Mark Cassidy: “It wasn’t all nostalgia…”
What I loved: There were many things I loved about The Force Awakens, but the main one was probably just that it felt like a Star Wars movie. I’m not exactly sure how to define that, but let’s just say it successfully brought me back to my childhood and vanquished the thoughts of the prequels.
It wasn’t all nostalgia though, as there was plenty more to like. The characters (both old and new) were a joy, and they all had terrific chemistry. For me, the standout was probably Adam Driver’s Kylo Ren, who went from intimidating enigma to psychotic teenager and was all the better for it. There was also a lot of unexpected humor – but unlike, say, certain Marvel movies, it usually hit home and never came across as being forced.
[zergpaid]What I loathed: I wouldn’t say I loathed anything, but the movie certainly wasn’t perfect. The main problem was the story being far too similar to A New Hope. To call it a remake or rehash is moronic, but it’s hard to deny the parallels – especially when it comes to the Starkiller Base, I just felt the movie didn’t need this as we already had the search for Skywalker as the established conflict between the Resistance and First Order.
I realize there always needs to be a larger threat and higher stakes, but I think they should have tried to come up with something more original than a bigger Death Star. Also, while I thought Han Solo’s death was well handled and powerful, they really could have dedicated a bit more time to its aftermath and the effects on the other characters, like Chewie and Leia.
Published: Jan 6, 2016 11:42 am