As I sat in the 9:45 p.m. showing of "Star Wars: The Force Awakens" last Thursday, the detail that stuck out was the array of audience members there to see the movie. I sat in between an older man whose children clearly were not interested enough to join him but who was not willing to miss it and a group of teenage girls sporting every piece of "Star Wars" merchandise sold at Target. Two rows in front of me sat a Fedex worker, straight off of his truck and hunkering down for the best experience of his life. While that man was certainly no less than 20 years older than me, I too felt this was going to be the best experience of my life. And it was.
On May 25, 1977, groups of excited teenagers gathered into a theater to witness the brand new, most anticipated film of their time. And then bam, the cinematic world was changed forever. There can only be an opening night for films like "Star Wars" once, and our generation never got to be a part of it, until last night.
J.J. Abrams has done something more remarkable than create a kickass movie. He has created a piece that unites generations of people who have always loved "Star Wars," but never in the same way. "The Force Awakens" features clever tactics that both reference the old "Star Wars," for those long-time, traditionalist fans, and for those just entering the "Star Wars" realm.
Warning: Spoilers Ahead
The Characters
No one was more thrilled about the return of rugged hero Han Solo than myself, but nevertheless, I am aware that Luke, Han, R2D2, C3PO, Darth Vader, and Leia are not my generation's characters. I can admire them, but I'll never relate to them the same way. J.J. Abrams cleverly gave the younger generation characters to fill that spot, while still bringing back the nostalgia of the original trilogy.
Kylo Ren and Anakin Skywalker
Obviously there's the familial connection, but more than that, Kylo Ren evokes the desperation from the audience to return to their family. In both, we see a glimmer of hope.
BB-8 and R2D2
Obviously every hero needs an adorable droid sidekick. The goofiness of BB-8 connects to a younger audience, who grew up with movies that have a silly quality to them, much like BB-8 in this film. Also, the fact that you can buy a BB-8 now is a whole other level that R2 never had, although you know we loved R2's awakening.
Rey and Luke Skywalker
Although I know that Rey bears many similarities to Han Solo and Leia (suspicious, right?), clearly it is her destiny to defeat Kylo Ren, or at least train to be a Jedi. I know I'm certainly hoping for Luke to take on a quasi-Obi Wan Kenobi/Yoda role as Rey's Jedi master in the next film. Rey is the new hero for a modern audience looking for a badass female to take the lead for once.
BONUS: Captain Phasma and Boba Fett
This might just be me, but I can totally see Captain Phasma chasing after Finn (because no one breaks the rules), much like the wild chase Boba Fett endures to take Han Solo to Jabba the Hut. Everyone loves some Boba Fett. I would be shocked if J.J. Abrams didn't include some sort of filler for his character, and Captain Phasma is the perfect opportunity.
The References
Maz's Bar and the Mos Eisley Cantina
This was not subtle. The image of Han Solo in a watering hole is pretty much eternal and returning to that world was a beautiful moment for old and young alike. Also, did anyone else think the trunk in the basement came straight out of Indiana Jones?
The Millenium Falcon dive
I absolutely shuddered when the Millenium Falcon dove into the small opening of that space ship in perfect resemblance to the infamous dive into the cavern. The excitement is the same, but this time we get to see a new character create the same splendid moment. Applause for you, J.J.
A pilot and his droid
Although I doubt Poe is the Luke Skywalker of "The Force Awakens," the moment where he climbs into his ship with BB-8 in tow, in the throes of battle, refers to a favorite partnership between a hero and his droid.
The Politics
A hero- that's a stormtrooper?
I don't think a stormtrooper abandoning his post to join the opposing force would've gone over well in the old movies. In those films, there used to be a strong line between good and evil, and stormtroopers were obviously the evil. However, a newer generation can accept Finn's conversion to the light side and immediately fall for his boyish charm.
The First Order
I'm sure nobody missed the obvious resemblance of the First Order to the images of Hilter in the 1940s, from the bright red banners, to the raised arm and abrupt language. Nowadays, we are used to political commentary in even the most unsuspecting of places. But a scene like this would have no place in the original films.
The Actors
Old
Of course we loved seeing our favorite heroes back in action. They are the foundation of "Star Wars." Their highly anticipated return to the big screen was not disappointing.
New
I'll admit that I'm always the person in the movie shouting, "That's the girl on that TV show! That's the guy from that movie!" That certainly did not end with this movie. The almost humor of seeing Bill Weasley as a First Order leader, or Brienne of Tarth as head stormtrooper, had a miraculous appeal to young audiences. And of course we loved seeing Lupita, the breakout star of 2014.
Most college students are not 70s - 80s movie junkies. The majority of our favorite movies include impressive CGI and HD cameras. We grew up seeing films in 3D. I'm certainly not one of those people who goes on about how movies from 40-years-ago defined the history of cinematography. But I love "Star Wars!" For some reason, our generation can forgive the mediocre special effects because there will never be anything more classic than Darth Vader saying, "Luke, I am your father." For years, I have craved to know what it would be like to be in the audience, not knowing it was coming, and hearing those words for the first time. I cannot think of a plot twist in recent cinematic history that is remotely comparable. And finally, last Thursday, J.J. Abrams delivered that experience for us.
