An incredibly effective return to Star Wars, even when it plays things very safe.
Nerdy Up North Podcast
The setup
Rey's isolated life on Jakku changes when she meets BB-8 and Finn, a stormtrooper fleeing the First Order. Together they become part of the Resistance's attempt to locate Luke Skywalker while Kylo Ren tries to stop them.
It is difficult to review The Force Awakens without remembering what seeing it in 2015 actually felt like. Star Wars was back, Han and Leia were back, and there were interesting new characters being introduced alongside them. Rey, Finn and Kylo Ren gave the new trilogy plenty of potential, and the film moves with enormous confidence.
The problem is that once the excitement wears off, you can see just how closely it follows the shape of A New Hope. That familiarity helped audiences reconnect with Star Wars, but it also means the film rarely takes the sort of risks that made Empire so interesting. Later trilogy decisions also inevitably change how some of its mysteries feel now.
Positives
Daisy Ridley and John Boyega are fantastic, bringing plenty of energy and personality to their roles. Kylo Ren is a villain I really get behind, and Han Solo's return is a definite highlight. The film also benefits from fantastic practical production design, huge energy throughout, the introduction of BB-8, and, of course, the brilliant music of John Williams.
Negatives
It has a very familiar story structure that relies heavily on nostalgia. There are some mysteries, but they become less satisfying in retrospect.
Verdict
The Force Awakens remains a hugely entertaining Star Wars film and was probably exactly the movie the franchise needed in 2015. It is just harder now to ignore how much of its success came from showing us things we already loved.
