When I first heard about the new "Star Wars" movie coming out, I was with my friends from high school. I was indifferent and did not know what to expect. I was excited to see the franchise move on, but seeing J. J. Abrams as the director instead of George Lucas was a surprise to me. Another major surprise was when Disney bought the franchise from Lucasfilm. All these changes and rumors going around really started to hype up the new movie, including how some of the old cast were going to be in the new movie. I was always a fan of "Star Wars;" episode four was my favorite. I didn't think episodes one through three were as bad as everyone thought they were, but that's beside the point. I walked in the movie theater with my father. He has only seen episode four and three, unfortunately.
I was dreading the thought of him asking me questions left and right about the movie while it was playing. To my surprise, he did not ask a single one. "Star Wars: The Force Awakens" did a very good job of explaining things throughout the movie. Whether people have seen previous movies in the franchise or not, it had a good and interesting plot. It started off by mirroring episode four, and I was kind of disappointed. But I believe they did that on purpose, in order for people who have not seen prior movies from the franchise to catch up. Like episode four, it explains everything you need to know, while still giving you some new surprises. In the film, you will see several things from the old movies that you can relate to, while new vehicles and races are introduced. They also do a great job with adding in some comic relief throughout the movie. It was done perfectly, not breaking the tension in certain parts, but also giving you a break from all the fast-paced action scenes. With all the crazy fan theories about Luke Skywalker, this film somehow finds a way to prove or debunk those theories, while leaving people still questioning more about him.
Not only does the movie stay consistent with its story from the old trilogies, it does a great job introducing new characters and subplots. Overall, the movie was well made and hopefully will be successful in introducing a new fanbase to this scene. With the combination from the old actors and the new along with director Abrams, I personally believe they will create one of the best trilogies this franchise can offer. I am excited to see the next movie.
If I had to rate this movie, I would probably say it is about four and a half out of five. Although the plot and the acting was great, there were some sloppy and questionable scenes throughout the film. It is impossible to make a movie perfect. However, Abrams and the other editors could have definitely put some last minute effects in to help make the scenes run more smoothly, or correct a few mistakes. I found a few scenes in which one character was near something in one scene, but in the next, far enough to make me think "Wow, did he teleport?" Whether you've seen all six prior movies, or not even one, I say you should give the movie a chance. Just like the fourth episode, they do a great job creating a plot for you to follow and understand.
