In 1977 my dad took myself and my older sister to see the original Star Wars. I was six years old at the time. Fast forward nearly forty years, several marriages, seven children, almost two grandchildren later and the hype that has been generated for this film is phenomenal. Star Wars fever really has struck it seems, but does the film live up to the hype? Here is my honest opinion and it is my review and my opinion. This does contain SPOILERS so if you haven't seen it, you'd better close the page.
I went to see it in 3D. It's a good film. In 3D its great. The dialogue is so much better than the previous films, it flows and there is banter and more than a few comic moments. The writer JJ Abrams has kept it seems to a mantra "If it ain't broke, don't fix it." What does this mean? Simply that he's kept to a tried and trusted formula of the first one in the series pretty much running along the same lines as The Phantom Menace and A New Hope. For example a desert planet, and the hero, in this case the heroine on a speeder wearing light airy clothing.
Han, Leia and Chewie's return was more than welcome. However, when Leia spoke, I felt she was unable to move her lips and her lines sounded mumbled rather than spoken.
There are more than a few irritating moments during the film and it had a lot of ghosts from the previous films intertwined. For example Anakin's petulance and frustration was apparent in his grandson (Kylo Ren) behaviour. Seriously, using his lightsaber to destroy things in a clear paddy? The boy needs taken over a knee and given a severe spanking. When Kylo took his helmet off, all I could think was put it back on. Even his locks were Anakin-ish.
The storyline was what I would have expected from a Star Wars film. This has clearly been aimed at drawing in a younger audience as well as keeping the die hard addicts satisfied.
However, JJ has my respect for one thing. The ending. A classic keep the audience wanting more. He left us on a cliffhanger, and not metaphorically. For the thirty or so seconds that Luke Skywalker was in it, he was on a cliff. Surprisingly enough for a Jedi who was so distraught that he went into hiding for so many years, he was amazingly coiffured and his hair and beard styled so that I thought he'd be perfect for a hair care commercial.
Leave the audience wanting more...JJ really has got that spot on. He left the audience asking questions such as...Is Han really gone? Who is Rey? Is she Luke's daughter or is she Kylo Ren's twin sister? Who is Finn and is he as most people suspect Lando Calrissian's son? Poe Dameron...could he be strong in the force? Will Yoda return?
Good it was, and go I will to see Episode VIII. However, there is one thing left to say. If I was asked the question Star Wars or Doctor Who, my answer is simple.
From Kooks (Manda) I would like to wish each and every one of you a Very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year
Keep it Kooky xxxxxxxxxxxxx
