Star Wars: Episode VII - The Force Awakens
(2015)The first Star Wars film since Disney bought the rights to George Lucas' space opera franchise, directed by J.J. Abrams (Lost). Also the first in a planned trilogy (extending the movie saga with episodes seven, eight and nine), the story is set 35 years after Return of the Jedi. Lucas' main cast returns alongside Oscar Isaac (Inside Llewyn Davis), John Boyega (Attack the Block), Adam Driver (TV's Girls) Daisy Ridley and Andy Serkis (Lord of the Rings).
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Best Special Effects winner at the 2016 BAFTA Awards
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Directed by J.J. Abrams
Starring Harrison Ford, Mark Hamill, Carrie Fisher, Andy Serkis, Domhnall Gleeson, Adam Driver, Oscar Isaac, Max von Sydow, Peter Mayhew, Anthony Daniels, Kenny Baker, John Boyega, Daisy Ridley, Gwendoline Christie, Lupita Nyong'o
Written by J.J. Abrams, Lawrence Kasdan (based on characters created by George Lucas)
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Star Wars: Episode VII - The Force Awakens
BY PercyM superstar
Entertaining and (extremely) enjoyable; its action-packed with charismatic characters, both old and new.
BY AggressivePopcorn lister
After seeing every trailer I went into this movie with high expectations and loved this movie. It was just over 2 hours but it flies by, the pacing of this movie is great and like the original... More Star Wars follows "The Heroes Journey" a concept by Joseph Campell which is why a lot of people thought it was a rip off of ANH. This is a common story telling technique and pretty much every movie uses it.
This movie brought the humour back to Star Wars and a sense of fun. Sure, there are minor flaws I see but nothing that detracts away from my enjoyment of the film. A common thing I hear is that people do not like how it ended without the parentage of a certain character being explained but I don't mind because after Empire we had a lot of questions and I imagine back in the day people were losing their s*** over this too.
At this point I'm just rambling. Lots of fun, great action and did I mention Han Solo?Hide
BY PeterS superstar
And the doesn't stop it from being an enjoyable romp.
BY Brumby99 wannabe
The most blatant rip-off of the original film. Plot holes galore. Seems Abrams had never watched Star Wars before and lacked an understanding of the series. Someone new to SW will love it but it will be hard to swallow for long time fans. (I never gave this 4 stars. Seems anything lower is not posted. Interesting)
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The Press Reviews
92%
of critics recommend.
Rotten Tomatoes Score. More reviews on Rotten Tomatoes
Outrageously exciting and romantic return to a world you hadn’t realised you’d missed so much. Full Review
Brings welcome jolts of energy, warmth and excitement back to the biggest franchise in movie history... For impressive stretches [Abrams] achieves the action-packed buoyancy of the old Saturday morning serials that partly inspired Star Wars in the first place. Full Review
It has the usual toy-store-ready gizmos and critters, but it also has appealingly imperfect men and women whose blunders and victories, decency and goofiness remind you that a pop mythology like Star Wars needs more than old gods to sustain it. Full Review
Pumps new energy and life into a hallowed franchise in a way that both resurrects old pleasures and points in promising new directions. Full Review
The Star Wars movie for people who don't like Star Wars. Pure, old-school pleasure. Full Review
The rollicking, space-opera spirit of George Lucas's original trilogy (you can safely forget the second trio of cynical, tricked-up prequels) emanates from every frame of J.J. Abrams euphoric sequel. Full Review
Filmmaking on an enormous scale and it packs a planet-sized punch, launching a new generation of characters who – by the end – take a place next to Han, Leia and the rest. Full Review
The movie that fans wanted, the movie that fans deserve. And it’s only fitting that it is, beneath the scintillating action and striking world-building, a film about parents and children, about the effects of one generation on the next, about legacy. Full Review
BY Steve Newall Flicks Writer
To exit the cinema with not just a sense of relief but joyous excitement says it all. The Force Awakens immediately transports its audience into a Star Wars universe both familiar and mysterious, and from there director J.J. Abrams delights in introducing new characters and working through a roll call of familiar faces. Sure, at times the fan service gets a little heavy, and you can almost picture Abrams working through a checklist of things to include, but these are minor quibbles for a franchise which has already seen George Lucas cannibalise his own ideas several times over - not to mention ramming characters into shot in order to sell toys.... More
The new additions to the cast are simply phenomenal. Daisy Ridley and John Boyega form a compelling onscreen pairing opposite one another, and heroic pivots for the film to swivel around as required. Adam Driver’s villainous Kylo Ren owns the screen with menacing physicality to such an extent that it almost comes as a surprise when he shows he can also emote - something we may not have seen from a Star Wars baddie before (unless you feel like including whiny Hayden Christensen, and I’d rather not). Meanwhile, fighter ace Oscar Isaac seems like he’s been teleported in from the 70s or 80s with a classic wisecrack hero schtick that may be setting him up as the Solo of the new heroic trio.
The time that’s passed since the original trilogy in both our universe and that of Star Wars aids the film a great deal. By casting prior events as somewhat mythical, Abrams is able to bring The Force Awakens into a more modern era stylistically, while respecting the cinematic conventions established by Lucas (ships silhouetted against sunsets above a hot desert, for instance, looking like they’re shot on actual honest-to-goodness film).
This is no throwback though, instead it’s an amalgam of old and new, a thrill ride that satisfies in its own right as well as in assuaging the fears of fans. I don’t know how it could have been better, but somehow have the feeling that’s exactly what’s going to happen with the sequels from Rian Johnson. And I’m ok with that.Hide
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