Star Wars: The Force Awakens (2015)

"Star Wars: The Force Awakens" stars John Boyega, Daisy Ridley, Adam Driver, Oscar Isaac, Harrison Ford, and Carrie Fisher. Released on December 18, 2015, The film takes place 30 years after the events of Return of the Jedi, in which a war is brewing between the Resistance and the First Order.

The film is directed by J.J. Abrams, who also directed Mission: Impossible III, Star Trek, Super 8, and Star Trek Into Darkness. It is the seventh installment of the Star Wars film series and the first in a sequel trilogy. There's no telling how long we had been waiting for a new Star Wars film ever since Disney bought Lucasfilm Ltd., and now, the wait is finally over. I really like some of Abrams' works, especially Super 8 and Star Trek, and since we found out that he's directing a new Star Wars film, I was highly interested in seeing if he handles it the same way he handled Star Trek. With the mixture of characters old and new and its promising marketing strategy, is this the film that Star Wars fans have been waiting for? I'll try my best not to reveal too much of the film in case you haven't seen it yet.

The cast delivered some very good performances, including Boyega as Finn and Ridley as Rey. I am very impressed on how Ridley portrays Rey like an actual human being rather than just a scavenger. She could be one of my favorite characters in the Star Wars universe. Adam Driver portrays the new villain in the universe known as Kylo Ren and the way he handled his role was amazing, although I wouldn't say he's a better villain than Darth Vader (Sorry Ren). Of course, we got some actors from the original trilogy reprising their iconic roles, such as Ford as Han Solo, Fisher as Leia, and Peter Mayhew as the lovable wookie Chewbacca. Ford still delivers the looks and the cockiness of his character, even at the age of 73, and the chemistry between him and the other characters was pure gold without being too forceful (no pun intended). Seeing these characters again on the big screen is like something out of a family reunion. We haven't seen these people in over 30 years and the way Abrams handled their introductions was flawless. The film used both practical effects and backgrounds and CGI effects to create astounding creatures and amazing new places in the Star Wars universe. The way they blended together is like mixing ice cream with root beer and the result is a magnificent treat that's more satisfying to the taste. So basically the film is a root beer float that's remarkably delicious! Abrams did a great job at combining the CGI effects with the practical effects to make the film more lifelike without relying on one thing over the other. So you can say good-bye to the outdated CGI that was used in the prequel trilogy. The action sequences were also well done thanks to its cinematography and direction.
There were times where some of the scenes felt a bit rushed, but Abrams was able to give me time to be attached to the characters.
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Overall, with its impressive performances, amazing action sequences, its strong uses of CGI and practical effects, and its mixture of heart and adventure, "Star Wars: The Force Awakens" is an early Christmas gift from the Disney team to the fans of Star Wars. After months of speculation and anticipation, the film managed to deliver what it promised in more ways than one. This is the type of film that fans have been waiting for since the original trilogy changed the way we look at cinema. I would highly recommend this film to many fans of the original trilogy and many others who are looking for some sci-fi thrills this holiday season. This is more than just a cinematic experience, this…is Star Wars.

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