Force Awakens: The force is strong with this one, and promising

A long time ago in a galaxy far, far away…Disney announced that a new Star Wars trilogy would be coming out, the first being The Force Awakens, which premiered in December.

There was an immediate hype once the films were announced in 2012. But the question on everyone’s mind has been, “Is it any good?”

The answer is yes. Star Wars: The Force Awakens is truly strong with the force and a promising start to the new trilogy.

Han Solo returns to the Star Wars saga, helping the characters Rey and Finn return the droid BB-8 to the Resistance, while trying to keep the droid away from The First Order, a more Nazi-like empire. Does this plot sound similar? Yes, it is similar if not identical to that of the first Star Wars film, A New Hope. However, that is only the surface meaning of the film.

This dynamite film goes far beyond its recycled plot and offers many terrific aspects. The strongest is from writers Lawrence Kashdan and J.J. Abrams, who created strong characters that are relatable to the audience.

It was a smart move by Disney to hire The Empire Strikes Back writer Lawrence Kashdan, who knows how to blend drama with comedy while creating strong characters. This paid off with the new characters Rey, a young girl who stands up for her ideals, and cute new droid BB-8, giving R2D2 a run for his money.

The development isn’t just in its new characters, but also in its old ones. The best example is Harrison Fords’ reprisal of Han Solo, who is more vulnerable than ever before.

Also of note is Abrams’ choice to use practical effects and have the entire movie recorded on film, in order to match the original trilogy. With the movie’s box office boom, this helps celluloid and practical effects stay in business rather than become a thing of the past.

While the film does recycle from the original trilogy in plot lines and devices, at times being a little too similar than needed, what gives The Force Awakens great depth is its characters, giving the film true wings and making it a force that is strong for any Star Wars fan.

Rating: 4.5 out of 5