Star Wars: The Force Awakens hits all the right notes

A not so long time ago in a galaxy not so far, far away … I sat down at the IMAX theater in Reading to watch Star Wars: The Force Awakens. Let’s just say, sparks flew—probably from all the lightsaber collisions.

The Force Awakens follows the story of Finn (John Boyega), an ex-stormtrooper, and Rey (Daisy Ridley), a mysterious girl from the desert planet Jakku, as they fight against the latest manifestation of imperial evil, the First Order.

In short, Luke Skywalker (the last Jedi) has gone missing and the search is on, with the searchers including original cast members Princess (now General) Leia (Carrie Fisher) and Han Solo (Harrison Ford).

As soon as I entered the theater, about an hour and a half early, there was a sense of unity in the air (the Force?). Already, a small line had formed, made up of younger people, older people, all of them fans of the global Star Wars phenomenon. (The Force Awakens has already broken the North American box office record and has its laser sights set firmly on Avatar’s global mark of $2.7 billion.)

It felt as if I were part of something greater than just the line for a movie. The original Star Wars film blew the minds of moviegoers back in 1977 and, for most, this installment, Episode VII, has done the same. And there I was, waiting in line as the air started smelling increasingly of popcorn and ferocious amounts of butter, part of something old and yet something new.

And … wow, the wait was worth it. This is a “true” Star Wars movie, capturing the feel and spirit of the original trilogy, and that’s an impressive feat by director J.J. Abrams.

While Episode VII takes place many years after the events of Episode VI, it connects back to the original films rather well. Along with new characters, the film sees the return of most of the beloved characters of the original series.

Fans of the originals and new fans have been brought together by The Force Awakens, and very few have been disappointed. I can wholeheartedly say that I am not part of that few.

It’s entertaining, visually stunning, and highly enhanced by superb sound design (managed by Oscar winner Ben Burtt, who has designed the sound for all of the Star Wars films). The actors all give splendid performances that really bring the film together. Although the dialogue isn’t exactly perfect or natural 100 percent of the time (something that has always haunted these films), most of the time it feels appropriate.

The special effects and CGI are top notch, but no less should be expected of this franchise. The visuals of Star Wars have been groundbreaking and trendsetting from the beginning, leading to the founding of effects company Industrial Light and Magic.

The original musical soundtrack that so many fans cherish hasn’t been changed drastically by composer John Williams. All the updates to the soundtrack are subtle, and feel welcome.

Together, everything sounds just as one imagines it should.

One of the things that make the film so great has to be the little references and jokes to the original series. They serve as fun reminders of the humble roots of this now massive franchise, and lighten the mood when needed.

Like the originals, there is no lack of comic relief in the film. In fact, there are times when the movie should take itself more seriously. The tone is fairly consistent, but certain scenes could definitely have benefited from a lack of comic relief altogether.

Although parts of the film feel exaggerated, in general Mr. Abrams does a good job of balancing things, and it feels well paced. As for wanting to see Episode VIII, which looms a year and a half in the future? The film’s ending definitely sets us up for more, but don’t worry, there won’t be any spoilers here.

All in all, it is a great movie—a Star Wars movie, and I highly recommend you go see it. As we wait for more, let’s hope the next two can avoid the dark side of the Force.