A new hope, take two. A little retreat. I like the Star Wars universe without bigotry. His philosophy, appeal to understandable truths wrapped in a beautiful picture. Though Disney bought the rights to the universe from George Lucas a few years ago and it played a negative role (as the film showed, there are few), but the release of the new part I could not miss, since such landmark events in the world of fantastic cinema are rare. Yes, it is a massive, spectacular movie, but in its simplicity, I would even say naivety, all the salt. Such films are a kind of “cultural messengers” – they attract the attention of different people, excite the imagination, fascinate, adults and children talk about them. This is a truly family movie about the eternal, which is so lacking in our cinema. And now for the movie.
“Every generation needs its own legend.”
The slogan of the new part of the saga, as best as possible conveys the essence of what is happening on the screen. The authors tried to please everyone: old amateurs like me, people who know what I’m talking about, but are neutral, and those who are not in the topic or just like fiction.
In a nutshell, The Force Awakens is A New Hope (episode 4, 1977) for the modern generation. Analogies do not just ask for, they are in plain sight - you constantly catch yourself thinking that somewhere this has already happened. I won’t retell the main story in order not to spoil the impression of viewing, but if you know / saw / remember the 4th episode, then you almost know what the new film is about. No, of course, not the whole plot, but the general outline, albeit with other characters, names, places of events - one in one. An additional storyline and other moments dilute what is happening, but the feeling of déjà vu does not leave until the final credits.
Everything about the secondary plot is already clear, let’s move on to the characters. Again, I won’t spoil it, but the new faces are sparsely revealed and lack depth. Yes, it’s just the beginning of a new trilogy, but New Hope was better. Villains, against the background of the same Darth Vader or Emperor, look unconvincing, and the actions of Kylo Ren cause severe bewilderment. Of the new, perhaps, only the girl Ray more or less.
What happens on the screen, sometimes, also leads to a stupor. The narrative is torn and it seems that they tried to fill the timekeeping with all sorts of things - little is explained in fact, and sharp transitions from one scene to another strain. The logic of events also suffers, alas, and there are no answers to obvious questions.
Then the humor gets annoying. Not as such, he's not even bad (a couple of jokes at all), namely inappropriate humor - as if he came to a comedy (hello, Disney) and not to a space opera. Yes, yes, I remember about Jar Jar Binks in the first episode and other gags, but there was somehow in moderation.
The atmosphere of a distant galaxy is in place. For all the clumsiness, the sensations are excellent - huge and not very starships, stunning views, mysterious races, epic and fascinating music - everything is done qualitatively.
Playing for an old audience is paying off. When the Millennium Falcon, the hero Han Solo and Chewbacca, Leia, R2-D2 and others appear, a stingy tear comes to your eyes and you smile approvingly. However, if these names do not tell you anything, the share of the high will pass by, because they are told little about them. And in general, it implies that you at least got acquainted with the universe of SV.
Fights on starships, in my opinion, the best in the entire saga (in the cinema) - impressive and made in the spirit of real air battles.
The visuals and individual scenes look great. You can't take that away. Imagine the effect of watching IMAX!
For all the shortcomings, it is clear that the authors paid tribute to the old and paved the way for the new. If in Episode 8 they can answer many questions, show a strong story and add drama, it will be a success, as it once was with Episode 5 of The Empire Strikes Back.
In the meantime, not bad.
7 out of 10 Original