Review: The Force Awakens

I love this movie.

I'd forgotten what a shot of adrenaline The Force Awakens was. Finn's character, his bromance with Poe, Adam Driver's ironically wonderful performance of Kylo Ren...

The Force Awakens might just be my favorite Star Wars film.

I actually struggle to find things to say about it, other than to sing its praises. The score is great, the writing is great, the effects are great, the characters are great, the sets are great, the action scenes are great... The Force Awakens is, to me, the platonic ideal of what a Star Wars film should be.

What's really left is to talk about all the ways it improves on things. Practical and digital effects are blended together much better here, Han Solo's characterization is much better, and inf fact he's so much more likable that the death blow really does feel like a character cut down before his time.

It's not perfect. I mean, the flaws are so petty and small in comparison to how much about this film that works that it's hard to even ask what flaws. Maz Katana is kind of a handwave on Luke's lightsaber, there's at least one character at the beginning of the film played by a notable actor who seems like he'll be important only to die almost immediately, there's a will they won't they romantic subtext to Finn and Rey's relationship that's not going anywhere any time soon but... It's just so hard to care. The Force Awakens is funny and clever and interesting and the production value is sky-high. It feels like such an effortless slam dunk that you kind of forget all the crap that it's plastering over from sequel creep.

I love this movie.

I'd go as far as to say that if you only ever watch one Star Wars film, this one should be it.