**SPOILER ALERT: In this review, I try to stay as spoiler-free as possible. However, if you want to go into the film without knowing anything at all about the characters and their prevalence in the film, stop right here.**
“Star Wars” brings joy like no other franchise I have ever seen.
The last time I walked into a theater to see “Star Wars,” I was 8 years old and seeing “Revenge of the Sith” for the first time with my mom and dad. I had been raised into it, getting lightsabers for Christmas and, through the years, amassing a rather impressive collection of action figures I would play with religiously. And when “Revenge of the Sith” came out, I sat in that theater and was completely and utterly caught up in the magic of the galaxy far, far away.
But there was something inherently tragic about my experience seeing “Revenge of the Sith.” For one, it was the final movie in a disappointing, CGI-filled, seemingly soulless prequel trilogy that failed to recapture what made the original trilogy so special. And secondly, it was an ending. I knew I would likely never get to experience the thrill of seeing “Star Wars” for the first time ever again. “Revenge of the Sith” was an ending, the dying breath of a beast long past its days of glory.
In my opinion, “The Force Awakens” is not a new beginning, as many critics have put it. Rather, it’s a rebirth. Not just of a franchise, but of a fandom.
Walking into the theater on Thursday, Dec. 17 for a 7 p.m. preview two hours in advance, I was greeted with a long line of bright, smiling faces. Men, women, boys and girls alike wore bright costumes. More modest fans like myself simply donned our favorite “Star Wars”-themed attire. The lobby was abuzz with excited conversation and theorizing. A man dressed as Boba Fett let me skip him in line to get in after I complimented his costume.
When I got into the theater itself, I had about an hour and a half to kill before trailers began. Luckily, I have the entire “Star Wars” saga on my laptop, so I plugged in my headphones and finished my rewatch of “Return of the Jedi.” A row of teenage boys behind me peeked in, adding commentary to their favorite parts when they spotted them. A middle-aged man told me about how he and his wife and finished their own rewatch that week.
As the theater filled, I took a look back from my fourth-row center seat and got a little misty-eyed. In one room, four generations of fans from all walks of life gathered to escape our cynical world into one of unimaginable fantasy. There were fans like me, who could name all forms of lightsaber combat off the tops of their heads. There were casual fans who simply wanted to see this revitalization for themselves. And there were my favorites, the children, the ones “Star Wars” was always intended to enrapture, excitedly chatting with their parents and siblings.
When the famous cyan-tinted words faded on to the black screen, we all held our breath. And when the iconic logo and theme music hit, the applause and hollers of joy said everything about what this franchise means to the world.
The movie itself is stunning: a combination of sincere storytelling, thrilling action, inspired acting and a classic score. Unlike the prequels, which were bogged down with emotionless CGI and disconnecting stories, “The Force Awakens” feels absolutely alive. It’s the sequel we longtime fans dreamed about, and the introduction new fans always needed. Director J.J. Abrams’ love for “Star Wars” is present in every callback and hidden reference.
The returning cast is just as magical as they were 30 years ago. Harrison Ford’s rogue-ish charm has not faded in the slightest, and Carrie Fisher is every bit the sensational, iron-willed powerhouse she was in “A New Hope.” And while I am sticking to Abrams’ prerogative and keeping Mark Hamill’s role under wraps, I will say this much: Luke Skywalker is as legendary as you would imagine him to be.
But the real stars of this movie are the new faces. Adam Driver brings an unhinged desperation to Kylo Ren that makes him one of the most thrilling villains I’ve seen in a long time. Gwendoline Christie’s Captain Phasma commands attention whenever she is seen. Lupita N’yongo’s performance-capture turn as the wizened Maz Kanata is wonderfully executed.
Oscar Isaacs, perhaps the most well-known member of the new main trio, is wildly refreshing as space pilot Poe Dameron. He brings elements of humor and humanity to a war-torn landscape, and perfectly delivers some of the best lines in the movie. John Boyega as defecting Stormtrooper Finn is absolutely brilliant. With his helmet on, he delivers one of the most human portrayals of a Stormtrooper I have ever witnessed. And with it off, he brings Finn’s accidental heroism to life beautifully.
But the undeniable breakout star of “The Force Awakens” is, without a doubt, Daisy Ridley as Rey. I will freely admit to being brought to tears by a specific sequence near the film’s conclusion, and I attribute that to Ridley’s stunning performance. As the testy scavenger with a hopeful heart and unimaginable potential, Ridley shines completely. She is every bit the hopeful adventurer Luke Skywalker was, the charmer Han Solo was, and the inspiring heroine Princess Leia was. Rey is this generation’s hero, and Ridley has proven herself more than up to the task of portraying her.
As a journalist, I often find myself unable to properly enjoy things. Too often, I look at things with only a critic’s eye, unable to be fully immersed in anything. In some ways, it’s not my fault. Some movies are simply incapable of fully enchanting anyone, whether it be because of writing, acting or a combination of both. And other times, it is absolutely my fault. I don’t fully invest because I feel like I will be disappointed.
But sitting in my fourth row seat, watching “Star Wars,” I can confirm with no shame that on Thursday, Dec. 17 at 7 p.m., I was not a journalist. I was not a college student exhausted by a week of finals.
I was the little 8-year-old girl sitting with her parents in the summer of 2005 watching “Revenge of the Sith” for the first time. The little girl for whom “Star Wars” was an escape from loneliness and bullies at school, who found strength in watching the scrappy Rebel Alliance defeat the cruel Empire.
And that little girl with bright eyes and hopeful enthusiasm, along with a theater full of absolute strangers who felt like her best friends, loved “The Force Awakens.” Funnily enough, the critic did too.
“Star Wars: the Force Awakens” is now playing in theaters nationwide.