by Luke Parker, staff writer
It’s been a long time since everyone’s favorite space opera was in theatres, and after the prequels, fans have been craving redemption. Redemption with new characters, new stories, and absolutely no Jar Jar Binks. And they get it with The Force Awakens. Director JJ Abrams’ (Lost) addition to the franchise is fun and heartwarming; and it is able to grasp those special feelings that made us fall in love with the originals.
Set three decades after the defeat of Darth Vader and the Galactic Empire (the events of Return of the Jedi), this stage is set on the sand planet of Jakku. Luke Skywalker (Mark Hamill), the last Jedi, has vanished, and during his absence, the First Order, led by Kylo Ren (Adam Driver) assumes control of the galaxy. Rey (Daisy Ridley), one of Jakku’s many scavengers, comes across a BB-8 droid that contains a section of the map to Skywalker, and with the help of an AWOL Stormtrooper named Finn (John Boyega), and the infamous duo of Han Solo (Harrison Ford) and Chewbacca, Rey joins the Resistance’s fight against the First Order.
The only problem this movie has is its somewhat-parallel plot with A New Hope. And for a few, including the series’ creator, George Lucas, this made the film predictable and boring. But for others, including myself, it was another space epic telling a solid story that is incapable of getting old. Plus, it’s fun to see old characters adapt to new situations! So why fix what isn’t broken.
Though The Force Awakens will be treated as the third part of this franchise, it is really just an addition to the original trilogy, as the two generations share many things in common, including characters, themes, and all of those one-liners. There are some differences too. Though a film in any franchise has certain expectations from the fans, such as the James Bond or Harry Potter series, The Force Awakens expands upon its predecessor just a little bit. For example, the acting is tremendously better. Though the originals are undoubtedly classics, it’s not a surprise to anyone that they didn’t get a lot of Best Actor nominations.
With The Force Awakens, the Star Wars movies continue to be some of the most influential pictures in cinema history, as well as a landmark in American culture