The force has awoken. Ten years after Revenge of the Sith brought an end to what was largely disappointing prequel series, the space saga is back in full working – and sweetly entertaining – condition with The Force Awakens.
New director JJ Abrams, working from a script written by himself, Lawrence Kasdan and Michael Arndt, wastes no time in setting the scene with the now infamous opening crawl, before delving right into the action.
An attack on a village by the First Order, led by the villainous Kylo Ren (Adam Driver), introduces us to Poe Dameron (Oscar Isaac), a starfighter who comes into possession of vital, desired information.
Before he’s captured, he stores the data file in BB-8, an intrepid droid who quickly comes into contact with Rey (Daisy Ridley), a resourceful scavenger, and Finn (John Boyega), a reformed Stormtrooper.
It’s up to them to ensure the information is passed to safe hands before Ren tracks them down. The narrative, therefore, is straightforward, right down to its various twists and turns, which acts as both a disservice and an advantage.
Perhaps more foreseeable than it likes to believe, The Force Awakens rehashes familiar territory a little too conveniently and leans heavily on its easiest resource: the nostalgia factor.
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But when the result is as fun and thrilling as it is, that’s less of a damaging issue than a minor, yet still annoying niggle. And what bliss it is to be back in a world that feels like home. Abrams has, in returning to the saga’s roots, fashioned a source of abundant entertainment.
The humour is on point and the set pieces are non-stop, many of the best including the wonderful heap of garbage that is the Millenium Falcon, swooping and inadvertently crashing from planet to planet, taking on Tie Fighters in its stride.
New characters are as integral – if not more so – than the old. Of the newcomers, Ridley makes the biggest impression as Rey. A real find, she more than makes her mark, and forms quick and easy chemistry with her castmates.
Boyega and Driver are impressive also. As for the old characters, Han Solo (Harrison Ford) and Chewbacca (Peter Mayhew) have the most screen time (using it extremely well to remind how wonderful they are as a duo), but all are awarded a moment or two to shine.
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The real thrill, however, is in John Williams’ score, which compliments – and heightens – the film’s impact every step of the way.
The Force Awakens may not be an out-and-out success, but its spirit and exhilaration are unquestionable.
Jamie Neish is a Dundee-based film reviewer. Read more from him at emptyscreens.com.