But, then again, why wouldn’t it? This new footage strikes all the right notes in its attempts to drum up viewer anticipation for the new instalment. The old, returning cast members have their faces teased strategically through the trailer to remind everyone that they will be appearing, and the new characters are presented demonstrating their immense pride and fondness for the series.
Some flashy action sequences – one of the only things that the prequel trilogy received plaudits for – are also shown to offer convincing evidence that this next film will hit just as hard as the likes of Revenge Of The Sith, while maintaining the charm of George Lucas’ original three.
I’ll admit that watching the footage stirred an immense and immediate sense of anticipation within me, and that I opted to watch it over and over as I pored over the screen looking for any little secrets hidden within it. It’s an exercise I’m sure I was not alone in practising and, while I was sadly unable to excavate anything previously undiscovered, it was an undeniably satisfying experience.
What became less satisfying, however, was an uncomfortable feeling that the footage manifested in my mind in the days that followed its first play. Some nagging question that, once the early excitement died down, I simply could not shake from the far, cynical reaches of my brain: is J. J. Abrams already apologizing for how his first Star Wars movie is turning out?
Obviously, it’s disclaimer time at this point, and I have to say that I am in no way hoping or suggesting that I think The Force Awakens is going to fall the way of the Star Wars prequel trilogy. I was, in fact, marvellously pleased to hear that one of the creators of my favourite sci-fi TV shows of all time – Fringe – would be trusted at the helm of the continuation of the world’s biggest sci-fi movie series. Everything about Fringe screamed sci-fi glory, and to me it really proved the chops that Abrams has when it comes to conceiving of such stories.
