The Force delivers

Yes, it’s brilliant.

Fear not, those who had reservations that The Force Awakens could not possibly live up to the hype or rekindle former glories in a world where Attack of the Clones exists. This is the Star Wars movie you’ve been looking for.

I’ve seen it three times now, as one viewing would just not be enough to write an objective review without it being fully driven by emotion. To give you an indication, I spent the opening half hour of my first experience not actually believing I was sitting and watching a new entry in my favourite movie saga.

I’m going to keep the review as spoiler-free as possible, since the film is best enjoyed without any prior knowledge of what goes on so you can truly enjoy the return to this world and its characters with all the surprises intact.

Essentially, 30 years have passed since Return of the Jedi and Luke Skywalker (Hamill) has disappeared. Both the First Order, a successor to the evil Galactic Empire and led by Kylo Ren (Adam Driver), and the Resistance, led by former princess but now military general Leia Organa (Fisher), are scouring the galaxy for him.

Caught up in the search is scavenger Rey (Ridley), renegade Stormtrooper Finn (Boyega) and globular droid and soon-to-be merchandising behemoth BB-8.

There has always been an air of fate around the characters in these movies, as if the Force itself has brought them together, and they intertwine with friends old and new on this spectacular journey.

From the moment John Williams’ brass opening score crashes around your ears and the famous crawl begins, you know you’re about to witness something truly special, and so it proves.

The Force Awakens is littered with nostalgic throwbacks, whether it be through dialogue or props, but it doesn’t rely on them exclusively to drive events forward.

In fact, it’s the new elements and characters that provide many of the film’s best moments. Whether its Finn’s wide-eyed amazement at the situations he finds himself in (which on a meta level undoubtedly reflects John Boyega’s excitement at landing such a prominent role) or Rey’s steely determination and growth into her destiny, the new faces elicit just as much interest as the classic ones.

When the golden oldies do show up though, it will bring out the giddy excitement in even the most stoic viewer. Han and Chewie bring their banter back with aplomb, key elements of Star Wars history are revealed with deep respect, and historical items serve the story in fresh and interesting ways.

Two factors really make The Force Awakens stand out. The first is the jaw-dropping cinematography, particularly the extensive use of practical effects at almost every opportunity. X-Wings and TIE Fighters clash in frantic dogfights laced with Williams’ motifs, and scale models rushing towards the screen fill you with a sense of immersion and wonder that the over-digitised prequels (or any other modern CGI-fest) can never hope to achieve.

Elsewhere, vast desert landscapes evoke a majesty not seen since Lawrence of Arabia (and here we must be grateful to Abrams for his steadfast loyalty to shooting on film rather than digital), while this is a rare occasion where 3D enhances the film rather than proves a distraction as Star Destroyers perch like LEGO models right in front of your eyes.

The second is the humour, which is sublime thanks to an excellent script and some fantastic comic timing. One sequence involving a character putting their Force powers to the test had the entire screening howling in laughter, and there are more laughs scattered throughout than many actual ‘comedy’ films achieve in their entirety.

Kylo Ren is an interesting villain who is far from the complete package. He tries to evoke the spirit of Vader, but is far more conflicted and raw than the big man ever was. Having a villain learning to use the Force and come to terms with his abilities at the same time as his Jedi counterparts is an interesting dynamic not yet seen in this series where it’s usually been one of the good guys training to become strong enough to take down the powerful baddie.

If there’s one very slight disappointment (other than the realisation that one actor will earn more money from a 20-second cameo appearance than I will in my entire lifetime), it’s that some characters, particularly villains like Gwendoline Christie’s Captain Phasma and Andy Serkis’ latest motion-captured creation Supreme Leader Snoke, are short-changed. Their presence appears to be to introduce them to audiences and lay foundations for the future instalments rather than to service this film.

Still, perhaps these niggles are purely down to impatience. I’ve waited so long for this film, and to finally see it and realise I have to wait another couple of years for Episode VIII and the answer to many of the hanging questions is frustrating to say the least!

Ultimately, The Force Awakens delivers on all the hype, and more. It perhaps hews a little too closely to A New Hope, but capturing the spirit of the original was what was needed to restore this franchise to its ultimate glory. Now it can push on and deliver on its new ideas with the planned sequels.

I don’t have time to write much more as I’m about to go and watch it for the fourth (and definitely not final) time. So all I want to say is … Thank you, J. J. Abrams. Thank you.

Showing at Novo Cinemas, Cineco, Seef II, Saar, Al Jazira, Dana Cineplex

Rating: 5/5