This article is written by a student writer from the Her Campus at Hofstra chapter.
(NO SPOILERS…I’m not a cruel person)
I cried. Right when those two words came up on the screen and right when John Williams’ iconic scored played. This was the moment I was looking forward to for the past decade. I hoped that there would be more movies to make up for the lackluster and disappointment that was the prequel trilogy, although the third episode was a vast improvement. Star Wars The Force Awakens was my only hope (sorry, I had to).As a devout Star Wars fan since I can recall, I remember watching the films on VCR tapes that my parents taped when it was on television (long before DVD’s and streaming). I dressed up for Halloween as a Star Wars character for a solid five years and I sought out to learn everything about a galaxy far, far away. Hell, I wanted to be the female Han Solo piloting the Millennium Falcon
I will admit, I was very nervous when I found out that George Lucas had little to no involvement in the franchise reboot. J.J. Abrams was given the impossible, to try and restore faith into a film that people started to give up on from 1999 to present day. I just wanted it to feel like classic Star Wars. The charm and humor of Harrison Ford as Han Solo and the action and suspense of a climatic lightsaber fight. The result? J.J. Abrams rose to the occasion and delivered possibly the best film in the franchise behind Empire Strikes Back.The film is filled with nostalgia, from Han’s snarky comments to newcomers Rey and Finn to his reunion with Leia, but the real highlight in my eyes was the story and how it was carried out. Instead of relying on CGI, J.J. Abrams paid a tribute to the original films by making it as realistic as possible. That means hardly any weird species or over the top battles, but rather a return to the basics. A focus on the main characters and who they are and what they want rather than just building up a story where there are some people involved.
Newcomers Daisy Ridley and John Boyega shine in their leading roles as a scavenger and stormtrooper respectively. With every scene that they’re in, you can feel how much they understand the role and are committed to their characters. Adam Driver stuns in the part of new villain Kylo Ren, giving an almost empathetic performance to a rising member of the Sith. Returning members Harrison Ford, Carrie Fisher and Mark Hamill did not disappoint one bit and it put a smile on my mouth every time one of them was on screen.
It wasn’t just the returning actors that made this movie so memorable. It was Williams’ score, the grounded story and most importantly, the ending. Something the prequels didn’t do well, albeit Revenge of the Sith which had a satisfying ending to “complete” Anakin’s transition into Darth Vader, is leave the audience with wanting more right away. Without spoiling it too much, the ending to The Force Awakens frustratingly leaves more questions than answers, but at the same time, makes the viewer want to know those answers immediately, solidifying Star Wars’ dominant return into mainstream America, with plenty more to come.
Star Wars The Force Awakens is playing in theaters now.
Star Wars VIII is expected to be released in May 2017