The incredible expectation for the film makes it tough to review and perhaps time may well lead to a change in how well it is viewed. Objectively, Abrams leans heavily on the original trilogy to drive the plot, not just including countless references to them, but also familiar story beats - a vital piece of information hidden in a droid, an attack on a seemingly impregnable base with one flaw - the list is endless such that the film could very well be a Greatest Hits package of the originals.
And yet the film just works, principally because Abrams recognises what made the original films tick - the characters and the interplay between them, the relentless pace and above all the fun and exuberance that made those first three films so special. Everyone going into this was looking forward to seeing the original characters, but what is perhaps most surprising is that every major new character is equally compelling and the dynamics that he has created between them leaves the audience wanting so much more.
In Kylo Ren, they have somehow managed to create an antagonist every bit as interesting as Vader, if not quite as downright cool and menacing, and his backstory and future are so ripe for development, it leaves Episode VIII a somewhat daunting prospect for the filmmakers who need to get this one right, especially given what happens here. Both Oscar Isaac and John Boyega seem to be having a great time and they embody in many ways the wish fulfilment of the audience to be transported to that galaxy far far away - it's hard not to grin at Poe having so much fun flying an X-Wing fighter or TIE fighter ("Wow this thing really moves!") or the moment a completely untrained Finn fires up a lightsaber to fight (and full credit to the filmmakers for making lightsabers feel dangerous again).
With Daisy Ridley, they have found a wonderful central protagonist for the new trilogy. Rey's background may still be unknown (though there is clearly an obvious link the filmmakers want you to make wrongly or rightly) but her growing awareness and more importantly her growing belief in her own strengths and abilities make for a compelling through line to the film right up to the final shot that underlines the journey she has been on.
None of the returning characters feel shoehorned into the plot at all, and each get their moments (or in one case, a single moment) to shine. And perhaps unsurprisingly, Harrison Ford carries the lion's share of the film, but it is hard to overstate how good he is here and how much fun it is to see Han and Chewie in action again.
Fun, exciting, tragic, adventurous, full of wonder and awe, this is a reminder of what Star Wars was all about and while the central story may well be the sticking point for many, it feels harsh to criticise when it has been reworked so well to suit the introduction of a new set of characters. Episode VIII can't come quickly enough.
Review by Simon MasseyVIP 11BlockedParent2016-01-01T17:44:43Z
The incredible expectation for the film makes it tough to review and perhaps time may well lead to a change in how well it is viewed. Objectively, Abrams leans heavily on the original trilogy to drive the plot, not just including countless references to them, but also familiar story beats - a vital piece of information hidden in a droid, an attack on a seemingly impregnable base with one flaw - the list is endless such that the film could very well be a Greatest Hits package of the originals.
And yet the film just works, principally because Abrams recognises what made the original films tick - the characters and the interplay between them, the relentless pace and above all the fun and exuberance that made those first three films so special. Everyone going into this was looking forward to seeing the original characters, but what is perhaps most surprising is that every major new character is equally compelling and the dynamics that he has created between them leaves the audience wanting so much more.
In Kylo Ren, they have somehow managed to create an antagonist every bit as interesting as Vader, if not quite as downright cool and menacing, and his backstory and future are so ripe for development, it leaves Episode VIII a somewhat daunting prospect for the filmmakers who need to get this one right, especially given what happens here. Both Oscar Isaac and John Boyega seem to be having a great time and they embody in many ways the wish fulfilment of the audience to be transported to that galaxy far far away - it's hard not to grin at Poe having so much fun flying an X-Wing fighter or TIE fighter ("Wow this thing really moves!") or the moment a completely untrained Finn fires up a lightsaber to fight (and full credit to the filmmakers for making lightsabers feel dangerous again).
With Daisy Ridley, they have found a wonderful central protagonist for the new trilogy. Rey's background may still be unknown (though there is clearly an obvious link the filmmakers want you to make wrongly or rightly) but her growing awareness and more importantly her growing belief in her own strengths and abilities make for a compelling through line to the film right up to the final shot that underlines the journey she has been on.
None of the returning characters feel shoehorned into the plot at all, and each get their moments (or in one case, a single moment) to shine. And perhaps unsurprisingly, Harrison Ford carries the lion's share of the film, but it is hard to overstate how good he is here and how much fun it is to see Han and Chewie in action again.
Fun, exciting, tragic, adventurous, full of wonder and awe, this is a reminder of what Star Wars was all about and while the central story may well be the sticking point for many, it feels harsh to criticise when it has been reworked so well to suit the introduction of a new set of characters. Episode VIII can't come quickly enough.