However you look at it, The Force Awakens was a long time coming. It had been over three years since Disney announced that a sequel trilogy was in production, ten years since we last saw a new Star Wars movie in theatres, and thirty two years since we left the heroes of the saga celebrating on the forest moon of Endor. That long wait for the next installment in the saga meant that tickets to midnight screenings sold at break-neck speed. Fortunately, my partner and I were able to wrangle two great seats at the Embassy Theatre here in Wellington. This placed us in the midst of 820 of the capital's biggest Star Wars fans - something that guaranteed to make the experience even more special.
The Embassy went all out with their promotional work - erecting a custom hoarding and countdown, a giant cardboard display, and even adding some Star Wars-themed cocktails to the menu (as well as some great The Force Awakens goodies at the candy bar). In fact, in the days leading up to the release of The Force Awakens it seemed like all of Wellington had caught Star Wars fever. Posters were everywhere, and an entire bus stop on Lambton Quay had been converted to advertising the film.
Ever since Disney acquired Lucasfilm, I'd described my attitude towards Episode VII as "cautiously optimistic". I believed that there was every reason to have hope in the project. But even the most promising films can fail, and it was hard to escape the niggling worry that the very same thing might happen here.
But it turns out that I needn't have had those concerns - because The Force Awakens is good. It's really good.
But it turns out that I needn't have had those concerns - because The Force Awakens is good. It's really good.
The Internet is already full of reviews explaining the myriad reasons why this film is a return to form for the saga. But for me, it's simple: The Force Awakens is an enormous amount of fun. There's action and adventure. There's humour and banter. There's a simple story that nevertheless contains real stakes, real triumphs, and real tragedy. It has all of the very same things that sparked my sense of wonder when I first saw A New Hope as a kid. Most importantly, the movie contains some of the most relatable characters (both good and evil) that we've ever seen in a Star Wars film. Sure, they're flying spaceships and waging battles on alien worlds - but they do so while displaying motivations, emotions, and flaws that are authentic and familiar. The struggles they face are universal - and for me, that's what's always made Star Wars so special.
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| I'd never been more proud to wear this t-shirt. |
I ended up seeing the film twice more in theatres - once on the following Saturday, and again in the new year after I'd had a bit of time to let everything sink in. Surprisingly, I didn't find those repeat viewings any less thrilling. In fact, I actually began to enjoy the movie even more. There's a hell of a lot going on in The Force Awakens - and it really does require repeat viewings to fully appreciate everything it has to offer.
So what did you think of The Force Awakens? Did you attend a midnight premiere? If so, how did it go? Be sure to email your thoughts to relicsoftheforce@gmail.com or send me a tweet at @Archon_Revuge!
