A long time ago, in a galaxy far, far away… Star Wars changed how movies were made, marketed and how they could fuel cultural discourse. Which is why it took me three months to pen my thoughts on The Force Awakens— so I could finally break free from the suffocating, inescapable hype Disney cranked into full force months before its release.
First off, I liked the movie. If I had never seen a single Star Wars film and wasn’t watching with the cultural weight of the original trilogy (or, to a lesser extent, the prequels), The Force Awakens would stand as an amazing action blockbuster— entertaining, funny and endearing.
The movie is tightly written and directed. No scenes overstay their welcome and the action set pieces fit seamlessly within the story. It follows the formulaic Hollywood action movie template, but does so effectively. There’s just enough character motivation and emotional weight to make you care about what’s happening on-screen.
Surprisingly, where the movie truly shines is in the acting. Daisy Ridley, John Boyega, Adam Driver and Oscar Isaac all deliver memorable performances.
Criticism of Adam Driver’s Kylo Ren is, in my opinion, unfounded. He brings much-needed vulnerability and complexity to the villain role, giving future sequels something substantial to build upon. But the biggest kudos go to the two new leads: Ridley and Boyega have undeniable chemistry, lighting up the screen with their enthusiasm and energy.
From a mythological perspective, The Force Awakens had the difficult task of making fans believe in Star Wars again. At its best, Star Wars embeds itself into our collective culture through memorable characters and dialogue. Did this movie succeed?
In terms of storytelling, Star Wars: The Force Awakens employs a monomyth structure– mirroring the classic hero’s journey seen in A New Hope. This narrative approach works if the audience is truly invested in the protagonist, which in this case is Rey.
From the outset, Rey’s challenges appear insurmountable. Her world was upended the moment she became entangled in rescuing BB-8 and fleeing TIE Fighters with Finn. When she was captured by Kylo Ren, the threat of the First Order became all too real, transforming her once insignificant life as a scavenger into a journey of epic proportions. This mirrors the call to adventure that propelled Luke Skywalker into his own legendary saga.
Ultimately, every great hero discovers a hidden power and prevails. For Rey, her connection to the Force is ignited when she touches Luke’s (and formerly Anakin’s) lightsaber. Though initially reluctant to accept her destiny, she eventually embraces it– culminating in a decisive lightsaber duel victory against a wounded Kylo Ren.
This movie follows the original trilogy’s structure almost to a fault. I get it– the filmmakers wanted to win over new audiences, but for fans like me, it felt like we had already seen all of this before. Unlike J.J. Abrams’ Star Trek reboot, The Force Awakens didn’t “reset” the universe, but rather kept it in a holding pattern, waiting for casual audiences to catch up.
At the end of this two-hour ride, the film delivers a satisfying, highly entertaining Star Wars adventure. The new characters are engaging, the stakes are rising, and the mystery is just beginning to unfold.
The goal was to make Star Wars relevant again— and by expanding the fanbase, they absolutely succeeded.