The Force Awakens Review- By Michael J. Carlisle

Title: The Force Awakens
Year: 2015
Director: J.J Abrams
Country: US
Language: English

Over the last 38 years, the Star Wars franchise has been so mass produced & mass distributed that everyone and their mama has heard of it. It has become as American as apple pie; it's almost a sin not to enjoy it. I have a hate-hate relationship with the series; A New Hope helped kill New Hollywood, an era of filmmaking defined by the counterculture, and brought about the blockbuster era. Essentially everything I hate about "Hollywood" these days (mass marketing, special effects over plot) started with Star Wars. Will I like this new installment however? Continue reading!

Three decades after the defeat of the Galactic Empire, a new threat arises. The First Order attempts to rule the galaxy and only a rag-tag group of heroes can stop them, along with the help of the Resistance.

First off, let me say that I LOVE Kylo Ren. Mainly because Adam Driver is playing the character & I am a huge fan of his work. He's a great actor & brings great depth to this fallen sith. This character is BETTER than Vader because he's more complex & isn't just some random villain. He's torn between a light side & a much more cult-ish dark side. I do like how the dark side is presented in more of a cult-like fashion rather than nazi militarism. It's a unique perspective.

The Force Awakens is MUCH better than the awful prequels, although that isn't saying much. ANYTHING is better than the prequels. Granted I did go into this film with very little expectations and found myself surprised. It isn't great, but it delivers & will excite fans of the series. It delivers, mainly because much of the plot is HEAVILY based on A New Hope (Droid has important info, Bad guys need to find it) J.J Abrams sticks with the familiar & doesn't try anything too risky. Do Star Wars fans want anything vastly different from the original though? Even if it's different in a good way? I doubt it.

I wouldn't recommend paying to see this; it will just entice Hollywood to keep making more big budget mindless action films. Spend your money on films that need the cash. Although at the same time, I'd like folks to support Adam Driver because that guy is going places. Stream The Force Awakens and then buy a boxset of Lena Dunham's Girls. 3/5