesn’t disappoint!  After the underwhelming response to the prequel trilogy and 32 years after we last encountered Han, Luke, and Leia in a galaxy far, far away,  J.J. Abrams has reinvigorated the most popular space opera in history with a thrilling, emotional, and action packed start of a new trilogy.  Abrams has made a film that can be enjoyed by all fans, new and old alike, and his craftsmanship and attention to drama are wondrous to behold. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

“The Force Awakens” is essentially the search for Luke Skywalker (Mark Hamill).  For reasons I’ll avoid explaining here, the last of the Jedi has vanished in a form of self-imposed exile.  There are two factions looking for him: the Resistance, the underground fighting force of the Republic, and the First Order, an evil and powerful military organization birthed from the remnants of the old Galactic Empire.  The Resistance, in the form of pilot Poe Dameron (Oscar Isaac) and his loyal companion, the droid BB-8, get ahold of a map that may point out Skywalker’s location, he becomes a target and is captured by the First Order and their sinister agent, Kylo Ren (Adam Driver.)  But Poe manages to secure the information on BB-8 before being taken, and the droid, now left on the desert planet of Jakku, makes his way into the position of a junker named Rey (the excellent Daisy Ridley.)   Poe escapes from the First Order with the help of a Stormtrooper named Finn who decides that the murderous practices of the First Order are too much to bear.  This leads them back to Jakku where the two reunite with Rey and BB-8 and must escape the first order to deliver the map containing Luke’s whereabouts to the Resistance.

 

 

 

 

 

 

There’s a lot more to the story, but that’s all I’m gonna tell you because discovering the rest for yourself is part of the fun.  I have to tell you that this is the first time in any Star Wars movie in which the performances were as good and as nuanced as the spectacle surrounding them.  I actually found myself wanting more of the quiet moments, watching these beloved characters interact with each other.  Director (and co-writer) J.J. Abrams does a terrific job of combining the old with the new to create something fresh and entertaining but still feels like Star Wars.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Written by Abrams and Lawrence Kasdan (“The Empire Strikes Back,” “Return Of The Jedi”), the story follows many of the beats of “Star Wars: A New Hope.”  It’s a variation on the Rebellion versus The Empire, complete with an impressive new superweapon, a dark, armored Force-using Lord, and an attempt to get plans hidden aboard a droid to the resistance, yet the script changes so many of the details up that, like “Creed” earlier this year, everything feels fresh, new, and more importantly, natural to the story Abrams and company are telling.

 

Daisy Ridley and John Boyega In "Star Wars: The Force Awakens"

Daisy Ridley and John Boyega In “Star Wars: The Force Awakens”

 

 

“The Force Awakens” turns out to be the ultimate balancing act between the old and the new.  Mindful of some of the fan service that stopped “Star Trek: Into Darkness” cold, Abrams serves up the callbacks to the original trilogy with much more finesse, in my humble opinion, that only enriches the nature of the story unfolding onscreen.  He’s helped immeasurably by a game cast that combines new and old faces in such a way as to seem completely organic and natural.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Of the returning cast, Harrison Ford absolutely owns the day as Han Solo, giving a performance for the ages.  Still quick with both quips and blaster, Han is haunted by the past he cannot escape, and that conflict plays out on Ford’s weathered features beautifully.  I love that the chemistry between Han and Chewie (Peter Mayhew) has only deepened in the intervening years.   Carrie Fisher has a bit less to do as Leia, but she’s still feisty as ever and her scenes with Ford are among the best in the movie.  As for Hamill as Luke. . .well, the less said about his appearance, the better.  Let’s just say he makes an impression when he does arrive.

 

 

 

The Knights Of Ren in "Star Wars: The Force Awakens"

The Knights Of Ren in “Star Wars: The Force Awakens”

 

 

While the returning cast is great, “The Force Awakens” is not a nostalgia fest.  The new cast is just as good and in some ways better than the old guard in that it is their stories that take center stage.  Daisy Ridley is easily the MVP as Rey, the former junker who ends up finding herself at the heart of a galaxy-wide conflict.  Her character’s journey is one of self-discovery, and Ridley’s personality is perfect for a heroine you want to root for.  Many of the rounds of applause during the show were rightfully aimed in her direction.  Meanwhile, John Boyega (“Attack The Block”) shines as Finn, the former Stormtrooper who has a change of heart.  He also provides many of the laughs in the movie, especially in his scenes with Ford’s Han Solo.  Isaac brings a great deal of cool to Poe Dameron, kind of a cross between Luke and Han in their youth and, although he’s not in the film as much as I would like, I am looking forward to seeing more of him in future films.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

As characters go, the most interesting portrayal is definitely Adam Driver as Kylo Ren.  Ren is very much a devotee to the dark side of the Force in general, and to the legend of Darth Vader in particular.  Ren is powerful, having been trained by Supreme Leader Snoke (the always good Andy Serkis, appearing mostly as a giant, vaguely humanoid hologram, but his training is incomplete.  He’s prone to violent tantrums when he doesn’t get his way and his techniques with the Force a rough and crude.  (There is a reason that cross-guard saber of his looks a tad rough in comparison to a standard lightsaber.)  There are layers and layers to Ren’s character, and Driver’s performance is the perfect emotional opposite of Vader’s cold and calculating fury in the original trilogy.  Of all the characters I’m looking forward to seeing more of, Ren’s probably at the top of my list.

 

 

 

Leia (Carrie Fisher) In "Star Wars: The Force Awakens"

Leia (Carrie Fisher) In “Star Wars: The Force Awakens”

 

 

The effects work is outstanding as to be expected, with the raid on the Starkiller Base being one of the highlights.  Abrams and company give the battles a more heightened and slightly grittier feel than the other Star Wars films, giving the combat a more dynamic appearance that draws you into the fight.  If I had one small complaint (and it’s a tiny one), it’s that the big set pieces happen too fluidly for them to achieve the same kind of buildup as in the original trilogy.  There’s so much going on at any given time that suddenly the big battle is just suddenly there.  It’s something I’m going to have to get used to with subsequent viewings.  As always, John William’s score is a driving force behind the action, although in this case I’d have to say it’s more subdued than in other chapters.  It may be some of his finest work in the Star Wars universe, but it may go unnoticed as it doesn’t revel in its usual bombastic glory.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

As always I have to give an extreme note of thanks to Doug Link and the folks at the Esquire IMAX in downtown Sacramento for giving me the royal treatment, especially in an event such as this.  The preshow was almost as much fun as the movie, with folks in costume interacting with fans and fans in general buzzing in anticipation for a film that definitely lived up to the hype.  If you’re going to see “The Force Awakens,” you definitely want to see it on the IMAX screen.  The picture and sound will blow you away and the 3D works pretty well too.  You can get you tickets by clicking the link here!

 

 

Star Wars is back, folks, and it’s never looked better.  If “The Force Awakens” is any indication, we are in for a new golden age of storytelling set in that galaxy far, far away.  5 Out Of 5 On Kendog’s Barkometer! So Sayeth The Kendog! 

 

“Star Wars: The Force Awakens” is Rated PG-13 for sci-fi action violence.

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