• Home
  • Movie News
  • Movie Trailers
  • Reviews
    • Cinema Reviews
    • Home Entertainment Reviews
      • Blu-ray Review
      • DVD Review
  • Competitions
  • Features
    • Interview

Movie Muser

Have your say about cinema

Star Wars: The Force Awakens (Cinema Review)

17th December 2015 By Chris Hallam

star-wars-the-force-awakens-review-slideStarring: Daisy Ridley, John Boyega, Harrison Ford, Carrie Fisher, Adam Driver, Oscar Isaac
Directed By: J.J. Abrams
Running Time: 136 minutes
UK Release Date: Out Now
Certificate: 12A

Our Score

“This will begin to make things right.” The first words spoken out loud in The Force Awakens are uttered by a minor character and are clearly not meant to be about the Star Wars franchise in general. But the subtext is clear. For most fans, the three Star Wars prequels – The Phantom Menace, Attack of the Clones and Revenge of the Sith – were to varying degrees cartoonish, often boring disappointments. Ten years on from the last and best of these, Star Wars newcomer J.J. Abrams wants us to know it will be different this time. And it is. The Force Awakens really does live up to the new hype.

From the outset, there are plenty of conscious echoes of the original film: a lone figure walks across a desert followed by a small comedy droid or a sequence with a drinks area which is a dead ringer for the rowdier Mos Eisley Cantina in Episode IV. However, there is always a new spin to it. The sense of familiarity is heightened by the welcome return of characters from the earlier films. Han Solo’s cynical world weariness seems even more appropriate now he is in his 70s rather than his 30s. His scenes with Leia (Carrie Fisher) resonate with a real sense of history between the characters.

And the newcomers are good too with Oscar Isaac (perhaps a bit underused in this first one, expect more later) making an impact as the heroic Poe Dameron and Lupita N’yongo voicing a new character Maz, who seems to be a cross between Yoda (he died in Return of the Jedi, remember?) and ET The Extra Terrestrial’s orange aunt. Somewhat disturbingly, she also seems to want to shag Chewbacca.

Stealing the show, however, are newcomers John Boyega and Daisy Ridley. Despite having something of the look of Keira Knightley about her, Ridley particularly seems destined for a great career and is already challenging Jennifer Lawrence’s status as female sci-fi star of the 21st century.

Things take a plunge into the dark side later with Adam Driver (of TV’s Girls) adding to Star Wars’ distinguished lineage of villains as Kylo Ren. But director Abrams should be proud. His already fine career (Alias, Lost, Cloverfield, Star Trek) has been building towards this moment.

Overall Verdict: “Chewy, we’re home.” Star Wars fans might well feel the same way.

Reviewer: Chris Hallam

Star Wars: The Force Awakens (Cinema Review) reviewed by Chris Hallam on 17th December 2015 rated 5.0 of 5

Related

CHECK OUT THESE RELATED ARCHIVES:
ACTORS: Daisy Ridley, John Boyega, Harrison Ford, Carrie Fisher, Adam Driver, Oscar Isaac  DIRECTORS: JJ Abrams  FILMS: Star Wars: The Force Awakens  

Filed Under: Cinema Reviews

Search this site…

Get Social

RSSTwitterFacebook

Get new posts by e-mail

Get the latest in our daily e-mail

Latest Cinema & Home Ent. Reviews

Mortal Engines (Cinema Review)

Anna and the Apocalypse (Cinema Review)

Suspiria (Cinema Review)

Overlord (Cinema Review)

King of Thieves (Cinema Review)

Isle of Dogs (DVD Review)

Mission: Impossible – Fallout (Cinema Review)

Tomb Raider (Blu-ray Review)

The Bridge 4 (DVD Review)

My Friend Dahmer (Cinema Review)

Latest News & Trailers

Detective Pikachu Trailer – Pokemon is going live action with Ryan Reynolds

Toy Story 4 Teaser Trailer – Woody & the gang are coming back once more

Aladdin Teaser Trailer – Guy Ritchie directs Disney’s latest live-action adaptation

New Glass Trailer – The worlds of Unbreakable and Split meet

Aquaman Extended Trailer – Jason Momoa goes to war under the seas against Patrick Wilson

New Overlord Trailer – Soldiers take on Nazi-created zombies in the JJ Abrams produced movie

The Mule Trailer – Clint Eastwood is an octogenarian drug runner opposite Bradley Cooper

Vice Trailer – Christian Bale transforms into former Vice President Dick Cheney

Mary Queen of Scots Trailer – Saoirse Ronan & Margot Robbie get Elizabethan

New Mortal Engines Trailer – London is literally on the move in the steampunk fantasy

Handpicked MediaHandpicked MediaCopyright © 2025 Muser Media · Powered by WordPress & Genesis Framework · Log in
Movie Muser is a member of The Handpicked Media network

This website uses cookies to improve your experience. We'll assume you're ok with this, but you can opt-out if you wish.Accept Read More
Privacy & Cookies Policy

Privacy Overview

This website uses cookies to improve your experience while you navigate through the website. Out of these, the cookies that are categorized as necessary are stored on your browser as they are essential for the working of basic functionalities of the website. We also use third-party cookies that help us analyze and understand how you use this website. These cookies will be stored in your browser only with your consent. You also have the option to opt-out of these cookies. But opting out of some of these cookies may affect your browsing experience.
Necessary
Always Enabled
Necessary cookies are absolutely essential for the website to function properly. This category only includes cookies that ensures basic functionalities and security features of the website. These cookies do not store any personal information.
Non-necessary
Any cookies that may not be particularly necessary for the website to function and is used specifically to collect user personal data via analytics, ads, other embedded contents are termed as non-necessary cookies. It is mandatory to procure user consent prior to running these cookies on your website.
SAVE & ACCEPT
 

Loading Comments...
 

You must be logged in to post a comment.