My thoughts on The Force Awakens
I saw The Force Awakens for the third time today and I have some feelings I need to share.
First off, let me just say how I pleased I am that this film wasn’t a disappointment like Jurassic World was. It saddens me, because Jurassic World was actually my most anticipated film of the past year, and it failed me in so many ways.
I am so glad that my original fears about The Force Awakens were unfounded (the prequels burned me hard, and I wasn’t sure if it was possible to make another decent Star Wars film). I shouldn’t have doubted Disney. They know how to make a quality film and they definitely delivered.
There are so many things to love about the new film. The new cast of characters combined with actual well written dialogue is so refreshing. There was a sense of realism and humor that’s been missing from this franchise for a long time, and I’m so glad it’s back. I love that they returned to the use of practical effects, as well as actual locations and sets as opposed to an overabundance of green screens.
One of the things that stood out to me the most in this installment is the cast diversity. Not only in the main cast, but in the side characters and extras as well. It makes such a difference! Especially compared to the mainly white, male actors of the original trilogy. Everyone deserves to see themselves represented on screen and I feel like with this episode things have changed for the better.
I, like many others, have been waiting decades for this series to finally have a female protagonist. I am so glad that day has finally come! Rey is a wonderful, multifaceted character and I can’t wait to see how her adventure plays out. Theories about her parentage have been running wild. I personally like the idea that she’s a descendant of Obi-Wan’s. Speaking of theories, I really, really like the notion that Kylo Ren is actually undercover. That he was instructed to go dark by Luke in order to infiltrate the First Order and take out Supreme Leader Snoke. It would be much more complex than the typical turn to the dark side that is so prevalent in this series.
My main take away is that for the first time, in a long time, I’m actually looking forward to the future of this franchise. I’m hopeful that the stories to come will be both compelling and engaging. Thank you, Disney!