Review of Star Wars: The Force Awakens

How can one possibly approach and analyze the latest chapter of Star Wars like a "normal" movie? After all, 38 years ago, there was simply a movie as opposed to a mega franchise. It was a one-off film simply made to entertain but ended up changing the movie industry as we know it. Now, much like the first prequel, 1999's The Phantom Menace, the start of a new trilogy isn't just a movie but a cultural event. But December 2015 represents a different beast than May 1999. Not only has original creator George Lucas moved on, but for the first time ever, we have no idea where the saga is headed (in contrast to the prequels, where everyone knew they would end with Anakin becoming Darth Vader). Sure, we have old friends like Luke Skywalker (Mark Hamill), Princess Leia (Carrie Fisher), and Han Solo (Harrison Ford) to comfort us to a certain degree, but the expectations are still gargantuan.

Director J.J. Abrams has made it unmistakably clear he's crafting The Force Awakens for lovers of the original trilogy. Ditto for Disney's goal of repairing the relationship with fans who despised the three prequels (I am not a member of that category). To that end, he has borrowed relentlessly from A New Hope, the movie that started it all, perhaps a little too much. No doubt Abrams has made a solidly entertaining, sweeping space opera that those very fans will eat up, but he may have played things a little too close to the vest. With one notable exception, the movie does little new or bold. The story beats and visual touches resemble A New Hope so strongly at times that the "deja vu" factor distracts from the many other things the movie does well.

As the familiar opening crawl informs us, Luke Skywalker has vanished. 30 years have passed since the destruction of the Empire, but remnants of the old guard have formed a new organization called the First Order. They sport a new killing machine even larger than the Death Star. It can't move (it's embedded inside a planet), but its firepower more than compensates. The same Stormtroopers we know and love are back as well, although one of them feels more conflicted than most about all the killing and dominance. His name is Finn (John Boyega), and following a village's brutal encounter with the deadly, lightsaber-wielding Kylo Ren (Adam Driver), Finn decides to bail on the First Order. He rescues a prisoner, Resistance pilot Poe Dameron (Oscar Issac) and the two escape in a TIE fighter, but the Order shoots them down and they crash land on the desert planet Jakku.

Meanwhile, on Jakku, we meet scavenger Rey (Daisy Ridley), who is scraping out a living collecting junk and trading it for food. She encounters the ball-like droid BB8, who is carrying a map to Skywalker's whereabouts, intending to reach the Resistance rebels. Joining forces with Finn, she eludes Kylo Ren's troopers en route to the Resistance, going so far as to steal the worn-down Millenium Falcon. They don't make it far into space before a freighter sucks up their ship. That's when they run into the Falcon's original owners, Han Solo and Chewie. Once our old friends learn the importance of BB8's mission, they have no choice but to return to the life they left behind.

Abrams aggressively emulates Lucas' approach with the original trilogy. In some cases, he's successful, like with the varies wipes, irises, and a reliance of practical special effects over CGI. There are also some clever touches involving Rey briefly struggling to fly the Falcon and fire a blaster before finally getting the hang of it. But there's no shaking the fact that far too much of this story feels like A New Hope with a different coat of paint. A youth living on a desert planet hungering for a better life? Check. A droid with crucial info? Check. The Falcon taking on TIE fighters? Check. Time spent inside a Cantina with wacky alien creatures? Check. An X-wing assault on a large circular base? Check, and so on. It's possible many fans won't care; they'll just be thrilled to return to a brand of Star Wars they know and love. But the quasi-remake vibe is so strong in places that once you see it, you can't "un-see" it.

Nevertheless, The Force Awakens has made some dramatic improvements for the series, especially in acting and dialogue. Gone is the stilted awkwardness of Anakin/Padme in Attack of the Clones or Luke's whining in A New Hope. Instead, the speech patterns and dialogue flow much more naturally. There are plenty of amusing utterances and not a bad line to be found. Also absent is anything aggressively geared toward children. No Jar-Jar Binks, Ewoks, or creatures of their ilk. The closest thing to "cute" is BB8, but he's a welcome, charming addition, full of clever visual sight gags. Finally, the look of the film is note-perfect. Abrams' vision of the galaxy truly looks like the next logical visual step for this series. The environments and battles are striking without relying too much on computers. You'll feel the weight of every ship maneuver, every shot fired, and every clashing lightsaber.

Daisy Ridley's Rey is a phenomenal addition to the Star Wars ensemble. She's plucky, heroic, and instantly sympathetic. If a woman can lead the charge in Aliens, The Hunger Games, or Mad Max, why not in Star Wars as well? John Boyega is every bit her equal. Finn can be a bit awkward and panicky, but his heart is in the right place and his character goes through an effective arc. Oscar Issac's Dameron slightly resembles Han Solo, although he doesn't have nearly as many wisecracks to go along with his piloting skills, at least not yet. Together, these characters, along with Han and Chewie, may not have as memorable a bond as we saw in A New Hope and Empire Strikes Back, but they connect.

On the villains' side, let's be honest; no one is going to outdo Darth Vader's level of charisma and menace. Abrams wisely doesn't have anyone try. Adam Driver's Kylo Ren wears a voice-altering mask, but that's where the similarities end. He's a leaner, more nimble combatant, and he's prone to more violent outbursts. The character also brews with tremendous inner conflict, serving the Dark Side but feeling the Light calling out. No doubt he's something of a Vader wannabe (something one character rightfully calls him out on), but there's nuance here that makes him interesting enough to devote a series to. The movie also contains an analog to Grand Moff Tarkin in General Hux (Domnhall Gleeson), and he's suitably creepy. Finally, there's the First Order's Supreme Leader Snoke, a giant bald creature (voice and motion capture by Andy Serkis) who could prove to be the deadliest adversary of all down the road.

As disappointments go, the only underwhelming aspect of The Force Awakens besides the repetitive plot is John Williams' score. Old-school material like the Imperial March and the Force Theme creep in effectively every now and then, but none of Williams' new compositions leave any impact. That's surprising considering that even the least of the Star Wars movies has delivered memorable, dramatic tunes. This may sound like nitpicking, but it's important to remember that over the many years, the music of Star Wars has displayed every bit an influence as its visuals. That magic is mostly MIA here.

Since this is the first Star Wars movie to debut during the social media age, fear of spoilers is at an all-time high. As such, Disney has gone to great lengths to hide Luke Skywalker's involvement in this story. He's in the movie, but credit Disney for keeping an aura of mystery about the character's role. Also, while I won't reveal specifics, I will say that The Force Awakens contains a twist or two well worth keeping under wraps. One event in particular will generate the most chatter, and it could become the lasting legacy of this movie. Watching some of these unfold, it's worth wondering how masterful The Force Awakens could have been had Abrams taken the leash off the story and really let the movie chart unexplored waters.

The Force Awakens is simultaneously delightful and a little frustrating. The more natural interactions between characters old and new give it life, and the action sequences are as dazzling as ever, but too much of this basic plot borrows from adventures' past. That doesn't ruin the film by any means, but it keeps it from ascending to greatness. Appealing to nostalgia is fine for now; in fact, it's what a majority of fans want. But in order to avoid the trap recent superhero movies have fallen into, the upcoming Episode VIII will need to take more chances. Nevertheless, this is still Star Wars through and through. It's not an awards contender or a candidate for my Top 10 of 2015, but it offers a blend of adventure, humor, and pathos guaranteed to please audiences of all ages.




Rating: 

Review of Mad Max: Fury Road

When we consider what we want from a great action movie, Mad Max: Fury Road is an example of what we think of. We want entertainment we experience as opposed to merely watch. We want perfect pacing, a feast for the eyes and ears, and characters worth caring about. We want that "wow" factor to show up several times before the end credits roll. And when it's all over, we want to feel exhausted in the best possible way. Leave it to 70-year-old director George Miller, returning to his roots after a lengthy layoff, to deliver that which action movie lovers everywhere hunger for. For full impact, Mad Max: Fury Road demands to be seen on the biggest screen with the most state-of-the-art sound system possible.

Taking place in the same post-apocalyptic world as the previous three Mad Max films, Fury Road sets up its story at an astoundingly economical pace. We're quickly introduced to Max Rockatansky (Tom Hardy) as he's captured by a roving gang and forced to serve as a blood donor. Then we meet their leader, the warlord Immortan Joe (Hugh Keays-Byrne), who rules over a large town thanks to his control of the most precious resource-- water. He sends out several trucks, led by one of his best Generals, Imperator Furiosa (Charlize Theron) to procure gasoline. But Furiosa plans to betray him. Having smuggled his five wives, she seeks escape and salvation to a mystical "green land" far to the east. When Joe learns of her whereabouts, he sends an all-out war party to stop her. Max eventually escapes and joins her on a quest with seemingly impossible odds of survival.

Miller constructs Fury Road as a two-hour chase. On one level, the movie recalls Bong Joon-Ho's Snowpiercer in how it shows that action sequences on a linear path make for the most nerve-wracking experiences. Characters are constantly on the move, chasing and fighting from Point A to Point B. When Max and Furiosa's Big Rig does battle with armored cars and motorcycles, we always have a strong sense of where everyone is on the movie's map. This is an achievement which cannot be understated. How many summer action films devolve into chaos, where we can't tell what exactly is happening until the explosions stop? Not here. Each set piece tops the one that came before it.

The movie may be titled after Max, but the filmmakers let Furiosa become the focal point of the narrative. There's an excellent reason for this. Had Max been the man behind the escape plan, one could've dismissed this movie as just two men (Max vs Joe) fighting over five beautiful women. They would become "things" indeed. But by having Furiosa lead the charge and Max settle into a supporting role (albeit a strong, memorable one), Fury Road makes a proud feminist statement. With Charlize Theron dominating the screen, the effect is similar to that of Alien back in 1979, where Sigourney Weaver's Ripley emerged and left an indelible impact on viewers. She kicks ass big-time.

Visually, Fury Road is as impressive as anything one can find in 21st Century filmmaking. The day scenes pop with orange and red hues while the nights are covered in blue, and the level of detail in the costumes and set design is unparalleled. Miller relied on "practical" special effects far more than CGI, and while that makes for an exhausting shooting schedule, the result feels far more grounded in reality than it would otherwise. Certain sequences, like a destructive dust storm clouding the screen in red, are enough to make the jaw drop. Junkie XL's pulse-pounding score is every bit as important to the overall experience. Miller finds highly clever, even humorous, ways of integrating it (gotta love those drummers and the guitar/flamethrower guy).

The story's trajectory is simple but contains a deceptive amount of depth. When pausing for brief moments of rest and reflection, the filmmakers give us a great sense of the characters' inner struggles without overselling them. Flashbacks and back-stories do the job quickly and economically. The depravity of Joe's reign, where model-esque women serve as breeders, larger women become farmed for breast milk, and the poor scrounge for water, makes for some unsettling images. War-boy Nux (Nicholas Hault) has a memorable arc from villain's lackey to rebel hero. And there's even a little bit about religious fanaticism and capitalism. The message is clear: even in a post-apocalyptic world where society has a chance to "start over," we inevitably settle into the same class structure we have today.

Depending on how you look at it, Mad Max: Fury Road can be viewed as a sequel to a long-dormant franchise or a reboot. But however you see it, make sure you see it in theaters. It deserves to go down as an action classic. This is the Mad Max film that Miller wanted to make for so long but was constrained by budgetary limitations and the lack of a bankable star (we all know what happened to Mel Gibson). The sense of awe and the adrenaline rush from this movie-- that "you are there" feeling-- is something you're not likely to experience in quite this way again anytime soon. Will more sequels follow? It's hard to say, although Miller is on record saying he has at least two more stories to tell if this one succeeds. I say we make this a hit and have him show us his hand.

Rating: **** (out of ****)

Review of Avengers: Age of Ultron

Avengers: Age of Ultron is more movie for your buck, or at least that's how Marvel is selling it. It contains more characters, more action sequences, and more plot threads than its predecessor. Yet it underwhelms because of an overwhelming sense of "been there, done that." There's nothing radically bad or cringe-worthy throughout this latest installment's 141 minutes, but neither does it offer anything wow-worthy from a visceral or emotional standpoint. Part of the thrill of The Avengers was seeing the development of each main character from solo movie hero to part of a team; they clashed with each other before eventually coming together to save the world. One would expect a sequel, to take these characters in new and exciting directions. Sadly, Age of Ultron does not take that leap, instead simply repeating the same structure. Our heroes fought aliens bent on Earth's takeover last time, so let's pit them against robots bent on Earth's destruction this time.

In James Bond-like fashion, this movie opens in the midst of a high-octane battle where the Avengers raid a Hydra compound in order to steal back Loki's scepter. They succeed, allowing Tony Stark to finally put the finishing touches on his greatest project, a massively intelligent A.I. that can protect the world from alien invasions. Ultron (voice of James Spader) gains consciousness remarkably quickly and deduces that the Avengers, for all the destruction they've caused in the name of peace, are no real heroes and must be eliminated. But that's only the first step in his master plan. Like Noah, he wants to purge the world of humanity and "start over."

Artificial intelligence is a hot topic in science fiction, but Age of Ultron suffers from a case of bad timing, arriving in theaters one week after the exquisite Ex Machina covered similar territory. While this movie is more action-packed and will draw more crowds, it barely even pays lip service to the fascinating ideas lurking beneath the surface. Ultron's introduction is rushed like a bat out of hell, and he's developed into little more than a standard-order megalomaniac. Give actor James Spader credit for imbuing this character with the appropriate level of charisma and menace (as well as some of the best one-liners, my favorite being the one involving a frisbee), and give the FX team just as much for giving Ultron impressively-realize facial expressions and movements, but both are wasted efforts.

Too many characters proves a hindrance as well. If The Avengers introduced a new age where single-hero movies don't satisfy the way team-based ones do, then Age of Ultron shows what happens when filmmakers spread this concept too thin. The need to keep track of so many means too few opportunities for each to delight. Sure, Stark and Thor toss out some amusing one-liners here and there, but everyone else is going through the motions. A love story develops seemingly out of nowhere between Black Widow and Hulk, but it doesn't work on any level. And the new characters, including lightning-fast Quicksilver (Aaron Taylor-Johnson) and mind manipulator Scarlett Witch (Elizabeth Olsen), get in on the action plenty of times but don't linger in the mind. Their arc, like just about everything else in Age of Ultron, is underdeveloped.

On the action front, Age of Ultron gets the job done with battles of impressive scope and energy. But even then, repetition occasionally sets in. Just like in the first movie, we have a sequence where Hulk goes crazy and the rest of the team has to subdue him (this time, it's Iron Man fighting back with a Hulk-sized suit of armor). The main villain gets his licks in before eventually being defeated in an all-out, city-wide orgy of destruction. At the very least, Age of Ultron corrects the most glaring problem of Man of Steel by having its heroes address the safety of ordinary citizens even during battle (something Superman did not do in that movie). These are super-heroes, after all.

Before this movie even reached screens, Marvel began hyping the biggest adventure yet for the Avengers, a two-part adaptation of Infinity War, which will spread across 2018 and 2019. The fact that they've done so already reveals what they think of Age of Ultron; it's simply a placeholder to give fans something to do before the culmination of all hype finally arrives. The audience I saw this with on opening weekend seemed to agree, as no one clapped when the credits rolled. Hell, the appearance of Thanos mid-way through the credits is more likely to make viewers impatient (just hurry up and bring him on, already!) instead of giddy with anticipation.

With the exception of Captain America: The Winter Solider, all of Marvel's Phase 2 movies have taken a step back creatively from Phase 1. If Age of Ultron is any indication, the concept of a team of heroes defending Earth from hordes of aliens and/or robots has been taken about as far as it can go. Pick your favorite moment from the first film, whether it be a line of dialogue or an action sequence, and this one offers a lesser version of it. Marvel needs to take lessons from other popular franchises like Star Wars, the Dark Knight trilogy, X-Men, and Hunger Games, whose second installments served up game-changing events from a character/story perspective. That's what good blockbuster franchises do. Mediocre ones are content to repeat the same formula, sporadically entertaining but never truly letting us feel the excitement. Time will tell whether Earth's mightiest heroes represent the former or the latter.

Rating: **1/2 (out of ****)