Star Wars: Episode VII - the Fan Fiction Awakens (2015)

Star Wars: Episode VII - The Force Awakens (2015), directed by J.J. Abrams, written by J.J. Abrams, Lawrence Kasdan, Michael Arndt, starring Daisy Ridley, John Boyega, Harrison Ford, Carrie Fisher, Adam Driver

Don't get me wrong, I thought Star Wars 7 was an entertaining movie. Sure, it had a plot that rushed through things like a roadrunner, but all in all, it was an entertaining movie for what it was: a special effects-heavy blockbuster. In that genre, I've seen a lot worse. The thing is, that it also feels like a piece of fan fiction. You know, the kind of where some enthusiastic fan tries to stuff in all the things that made the original so great, so the end result is a collection of scenes that make you go "that's cool", but after all is said and done, you might go and claim that all the other aspects of the story were a bit lacking.

As I said, I was entertained by the movie. J.J. Abrams is a director who knows exactly how to make scenes that make most people go "ooh, that's cool" and with that, he most likely can keep a lot of people entertained, I included. At the same time, I couldn't help but think, that the storyline presented in the movie would have been better suited spread over multiple movies, as everything is moving at such a fast pace. See, unlike in the original trilogy and even in the prequel trilogy, Abrams presents the evolution of the characters and situations in a faster manner. For all his faults George Lucas did allow things to simmer and cook up in their own weight, even if that took a couple of movies. In Force Awakens things like Rey finding her hidden force abilities happen in an accident and bring immediate results with no one guiding her.

I know it sounds pretty apologetic on my part when I say that I still like the movie because I really did. It's not a great movie nor even close to being the best in the Star Wars franchise. In many ways, it's a rehash of the best of bits from what came before it, but mainly because of nostalgia and Abrams's relentless use of money shots, it works as an entertaining escapade. And if that's all you're looking for, it's not a bad movie to watch.