Review Tuesday: STAR WARS: THE FORCE AWAKENS in IMAX 3D

I sure took my time to see a movie that I couldn't wait to go an see! A franchise that changed my whole life!

STAR WARS

THE FORCE AWAKENS

Thirty years after the fall of the Empire, a new menace arises, and there's a race to find the missing Luke Skywalker.

There was a long road for the creation of this movie. George Lucas was still smarting over the backlash from his prequels and sold off the rights to Disney years ago. For many fans, this seemed like a harbinger of doom. The Mickey Mouse Corporation will market this like crazy and make it another franchise. 

***AHEM.***

Wasn't STAR WARS already a franchise that invented all sorts of new ways to market the product? Plus, Disney has been doing a good job with the hero movies, should the fans really worry about the direction STAR WARS would be taken? 

Then came the announcement that J.J. Abrams was chosen to direct this next chapter of the saga. The man breathed new life into the the tired and worn out STAR TREK franchise. 

Then came the rumors. Then came the title. Then came the cast. Then came the opening day. Then came the assholes with the spoilers. I read the novelization so the spoilers didn't bother me, but I would've preferred to see the big scene without any early warning. 

But I digress...

To see it for the first time I went to an IMAX 3D screening. The sound and picture were perfect for something as grand as this. 

The good guys and the bag guys are both in a race to locate Luke Skywalker first. The rebellion is gone, now we have the Resistance with some familiar faces including General Leia Organa. On the opposing side is The First Order, the remains of the Empire reborn with someone named Snoke as the leader. 

This chapter in the Star Wars saga introduces us to a new generation of idealists who want the universe in their way. You have Kylo Ren, the villain, who also happens to be the son of Han and Leia and has chosen the Dark Side of the Force. In opposition we've met Fin, a storm trooper who has changed allegiances, Poe, the greatest Resistance pilot, and the mysterious Rey. 

Even with 2.25 hours of film and so much story given, there are many questions left to ponder. In my opinion you shouldn't get too carried away. Some details can be gleaned from reading the book (review HERE), but I have a sneaky suspicion many other questions are purposely put into your mind to create an immediate buzz for Episode VIII. 

Without giving too much more away, I will only say that as a lifelong Star Wars fan, I loved this movie. It was similar to A New Hope in many ways, but it was a fresh visualization and fun to watch. There is chemistry amongst the characters, perhaps even more than the comic-book-like dialog from previous films. Even the storm troopers have personalities, which we never really saw before. 

I say this was a perfect addition to the franchise and J.J. doesn't have to worry about being called Jar Jar Abrams for the rest of this life. He's set a solid foundation for the forthcoming episodes to be built upon. 

Now I can't wait for the DVD with the extras!

IMDB

The Force Awakens (Star Wars)