Continuing the original "Star Wars" trilogy of "A New Hope,""Empire Strikes Back," and "Return of the Jedi" would have been a difficult task for anybody. The new "Star Wars" movie, "The Force Awakens," needed a plot that wouldn't disappoint millions of fans who have spent decades theorizing about what might happen next in a galaxy far, far away.
But with "Star Wars: Episode VII - The Force Awakens," director J.J. Abrams nailed it. He successfully delivered a franchise movie loaded with nostalgic moments playing on previous episodes that also builds a foundation for the next storyline to come. (Only mild spoilers for the plot ahead.)
The movie's main focus is Finn (John Boyega) and Rey (Daisy Ridley), two outsiders who come together for an unlikely journey.
Finn is a stormtrooper who has gone rogue — he finds he's not meant to be the killer he was bred to be. Instead, Finn ends up on a desert planet trying to escape the First Order (which is what the Empire is called now).
Rey is a scavenger who spends her days scrounging together money by stripping parts from ruined Star Destroyers, X-wings, and TIE fighters that crashed on her planet ages ago when the Empire fell (thanks to the now-mythical heroes including Luke Skywalker and Han Solo).
Finn and Rey connect through the droid BB-8, which is the property of a hot-shot rebel pilot, Poe Dameron (Oscar Isaac).
BB-8 is important — but getting into why would open the floodgates to a rush of spoilers. So it's best to say the lovable droid is the key to why Finn and Rey enter into the world of the Rebellion, where they cross paths with Han Solo (Harrison Ford), Chewbacca (Peter Mayhew), and General Leia (Carrie Fisher).
"The Force Awakens" is chock-full of lightsaber battles, chase scenes, and explosions, but Abrams and fellow screenwriters Lawrence Kasdan and Michael Arndt also crafted strong dialogue that evokes serious emotion from the characters.
George Lucas was always criticized for filling earlier "Star Wars" episodes with cold, stringent performances (especially in the prequels). But the characters in "The Force Awakens" are passionate — even funny — and give performances that don't feel... forced.
This is especially evident in the plot lines of new "Star Wars" charaters.
Adam Driver as the villain Kylo Ren is the perfect mix of intimidation and conflict. He wants desperately to be the second coming of Darth Vader but isn't sure if he has enough of the dark side in him (by the end of the movie we realize he does). Ren's character also has a refreshing hint of humor, like when he uses his lightsaber to throw temper tantrums.
Then there's Rey. Daisy Ridley gives a performance that gets better as the movie progresses and is a blueprint for how women in action movies should be portrayed. Rey is a no-nonsense hero who doesn't need any assistance to do anything. She insists numerous times that Finn let go of her hand while they run from danger. She flies the Millennium Falcon. She wields a lightsaber. Whether it's intentional or not, Abrams has announced that in his galaxy far, far away, women don't just kick butt — they are the focus of the story.
The bottom line: "The Force Awakens" is an epic story for an epic franchise that has set the groundwork for an intriguing new chapter that might just be as exciting as the first one.
"Star Wars: The Force Awakens" opens in theaters everywhere on December 18.
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