I can actually say that I saw the original Star Wars in the theater. I was very young, but my mother will quickly point out, that it was the first film that ever captured my attention for over two hours. The original trilogy has brought me unmeasured amounts of joy and memories throughout my entire life. I was so excited to see The Force Awakens with my 11-year-old daughter, I wanted her to have the same theater experience that has stayed with me all of these years. It did not disappoint!!!
From the iconic opening, that is only made better with John Williams original score, to the final scene – Star Wars: The Force Awakens fixes everything that was wrong with the ghastly prequels. Director JJ Abrams keeps the spirit of the original trilogy, by not relying too heavily on CGI and instead creating real sets, with real props and real creatures. Hollywood has relied too heavily on CGI for quite a long time and Abrams brings a reality that reminded me of why I loved Star Wars.
The action sequences are fast and furious. Keeping the pace of the film very brisk and giving the audience just enough time to catch their breath before the next lightsaber duel or starship battle. Seeing Han Solo and Chewbacca interact seamlessly with the new characters, you realize that this movie was made by fans who really cared about making the best Star Wars film possible.
If I can say just one thing to those Star Wars fans who haven’t seen it yet. Don’t trust that you are going to have any idea where the story is headed, because you saw all of the trailers. Take everything you think you know and throw it right out the window. There are a lot of great surprises! Don’t worry if you’ve never seen any of the other films, my wife went just for the “experience”, then came home and watched the original trilogy that same day.
I know a lot of people are wondering if the film is appropriate for all ages and the answer is, “Yes”. Even with a PG-13 rating, the battles are fairly bloodless and other than one intense scene near the end, Star Wars: The Force Awakens can be enjoyed by the entire family.
I’d like to thank Fandango Family for getting us some great tickets for opening weekend.
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I partnered with Fandango Family for this review. All opinions and love of Star Wars are my own.