Star Wars Episode VII: The Force Awakens

Score:  ****1/2 out of ***** (A)

Directed by J.J. Abrams
Starring Harrison Ford, Daisy Ridley, John Boyega, Adam Driver, et. al.
Running time:  135 minutes
Rated PG-13

Long Story Short:  One of the most anticipated films of all time, Star Wars: The Force Awakens - or episode seven, if you're keeping track - meets its high expectations.  The new cast and characters are great, including new trilogy lead Rey (Daisy Ridley), ex-stormtrooper Finn (John Boyega), and they get fantastic help from Harrison Ford reprising his role as Han Solo.  The space battles and one-on-one duels are familiar, yet fresh and excitingly done, and the story is set up with great potential for the next films.  It's not perfect-a little too nostalgic in the final act, and a shaky intro for the new villain-but that doesn't put a dent in the sheer joy that this film presents.  Must see.


A long time ago, in a galaxy far away... it is thirty years after the destruction of the Emperor and the second Death Star.  While the Empire no longer rules the galaxy, remnants survive as the First Order, which itself now resists the governing Republic and Resistance military arm.  Both sides, good and evil, are looking for Luke Skywalker (Hamill), who has disappeared.  On a remote planet named Jakku, a First Order squad led by Kylo Ren (Driver), an agent of the Dark Side, seeks a rumored map that leads to Skywalker.  The rumor is true: a droid named BB-8 flees with the data as the First Order arrives.  Soon, BB-8 comes under the care of an unlikely pair: a native scavenger from Jakku, Rey (Ridley), and a First Order stormtrooper fleeing from his post, Finn (Boyega).

Rey, Finn and BB-8 managed to escape Jakku and as they attempt to get the map into the right hands, they receive help from a legendary hero.  All of them grapple with the dangerous new game they have been thrown into, each bringing vastly different backgrounds - and future goals - into the situation.  Ready or not, though, great responsibility is thrust upon them as the First Order seeks to plunge the galaxy back into the darkness of its forebears - the Empire and Darth Vader.

As the iconic Star Wars franchise enters its third trilogy, it does so with a great cast of new faces, along with some very familiar and welcome old ones.  The primary new character is Rey, played by Daisy Ridley, and both the actress and her character provide a great foundation on which to build the newest films.  Rey is tough-as-nails, clever, scrappy and focused - characteristics of her background as a scavenger, and Ridley portrays them all very convincingly and compellingly.  As Rey is thrown into a whole new setting and she interacts with other characters, Ridley both responds to the new conditions realistically - fearful yet determined - and forms good, interesting relationships with others, particularly Finn.  Props also to the Star Wars team for having a female lead in the male-dominated series.  All in all, an excellent new character.  Boyega's Finn is also a welcome addition.  As a former "bad guy", not to mention not typical hero material and clearly second fiddle to Rey, Finn is definitely a new archetype.  With plenty of charisma and Boyega's fit in the film style, he also complements Rey quite well.  Adam Driver is the new Dark Side bad guy, Kylo Ren, and unfortunately here I am much more skeptical.  Wearing a mask for most of the first part, he is fine if unremarkable.  However, when Ren reveals himself, it's uncomfortably similar to the prequel trilogy's angsty Anakin played by Hayden Christensen.  He is not at all frightening or intimidating and frankly sticks out a bit like a sore thumb here; some of his acting veers perilously close to parody.  Oscar Isaac plays a new hotshot pilot named Poe Dameron.  His role is small, but he's a fun character and certainly brings out that element for the film overall; of course, Isaac himself is also awesome.  The last I'll mention, though it's not exactly a traditional character, is BB-8.  This little droid has earned its place alongside C-3PO and R2-D2 for its distinctive motions, sound effects, and yes, personality - well done!

We also, of course, have some returning characters.  The biggest role by far goes to Harrison Ford's Han Solo.  Despite his advanced age, Ford has done a remarkable job of reconjuring Solo's magic from thirty-plus years ago.  All the personality aspects and energy (I just rewatched the original trilogy prior to seeing this) are there, with just some slight tweaking to incorporate the events (alluded to briefly) between episodes 6 and 7.  Maybe he used to hate Solo, but Ford gives it everything he has - which is, of course, a lot.  Bravo, Mr. Ford!  Chewbacca ("Chewie") is naturally back at Solo's side, and is also as good as ever; in fact, he gets spotlighted quite a bit more than expected, but effectively.  As with the new guys, there is one downer here, too.  Carrie Fisher returns briefly (mercifully) as Leia.  Mostly due to her unrecognizably altered voice, her few scenes are a little painful to watch.  C-3PO and R2-D2 get welcome appearances - but also appropriately brief.

After a first viewing, I believe that Star Wars: The Force Awakens is a worthy new entry in the franchise, though with my strong personal liking of the films and the large canon it enters, it's difficult to appraise it immediately (more on this later).  Still, here are my initial thoughts.  The Force Awakens does two things very well that any Star Wars film must:  create interesting characters, both unique and connected to the franchise-level narrative; and put them through a hell of an adventure with great action.  I've already gone through the characters individually, but it's worth reiterating that the combo of Rey and Solo as the leads is fantastic, pushing the story into new territory while retaining ties to previous tales.  The supporting cast around those two is also great; and even though Kylo Ren is a weak link in this film, his relationship to other characters is crucial.  The action is great, and true to the franchise.  The Millennium Falcon is back and heavily featured, including a fantastic desert chase with TIE fighters; Poe Dameron also kicks butt with great style in his X-wing fighter.  With both enhanced technology and creative new ideas, the Force is also expanded on in everything from mind trick "battles" to more menacing- and dangerous-looking lightsabers.  The original trilogy certainly had its share of humor, and The Force Awakens if anything increases this.  It's not just old Han and Chewie gags; the new characters and BB-8 hold their own here just as they do with the other aspects of their personalities.

An important element of The Force Awakens' success is its establishing a new feel for the new trilogy. All kinds of things affect this "feel" - from the technology and filmmaking styles of the day (from the early 80s to the early 2000s to the present) to the types of stories being told to the actors and their characters.  Episodes 4-6 had their own "feel", in all those ways and more.  So did Episodes 1-3 (I believe this is the major reason why many people dislike the films - because they simply weren't the same as the original trilogy [duh!], which is unfair to the prequel films but I'll leave that argument for another day).  Now Episode 7 brings its own to the table.  The photography and editing are not what you remember from the old films, but they are well done.  If you've seen Abrams' new Star Trek films, you can see his action style, in particular, in this film.  The new style, which is both necessary and good to have, still makes it difficult to assess the film as I mentioned previously.

WARNING: SEVERAL MAJOR SPOILERS IN NEXT PARAGRAPH

Finally, both a look back and a look forward.  After the general outcry that episodes 1-3 weren't Star Wars-y enough (no Han Solo, not "fun" enough [supposedly], etc.), it was inevitable that the new films would have some significant connection to the original trilogy.  I remember one of my first concerns, though, was exactly how they would make these connections.  The result: a mixed bag, but mostly well done.  Solo is the most significant returning component, and once again he is excellent here.  Ditto the Millennium Falcon, and some other returning elements (X-wings, etc.) which get some small updates. Unfortunately, we get yet another Death Star (equivalent) as the climactic battle.  Really?  This was by far the laziest and least interesting of the transition/nostalgia elements.  Plus, to a much smaller degree, Leia... *cringe*  What can we expect moving forward?  Honestly, that's one of the strongest parts of the film, which is admittedly somewhat frustrating.  There are lots of questions for Episode 8: what did Luke do while he was gone?  Who is the leader of the First Order?  What are Rey's mysterious origins and how do they effect her obviously strong abilities in the Force?  And so on.  I did like Han Solo's confrontation with - and subsequent murder by - his son, Kylo Ren.  Not only logical from the plot, as good as Solo was in this film, he played his part in getting the new guys "on board" - now it's time to hand off the baton.  It also gives Ren significant material to develop upon, and one can only hope and pray that it results in his being more interesting and effective in episode 8.  If only they replaced the Death Star conclusion with pushing forward some of these questions and themes more - maybe not answer them, but provide additional depth.  Still, the final shot is a great one and sets the scene for the next episode, which has the potential to be even stronger than this fine start to the new trilogy.

***

After several years of highly anticipating the next chapter, it was wonderful to see the new Star Wars and find it a great success.  Is it a perfect film?  No, of course not.  And as I mentioned, I'll need time and a few more viewings to get a more accurate sense of where it stands among the other Star Wars films, not to mention its quality as a film in general.  Right now, my biggest disappointments are with its use of another Death Star climax and its shaky introduction of new villain Kylo Ren.  Occasionally some lines also seemed a bit clunky or out of place, but that could be part of my (and everyone else's) getting used to the new style I talked about earlier.  However, none of that can compare to the great work from (most of) the characters and the exciting action and adventure.  I can't emphasize how important it is that not only was Solo a great inclusion, but that Rey and Finn (and Poe, though largely in potential) are such fun, interesting (not to mention diverse) new characters.  Abrams took great care in injecting new life, using both technology and inventive filmmaking, into the magic and action of the franchise as well, from lightsaber battles to space ship dogfights.  And finally, it all sets up the next chapters with a maximum of anticipation and potential.  With all that, I think we can forgive the film a few stumbles (remember, the old films had them, too!).  Highly recommended for all.




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The Hunger Games: Mockingjay Part 2

Score:  **** out of ***** (A-)

Directed by Francis Lawrence
Starring Jennifer Lawrence, Josh Hutcherson, Julianne Moore, Donald Sutherland, et. al.
Running time:  137 minutes
Rated PG-13

Long Story Short:  The epic, blockbuster YA Hunger Games franchise comes to its conclusion in Mockingjay Part 2 - and it goes out on a high note.  Jennifer Lawrence finally turns Katniss into the interesting, complex character that the books created.  Even as the final part of the journey enters darker territory than before in the books, the film embraces this tone better than any of the others.  Highly recommended for those who've followed the series.


Katniss Everdeen (Lawrence) begins the final chapter of her journey with a single, overwhelming goal: to kill the leader of the future, dystopian land: President Snow (Sutherland).  Having just recovered from an attack by her mind-warped fellow survivor Peeta (Hutcherson), Katniss assists the rebels of Panem to conquer the final fortress leading to the Capitol itself.  For the final attack, however, the rebel commander Coin (Moore) tries to hold Katniss back to use her for more propaganda material, spurring on the troops as a symbol.  Katniss sneaks her way to the front lines regardless, but her fame prevents her from hiding any longer, allowing Coin to adjust her plans to protect the Mockingjay.

Working their way through the devastated but still dangerous streets of the Capitol, Katniss' new "all-star" propaganda team includes the still-unstable Peeta and her lifelong friend Gale (Hemsworth).  Things go awry as they do in war, though, and Katniss seizes the opportunity to resume her original mission.  She may not control the army that seeks to bring down a murderous regime, but her actions and status as the Mockingjay will shape the world to come.

All the familiar Hunger Games faces return for the finale, to a greater or lesser extent, providing a nice send off.  However, it's significant improvement in Lawrence's performance (with no small amount of help from the script) that leads the way.  I have noted in my reviews of the other Hunger Games films that Lawrence is talented but either uncomfortable or unsuitable in the role of Katniss.  Well, better late than never.  Lawrence seems to have connected with Katniss, particularly her relationships and motivations, rather than acting generically sullen with the occasional (and unconvincing) dollop of distress.  Thanks to her performance, I felt that Katniss was at last a character worth investing in for the journey.  Hutcherson is still a bit uneven in his acting (sometimes over-the-top) but overall solid, and his Peeta gets a nice part to play here.  Woody Harrelson's Haymitch and Elizabeth Banks's Effie get very little screen time, which is the biggest disappointment of the film - but their characters simply aren't major parts of the story, so it's better than trying to awkwardly stuff them in.  The two leaders in the film, Coin and Snow, are portrayed excellently by the veteran actors Julianne Moore and Donald Sutherland, which is crucial given their importance here.

Mockingjay Part 2 is the best film in the Hunger Games series.  Certainly, Lawrence's aforementioned improvement (and in addition, Katniss as a character) is a major part of that.  The other characters have also become settled in.  Peeta's new potential threat status mixes quite interestingly with his gentle, quiet personality, and Gale (played by the hopeless younger Hemsworth) accepts the role of simple, hardened rebel soldier.  The chess match between Coin and Snow, mostly felt in the background but felt powerfully in a few personal moments, adds intrigue and complexity.  The other parts of the film are great, too - the action and adventure.  The level of suspense and quality of choreography and effects are at least as high here as they were in the second best film, Catching Fire.  And now we get all of that in a new, urban warfare environment, where the danger feels even more ubiquitous.  Clever traps are still everywhere, and a dark, frenetic battle against freaky monsters in the sewers is expertly done (and allows Katniss's skill with the bow to shine).

The biggest reason that this film is the best of the Hunger Games, though, is that it embraces the dark tone of the books, which is even more so in this final part of Katniss's story.  Catching Fire did this alright, too, but it was by far the biggest problem in the first film.  The story would have had to be changed significantly, particularly toward the end, to avoid this darker tone - but I wouldn't have been at all surprised if the usually over-cautious studios had done just that.  Instead, we thankfully get a film that really probably should be rated R; it is not for younger viewers.  Mockingjay Part 2 does still revert to some of the franchise's worse habits, like Peeta and Gale's awkward, forced discussions about Katniss (only one here!), but these elements are minimized and usually at least serve some small role in the plot.  The events of this film gradually shift Katniss's perspective, from that of revenge (albeit in service of a good outcome) to justice and peace.  When tragedy strikes, it only seals that transformation and earns Katniss the eloquently depicted ending that she receives.

***

Although I looked forward to seeing the conclusion to the Hunger Games film franchise, it was not among the top of my most anticipated films for 2015.  Due to the uneven quality of the previous films and their star, I largely felt compelled to see how it all ended up.  Thus I was quite surprised - pleasantly - that it turned out to be the best of the series.  Jennifer Lawrence's performance and the film's unflinching portrayal of the dark, complex plot are certainly the main reasons, but those are well supported by the other characters, good pacing, action scenes, and so on.  There still might be enough nits to pick for some to lower this to an A- or so, but I'm impressed that they got as much out of this as possible so it earns an A from me (note: in fact, later I did in fact move it back a notch to A-).  While the franchise doesn't measure up to the top tier of its sci-fi and fantasy peers like Lord of the Rings and Star Wars, this high-quality conclusion ensures that it is a journey worth returning to some day.  Highly recommended, but of course that's only if you've seen the previous films (or at least read the books).




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