(Contains spoilers or whatever)
Well, J.J. Abrams did it. He finally made a film that I don't totally dislike, though even that can feel a bit generous of a statement. Let it be known that this is totally a J.J. Abrams film, for ill or good, as he leans a bit too much into his instincts. One would be on point to say that this film works as a bit of a remix of A NEW HOPE as opposed to the latest in the STAR WARS franchise. I couldn't help but view this as a sort of "elevated fan film" due to its insistence on making call-backs, while re-contextualizing them in ways that seemed superficial, at best.
We find the galaxy in turmoil once again. A very Empire-like entity known as the First Order seeks to take control of the galaxy from the newly formed Republic. In order to deal with this, the now General Leia leads a Resistance against them, while also seeking the location of the missing Luke Skywalker. If this sounds familiar, it's because it is. Sometimes, it's almost exactly the same as episodes four and five. While this calling back doesn't TOTALLY drag the film down ("It's like poetry. It rhymes".), it does cheapen the experience a good bit. Jakku is just like Tatooine, but not really. The Resistance base looks suspiciously like Yavin IV. There's a peculiar looking cantina band. Really, these empty call backs for the sake of fan recognition go on and on.
While the original films, what with their mythic nature, relied upon coincidence and fate a good deal, EPISODE SEVEN takes this feature up to its most disbelief suspending levels, further pushing the movie down the hole of fan service as opposed to thematic similarities to the originals. Partnered with this is a sense that many a character's journey is a bit weakened by the absurdly quick pacing, almost as though the pacing was so quick specifically to cover the narrative holes filling the film.
Ultimately, it's the characters themselves that are the strongest elements. At the risk of sounding like a "film critic cliche'", Daisy Ridley shines as Rey, a scavenger on the planet of Jakku who has been waiting many years for her family to return. Ridley fills the absurdly capable character (dare I say, Mary Sue?) with immense wit, yet still manages to keep her grounded in a very sincere sense of humility. John Boyega (ATTACK THE BLOCK) gives an energetic performance as Finn, a former stormtrooper cursed with the capacity to give a damn despite the ferocious indoctrination of the New Order. It's a shame more of his character wasn't developed since he could serve as a fantastic analogue to youth growing up in a time of war and joining the military.
Oscar Isaac (INSIDE LLEWYN DAVIS, EX MACHINA) fills his ace X-Wing pilot, Poe Dameron, with boundless positive energy, making him the most straight ahead "good guy" in the franchise. Every scene he shares with Fin oozed charm and goodwill as well as inexhaustible charisma. Unfortunately, there isn't much investment in his character, so his larger moment in the end of the film ultimately doesn't work as well as it should. Harrison Ford and Carrie Fisher reprise their roles of Han Solo and Leia Organa, respectively, and mostly seem to do just enough to make their characters seem to exist. Solo gets the lion's share of character work, out of the two, having what may have been his greatest emotional moment out of any of the films. Other notable performances include Domhnall Gleeson (EX MACHINA, FRANK) as the sniveling General Hux, Lupita Nyong' O as the pirate queen Maz Katana, and an extremely brief appearance by Max Von Sydow as Lor San Tekka.
The real center of the film, and the source of its greatest achievement, lies with Adam Driver (GIRLS, FRANCIS HA, LINCOLN) as psuedo-Sith, Kylo Ren. It's with him that the film's desire to remix, and Lawrence Kasdan's writing, really do something of value. He's a perfected Anakin Skywalker, fully displaying the internal conflict of one at risk of being consumed by their anger and hatred. Even more, Abrams finds an interesting way to shoot what Kylo does, dutch angles abounding whenever Kylo menaces. The most interesting thing about Ren is that he effectively serves as a metaphor for the whole of the film. He doesn't have the same menace as Vader, and is apt to temper tantrums and angst. At the same time, he seeks to emulate Vader in every aesthetic sense. He wants to be what came before, yet wants to do more than what came before, all without solidifying the idea of the desire.
While achieving more fan goodwill than EPISODE ONE, EPISODE SEVEN suffers from its hesitancy to stand on its own. While I'm left charmed by the cast and characters, the story's weaknesses cast a shadow over the whole of the production. The real good this film did was enthuse me for Rian Johnson's (BRICK, LOOPER) turn with EPISODE EIGHT, as that director's instincts lead him towards greater narrative cohesion, and less a reliance on recognizable iconography.
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