Flicker Fans….let’s take a moment shall we? Let’s take a moment to think back to the last time that you had that magical experience in a movie. I’m not talking about the last time you saw something really cool and the special effects were just “amaze-balls”. Essentially, that could be just about ANY movie that’s out there right now with a super hero in it. You don’t see someone climbing on walls or strapping into an iron suit and flying around. I’m talking the last time that you watched a movie and felt transported. Transported to when you were actually “6” again and you just couldn’t stop smiling throughout the film. That time when you were distraught and totally engaged in what was happening on screen and you just can’t wait to see what happens. Maybe for you this experience COMES with every super hero movie that is pushed out into our faces. Maybe it comes with the release of Tina Feys new venture into comedy (I love her by the way–and in no way shape or form am I attacking her talents). Or hell, maybe it’s with turtles or the release of a new and creative way to yell, “ALLLLLLLVIIIIIIIN!!!!” Maybe it’s not any of those things. Maybe, just maybe, it comes with a loud burst of trumpets with two words that crawl away from you. Maybe, it’s Star Wars: The Force Awakens.
It was for me, and MILLIONS of other fans this past weekend (not to mention my comrades of geekdom). For us, it was watching the crawl of Star Wars fade away into the screen filled with stars as our childhood returned and took us over in our seats. Magic was happening, and we all just let out a sigh of relief as the music blared in our ears. It was finally here.
JJ Abrams directs and shares writing credit for the new Star Wars with, Lawrence Kasdan (Raiders of the Lost Ark, Return of the Jedi), and Michael Arndt (Little Miss Sunshine, Toy Story 3) and of course based off the characters created by George Lucas. Harrison Ford, Carrie Fisher, Mark Hamill and Peter Mayhew all reprise their roles from the original films, and we as fans, couldn’t be more excited.
It wasn’t just the introducing of a “new adventure” that these talented individuals were faced with, but new characters as well. From my perspective, this was no easy challenge. We’re faced with characters that we’ve been pining to see since the last movie in 1983, but now we have to start a new attachment with characters that we don’t know, have no immediate attachment to, and honestly, don’t really care about–that’s all about to change. Enter John Boyega (Finn), Daisy Ridley (Rey), Adam Driver (Kylo Ren) and Oscar Isaac (Poe Dameron). These talented young actors take on the huge task of creating believable, engaging characters that we want know more about. We want to learn who they are, where they came from and what is going to happen to them.
So, let’s immediately address the question that everyone really wants to ask. “Should we go see it? Was it good?” I think the bigger question that you have to ask yourself before you make the decision to go and see this movie is, “Are you a Star Wars fan?” I’m not talking about “a fan who worships all that is Han Solo, Chewie or Luke?” But just a fan. A curious fan. A fan of the original movies, regardless if you were a fan of the newer ones (you know what I’m talking about, the sometimes hated Episode I, II, and III). But let’s just say a fan. A curious fan of these stories when you were growing up, and a fan of wanting to know what happens to them. So, are you a fan? If so, yes. Stop what you’re doing (including reading this report) and go see this movie. Why? Because, if nothing else, the movie was fun. It answers questions, creates questions, raises concerns and reverts you back to your 7 year old self and reminds you. Reminds you of what it was like to watch such an engaging story, a fun story to laugh and be excited about what’s going to happen next. It’s Star Wars, and if you’re a fan, then you’ll like it. Hell, even if you weren’t a fan of Star Wars you might like it. It’s a movie, and a fun one. So yea, see the movie.
All that said, you’re still curious about whether or not you should see it. I look at it like this. There are two types of people in this world; there are people who can’t wait to see Star Wars and there’s everyone else. If you’re one who could care less, wait for the video. Don’t waste your time and spoil it for people who want to see it and can’t wait. After all, this is still just a movie and there aren’t guys running around with laser swords trying to thwart the evil empire. But for the rest of us, we’re all just excited to see words blast across the screen, watch the beginning crawl, listen to the music you can feel and believe that, “once upon a time…in a galaxy, far, far away….”