At 11 p.m. at the local Regal theater, roughly 100 other "Star Wars" nerds were packed shoulder to shoulder. Then came the opening crawl once popularized years and years ago in the Golden Age of Hollywood. Along with the crawl was a burst of the main "Star Wars theme." At that point, the jubilant crowd exploded passionately and for good reason.
"The Force Awakens" is one of the greatest fan-fics ever made. In fact, it may be the best. It seems like the creators obsessively clung to the high points and appeals of the original trilogy and distilled it to make it appear new. That argument may seem unfair, but "Awakens" compulsively clings to the original beats of "A New Hope," from set up to conflict and even locations. There is a knock-off super Death Star, a knock-off Darth Vader, a knock-off Empire, and even a passing attempt to recreate the Rebellion. However, none of these original points feel either stale or cliche, which is due to how they are handled. The knock-off Death Star is sure a knock-off, but it’s handled and eventually destroyed in a completely different way and doesn’t serve as the climax of the film. The knock-off Darth Vader features a fully fleshed out character with his own problems and issues that complicate who he is and what he is working towards. The knock-off Empire has a lot less of the resources and power of its predecessor, revealing both a natural weakness and their mysterious reputation in the galaxy. However, the knock-off Rebellion is too vague and undefined to act any differently than its filmic predecessor, somewhat confusing the conflict and story as we don’t really know or understand the good guys other than they are said to be good.
The real strength of "Awakens" is not really in the world building but the action sequences, character development, and writing. As to be expected, director JJ Abrams and cinematographer Dan Mindel work out some really well-executed and daring sequences the best one of which is the final battle between Kylo Ren versus Rey and Finn, which has all the context, drama, and none of the clinical distance of the prequel trilogy lightsaber duels. Abrams’ main skill of planning and executing key action sequences and building tension also comes through in a well-shot scene where Finn and Rey use the Millennium Falcon to out run TIE Fighters through an old decrepit Star Destroyer. The real challenge is writing good solid complex characters, another point in "Awakens’" favor. The main three new characters (or two if we judge by screen time), Poe Dameron, Finn, and Rey, are all complex characters struggling to find their identity (the key theme of the film) in the chaos and destruction brought about by the First Order. The most interesting being Finn, a runaway Stormtrooper casting behind his life of violence, and Rey, a scavenger orphan, who is fighting to discover her lost past and new powers. So too goes for the film’s most visible antagonist, Kylo Ren, who is constantly battling his internal allegiances and seeming powerlessness to do what he think is right.
On the other hand, the old cast from the original trilogy have fallen into their respective identities and have become subservient to them.
SPOILERS: Leia and Han never worked out, and both have fallen into what they do best. Leia leads the faux-Rebellion “Resistance” whereas Han has fallen back into his smuggling ways. The mysterious Luke Skywalker has vanished deep into the galaxy after the events of Jedi, propelling the action of the film as both sides fight over a map that could lead to his whereabouts. There is a certain longing that the old cast has whether it's talking about the old days or having to deal with current problems. However, there is a recognition that those old days are long gone and for the better.
To say that "Force Awakens" is a knock off would be inappropriate. It shares themes and messages as well as key story points with its predecessors, but features different conflicts and characters who must now rise to the occasion and succeed the old generation to save the day. One key and lasting difference Awakens differs from its predecessor is the complete downer of an ending more reminiscent to "Empire Strikes Back" than "A New Hope." There are no congratulatory parades or awards won, but instead, people desperately fighting to find out who they are and what they were born to do. That may sound cheesy, but it’s "Star Wars." That’s the point.
