One for the fans….

The Story…
The Force Awakens continues the Star Wars Saga after the events of Return of the Jedi by bringing back old favorites and new villains.
What had me geeked
The Force Awakens was good after all its Star Wars, so it delivers a lot of what you expect. The cinematography is epic in use and scale. There are scenes that just sweep you away into this world. There are a lot of practical effects that work well, and the CGI is flawless. But again it is Star Wars so you expect no less. The acting is marvelous. John Boyega and Daisy Ridley share great chemistry as Finn and Rey respectively. Oscar Isacc is very likeable as Poe Dameron. There are many great performances in the film however Harrison Ford is the standout. I loved seeing him back as Han Solo and his performance hasn’t missed a beat since the original trilogy. The score of the film is majestic. There was a lot of comedy in this film. There were emotional moments in this film that really touched me. Pretty much almost everything that makes this a Star Wars Movie had me geeked. Hey I’m a fan.

What had me bummed.
The Force Awakens isn’t perfect but no film is. The first major problem I had with the film, was the presentation of the story. The story is interesting and well-paced, but it doesn’t do anything innovative. Episode Four and Episode One, the first films of those trilogies, brought us something new and fresh that was a signature of the trilogy to follow. As much as people hate the prequels, at least Episode One tried to do something different; some things were good others really bad but to amp things up. I think JJ Abrams really studied the original trilogy and wanted to completely stay true to the essence of those films. He played it safe, I think he listened to what the fans wanted but for me it was a little too safe. There was no pushing the limit, there was no going beyond what the predecessors did. There were several ideas in this film that frankly were just recycled. That was disappointing because I’m at things play out and its “really again?” The second problem was there are characters in the film that should be exceptionally strong, that should instill certain reactions/emotions in us and those characters are weak, they are just tropes of previous Star Wars films. They are not as iconic as their counterparts. These two issues are so much of a problem that it brings me to my final problem with the film. A lot of the major points, things that are meant to be surprises were very predictable. In a lot of way this felt like a reboot or reimaging versus a new vision. This was the first Stars Wars film I have ever seen where no one in the audience clapped at the end. That’s says something.

Verdict
The Force Awakens was kool. If you are a die hard Star Wars fan, you’re probably gonna love this, there’s nothing me or anyone else is gonna say to deter from this one. Like me you probably bought your tickets months in advance and the good news is the film satisfies but that’s it. This one was not a stand out for me. I think once the nostalgia and excitement wears off, this one is a great addition to the series, it sets up a lot of things for Episodes 8 and 9 but would this be the one that I would show someone who never saw any of them? Probably not. If you are a casual fan of the Series, it’s worth seeing, it’s a fun film but I would not rush out and fight the crowds or settle for a front row seat just to see this film. I’d wait a week or two. Maybe even watch the original three again then go. I think it is worth a full price ticket. I would not spring for the 3D unless it is IMAX. For the sheer scale of the cinematography its worth seeing it in IMAX.
Final Grade: B
If you checked out Star Wars The Force Awakens let me know what you think!!