Liverpool Sound and Vision Rating * * * * *
Cast: Harrison Ford, Daisy Riley, Carrie Fisher, Adam Driver, John Boyega, Oscar Isaac, Domhnall Gleeson, Gwendoline Christie, Mark Hamill, Billie Lourd, Peter Mayhew, Simon Pegg, Kenny Baker, Lupita Nyong’o, Andy Serkis, Anthony Daniels, Max Von Sydow, Greg Grunberg, Ken Leung.
The torch is passed from one generation to the next, and thankfully it seems to have by-passed the unruly demonic child that is stuck in the middle, the rampaging monster that could have brought down an Empire on its own but after three attempts was rightly condemned to the tightest of garbage shoots. The torch, or rather the Light Saber, has found its way into the welcoming hands of a new set of fans, who like their parents, can embrace the very best of Star Wars and send packing Episodes 1-3 to a Galaxy far, far, far away.
To suggest that Star Wars Episode 7: The Force Awakens is a return to absolute form is an understatement; it is like comparing a bagful of burned chips, fatty and unresponsive to the human digestive system to that of a four course meal with the finest bottle of Scotch Whisky to hand and dished out by silver service trained waiters with your favourite music being played live in a corner of a room overlooking the finest of sunsets. Yet even with that playful comparison in mind, it has to be mentioned that if truth be told, Episode 7 even takes the original three films released round the back of the hall and knocks seven bells of Hell out of them.
Much of the abundance of cool and the shine of new pastures for the franchise comes down to J.J. Abrahams being on board, a man whose passion for Science Fiction seemingly has no bounds, and in the placing of four great new characters immersing themselves into the fight alongside old favourites. In Daisy Riley’s Rey, easily one of the most dynamic characters to find themselves at the end of a Light Saber, and Adam Driver as Kylo Ren, the feeling of comfortable charm is enough to have an audience member going back to Episodes 1-3 and seeing if they were just an ill thought out marketing campaign gone awry; a bad joke made real.
It is though arguably to Harrison Ford that the film really catches the eye and the substance to and his effortless display of acting nobility is a huge reason why the film succeeds.
An masterpiece in the form of celluloid or digital filming, either way Star Wars is once more the giant behemoth audiences want it to be; snappy, stylish and more sexy than a glimpse of thigh at a Bangles concert, Star Wars Episode 7, The Force Awakens is King.
Ian D. Hall