One evening in November 2014 I sat in my kitchen eating a spice bag from the Chinese when I almost choked on a piece of salt and chilli chicken after watching the first official trailer for Star Wars: The Force Awakens. Now over a year later the countdown to Episode VII has been wittled down to mere days and the world has been overcome with an epidemic of Star Wars fever. As a fan of the franchise it is great to see people young and old waiting in anticipation for the beginning of the sequel trilogy and literally wherever you go there is bound to be something Star Wars related this time of year. Whether you're on the internet, in a shop, even the spire of Dublin city center has been transformed into a giant lightsaber (about time that eyesore is being put to use). However, there are some fans who are still skeptical about the return to the Star Wars universe, hoping that this will not be a repeat of the now infamous Phantom Menace. Fear not fanboys, as here are five reasons why you should be looking forward to The Force Awakens.
1. A New Hope
So this isn't the first attempt to return to the Star Wars universe on the big screen. Almost twenty years ago the first installment of the prequel trilogy hit our screens leaving the majority of fans with a sour taste in their mouths (You can read my article on the prequels here ). Since then, there have been a few attempts to return to the galaxy far far away between video games and animated series', but none captured the same essence that the original trilogy did. However, when Disney acquired the rights they took it upon themselves to bring the franchise back in full force (heh) by announcing not only a new trilogy of films, but also a variety of anthology films too. I believe that Disney is the new hope for Star Wars and it is evident from both the marketing and the reactions to the new film that the franchise has been placed in capable new hands (Sorry George).
2. Faces old and new
The cast of The Force Awakens is a combination of old and new cast members, making the connection to the original trilogy while also managing to establish itself in its own trilogy too. Returning faces include the likes of Harrison Ford, Carrie Fisher and Mark Hamill as Han Solo, Leia Organa and Luke Skywalker respectively, along with many other prominent figures from the original trilogy. Along with the Star Wars veterans, there are also new members joining the cast including Attack The Block star John Boyega, newcomer Daisy Ridley, Ex-Machina star Oscar Isaac and academy award winner Lupita Nyong'o. Max Von Sydow will also appear but as of now his role is unspecified. These, along with the new set of villains (who I'll get to next) will join with the older cast members to form an ensemble of epic proportions and immense talent.
3. Bad to the bone
Along with the previously mentioned cast members, a new array of villainous characters will make an appearance. After the collapse of the Galactic Empire in Jedi a new evil threatens the galaxy in the form of the sinister First Order led by Supreme Leader Snoke (Andy Serkis). It has been confirmed that Snoke will be motion captured and looking at Serkis' history with mo-cap he seems like the perfect choice, however Snokes appearance has been kept under wraps. One villain who has been dominating the marketing campaign however is the formidable Kylo Ren (played by Oscar Isacc's Inside Llewyn Davis co-star Adam Driver), a figure who is obsessed with the dark side of the force and the Sith. Ren's appearance is similar to that of Darth Vader and it is evident where he draws his inspiration from, let's just hope he gets more screen time than poor old Darth Maul. Other villains include stormtrooper Captain Phasma (Gwendoline Christie) and General Hux (Domhnall Gleeson). As the villains were one of the redeeming qualities of the prequels and judging by what we've seen so far of these villains, it's safe to say things won't be easy for our heroes this time round.
4. In Abrams we trust
A long time ago in a galaxy far far away we would have been delighted to have George Lucas back on board for a sequel trilogy, then the prequels happened and now some of us can't help but breathe a sigh of relief knowing that his involvement is minimal. The man taking the helm for this film is none other than J.J. Abrams and judging from his work on the Star Trek franchise, he is the perfect man for the job. Not only is Abrams a skilled writer and director, he is also good at keeping things under wraps which I think is important when it comes to such an anticipated project. He has managed to reveal little about the plot while building up a level of anticipation that I've never experienced with any film before. Along with that, he has stated that he will be taking the practical effects route, something the prequels severely lacked. Of course there will obviously be some CGI required but it won't be as excessive as it was in the prequels. I believe that Abrams is the perfect choice to bring Star Wars back to the big screen.
5. The initial reactions
Last night the world premiere for The Force Awakens took place in LA which means by now there are a small number of people who have seen the film. Thankfully they were sworn to refrain from putting up spoilers on social media so that those of us who haven't seen it can still wait in spoiler free anticipation. However, many celebrities have taken to twitter giving their spoiler free reactions, Rob Lowe called it "a movie that DELIVERS" while the likes of Patton Oswalt and Rainn Wilson praised Abrams' work. Judging by the initial reactions, the film will not disappoint and it looks as though we may get that long awaited follow up that we deserve.
So if that hasn't got you in the Star Wars spirit then I guess the only thing that will is the film itself when it hits theaters within the next couple of days. I think it's safe to say that this film will not disappoint, judging from it's cast, the numerous trailers and tv spots along with the initial reactions, The Force Awakens is looking out to be one of the biggest films of the year. Not only that but many believe that it could become one of the highest grossing films of all time. All will be revealed when Star Wars: the Force Awakens hits cinemas this Thursday!
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