They didn't succeed at this, but their ambition to tell more subtle, political stories about how easy it is to be corrupted by power offered more nuance than they get credit for. ![]() But they also tried to move beyond the simplistic "good versus evil" conflicts of the original trilogy. The prequels often struggled to establish any sort of clear storytelling conceit, beyond the idea that Anakin Skywalker would eventually turn to the Dark Side. Bad: The film sometimes lacks an identity of its own Should the villains use Stormtroopers again? Eh, sure, why not? Lucasfilm/Disney Abrams's greatest gift remains very much intact. And the new characters they play are instantly engaging, all with readily identifiable goals that the audience can invest in quickly. There's also Adam Driver, of Girls fame.Īll of these actors have very different energies (Ridley is all wide eyes and expressive physicality Driver is a much more naturalistic presence), but somehow they all work together. Some of the film's other roles are filled by actors who may be slightly more familiar to viewers - like up-and-coming star Oscar Isaac, who's best known for his work in smaller films like Inside Llewyn Davis, but who will soon be everywhere thanks to this film and the next X-Men movie. Her path intersects with that of a young man named Finn ( John Boyega, who's similarly new to most moviegoers, though hardcore film fans may know him for the excellent British monster movie Attack the Block), sending the both of them on a grand adventure. His best find in The Force Awakens is Daisy Ridley, who plays the lonely, isolated Rey, a young woman from the desert planet Jakku. His work on TV shows like Alias and Lost, to say nothing of the cast he put together for the latest incarnation of the big-screen Star Trek franchise, proves how effective he is at seeking out fresh faces who seem like they've always been major stars. Abrams has perfected one particular skill above all others, it's his ability to assemble ensemble casts. Just seeing the lines on Ford's face expresses this idea better than any dialogue ever could.īut if Force Awakens director J.J. Star Wars has always been a series about intergenerational torch passing, about the complicated relationships between parents and children, and about how the Force flows strongly in certain family trees. Harrison Ford, Carrie Fisher, and Mark Hamill are all in fine form, and there's something oddly lovely about seeing them, nearly 40 years removed from the movies that made them famous, older and perhaps wiser. Yes, the actors from the original Star Wars trilogy are in The Force Awakens. Good: The cast, both old and new Finn (John Boyega) and Rey (Daisy Ridley) are among the film's new characters. Note: What follows is as spoiler-free as possible, but if you're truly freaked out about knowing even the most basic details, everything above this paragraph stands in as a brief review of the film itself. Here are the good, bad, and weird elements of the film. Likewise, there's plenty to appreciate about The Force Awakens, too. Thankfully, Fargo was still a really good TV show in its first season (and became a great one in its second). ![]() But it's hard to escape the idea that the film is a remix of something else, an attempt to rework story elements that felt more original elsewhere. ![]() ![]() In contrast, The Force Awakens feels a little bit like the TV show Fargo back in its first season. Related Star Wars, explained: 5 theories for this franchise's cultural dominance
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