It has been a long time since I was truly excited for the release of a new Star Wars film, but as I sit here writing, my mind still flashes back to the mere hours ago that I sat down and was exposed to what the brilliant mind of J.J. Abrams did with George Lucas's sci-fi superbaby.
The last Star Wars film to be released was back in 2005, so it has been a long while since any adventures happened in a galaxy far, far away. But this movie was worth the wait, it was the most compelling two hours I've sat through in a long while.
Star Wars: The Force Awakens cast was utterly fantastic. Aside from bringing back Harrison Ford as Han Solo (a role which he slipped back into like a glove) and Carrie Fisher (proving that even a thirty-two year gap does not diminish one's ability as an actress), Peter Mayhew stepped back into the role of Chewbacca (and did an amazing job as usual with it), and C-3PO (played once again by the talented Anthony Daniels), there were also new faces to the cast of Star Wars and what a job they did.
Daisy Ridley, a new face to the acting world plays the role of Rey, a fierce and independent young woman who finds herself drawn into the ongoing conflict between the Resistance (the new face of the Rebellion) and the First Order (the "next generation" Empire). She does an outstanding job, she is powerful, has a strong camera presence and her stunt-work is absolutely epic. It's clear her character is going to play a major role in the future Star Wars and I for one cannot wait to see what happens to her character.
John Boyega is Finn, a First Order Stormtrooper who reforms and joins the Resistance and is drawn into the overarching conflict that makes up The Force Awakens plot. He proves to be a capable fighter and soldier who is trying to rediscover his purpose in the universe after being on the wrong side of a war for a long time.
Oscar Isaac is Poe Dameron, self-described as "the greatest pilot in the Resistance" who certainly tries to live up to his legend. Isaac plays the character as determined, hard-headed, willing to go the extra distance for his friends and not willing to back down from any challenge. A fine and welcome edition to many legions of brave men and women who have fought for the Rebellion/Resistance in the name of freedom.
Adam Driver steps up as Kylo Ren, a new and sinister Sith in the galaxy. He is a clear disciple of the Sith and a fierce follower of the legacy of Darth Vader, determined to finish Vader's mission to wipe out any traces of the Jedi from the galaxy. Driver plays the character as moody but also emotional, prone to fits of anger that include taking his lightsaber and destroying whatever the heck is in his way in the process. Whatever Ren's overall role in the new Star Wars mytho's J.J. Abrams is crafting, I for one can't wait to see where he ends up along the way.
Overall, the film itself was wonderful. It's taken thirty-two years for the story of Luke, Leia, Han and the Rebellion to be continued on the big screen but it was utterly worth the wait. When Star Wars Episode 8 makes it to the movie theatres in 2017, it will be awesome, unbelievably awesome.
This film gets high marks for script, casting, special effects and once again proving that adventure is out there in the galaxy, all we have to do is reach out and grasp it.
