This review covers the three-disc Blu-ray set.
THE SET-UP
A desert scavenger (Daisy Ridley) and a
rogue Stormtrooper (John Boyega) team up with Han Solo (Harrison
Ford) and Chewbacca (Peter Mayhew) to discover the whereabouts of the
missing Luke Skywalker (Mark Hamill). Also stars Carrie Fisher, Oscar
Isaac, Anthony Daniels, and Adam Driver.
rogue Stormtrooper (John Boyega) team up with Han Solo (Harrison
Ford) and Chewbacca (Peter Mayhew) to discover the whereabouts of the
missing Luke Skywalker (Mark Hamill). Also stars Carrie Fisher, Oscar
Isaac, Anthony Daniels, and Adam Driver.
Directed by J.J. Abrams.
THE DELIVERY
When Disney announced the greenlighting
of Episode VII after purchasing Lucasfilm, fan excitement was
tempered with the realization that the magic of the original trilogy
likely could not be recaptured. We had good reason to worry: not even
George Lucas himself could do it with the prequel trilogy. Even
though I generally like the prequels, even I admit that their flaws
ultimately do not put them in the same league as the original three.
I remember walking out of The Phantom Menace in 1999 feeling totally
underwhelmed, and I had a bad feeling going into Episode VII. And not
the good kind of bad feeling either.
of Episode VII after purchasing Lucasfilm, fan excitement was
tempered with the realization that the magic of the original trilogy
likely could not be recaptured. We had good reason to worry: not even
George Lucas himself could do it with the prequel trilogy. Even
though I generally like the prequels, even I admit that their flaws
ultimately do not put them in the same league as the original three.
I remember walking out of The Phantom Menace in 1999 feeling totally
underwhelmed, and I had a bad feeling going into Episode VII. And not
the good kind of bad feeling either.
Thank God, The Force Awakens was a
satisfying and immensely entertaining installment that revitalized
the iconic film series. My childhood remained unmolested and giddy
nostalgia for all things Star Wars swept the country and most of the
civilized world. Under the direction of J.J. Abrams, and with a
script co-authored by Lawrence Kasdan (who also wrote The Empire
Strikes Back, Return of the Jedi, and Raiders of the Lost Ark), The
Force Awakens strikes a familiar chord, while a new trio of heroes
handily sets the franchise in a bold and fresh direction.
satisfying and immensely entertaining installment that revitalized
the iconic film series. My childhood remained unmolested and giddy
nostalgia for all things Star Wars swept the country and most of the
civilized world. Under the direction of J.J. Abrams, and with a
script co-authored by Lawrence Kasdan (who also wrote The Empire
Strikes Back, Return of the Jedi, and Raiders of the Lost Ark), The
Force Awakens strikes a familiar chord, while a new trio of heroes
handily sets the franchise in a bold and fresh direction.
Indeed, the casting of Daisy Ridley,
John Boyega, and Oscar Isaac could have been easily dismissed by
cynics as multicultural, politically correct stunt-casting, but each
delivered fantastic performances that bode well for the series
moving forward. The casting of Daisy Ridley in particular was an
inspired choice, capturing both the vulnerability and strength needed
to make Rey an appealing heroine. Oscar Isaac (who had already
established himself as a gifted actor) is sorely underused as Poe
Dameron, and although John Boyega’s Finn can be a bit giddy at
times, his appeal as a leading man is hard to deny. Of course, anyone
who saw Attack The Block already knew that.
John Boyega, and Oscar Isaac could have been easily dismissed by
cynics as multicultural, politically correct stunt-casting, but each
delivered fantastic performances that bode well for the series
moving forward. The casting of Daisy Ridley in particular was an
inspired choice, capturing both the vulnerability and strength needed
to make Rey an appealing heroine. Oscar Isaac (who had already
established himself as a gifted actor) is sorely underused as Poe
Dameron, and although John Boyega’s Finn can be a bit giddy at
times, his appeal as a leading man is hard to deny. Of course, anyone
who saw Attack The Block already knew that.
The Force Awakens borrows quite
liberally from A New Hope, not just in character archetypes, but in
theme and structure. Settings look familiar, and even the use of a
Death Star-like superweapon as a plot point seems a bit too
convenient. Rather than drifting into lazy imitation, however, The
Force Awakens uses original trilogy parallels to satisfy fans’ need
for nostalgia and still set a new narrative direction.
liberally from A New Hope, not just in character archetypes, but in
theme and structure. Settings look familiar, and even the use of a
Death Star-like superweapon as a plot point seems a bit too
convenient. Rather than drifting into lazy imitation, however, The
Force Awakens uses original trilogy parallels to satisfy fans’ need
for nostalgia and still set a new narrative direction.
It was a bit of a risk not to reunite
the original cast on-screen for a final adventure, but the choice had
a distinct purpose. As Abrams himself says in the making-of
documentary included on the disc, The Force Awakens was never meant
to be the story of Luke, Han, and Leia, but rather to introduce a new
generation of heroes taking up the struggle. The film wonderfully
ushers in these new characters with the help of Han Solo and
Chewbacca, who serve as a welcome bridge connecting the new and old.
With a wink and a nod, Harrison Ford easily slips back into the role
that made him a star, and it is a fantastic performance.
the original cast on-screen for a final adventure, but the choice had
a distinct purpose. As Abrams himself says in the making-of
documentary included on the disc, The Force Awakens was never meant
to be the story of Luke, Han, and Leia, but rather to introduce a new
generation of heroes taking up the struggle. The film wonderfully
ushers in these new characters with the help of Han Solo and
Chewbacca, who serve as a welcome bridge connecting the new and old.
With a wink and a nod, Harrison Ford easily slips back into the role
that made him a star, and it is a fantastic performance.
Screenwriters Kasdan, Abrams, and
Michael Arndt provide a story that moves along quickly, without being
mired in trade federation negotiations or sappy love stories (save a
wonderfully touching moment with Ford and Fisher). The dialogue
crackles with energy and snappy lines abound, that serve Ford in
particular rather well. On the directing side, Abrams understands the
gravity this story and these characters carry, and each gets the
iconic moment they deserve. The return of Han and Chewie onto the
Millennium Falcon will give you chills, even if you had already seen
it in the trailer. I’ve been a fan of Abrams since the first
episode of Alias, and Star Wars could not have found a more capable
director to give it a second life.
Michael Arndt provide a story that moves along quickly, without being
mired in trade federation negotiations or sappy love stories (save a
wonderfully touching moment with Ford and Fisher). The dialogue
crackles with energy and snappy lines abound, that serve Ford in
particular rather well. On the directing side, Abrams understands the
gravity this story and these characters carry, and each gets the
iconic moment they deserve. The return of Han and Chewie onto the
Millennium Falcon will give you chills, even if you had already seen
it in the trailer. I’ve been a fan of Abrams since the first
episode of Alias, and Star Wars could not have found a more capable
director to give it a second life.
Abrams and company managed to do what
most of us thought was unachievable: a Star Wars film that met, and
even exceeded, the expectations of rabid fans. Some may nitpick
specific elements of the film, but doing so only makes one sound like
a Trekkie, and no one really wants that. It is best just to
appreciate just how much fun The Force Awakens is. And isn’t that
what won us over with these films in the first place?
most of us thought was unachievable: a Star Wars film that met, and
even exceeded, the expectations of rabid fans. Some may nitpick
specific elements of the film, but doing so only makes one sound like
a Trekkie, and no one really wants that. It is best just to
appreciate just how much fun The Force Awakens is. And isn’t that
what won us over with these films in the first place?
VIDEO AND AUDIO
Knowing that The Force Awakens was shot
on actual film stock, as opposed to digital, I expected the video
transfer to show at least some film grain, especially in the many
darker settings featured in the film. Surprisingly, the image shows
little grain, and the color reproduction and detail is nothing short
of superb. In a word, the film looks beautiful.
on actual film stock, as opposed to digital, I expected the video
transfer to show at least some film grain, especially in the many
darker settings featured in the film. Surprisingly, the image shows
little grain, and the color reproduction and detail is nothing short
of superb. In a word, the film looks beautiful.
The 7.1 DTS-HDMA soundtrack is active
and robust throughout the channels, exhibiting nice balance between
dialogue and sound effects. Having seen the film in a theater, I
found the sound mix subdued John Williams’ score a bit, but in my
home theater, it gets a proper boost to the forefront, and it sounds
fantastic.
and robust throughout the channels, exhibiting nice balance between
dialogue and sound effects. Having seen the film in a theater, I
found the sound mix subdued John Williams’ score a bit, but in my
home theater, it gets a proper boost to the forefront, and it sounds
fantastic.
SPECIAL FEATURES
In the three-disc Blu-ray set, there
are no extras on disc 1, which includes the film only. All of the
special features are included on disc two, and there’s plenty to
see. Although this isn’t the “emptying of the archives” some
hard-core fans would have liked to see, what we do get provides the
insight into the making of the film we had all hoped for. While most
featurettes included on Blu-rays these days are mere promotional
fluff, the ones included on the Force Awakens set are crafted with
the fan in mind, and include some solid content.
are no extras on disc 1, which includes the film only. All of the
special features are included on disc two, and there’s plenty to
see. Although this isn’t the “emptying of the archives” some
hard-core fans would have liked to see, what we do get provides the
insight into the making of the film we had all hoped for. While most
featurettes included on Blu-rays these days are mere promotional
fluff, the ones included on the Force Awakens set are crafted with
the fan in mind, and include some solid content.
The special features on the disc are as
follows:
follows:
“Secrets of The Force Awakens: A
Cinematic Journey” documentary. This hour-plus look at the making
of the film is the highlight of the extras. It’s absolutely
fantastic, delving into all of the key scenes and answering the
myriad of questions fans have wanted answered since the film opened.
And yes, THAT scene is discussed by all involved, and we even get to
see footage from the soundstage of the scene being shot. As far as
the rest of the documentary, all of the major cast and crew members
provide interviews and satisfying insight into the film. The
documentary is viewable as a whole, or by any of four chapters, which
cover various aspects of the film’s production. Running time: 69
minutes.
Cinematic Journey” documentary. This hour-plus look at the making
of the film is the highlight of the extras. It’s absolutely
fantastic, delving into all of the key scenes and answering the
myriad of questions fans have wanted answered since the film opened.
And yes, THAT scene is discussed by all involved, and we even get to
see footage from the soundstage of the scene being shot. As far as
the rest of the documentary, all of the major cast and crew members
provide interviews and satisfying insight into the film. The
documentary is viewable as a whole, or by any of four chapters, which
cover various aspects of the film’s production. Running time: 69
minutes.
“The Story Awakens: The Table Read”
featurette. The first read-through of the script by the assembled
cast is featured here, and the only drawback is it isn’t longer.
Fun fact: Mark Hamill was asked to read the non-dialogue portions of
the script, a duty usually left to the director. I personally would
have loved to hear the entire read, with Hamill narrating everything.
Running time: Four minutes.
featurette. The first read-through of the script by the assembled
cast is featured here, and the only drawback is it isn’t longer.
Fun fact: Mark Hamill was asked to read the non-dialogue portions of
the script, a duty usually left to the director. I personally would
have loved to hear the entire read, with Hamill narrating everything.
Running time: Four minutes.
“Crafting Creatures” featurette.
Over 100 aliens were created for The Force Awakens, and this
featurette provides a look at how the creature effects department
brought them to life, both practically and digitally. Some old
favorites, including the Power Droid, Nien Numb (once again portrayed
by the great Mike Quinn), and Admiral Ackbar are featured. Warwick
Davis also appears, showing off his new character, and Peter Mayhew
and his alter-ego Chewbacca get some love as well. Running time:
9:34.
Over 100 aliens were created for The Force Awakens, and this
featurette provides a look at how the creature effects department
brought them to life, both practically and digitally. Some old
favorites, including the Power Droid, Nien Numb (once again portrayed
by the great Mike Quinn), and Admiral Ackbar are featured. Warwick
Davis also appears, showing off his new character, and Peter Mayhew
and his alter-ego Chewbacca get some love as well. Running time:
9:34.
“Building BB-8” featurette. Since
his first appearance in the teaser trailer for The Force Awakens,
BB-8 has become a scene-stealing, fan-favorite character. How his
appearance in the film was achieved is the focus of this featurette,
including a look at how the various models of the droid were built.
Running time: 6:03
his first appearance in the teaser trailer for The Force Awakens,
BB-8 has become a scene-stealing, fan-favorite character. How his
appearance in the film was achieved is the focus of this featurette,
including a look at how the various models of the droid were built.
Running time: 6:03
“Blueprint of a Battle: The Snow
Fight” featurette. The filming of the climactic battle is featured
here, with both Daisy Ridley and Adam Driver discussing how they
prepared for it. Running time: 7:02.
Fight” featurette. The filming of the climactic battle is featured
here, with both Daisy Ridley and Adam Driver discussing how they
prepared for it. Running time: 7:02.
“ILM: The Visual Magic of the Force”
featurette. The efforts of Industrial Light and Magic to create the
practical and digital effects of The Force Awakens are explored. The
creation of two key CGI characters, Maz Kanata and Supreme Leader
Snoke, are shown. Running time: 7:55
featurette. The efforts of Industrial Light and Magic to create the
practical and digital effects of The Force Awakens are explored. The
creation of two key CGI characters, Maz Kanata and Supreme Leader
Snoke, are shown. Running time: 7:55
“John Williams: The Seventh Symphony”
featurette. The genius behind the iconic soundtrack discusses his
approach to the new film. He even touches upon the specific new
themes he composed, including Rey’s theme and the “Jedi Steps”
theme that closes the film. Fantastic stuff to take in. Running time:
6:51.
featurette. The genius behind the iconic soundtrack discusses his
approach to the new film. He even touches upon the specific new
themes he composed, including Rey’s theme and the “Jedi Steps”
theme that closes the film. Fantastic stuff to take in. Running time:
6:51.
Deleted Scenes. Scenes include: “Finn
and the Villager,” “Jakku Message,” “X-Wings Prepare for
Lightspeed,” “Kylo Searches the Falcon,” “Snow Speeder
Chase,” and “Finn Will Be Fine.” The value of watching deleted
scenes are debatable, but in the case of The Force Awakens, we get a
few gems, including a discarded snow speeder chase scene and Kylo Ren
searching the crashed Millennium Falcon. Running time: 4:15.
and the Villager,” “Jakku Message,” “X-Wings Prepare for
Lightspeed,” “Kylo Searches the Falcon,” “Snow Speeder
Chase,” and “Finn Will Be Fine.” The value of watching deleted
scenes are debatable, but in the case of The Force Awakens, we get a
few gems, including a discarded snow speeder chase scene and Kylo Ren
searching the crashed Millennium Falcon. Running time: 4:15.
“Force for Change” featurette.
Kathleen Kennedy discusses the charitable initiative launched by the
film, and the various causes it supported are featured. Running time:
3:22.
Kathleen Kennedy discusses the charitable initiative launched by the
film, and the various causes it supported are featured. Running time:
3:22.
THE BOTTOM LINE: The Force Awakens
delivers on all levels
delivers on all levels
The Force Awakens delivers a riveting
new direction for the Star Wars saga, served with a healthy dose of
nostalgia to boot. J.J. Abrams does a masterful job recapturing the
look and feel of the Star Wars universe, and fantastic performances
by a trio of newcomers, supported by some familiar faces, make this
new installment of the film franchise a winner.
new direction for the Star Wars saga, served with a healthy dose of
nostalgia to boot. J.J. Abrams does a masterful job recapturing the
look and feel of the Star Wars universe, and fantastic performances
by a trio of newcomers, supported by some familiar faces, make this
new installment of the film franchise a winner.
BLU-RAY SPECS
Release Date: April 1 (Digital HD),
April 5 (Blu-ray/DVD), 2016
April 5 (Blu-ray/DVD), 2016
Running Time: 136 minutes
Rating: PG-13
Aspect Ratio: 2.40:1
Audio: English 7.1 DTS-HD Master Audio,
English 2.0 Descriptive Audio, French 5.1 Dolby Digital, Spanish 5.1
Dolby Digital
English 2.0 Descriptive Audio, French 5.1 Dolby Digital, Spanish 5.1
Dolby Digital
Subtitles: English for the Hearing
Impaired, French, Spanish, Portuguese (Special Features only)
Impaired, French, Spanish, Portuguese (Special Features only)
Special Features: “Secrets of The
Force Awakens: A Cinematic Journey” documentary, “The Story
Awakens: The Table Read” featurette, “Crafting Creatures”
featurette, “Building BB-8” featurette, “Blueprint of a Battle:
The Snow Fight” featurette, “ILM: The Visual Magic of the Force”
featurette, “John Williams: The Seventh Symphony” featurette,
Deleted Scenes, “Force for Change” featurette.
Force Awakens: A Cinematic Journey” documentary, “The Story
Awakens: The Table Read” featurette, “Crafting Creatures”
featurette, “Building BB-8” featurette, “Blueprint of a Battle:
The Snow Fight” featurette, “ILM: The Visual Magic of the Force”
featurette, “John Williams: The Seventh Symphony” featurette,
Deleted Scenes, “Force for Change” featurette.
Label: Lucasfilm/Walt Disney Home
Entertainment
Entertainment