Year: 2015
Director: JJ Abrams
NO SERIOUSLY, A SPOILER FREE REVIEW.
Cards on table – ‘The Empire Strikes Back’ was the first film I ever saw at the cinema. I’m not sure I had even seen Star Wars at that point. I had no idea why the Empire were so pissed off but the rebels must have done some sneaky stuff.
So this is a considered opinion after two visits to the picture-house to see Episode VII of the Star Wars saga. Can’t say I wasn’t a little apprehensive but I had trust in JJ Abrams after his reimagining of the Star Trek universe. But once the words rolled into the distance and he pulled a new twist on the infamous opening of ‘A New Hope’ my buttocks unclenched. As the infamous line from that first proper trailer announced -“Chewie, we’re home.” The overly slick CGI tackiness, bogged down sludge plotting of the three prequels was forgotten, this was the same grimy, dusty, world of poor people struggling to survive and the rich evil bastards in their shiny floored space palaces.
It could be said that plot wise this is a re-run of ‘A New Hope’ with a modern twist, certain scenes echo back through time as do sounds, little old skool sound FX and lines shimmering from the mix. Yet it doesn’t feel like one just for the fanboys\girls – this is a perfect jumping off point even for those who have never seen a Star Wars film. You may not understand why others are laughing at certain lines or gasping when certain faces fill the screen but the new characters thrill and excite equally as the old guard.
It may not be Citizen Kane (and thank fuck, have you seen that snore-fest lately?) but its not supposed to be -its escapist entertainment and you can party like it’s 1977. The dog fighting Tie Fighters and X Wings, the moments of mystic wonder, the great jokes and sight gags – this is a barrel of monkeys, drunk on Baileys and let loose in ‘Bananas R Us’. Walking out after the 2nd showing a little kid looked up at his Mum and said “Mum, what happens next?”. That’s planted seeds like ‘Empire’ in my imagination at the turn of the Eighties and he’s got world of wonder to explore with likeminded friends. (He’s taken his first step into a larger world – oh stop it).
I’m sorry if you don’t get this excitement, this rush, this fun, that you’ve put away childish things, you’ve grown too cynical to just let this take you away on a thrilling ride but The Maker we are loving this thing we have seen.
All I can say is they have finally made a fourth Star Wars film and count your blessings that George Lucas was nowhere near it.
Might appeal to people who enjoyed:
Their childhood
Citizen Kane is brilliant. You made me want to watch it again.
Try and stay awake.
Lovely. You put into words how I felt about it.
Might also appeal to ‘the biggest knob-cheese I have ever encountered on a train’ (on the 16.26 from Truro to Penzance).
He was going to a film, he told everyone in the carriage, and although the name of the film wasn’t mentioned, his complete knob-cheese-ness makes ‘Star Wars’ the logical conclusion. Could it be anything else?
He didn’t look like he enjoyed his childhood.
Twang Jr and I have done IV and V so one to go then off to the cinema!
Great review, thanks. Will probably have to wait for the DVD but I am proper excited now.
Why wait for the DVD? I suspect the full huge screen surround sound 3D experience is the way to go! You won’t have any problem finding a friend to go with.
Yeah, I know you’re right but I don’t get out much. 🙂 I might try and get a free pass out in the NY.
I remember seeing the originals on the big screen when they were reissued and was blown away. Up until that point, yup, I had never seen Star Wars.
I found it a disappointment.
It’s OK – better than the prequels, for sure – but it didn’t pack the punch I was hoping for.
Two major problems:
– the big moment involving a major character didn’t work. The build-up was very rushed, which meant that the emotional impact was limited to shock value and not much more .
– every knowing nod and wink to Parts IV-VI was self-indulgent to the point of parody. Every script reference and framing device that harked back to the originals took me out of the moment. The first couple were OK….but they quickly began to grate.
Great review DFB. I can’t wait. I’m hoping we can find the time to fit in a multiplex visit – it’s a bit of a trek from chez Renard, but we do sometimes make the effort – otherwise it’ll be the DVD for us too. I saw the original film (a.k.a. Episode IV) in the cinema one afternoon with my late mate Dave. We ate little pieces of excellent black hash just before we walked to the flicks. As those words crawled off into the distance, a small spaceship flew past me, and I wondered to myself if the dope would have any effect. The baleful hum of a star cruiser announced the presence of something very large and nasty overhead, and immediately the nose of the huge pursuing ship came into view, my jaw dropped, and all at once I knew I was in for a good ride. The childish thrill of losing oneself in a big barmy plot full of daft ideas and nicked bits, stuffed with science fiction gizmos and more coolness than all David Attenborough’s trips to either pole? Love it, love it, love it.
Went to see this with my boy who is 6. Think I was more excited. I loved it. It was Star Wars and it was proper.
The plot points that reflected the original mildly annoyed in hindsight, and the the sense of threat from the Death Star was missing, or at least not as intense. But the new leads were superb, the mix of thrills and action and snappy dialogue were properly whizz-bang and seeing the old gang back on screen was enough to make my eyes mist up a few times. And my favourite character was back on screen. The Falcon, I love that ship.
Finn and Rey were brilliant, Poe has promise, but was underused. Rilo Kiley (as I can’t stop calling him sorry) is interesting, because of the sense of different directions they could go. I think overall Finn was my favourite character, but Rey’s story had it’s moments – the two of them didn’t actually need the old characters. Rey was also my 6 year old boy’s favourite character in the film.
But damn, the Falcon doing what she does best made me cheer.
This is worth a watch, from the days before press access was so tightly controlled.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/p03bhphq/star-wars-at-the-bbc
Chewbacca and Leia look like they’ve been caught in flagrante in that pic. Sorry to lower the tone.
No need for apologies. Carrie Fisher is a bit of a “one” and would have engineered that for comedy reasons – I am sure of that.
Indeed. I liked her response to being asked what advice she would give to the new cast: “Don’t go through the crew like wildfire”
Nice review. We trooped off in a Berkshire storm to see it last night. Our 10 year old daughter is only mildly curious about Star Wars and she did fidget for the first 40 minutes or so. She was entirely satisfied by the end though
I enjoyed it. As much as I enjoy anything principally made for kids and yoofs. It’s visual mood is a good long way from the overly ornate and overwhelming cgi from the 3 prequels. The planet scapes are far more stark, and the background detritus from the battles of the original 3 movies was a deft touch.
The two young leads were exceptionally good. The dialogue being slightly above the laboured plot-expositioning statements of the prequels helped a little.
I’m not a fan boy and indeed most whizz bang sci-Fi does little for me, but the reveal of the Millenium Falcon made me grin like a 14 year old.
There is indeed a new hope.
I was sort of always going to love this, but I really feel it’s a superb film. The prequels suddenly faded into absolute irrelevance. I know it’s probably not perfect, but it’s not perfect in the ways that Star Wars and Empire aren’t perfect. What it is, is magical.
I want to speak up in support of the prequels. Not because I like them, I don’t, I think they’re crap. But because recently I said something derogatory about Jar Jar Binks and my kids looked at me as though I was mad. Like, ‘What’s wrong with Jar Jar Binks?’ and all of a sudden I saw the prequels through their eyes and realised that for a whole generation of younger fans they’re as much a part of the saga as the original films are for us and qualitatively no better or worse.
True, they’re needlessly complex, but then I didn’t understand republics and empires and rebel alliances in 1977 but I still loved the original film. Most of the rest of the criticisms, kids wouldn’t care about anyway. JJ Abrams’ film is a great film for fans of all ages because, well, it just is — it’s a great film. But I’m becoming slightly uncomfortable with this idea that we can now pretend the prequels don’t exist, like hey kids, our trilogy is better than your trilogy. Seems a bit… you know… wrong.
What’s wrong with Jar Jar Binks? He’s a comedy black man. He’s wrong on the same way that the Black & White Minstrel Show is wrong.
You know, I saw each of the prequels at the cinema when they came out – I think I was eight for Phantom Menace.
I left them all until last week, when I watched all the Star Wars for the first time – including the original trilogy. I far preferred the prequels over the original trilogy. It might be because I saw them first, or it might be because I’m a bore and I love dull bureaucracy preventing the good guys doing good things.
I’ll probably see the new one over the next month.
Well the moles all saw it this afternoon. Daughter who is a complete fangirl has now seen it twice in two days and think it’s amazing. She will defend the prequels though. I wasn’t bored, but neither was I blown away. A couple of ruminations:
The entry of the old guard does see the film trade energy and spontaneity that the new characters invest the first half of the film with, for heritage – JJ Abrams knows as much as anyone that we’re not going to see Han suddenly reveal an interest in knitting. The ‘by the numbers’ aspect that got @davidb is more noticable the longer the film goes on.
I think the Trek reboot was a better film – that seemed to bring more wit and energy to a flagging canon (have you seen Nemesis?) than perhaps was ever possible here. It’s respectful of the past, perhaps too respectful. There’s a feeling of dues paid, respect given etc.
I have no real interest in Star Wars: one and a half fairly decent films out of a run of six (imho) – but I saw this one today and I really enjoyed it but do feel it lacked the feeling of menace that Darth Vader gave the first films.
Rey – the female lead, is particularly excellent. I hope to see girls dressed as her rather than the ubiquitous Disney Princesses at the birthday parties my lad attends over the next year.
We (Dearly Beloved, her parents, me and my son) all went to see it at the massive IMax 3D screen at the Air and Space museum.
Absolutely loved it. There was a wee tear in my eye as it started, because I saw IV with my Dad, and remember being thrilled about it, and now my kid was repeating the cycle with me.
It is not a flawless movie, but it knows what it is and plays to it blatantly. I walked out thinking (apart from how beautifully it was shot) that it was quite simply a fun movie, and uncomplicated. There are good guys, and bad guys, and we know who we’re supposed to be rooting for. There were loud noises, big flashes, humor and pathos. Just as importantly, my son loved the hell out of it and was thrilled with it.
There’s probably a more serious review to be written about the casting, and plot holes, and rehashing IV. But the day after? Just going to bask in then most enjoyment I’ve had at the cinema in ages.