Lest you think all of us geeks are on the same page when it comes to Star Wars: The Force Awakens, here are two divergent opinions.
“Why I was Compelled to See Star Wars: The Force Awakens, Three Times” by Steve Laux
I am a Star Wars fan. Just putting that out there, up front. Now that the wait is over, there’s been a tidal wave of content written about the film, and more will ensue as anticipation builds for the remaining films in the Disney/Lucasfilm pipeline. Editorials run the gamut, ranging from adoring and speculative, to hyper-critical and in certain instances, downright off-base. And so, I will attempt to articulate my personal experience with a modicum of impartiality as best I can.
The response of folks who have seen the film (yes, it was actually photographed on that particular medium), whether once or for multiple screenings, has been as varied as the inhabitants of a galaxy far, far away. For me, each viewing produced its own unique effect.
“Opening Day”
While December 17th saw its fair share of previews, the 18th was the day we had been waiting for. The “we” included the Mrs., the three kids, the sister-in-law, and her friend. Upon entering the theatre, it was apparent that the Disney marketing machine was in full effect, in the form of a kiosk selling exclusive “Galaxy Premiere” merchandise, which we gobbled up handily.
As we sat through the previews, I settled in and mentally prepared to focus on whatever was in store. Mind you, I had successfully avoided media coverage for a good year leading up to the release, which is no small task in today’s 24/7 news cycle. Not even with the prequels was the anticipation this high, as I recall. Maybe because our children were with us this go-round, the stakes were even higher. After all, the speculation was that this was “our” Star Wars sequel (for the fans, first and foremost), and after the unevenness of the prequels, I was cautiously optimistic. As the story unfolded, I caught myself watching it from a variety of perspectives, simultaneously. The fragments of the experience from 1977 (at a ripe old age of not quite five) were interspersed with the images of sitting in the theater with my own children, who have grown to love the Star Wars universe through osmosis.
The crowd response was interactive, yet respectful, as no one wanted to miss anything. Although, there was the moment when the Mrs. cried out as Chewbacca is wounded (Chewie has been her favorite since she was five years old). And Kylo Ren deservedly received his share of hisses (losing Han, while we knew it was likely to happen, was still the most tragic loss of the entire Star Wars series, hands down). New characters, classic characters, humor, tragedy… this movie had it all.
Two hours and fifteen minutes went by in a flash. We stayed, as we typically do, through the credits (not expecting a post-credit teaser, but out of respect for the craft that goes into making films), and our enthusiastic conversation continued as we left the auditorium. Passing the crowd on line waiting to see the movie, I couldn’t help but engage some of them to let them know they were in for a ride (and no spoilers).
“Round Two"
A week later, we relished the thought of sharing the experience with the extended family. Plus, it gave me the opportunity to be hyper-focused…to watch facial expressions very carefully, in the event they reveal something unknown to the audience. The theories were already running rampant online, so I wanted to see if the eyes gave anything away (they didn’t). At the close, the pacing still held up and I was still left with the feeling I had to see it again. Added bonus: two screenings gave us enough material for our own “family recreations” of certain performances (General Hux’s Starkiller Base rally in particular is one of our favorites).
“Old School”
A few days later, the stars aligned, providing the chance to see it with Dad (who took me to see the original in 1977), little brother (who wasn’t there at the ’77 show, but was there for every action figure battle that ensued in the years that followed) and the Mrs. The entire group had a great time.
And so, with three viewings, and the passage of (some) time to add perspective, here’s what I think. I liked it. The story, the characters, the cinematography, the music (natch, it’s Johnny Williams for Pete’s sake!), the whole kit and caboodle.
Admittedly, imaging a Star Wars movie without George Lucas’ involvement was a bit hard to accept. He is THE visionary, end of story. Yet, I can honestly say this film belongs in the Star Wars canon, without question. It was made for the fans and while it might not have lived up to the expectations of some, the figures don’t lie. The sheer numbers surrounding the film are staggering, and while numbers alone do not necessarily a good film make (Avatar anyone?), they are hard to ignore. Does EP VII revisit themes and plot points from A New Hope? Yes. And as JJ Abrams has explained, "What was important for me was introducing brand new characters using relationships that were embracing the history that we know to tell a story that is new — to go backwards to go forwards.” Others would say it’s an homage. Quentin Tarantino, a revered auteur, has essentially built an entire career via homage and I am a huge fan of his work, as well. Point being, the phrase “from a certain point of view” as Obi-Wan is fond of saying, is more relevant today than it was back in quaint, pre-internet 1977.
As a close friend of mind once said, in reference to the believability of the “science” within the original Star Wars, “as long as it make sense on its own terms, its ok.”
There are many opinions pertaining to what these movies represent; good vs. evil, redemption, the manifestation of the big blockbuster (and all that it entails, i.e. the “consumer entanglements"), but for me it’s very simple. They’re about family. Always have been and on multiple levels. Whether it’s the fluid nature of the family unit within the films themselves or the way we watch, talk about, and enjoy the Star Wars universe, family is the tie that binds.
So, if you haven’t seen Star Wars: The Force Awakens, you’re missing out. If you’ve seen it and you don’t like it, there’s a host of other SW films on deck to salve your wounds. And for those who liked it, perhaps the force is a tiny bit stronger in your family.
The Force May Be Awake, But It Put Me To Sleep by Rob Wolejsza
“Star Wars: The Force Awakens” is an overlong, derivative continuation of the “Star Wars” saga. Now, I know many people (and I mean many, many, many) will dismiss my comments as the rantings of a non-Star Wars fan who just wants to piss on everyone’s good time. And that’s fine. But into everyone’s life, a little piss must fall.
- My biggest beef with “TFA” is that the exposition makes it so goddamned BORING for so many stretches that it really made me want to leave and get some overpriced popcorn so I could get some kind of stimulation. Granted, that may be blamed largely on my lack of fealty to the Star Wars legend/mythos/line of toys. But honestly, some of the plot points made my eyes glaze over. And that is due to the movie’s obsession with FAN SERVICE. It recycles so many bits of story and so many shots from “A New Hope” that I was left with the oddest sense of deja vu. And as a paying moviegoer it pisses me off because JJ & Co. knew anything they slapped “Star Wars” on would be a monster hit. So why not go in a different direction and try something new? Because that would require actual work. Or maybe because...
- ...they are just trying to set up Episode 8. Now I am sure Ep. 8 will likely be cut almost entirely from whole cloth now that a) they’ve set (or reset) up the Star Wars universe, and b) the very idiosyncratic (as opposed to JJ) filmmaker Rian Johnson is writing and directing it. But that just makes Episode 7 nothing more than a first act WANK OFF. And that makes me feel cheated because while some new characters are introduced, there’s very little psychology provided for them. I guess they are saving that for Ep. 8 and beyond. But at $14.75 a ticket, it’s a cheat.
- The most interesting new character by far is Han So...err, Poe Dameron. He’s a wiseass, he mouths off to authority...he’s super cool. So what do they do? They have him be awesome for about 20 minutes before banishing him to the final half of the last act of the movie. When they give him NOTHING TO DO but fly his plane or fighter or WTF. Real smart move.
- The plot, to be honest, has some real arbitrary shit. I mean, the R2-D2 stuff was ridic. Let me get this straight: R2 is in mourning because he misses Master Luke. But once the First Order’s “Death Star” (I don’t care what it’s really called, it’s a fucking Death Star.) is destroyed, he wakes up and starts to party. Fine. But it just so happens that he has a map with a hole in it that BB-8 can fill. (Never mind why Luke or whoever is spreading these bits of info around like herpes.) But if R2 wasn’t in mourning they could have just pieced together the map bits and found Luke. But then the movie would have been over in 15 minutes, instead of the INSANELY OVERLONG 2:15.
I have other issues but I have better things to do than rehash more Star Wars crap. Like water my plants.
Now maybe some of these questions were answered during the moments where I nodded off. But I don’t care to see it again to pick up what I may or may not have missed. The bottom line is that for the few good things (Harrison Ford, the craft behind BB-8, the special effects) The Force Awakens is a snoozefest.
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