The Force Awakens - A One in (of) a Million Review

The movie was a solid B+. It successfully blended in old characters like the beloved Han Solo. It also nicely weaved the storyline from the "old" films to set itself up for a new chapter. Okay, that was the good. What I thought was lacking was Heart. It didn't strike a chord to me emotionally as did in Return of the Sith. During the final fight of Anikin and Obi Wan fought to their death (link), it literally brought tears to my eyes. Why you ask? It was the devastating pain which stem from a master's disappointment when a student is lost. I didn't quite get the reaction from the Force Awakens. Was it worth the $18 after-tax money and 3 hours of my time? Absolutely. It was Hollywood entertainment at its best. Because of all the hype and nothing less than a cultural phenomenon, you should see it. That was my synopsis, here's some of my sentiments and some deranged thoughts about this experience.

It is exhilarating to watch a STAR WARS film on the second day it opens. You feel like you are part of something big. Sitting in the theatre in row G seat 1, I can taste the sweet anticipation in the air. Evident by the applause and anxious shouts as if waiting for a space shuttle to take off. On a side note, 3D really works well for this movie though I find the IMAX experience much too loud and damaging to one's hearing. That's not because I played the drums for years and lost some of my hearing. It is louder than at work where the decibal level requires mandatory hearing protection. I definitely recommend ear-plugs to filter out some of the noise. I sound like an old guy.

Before the show, I was doing a bit of reading while the pre-game shows were going on. The dude next to me started to chat me up. "Hey, what are you reading?"  he said as he elbowed me. This dude, who I am sure is a nice fella, is a 40 something stocky guy who dressers slightly smutty in his Canadian causal attire. To be honest, I wanted to be left alone (thus the book) and became a tad annoyed. Yet I resisted the urge to tell him to F-off. I responded with the book title and we chatted for a minute about how this book is an acquired taste, etc. We didn't converse for the remainder of the movie. I wondered if I might have carried on a little longer if he was, instead, a lovely young lady that smells nice. Guess we'll never know. :p

Throughout the movie, I couldn't help but think that perhaps this movie is targeted for Millennials... aka the cool crowd. No, there wasn't any texting or social media references, but the storyline is all about the young hero and heroine's process of discovery. They discovered things like the Force, the Jedi Order and that they are special. Similar to Millennials who have never seen a STAR WARS film discovering it for the first time. It was an introduction. A baseline of sorts. Presumably done to allow Millennials to grow with the film with time.

Unlike some Start Wars films, the Force Awaken is not a dark movie by any stretch. In fact, there are quite a few slap-stick humour which makes it a perfect stereotypical family movie.. It is, after-all, a movie made by Disney.

To round off this post, I just want to say that it's really been too long since the last STAR WARS film. It was good to see dog-fights, strange alien characters and light sabre duels. Though I find it cruel of J.J. Abrams to waited until the last few minutes of the movie to show the one and only light sabre fight scene.

The Force Awaken wasn't a tremendously film for me. I prefer movies that move me in some  unexpected and fantastic way. Strangely, as I walk out of the theatre placing my 3D glasses in its recycling bin, I felt a void filled to a reasonable extent of satisfaction. I was part of something special. That, my friend, was worth the price of admission.