I want you to imagine your best childhood memories. Just take a moment to think about the moments that, in your mind, defined those early, carefree years of bliss before the responsibilities of school, work and life in general seemed to sap the joy out of existence. OK, so maybe it's not all that bad nowadays, but look back and imagine you're a kid again. Is there something today - a song, a picture, a movie, anything - that if you saw, heard or smelled would give you such a strong sense of nostalgia that would turn you into that little kid you used to be? I've experienced this sensation many times, but not as strongly as I did this past week as I waited with anticipation for the release of the final trailer for the newest Star Wars movie: The Force Awakens, and for just over two minutes, I became a kid again.
For those of you reading who may not be savvy, Star Wars: The Force Awakens, the seventh film in the ground-breaking series will be released in U.S. theaters this December and is the first entry of a new trilogy, which will take place thirty years after the events of the original trilogy of the '70s and '80s. The latest and most revealing trailer for the movie was premiered worldwide last week during halftime of Monday Night Football while also being released on the Internet. Simultaneously, preorders for opening-night tickets went up on popular movie ticket sites such as Fandango. To say the film is "highly anticipated" would be an understatement. The surge of millions of people logging on to the Internet to see the trailer or secure their tickets for the premiere literally broke the internet, temporarily shutting down numerous social media outlets, ticket sites, even StarWars.com.
Starting with an air of mystery as Rey, a new character played by actress Daisy Ridley, scavenges through the wreckage of an Imperial Star Destroyer on a barren desert planet reminiscent of Tatooine. Finn, another newcomer portrayed by John Boyega, is a former stormtrooper of the First Order (the successors of the Empire) who, for unknown reasons, has deserted and crash-landed a TIE-Fighter on the same planet. Cutting to the deck of one of the First Order's ships, we see the new antagonist, Kylo Ren, speaking to the melted helmet of Darth Vader. "Nothing will stand in our way. I will finish what you started," he says. It is unclear what he means by finishing whatever it is Vader started, but knowing Star Wars villains, it's probably not pleasant. We then see the Millennium Falcon ducking and weaving through the wreckage of the Star Destroyer, evading two TIE-Fighters while the love theme between Han Solo and Princess Leia plays, the music swelling and adding a link to the original trilogy. A voiceover of Rey says, "There are stories about what happened", to which Han Solo, played by none other than Harrison Ford himself replies, "Its true. All of it. The Dark Side, the Jedi, they're real." We are treated to scenes of the Falcon entering hyperspace; the as-of-yet-unseen Knights of Ren; X-Wings and TIE-Fighters dogfighting; stormtroopers attacking a settlement; Han and Leia embracing and glimpses of R2-D2 with a hooded figure who we can only assume is Luke Skywalker, all while a powerful new rendition of "The Force Theme" crescendoes to a climax as Finn ignites Luke's first lightsaber in a snowy wood as Kylo Ren approaches to strike with his own as the screen cuts to black. Another voiceover says quietly, "The Force, it's calling to you. Just let it in." The familiar Star Wars logo appears as a calm, quiet rendition of the theme song plays and the movie's release date flashes at the trailer's end.
The trailer itself left me awestruck. The new scenes and characters introduced left me with more questions, and even more excitement over the direction the series is taking. The appearances of familiar faces, vehicles and themes from the original movies added a touch of nostalgia which resonated with me. Watching the trailer, a wave of emotions washed over me as it made me remember what it was like to be a kid again. I remembered the first time I saw Star Wars, playing with toy lightsabers in my backyard, the experience going to the movies to see the prequel films when there were first released and so may other good memories. I was raised on Star Wars and it still holds a very special place in my heart. Now at twenty years old, I'll be able to experience the coming of a new chapter in the Star Wars saga along with fans new and old. You can bet that as I sit in the theater and the words "A long time ago, in a galaxy far, far away..." appear I won't feel twenty. No, I'll be the five year old boy sitting in his basement, watching a VHS of a space movie that is about to change his life.
If you haven't seen the trailer, here it is. Enjoy!
(Copyright: Lucasfilm)
