Star Wars Episode 7: The Force Awakens

Directed by: J.J Abrams

Written by: J.J Abrams

Lawrence Kasdan

Michael Arndt

Starring: Daisy Ridley

John Boyega

Oscar Isaac

Harrison Ford

Peter Mayhew

Carrie Fisher

Mark Hamill

Runtime: 135 Minutes

Release date: December 26, 2015

Almost 10 years after the last Star Wars movie came out, the stories continues from where Return of the Jedi last left. It has been 30 years after the destruction of the second Death Star and the last known Jedi, Luke Skywalker has disappeared. It seems he has gone into hiding on an uncharted planet and away from all the war and bloodshed. The First Order has risen from the fall of the Galactic Empire and continues the same objective of destroying the Resistance and the New Republic, which backs the resistance, and to find and kill Luke Skywalker and hence kill the last of the Jedi’s. There exists a map which determines the location of Luke but the map is fragmented and various pieces are in different hands. Kylo Ren (Driver) is leading the Stormtroopers and needs the last piece to complete his map. The Resistance too is in need of the map which is hidden inside the droid BB-8 and the now-defunct droid R2D2. Resistance pilot Poe Dameron (Isaac), erstwhile Stormtrooper Finn (Boyega) and a scavenger Rey (Ridley) come together to deliver the map to the Resistance, led by General Leia Organa (Fisher). On the way they encounter Han Solo (Ford) and Chewbacca who agree to help the trio in their mission. It is amazing how George Lucas simply decided to bypass Episode I, II & II, acknowledging the mistakes made in those movies and continued the story of the original trilogy. The movie has lived up to expectations and every fan boy would have loved the way the movie allowed them to indulge in nostalgia and re-connected trivial things from 30 years ago. You actually do not need to be a crazy Star Wars lunatic to know what is happening. Yes, it is better to have seen the original trilogy to understand the story better, but you do not need to re-watch everything to jog your memory. 30 years ago is just fine! The movie has very creatively crafted a new story from an all-new cast and built a strong foundation for the forthcoming movies. A must watch for every fan and if you are not, your probably will become one after you watch this movie.

JJ Abrams’ direction in the movie is impeccable.  He somehow manage to keep the film’s pace brisk whilst not being too overwhelmingly fast. It knows when stop, when to slow down and when to sink in the moment. The action sequences are also breathtaking. It is crisp, clear, cohesive and comprehensible. The acting are also a vast improvement over the dry acting of the prequels. The actors are allowed to emote, and the writing team put just enough human qualities in its characters, causing to care about the forthcoming events of the story.

In conclusion, “The Force Awakens” jolts the franchise with an immense energy. It once again reminded moviegoers why Star Wars is one of the most enduring piece of Hollywood mythology and one of the most beloved. It may not be an instant classic, but it surely a film worth watching.