The newest Star Wars film is aptly named The Force Awakens — the title serves as a plot point of the film, but also hints at the reawakening of a 30-year-old franchise. In theaters Dec. 18, the movie is Lucasfilm’s second attempt at restarting the Star Wars franchise. The first time the studio did so, the resulting movies appeared as though they were in a galaxy far, far away from the awe-inspiring original trilogy. It’s no surprise that Disney — Lucasfilm’s new owner — sees the monetary incentives of trying again. But will The Force Awakens be able to capture the original Star Wars experience while adding a fresh spin?
The Force Awakens takes place 30 years after the events of Return of the Jedi, the last installment of the original Star Wars series. The story follows Han Solo, a beloved character from the original Star Wars series, facing the dark Kylo Ren, and his army of storm troopers, soldiers usually associated with the original series’ antagonist, the Empire.
Already, it’s clear that Lucasfilm has learned from some of its mistakes. One of the biggest issues with the Star Wars prequel trilogy was that the story was constrained by the plot of the original series. Since The Force Awakens takes place after the events of the original story, the film has an opportunity to take the franchise in an innovative, new direction, but also might hurt the franchise if the new movie drifts too far away from the original soul of Star Wars.
The plot of The Force Awakens gives a sense that there will be major differences from the original movies thanks to the fall of the Empire.
Despite major plot differences, Star Wars is returning to its roots when it comes to main characters. Luke, Leia, Han, Chewbacca, C-3PO and R2-D2, the main characters of the original series, are all reprising their roles. While these characters are bound to please old fans, Lucasfilm will have to prove that bringing back the characters has a purpose, or it will be clear that they have returned only to drum up hype. The Force Awakens has the chance to satiate the appetites of both new and old fans if this mixture of fidelity to the original movies and ingenuity is apparent throughout the new film.
While old characters might be returning, George Lucas, the creator of Star Wars is being replaced by a new director — J.J. Abrams.
Abrams is not new to reinvigorating old and beloved franchises. The director made 2013’s Star Trek: Into Darkness, a film that improved on previous Star Trek films by providing audiences with stunning visual effects and powerful and dramatic acting. However, despite old Star Trek elements thrown in, the movie didn’t do much to differentiate itself from other modern action movies. While it’s unclear what liberties Abrams will take with the plot, it’s obvious that his knack for making visually pleasing movies will be helpful for Star Wars.
The original trilogy used courageous practical effects that were stunning at the time, but no longer stand up to modern advances in computer-generated effects. On the other hand, the prequel series leaned too much on computerized cinematography, making the movies feel lifeless and artificial where they should have been vibrant and exciting.
Abrams has made it clear that he will use practical effects as much as possible for The Force Awakens. With Abrams at the helm, The Force Awakens will no doubt be packed with nonstop energy; something the older movies lacked at times. Also, the return of the original characters will hopefully be harnessed to elicit nostalgia and excitement from loyal Star Wars fans. But if Abrams takes the same liberties he took with the Star Trek franchise, the new Star Wars will be less of a continuation of the previous franchise than an action movie that happens to take place in the same universe.
