Movie Review: ‘Star Wars: The Force Awakens’

The “Star Wars” franchise is back on the big screen with a brand new chapter. A new director and new cast members team up with the stars of the original for “The Force Awakens.” Time Warner Cable News movie critic Neil Rosen filed the following review.

It is finally here, the highly anticipated new Star Wars movie "The Force Awakens."

George Lucas, who created the Star Wars universe, has handed over the reins to director J.J. Abrams. He tries very hard to give fans of this blockbuster franchise what they want, and on many levels, he succeeds.

The last three installments, which took place chronologically in time before the first “Star Wars” film, were largely disappointing. The latest chapter, episode seven, picks up several decades after “The Return of the Jedi” and it is more of a return to the fun sprit of the first three originals.

The Empire, now called the First Order, is strong again and it is up to a new cast of characters to defeat them. Oscar Issac, who is terrific here, playing a resistance fighter pilot, reminded me of a young Han Solo. Daisy Ridley plays a scavenger who joins the resistance and John Boyega is a storm trooper who has gone rouge and decides to battle the forces of evil. Then there is the original crew who are weatherworn, but back in action, namely Harrison Ford as Hans Solo, Carrie Fisher, now upgraded to general Leia and of course Chewy.

There are many nods to the original, which will satisfy diehards, like taking the Millennium Falcon out of mothballs and flying it into outer space to do battle again.

My favorite character was a new droid called BB-8.

Adam Driver plays the heir apparent to Darth Vader and the film has a few shocking surprises, none of which I am willing to reveal.

J.J. Abrams wisely co-wrote the screenplay with Lawrence Kasdan, who also co-wrote the series best installment, The Empire Strikes Back in 1980. The Force Awakens is not quite up to that level, as it is not very original. In addition, Abrams seems to be working off a greatest hits checklist of Star Wars staples that he felt had to go into the film.

However, it still manages to be a very entertaining ride. The action scenes are excellent, the special effects are superb and there’s good doses of humor, suspense and drama all along the way. Plus, it's great to see these old characters back on the big screen again after all these years.