Star Wars Month: The Force Awakens

WARNING: Some spoilers below – but basically all stuff from the opening titles.

“This will begin to make things right.”

The first line of dialogue in Star Wars Episode VII: The Force Awakens is really for the benefit of the audience, rather than for the character it is spoken to. J.J. Abrams is, in effect, promising that he will heal the pain of the prequels. No more shall the sterility of green screens replace location filming; no more shall talented actors be wasted on characterless characters; no more shall discussions of trade disputes be broken up by computer-generated racial stereotypes stepping in shit.

As for whether he has succeeded in this? Well, let’s just say that it’s finally time to banish that image of Jar Jar stepping in alien shit in The Phantom Menace; it’s finally time to let go of all of that pain. Because, after a decade, the force has finally awoken…STAR WARS IS BACK!!!

Yes, before we delve into the depths of this film, let me reiterate that: Star Wars is back. Regardless of any complaints anybody may voice about this film, it is indisputably true to the character of the original films. Not in a merely superficial manner, either. After all, the Prequels use of screen-wipes, an opening title crawl and lightsabers didn’t compensate for the lack of the essential ingredients of the original films. If anything, they accentuated it. Conversely, The Force Awakens doesn’t just cheaply mimic the original films, it fully and genuinely embraces what made them great. Camaraderie, humour, adventure and, most essentially of all, character – in every sense of the word – have as strong a presence as in A New Hope, in stark contrast to their absence in The Phantom Menace.

Did I mention yet? STAR WARS IS BACK!

As spoiler-free as I can – and bear in mind 30 years have passed since Return of the Jedi, so even the opening titles have stuff that could be considered pretty spoilerific – the story is this:

Luke Skywalker (Mark Hamill) has vanished in mysterious circumstances, whilst the fragments of the Empire have reformed into the nefarious First Order. The fledgling New Republic fights this First Order through the Proxy of The Resistance, headed by General Leia Organa (Carrie Fisher). Leia’s best pilot, Poe Dameron (Oscar Isaac) is dispatched to a remote village on the planet Jakku, with a secret mission that just might bring the Resistance closer to finding where Luke is.

But the First Order aren’t far behind, and just as soon as Poe is able to retrieve the intel he needs from village elder Lor San Tekka (Max Von Sydow), legions of Stormtroopers raze the village to the ground, destroying Poe’s X-Wing in the process. Poe manages to hide the intel in his faithful droid companion, BB8, but is captured by the villainous Kylo Ren (Adam Driver), commander of the First Order.

Without giving away too much more, BB8 soon crosses paths with the stubborn but kind scavenger Rey (Daisy Ridley), and defected stormtrooper Finn (John Boyega). Thus begins an adventure that will change the lives of all three, their paths forever more entwined…

Before discussing anything else, I can say with confidence that with The Force Awakens, J.J. Abrams has succeeded in creating a wonderfully diverse, brilliantly nuanced and incredibly entertaining new set of characters, whilst also surpassing even his Star Trek reboot in terms of casting.

The importance of succeeding in creating strong characters cannot be overstated when discussing Star Wars, for the the original films were only able to succeed because of the strong bond the audience forged with their characters. These movies threw all sorts of fantastical imagery and ideas at the audience – from hammerhead aliens to lazer-swords – yet were driven by grounded, relatable characters whom the audience were able to use as a sort of anchor; people were able to connect with the idea of something like a lightsaber because not only could they see that it was significant for Luke Skywalker, but because they cared that it was to begin with.

The chemistry between leads Ridley and Boyega is on par with that of the original trio

Finn is bumbling, nervous and frequently overwhelmed by the world around him, yet has a heart of gold; Rey is stubborn and short-tempered, but underneath this resilient shell she is kind, loyal and caring; Poe is charming, roguish and brave. These characters all embody strong, clear traits that the audience can admire, whilst also displaying the weaknesses, struggles and nuances of character needed to make the audience able to relate to them.

Basically, they’re everything that the bland, shallow and ill-defined characters of the prequels weren’t.

Special mention here has to go the new main villian here, Kylo Ren. As the film begins, it may seem like he is merely another villain of the ilk of Darth Vader in A New Hope – strong, confident and already established. However, Abrams and Lawrence Kasdan choose to subvert audience expectations, wisely recognising that it would be impossible to top Darth Vader with another booming-voiced, masked enforcer. Instead, we are treated to a much more raw character, fuelled by inner turmoil and doubt, insecure in himself and his abilities, and prone to fits of uncontrolled rage. Again, all of the new cast are spectacular – Ridley and Boyega both clearly have long careers ahead of them – but Driver steals the show, delivering a performance that is imposing and terrifying one moment, but then emotional, raw and almost pitiable the next.

Couldn’t Kylo Ren have just settled for a Che Guevara poster?

Abrams himself has described the character as a sort of inverse Luke Skywalker, with huge untapped potential but who is not quite the finished article – from his unfinished lightsaber to his desperate attempts to imitate Vader’s identity rather than forge his own. Most interestingly of all, whilst Luke struggled against the lure of the Dark Side throughout the original trilogy, here Kylo Ren fights against the call of the light. This offers a fascinating scenario, where the audience is able to see Ren grow alongside our new heroes as the trilogy progresses. The result will hopefully being another timeless villain, with Abram and Kasdan here indebted to the series’ past through the looming shadow of Vader without merely retelling his story.

So yes, exceptional characters. What of the story itself, though?

The only major widespread criticism the film has received is that its story is too derivative of A New Hope‘s. Certainly, the narratives do share the same basic structure, but it is important to remember that Star Wars has always been a simple story of good vs. evil, with the nuance and detail coming from the characters and their relationships. Indeed, A New Hope has a basic hero narrative seen in stories dating aeons back – this idea of a familiar story but with new, never-before-seen worlds and characters is part of what gives Star Wars its unique character, as a modern day myth in its own right. The Force Awakens acts as a continuation of this, through providing familiarity in the overall narrative structure, but exploring new ground with characters we haven’t ever seen before – a defected stormtrooper, a soul-searching sith and even the adorable BB8.

So whilst the basic narrative framework may be very similar to that of A New Hope, these distinctions in character and faction do provide some major difference to how the story is told and how the story feels. For one, the characters here enter the conflict much more deliberately, whereas A New Hope feels more like a series of recurring coincidences and fate mixing a group of reluctant heroes together. The differing relationships and emotional conflict in this film again punctuate the film’s story beats differently from A New Hope, as does the differing role of Kylo Ren as a centrepiece in the narrative and its potential outcomes.

The Starkiller base as a plot device is still nevertheless troublesome, as it does distract from the main plotline – namely, finding Luke. Oh, and whilst Lucas may have envisaged the Star Wars saga as “like poetry – it rhymes,” it nevertheless does seem a bit too much to introduce a third planet-annihilating super-weapon (although it should be noted that the film itself is somewhat self-aware of how absurd this is).

But yes, whilst criticisms of the narrative as derivative do have some merit, they have been overstated.

The preen is strong with the Knights of Ren – but who actually are they?

That The Force Awakens is only one part – specifically, the very first – in a trilogy – which must also be remembered when assessing its plotline. Really, this is just as much of a beginning as a self-contained adventure, and it will be possible to more positively or negatively assess its narrative based on how the plotlines it establishes are developed in future films. Morevoer, Abrams cannot be too heavily criticised for opting to establish a safe base for the characters to grow out of, considering the huge pressure on him to succeed here. Ultimately, what the narrative does is allow the new characters to shine and the torch to be passed, whilst introducing new elements to the mythos and new narrative strands for future films – from the elusive Knights of Ren to the idea of an awakening in the force.

The overall feel of the film feels as though is it imbued with the overall spirit of Star Wars, too. It’s difficult to specify exactly what it is that Abrams has recaptured here, but I would venture that is the spirituality of A New Hope. From the reverence that mo-cap creation Maz Kanata (Lupita Nyong’o) displays when she talks of force, to the return of the lightsaber as a sort of rare, holy object (every other scene in the prequels has somebody throwing a lightsaber around).

Aside from the crucial areas of character and story, the film also performs strongly in technical areas. Crucially, Abrams has succeeded in recapturing the physicality and feel of the Star Wars universe. The much-fabled practical effects here really do recreate the rugged feel of the original films, making the audience feel once more as if they are being transported to a foreign world rather than merely the closest to one that a computer can generate. In fact, if I had any complaints with the effects, it would be that too much is still CGI. For one, mysterious big-bad Supreme Leader Snoke (mo-capped by Andy Serkis) jars in the otherwise real-looking world, both due to mediocre-quality CGI but also the fact that his character (without spoiling his design) does not feel like it necessitated CGI. Likewise, I personally would have preferred that the dogfights had used models over CG spaceships.

Dan Mindel’s cinematography is stunningly beautiful at times, this shot a nod to Apocalypse Now

Technically, the film’s production values shine through in other areas as well: the cinematography of this film is truly beautiful at times, with many shots looking like paintings; John Willliams soundtrack is as evocative and nuanced as ever; the many costumed creatures in the background all add a sense of scale.

Really, though, any of The Force Awakens‘ technical achievements are secondary to the excellent job that J.J. Abrams has done in re-establishing the Star Wars universe, whilst simultaneously introducing a whole new cast of engaging, fun and likeable characters. The prequels were lifeless and sterile, without character, humour or worst of all, fun. The Force Awakens, conversely, is filled to the brim with all of these and so, so much more. Whilst it may sometimes fail to deviate from the narrative formula of A New Hope, The Force Awakens is just too fun for me to really care. Having reconnected with the spiritual, cinematic and cultural quality that sets Star Wars as so distinct from any other blockbuster, J.J. Abrams has set the stage for a new trilogy that may even rival the original. This is the film you are looking for.

Verdict: 9/10

Star Wars Month: The Return of the Jedi

It would perhaps be an understatement to say that the bar was set high for Star Wars Episode 6, given how its cinematic predecessors are commonly considered to be two of the greatest adventure films of all time. Originally conceptualised as The Revenge of the Jedi, a title sensibly revised prior to release, the film acted as a satisfying conclusion to Luke, Han and Leia’s space-bound exploits. While not quite on par with episodes 4 and 5, The Return of the Jedi successfully retains their tone, humour, stunning visuals, and (most importantly) emotional investment on the part of the viewer. That said, it is here that we begin to see some of the problems that were to later plague the prequel trilogy, particularly its inconsistent pace and at times ludicrous character design.

The Return of the Jedi does many things well, and occasionally does them even better than the first two films of the trilogy. During the opening sequence, taking place at the palace of Jabba the Hutt, the effects used to create the Rancor are utterly flawless. They hold up excellently today, whereas the same cannot necessarily be said for the stop motion Tauntauns in The Empire Strikes Back. For those of you not well versed in your Star Wars fauna, don’t worry I’ve included pictures. Be that as it may, I would happily take juddery stop motion over the primitive CGI of the prequels any day.

Left: Rancor – Right: Tauntaun

The practical effects used for Jabba himself are also outstanding. The expert use of puppetry makes him into a fully realised and believable character, just as Yoda had been in Empire. True to form however, George Lucas failed to recognise the effectiveness of these techniques, and consequently this particular scene is heavily altered in the special editions: the insertion of needless computerised imagery is entirely reductive, as is epitomised in the clip below.

The Return of the Jedi‘s opening is not without its flaws, however. The poorly handled death of Boba Fett is a complete disservice to the brooding bad-ass of a character established in The Empire Strikes Back. Similarly, the choice of costume for Princess Leia could be considered a little objectifying, considering how strong of a role model she had been for the first two films of the trilogy. Some narrative points are also heavily glossed over. For instance, Han’s quickness to forgive Lando for betraying him at the end of Empire is never explained, nor is Luke’s sudden progression from trainee to Jedi Master in a matter of months.

Having escaped the clutched of Jabba, our heroes soon find themselves on the forest moon of Endor. At this point the pace of the film starts to slacken significantly, which is saying something given that the first 40 minutes are not the most action packed imaginable. A rather tedious sequence ensues, whereupon the group are captured by a tribe of Ewoks. Now don’t get me wrong – Ewoks are by no means as irritating as Jar-Jar Binks in The Phantom Menace. Not even close. The problem is that they are largely unnecessary, both to the tone and plot of the film.

For example, when Luke is finally brought toe to toe with Vader towards the end of the film, the atmosphere is very tense, and there is a good deal of gravitas to the situation. Cut to a shot of an oversized teddy bear, swinging through the forest on a vine, knocking over a number of Stormtroopers on the way. Tonally, this use of slapstick humour feels very out of place. Furthermore, the Ewoks’ ability to take down heavily armoured Imperial soldiers with the use of their sling shots is hilariously implausible. The film would have been greatly improved had they been excluded entirely, or at least occupied a greatly reduced role in the action.

Kill them with fire.

It must be said that the film’s finale is a little unoriginal: the Death Star, previously destroyed in episode 4, is once again being rebuilt, and it is up to the rebel alliance to prevent its completion. Nevertheless, the method used to infiltrate the base, involving the Millennium Falcon flying inside the bowels of the incomplete space station, is in my opinion far more feasible than in A New Hope, and easily as tense. Additionally, the space battle surrounding this once again demonstrates the technical wizardry involved in the Star Wars films. It also includes Admiral Ackbar, who is just plain fantastic.

At its core, however, The Return of the Jedi is a film centered on two particular characters; Luke Skywalker and Darth Vader. Every scene where the pair interact with one another, of which there are many, are great fun to watch, if a little slow at times. Their final conversation, taking place as the Death Star crumbles around them, is especially moving, and remains one of my favourite moments in the entire trilogy.

Luke’s personal development throughout the film is also handled effectively. We are frequently given hints that he is becoming susceptible to the Dark Side – on one occasion he even chokes a guard to death, an act we witness Vader doing countless times in the trilogy. All this culminates in his rage-filled duel with his father towards the end, which is probably the film’s standout set-piece.

While The Return of the Jedi is certainly not a bad film, it is important not to let our perception of it be skewed by the successes of episodes 4 and 5. The film does contain flaws, which I feel are ignored by a lot of people in their desire to view the original trilogy as perfect. That said, what The Return of the Jedi does well, it does very well. I just hope that there will be no Ewoks in The Force Awakens.

Verdict: 7/10

STAR WARS MONTH: THE EMPIRE STRIKES BACK

Bold, brave, and beautiful, the Empire Strikes Back took enough risks to distinguish itself from its predecessor whilst keeping to the winning formula of the first installment.

The Empire Strikes Back is, quite frankly, almost without competition the greatest of the Star Wars films, and perhaps one of the greatest blockbusters of all time. Even people who’ve never seen the film know the plot twists, shocking as they are, and the visual effects are ramped up even higher. Characters that even a child, or a particularly isolated hermit, could not fail to recognize- most notably Yoda- appear here and fit as naturally into the saga as anything from Episode IV. When one is comparing George Lucas’s saga, it is The Empire Strikes Back that provides the golden benchmark.

I should perhaps note that, out of the reviewers on this blog, I am probably the least interested in Star Wars. Often the saga -most notably in the prequels, though the original trilogy are not devoid of them- falls back onto contrived plots, poor dialogue and bizarre cutesy creatures. It is with this caveat that I say that this film is the epoch of George Lucas’s career, due at least in part to the extraordinary, brave ending of the film that left many at the time annoyed, but has now been recognized at the masterstroke of the trilogy.

Even Luke already knows the plot-twist.

One of the most amazing things about the film is that there is almost no point in summing up the plot, because it already seems to have been absorbed into every part of popular culture, via a form of bizarrely spiritial osmosis not rivaled by perhaps any other film. Whether or not you enjoy the show or not, there’s a reason Family Guy was able to make three entire episodes based almost entirely on references to a single series of films.

Perhaps this, in way, undermines the impact of the film. Everyone, and by everyone I mean everyone who has ever been within 100 miles of a cinema, knows who Luke’s father is, and what the funny green alien is, and what the fate of poor Han Solo is. However, even despite being 35 years old and worshiped as an idol of pop culture, the stellar performances from the entire main cast still give it a powerful impact. Carrie Fisher in particular is extraordinarily nuanced in the way she moves through the bizarre and (literally) alien world around her- especially because of the amount of hard drugs and alcohol she was using at the time. Harrison Ford remains dashing, rogueish and handsome, and Mark Hamill carries off a kind of plucky charm that certain actors in the prequels just weren’t able to carry off. To top it all, Darth Vader remains a persistent and terrifying figure, constantly at the heart of the protagonist’s ills and proving a genuine adversary, rather than merely an obstacle.

Some top Stormtrooper banter.

I could go on, and on, but each frame of the film is oozing with intelligent and absorbing images, perhaps the product of the finest world-building project ever accomplished in cinema. The skill of Frank Oz is created Yoda, and keeping him engaging and dramatic, is unbelievable. The quiet menace of Boba Fett keeps him wildly popular to this day. Lando and the Cloud City are stunning. Luke and Han spending a cosy night in the entrails of a Hoth llama remains disgusting.

Episode V is the only Star Wars film in which I’ve cried, and continue to do so. The ending is perfect, setting up the final installment as something truly fulfilling and anticipated with a bravery reserved for few filmmakers. The thing that sets the Empire Strikes Back apart from the other films is in the way it continues to hold up not just on technical advancements or new concepts, but on an impressive story that took risks whilst sticking to the winning formula of the first film. It remains in a league of its own as a seminal piece of sci-fi, and- perhaps barring another film shot with Harrison Ford- is the jewel in the crown of George Lucas’s achievements, a glorious work of space opera that does not sacrifice its heart for laser battles.

10/10

Star Wars Month: A New Hope

“Space scenes had always been done with a fixed camera, and for a very good reason. It was more economical not to create a background of stars large enough to pan through. STAR WARS did something that no other film had ever done. It panned the camera upward.”

Queue the first triumphant blast of John Williams’ score and, after an epic opening crawl mixing the spirit of the 1930s Flash Gordon serials and the overture of the great epics of the 1960s, this is exactly how unsuspecting audiences entered into the universe of Star Wars in 1977 – through something as simple to us today as a camera panning across the stars.

Perhaps that’s an odd way to start a film review. Then again, this isn’t exactly a film review, and the above passage really sums up why, for Star Wars wasn’t just a film – it was a revolution, both culturally and technologically. Visionary, bold and exciting, it revolutionised film-making, and drew sold-out audiences three years after its initial release.

How did this happen? More importantly, why? Star Wars (‘Episode IV: A New Hope’ was added to the title after the initial release) was by no means a perfect film: it was filled to the brim with corny dialogue, often-hammy acting and ridiculous names and characters.

In one sense, the opening of the review offers a plausible answer to that question: From the very first scene, Star Wars simply did things audiences had never before thought possible. But the technological prowess of the film didn’t in and of itself guarantee popular acclaim . Just look at the equally-impressive effects seen in 2001: A Space Odyssey; Kubrick’s sci-fi epic is rightly regarded as a seminal piece of filmmaking, but outside of critical circles, there is little warmth or fervour towards it – and certainly not to the extent there is for Star Wars.

So, whilst the breathtaking special effects certainly enabled Star Wars to explode into the public consciousness in as dramatic a fashion as it did, the real reason why it has becoming so ingrained in cinematic history is that all of this money and cutting-edge technology was serving the purpose of something far simpler, yet which escapes oh-so-many projects of this scale: the unfaltering and uncompromising passion of a true visionary in director George Lucas.

The George Lucas that time (and the Star Wars fandom) forgot – young, gifted, and undeniably driven

That’s right, I did just call George Lucas a visionary. In the light of the frankly disastrous prequel films (more on that later in the month) and cynical, CGI-slathered re-releases of the original trilogy, it is all to easy to paint George Lucas as a podgy, greedy charlatan who only used Star Wars as a way to line his pockets.

People forget that this is a man who had brilliant and original ideas, an unyielding passion for his work and a genuine understanding of cinema as a vehicle for storytelling; people forget that without George Lucas, there would be no Star Wars.

That iconic opening scene I opened the review with? The Directors Guild objected to it, as it eschewed the guidelines it held for opening credits. Undeterred, Lucas paid a fine and resigned. A largely unproven director, resigning from The Directors Guild over the opening titles? That is the mark of a man with a vision.

That’s just the tip of the iceberg, though. This is a man who’d stay up late at night coming up with absurd names, characters and places, then throwing them altogether to see what stuck – after all, Journal of the Whills was probably not going to set the world alight. A tale of a ‘Jedi-Bendu’ space commando may not be the space opera that you’re looking for, but it does demonstrate the sheer quantity of ideas that must have been spinning around in Lucas’ creatively-fertile mind over the course of the creative process.

Oh, and this is discounting a little side-project Lucas had at the time called The Adventures of Indiana Smith – no prizes for guessing what that evolved into.

So whilst Star Wars did do many things never done before – new shots, new effects, and new ways of utilising models – this ultimately was all to bring to life Lucas’ vision, with the technological marvel 20th Century Fox wanted fusing with the new mythos Lucas had spent so many long hours pouring his heart and soul into.

The result was an experience that was incredibly intense and yet almost spiritual. Audiences were transported to a bold, wonderful new galaxy cinematic technology had simply not been able to bring to life beforehand.

The moment when this marriage of lush production values and creative vision truly come together isn’t the aforementioned opening scene, however. Rather, it is something more intimate – yet no less breathtaking.

Of course, I’m referring to the famous binary sunset scene, where Luke Skywalker, frustrated at being held back another year from his dream of jetting off of the desolate wasteland he calls home, storms outside and watches the setting of a twin set of suns. That wistful look Luke gives as the strings soar, that sense of unfulfilled potential, of an adventure waiting to be had, of whole new worlds just waiting to be explored…

That is Star Wars.

That sense of endless possibility, of yearning for more and even daring to hope for more epitomises everything Star Wars is. Indeed, whilst A New Hope is a film and story in its own right – and a fantastic one at that – the image of Luke and the twin suns reveals what A New Hope really represents: a beginning – of a young farmboy’s journey, of a story spanning two trilogies, of an entertainment phenomenon that has endured over the decades.

More than any of these things, however, A New Hope is the beginning of a journey for millions of people into a rich, vibrant universe where anything is possible.

Every clash of lightsabers; every misfiring Stormtrooper; every cheesy one liner; every Wookie’s roar and every astromech droid’s bleet. The real worth of these things is not reflected in the disparaging criticism or gushing praise of any aloof critic, but is evident in every child pretending to be a Jedi; in every smiling fan at a convention; in every grown man in the Western World pretending not to shed a tear over the latest Force Awakens trailer; in every group of friends and every family brought together.

For that is the lasting achievement of George Lucas – a universe and a mythos brought to life though the very finest techniques cinema had to offer has ironically transcended its celluloid origins and become not just a cinematic spectacle, but a cultural experience in its own right. Adventure on this a grand scale, with such endless and wondrous possibilities, is something which cinema has not been able to recreate since – and probably never will.

Verdict: 10/10

Film Soundtracks: A Top 10

Half way through watching the new Force Awakens trailer a few days ago (which if you haven’t already seen, you totally should!) I realised something: You can modify the Star Wars franchise in many ways – its characters, its cast, its director – but without the unforgettable orchestrations of John Williams, it would never be the same. For me, soundtracks are often what define the movie-going experience, and when crafted effectively they can perfectly encapsulate the film they accompany. But which soundtracks deserve to be remembered as the best, those pinnacles of auditory achievement, fit to be replayed on Classic FM for centuries to come? This article certainly won’t answer that question definitively, nor does it hope to. But here are 10 that I quite like:

Oh, and since I can’t be bothered to write very much, I’ll let the music speak for itself.

10) Ben-Hur, by Miklós Rózsa