Star Wars Speculation: The Smuggler

It's been awhile since my last Star Wars Speculation, but I figured I needed to whip something together for this week's release of Solo: A Star Wars Story. After thinking it over, I decided to make this post the first in a three-part series. The series of posts will highlight each member of the Original Trilogy's protagonist trio and be titled The Smuggler, The Princess, and The Jedi Knight respectively. Naturally, I figured Solo would be a good starting point. It's also worth noting that I'll be incorporating a brief discussion of each character's latest tie-in novel for my analysis (Last Shot, Leia: Princess of Alderaan, and The Legend of Luke Skywalker) and I've reached out to my Twitter followers asking for their thoughts on these characters so I'll highlight their responses at the beginning of each post.

Twitter Responses

So, same as last time, if you wouldn’t mind answering these two questions, it would be greatly appreciated and your response may even be featured in my post!
WHO is the character of Han Solo to YOU? &
WHAT does the character of Han Solo mean to YOU? pic.twitter.com/nJufgz2CID

— David Weiser (@weiser_david) May 22, 2018

1) Han Solo was more than just a good smuggler and a crack shot. He was always one step ahead of the Empire. His sarcastic and cocky manner made him feel more real and relatable. Hero isn’t the word you would associate with someone like him,yet you find yourself more drawn to him

— Kara Byrne (@Kara_Byrne_) May 23, 2018

2) He’s charming and compelling. He’s the comical character yet comes across as the heroic figure. His sense of adventure is something everyone can relate to especially me, and anyone who’s best friends with a Wookiee, is awesome in my books.

— Kara Byrne (@Kara_Byrne_) May 23, 2018

1. To me Han is the real reluctant hero of the original trilogy. I mean, Luke’s hero’s journey is cool and all, but Han has always felt like the real beating heart of the story, the every man dragged out of his comfort zone.

— Beck Bros (@beck_bros) May 22, 2018

2. Han was the first “movie scoundrel” I ever got attached to, so for me, he was an example of how “flawed” characters are always the most compelling. I connected a lot with him, which might say something. Lol

— Beck Bros (@beck_bros) May 22, 2018

Han Solo to me is the smuggler who became a hero. A hero who became a legend just as his friends. He the best friend who can you get into trouble with and Get you out. His the greatest pilot in the galaxy, with the coolest ship ever.

— Kieran Bennett (@KieranMBennett) May 22, 2018

To me he means a man trying to do the right thing even if he know it’s not going to go well. When he tried to reach out to his son, Liea said your his farther, Luke is a Jedi. He knew he wasn’t going to end well but he never gave up.

— Kieran Bennett (@KieranMBennett) May 22, 2018

Solo: The Smuggler 

Han Solo can best be described as a scoundrel with a heart of gold. Over the characters' 41 year history, that much has remained constant. When we first meet him in the Mos Eisley Cantina, he's boastful, confident, and dubious that an all-powerful force could control his destiny. Han gets by on dumb luck, putting his faith into reckless action because it's proven successful more often than not. Why try anything else if you're good with a blaster and captain of the fastest ship in the galaxy? Han's the kind of guy that will try and talk his way out of a hairy situation till there's no other choice but to blast the problem away. Once there's no other alternative, he shoots first and asks questions later. 

Compounding his roguish behavior, Han Solo always looks out for himself first, his loyal Wookie companion second, and that's it. He couldn't possibly muster the motivation to care about anything else at this point. Han is initially driven by a selfish desire to save his own neck. He only agrees to help Obi Wan and Luke because the reward could prove useful in paying off Jabba the Hutt and getting the slug off his back. He's not a hero, not yet at least... However, Luke's virtue and worldview rubs off on him a bit as he slowly becomes more interested in helping others and begins to sees the galaxy through a different lens. He swoops in to save Luke at the end of A New Hope not for glory or more financial reward, but because he knows he's able to help a friend and now has a desire to do his part in the larger Rebellion.

Solo: The Scoundrel

Han had numerous chances to take the money, leave, and never return, but he's still around three years later when the Rebellion's holed up on Hoth. The problem is that he's scared of commitment and isn't quite sure he can admit to himself that he actually has a desire to stay. He claims to want to settle his debt with Jabba, but persistently sticks around to help out his friends. Just look to the first thirty minutes in which he journeys out into the planet's frozen wasteland to find Luke or later when he takes Leia and C-3PO with him and Chewie in the evacuation of Hoth. He doesn't leave anyone high and dry at this point because he's grown to care about these newfound friend of his. 

He clearly stuck around because of his feelings for Leia, and despite her harsh rejection, Han does everything in his power to ensure she reaches the Rebellion's rendezvous point safely. Along the way, Han charms the princess with his wits and willingness to protect her. He pulls all the tricks up his sleeve and slyly avoids the Empire by flying straight into an asteroid field, hiding in a cave (which turns out to be a space worm they must subsequently escape from), and then attaches the Falcon to a Star Destroyer before stealthily drifting away with the garbage en route to Cloud City.

On Cloud City, the group is met by an old buddy of Han's, Lando Calrissian, who turns them over to the Empire almost immediately for Han to be frozen in carbonite and delivered to Jabba the Hutt. It's interesting that Lando is a foil of Han as they both are charming rogues initially in it for themselves. Introducing Lando as a traitor only further shows how much Han's grown since we were introduced to him in that wretched hive of scum and villainy. Where Lando betrayed the Rebels for his vested interest in his mining operation, Han did everything he could to keep them safe.

And I believe that's why Leia fell for Han in the end. She realized there was a good man underneath the stuck-up, half-witted, scruffy-looking nerf herder exterior. Sure, Han's roguish charm probably played a factor as well, but I'd like to believe it was primarily because Leia uncovered his heart of gold and saw Han for who he really was. Too bad it had to happen right before he was frozen in carbonite and carted away for delivery to a slimy space gangster.

Solo: The Hero

Next time we see Solo, he's the one being rescued thanks to some harebrained scheme cooked up by Luke Skywalker. Once unfrozen by Leia, Han's shown to be suffering from carbonite hibernation sickness. In these moments we see Han, the cockiest man in the galaxy, in a state of unease and confusion and it's very telling that Leia's presence calms his nerves a bit. Of course he's soon captured once again by Jabba and his crew and taken to the Sarlacc pit along with Luke and Chewbacca, only for Skywalker to somehow pull off an insane escape by defeating the pirates and bounty hunters on Jabba's payroll and destroying Jabba's sail barge. The heroes ride off into the twin sunset.

But that's not all... The Rebels rendezvous to coordinate an assault on a second Death Star where Han volunteers to lead a ground assault on the shield generator protecting the superweapon. Here, we're shown that Han finally feels comfortable committing himself to the cause. He takes the mantle of leadership proudly and is willing to do whatever it takes to help the Rebels win this fight. The Rebellion is of course victorious and Han lives happily ever after with Leia. The End. Just kidding!! There's subsequently thirty years of vaguely explored history for me to tackle!

Solo: Husband and Father

One of the most fascinating elements of the sequel trilogy and subsequent new canon material is how they enables us to view these treasured heroes through a different lens. There were many things that were alluded to in The Force Awakens, but the nitty-gritty details are fleshed out in expanding multimedia arena of novels, comic books, and video games. I've detailed the more commonly known background of Han Solo, but I felt his feelings on parenthood were well-worth diving into as well because of how it further defines him as a character.

For instance, readers are treated to a glimpse of Han and Leia's early life together after the Battle of Endor in the novel Last Shot. Other canon material had already confirmed that Han and Leia soon married and Ben Solo was born a year later, but Last Shot offers an exploration of what Han was like as a parent. Ben Solo is two years old as of the events detailed in Last Shot, and it's revealed that Han was pretty uncomfortable about being a father because he was scared he might screw the whole thing up. He's shown to be apprehensive about how the entire ordeal and relieved to have an excuse to escape it all for awhile when Lando arrives on his doorstep asking for help at the start of the book.

Both Han and Leia wound up busy in later years so Ben was sent off to train with Luke as a result. We know from Bloodline that Han and Leia never told Ben the truth about his grandfather, and Leia's heritage is soon discovered and revealed to the galaxy. Since Ben and Luke were rarely ever able to be contacted, Leia wrote Ben a letter to try and explain the situation to him. However, I imagine Ben found out elsewhere and was subsequently seduced by the Dark Side only to completely turn to Kylo Ren when Luke tried to confront him and only made things worse (as depicted in The Last Jedi). The public revelation that Leia's related to Darth Vader happens approximately six years before the events of The Force Awakens and we know based on dialogue that Han is racing star fighters at this point in time, so I believe Han went back to smuggling alongside Chewbacca shortly after Ben turned to the Dark Side. 

I believe it happened at this particular breaking point because Han tells Leia, "We both had to deal with it in our own way. I went back to the only thing I was ever any good at." when they discuss redeeming Ben. Leia responds that they both did. Based on this dialogue exchange and information gleaned in Bloodline, I presume they both went their separate ways when they got news of what had happened to Ben. Around this point in time, Leia was practically shut out of the New Republic Senate because of her lineage. Meanwhile, she had just discovered hints of the First Order so she began to form the Resistance as an independent military force in hopes of countering any threats from remnants of the Empire. On the flip side, I believe Han resigned himself to smuggling because of his guilt.

I think Han feels partially responsible for everything that happened with Ben because he believes deep-inside that he messed it all up as a neglectful parent or something along those lines. Therefore, he went right back into the criminal underworld because he didn't know what else to possibly do. Then, in The Force Awakens, it seems to me that Han sees Rey as a surrogate daughter just as she views him to be a surrogate father because they share various skills and character traits. I think some part of him thought he reconcile his guilt by helping out Rey and giving her a place in the galaxy working alongside him and Chewie instead of waiting on Jakku for parents that would never return. 

I think this also contributed to his motivation to go to Starkiller Base towards the end because he probably thought he could help rescue Rey from First Order and have a chance at redeeming Ben's soul in one fell swoop. On that note, it's also very telling to me that he didn't confront Kylo Ren when he first saw him on Takodana. While there probably wasn't much he could have done aside from yell "Ben!" as he does later on, I think it echoes his fear of being a parent that I mentioned earlier. The difference being that he's more likely scared he'll make things worse somehow. Confronting his son and failing would mean he'd accept full responsibility for putting him down a darker path. I'm not sure Han wanted to add anything to his burden of guilt considering he already feels like he's failed as a father.

In the end, Han may not have been the best at settling down and starting a family, but his final act is irrefutably one fueled by love and devotion to his wife and son. The man who was once one of the most selfish in the galaxy commits to a purely selfless act to redeem his son. Han wants Ben back for Leia's sake, as well as his own, because neither could bear to think what had become of their son. So Han confronts his son and offers to help free him of his pain before being met with a lightsaber through the chest. As Solo begins to fall, he reaches out and touches his son's face one last time before falling to his death. Even while dying at the hands of his son, Solo still offers one last loving gesture towards Ben, which perhaps reveals more about Han as a father than anything else. Devoted till the bitter end. 

Conclusion

As of right now, I think that's about all I can say about the beloved smuggler, but we're sure to learn much more of the character's history later this week in Solo: A Star Wars Story. Seeing as I'd like to publish this post before then, I can't speak for that part of Han's life quite yet, but I'm excited to break it down in future online discussions!

-As always, thanks for reading and May the Force be with you!!

Star Wars Speculation: The Star Wars Saga Ranked

Welcome, everyone! It's now been a little over a week since the release of Star Wars: The Last Jedi and I've now seen the film four times, so I feel confident enough to share my ranking of the Star Wars Saga. First of all, I'd like to remind people this is my ranking of the Star Wars, so the likelihood it won't match yours is very high. I'd also like to preface this by saying that MOST of these are ranked by a NARROW margin, but at the bottom of the list there's a pretty wide separation between the 8th and 7th slots. I rewatched all of Star Wars chronological canon (including The Clone Wars and Rebels) in the months leading up to The Last Jedi, so I'm quite confident that this is how I feel on the matter. For those curious, click on the blue title text will take you to my reviews of the subsequent films. I'm sure this will be controversial for whatever reason, but it's my honest opinion... So without further ado, here we go!!

The Star Wars Saga Ranked 

9. Star Wars Episode I: The Phantom Menace

There are really only a few redeeming aspects to The Phantom Menace... The pod-racing and battle droids are cool, the Duel of the Fates is epic, and Qui Gon and Darth Maul are great additions to the Saga. Other than that, it's the Star Wars with the most Jar Jar, child Anakin, and is most bogged down in intergalactic politics.

8. Star Wars Episode II: Attack Of The Clones

Attack of the Clones does admittedly have an awful romance, but I grew up with the Prequels and quite enjoy all the action on Coruscant, Kamino, and Geonosis. Jango Fett's an awesome addition, the introduction of the Clone army is handled well, there's less Jar Jar, and the seeds are sewn for Anakin's fall to the Dark side.

7. Rogue One: A Star Wars Story

This will probably be one of the more controversial choices on my list. For whatever reason, I know a lot of people who think Rogue One is the best Star Wars film by far... and I've never understood that. I do especially like K-2SO, the third act battle on and above Scarif, Vader's hallway scene, Gareth Edward's sense of scale throughout, how it feels like a "war" film, and that it adds greater weight to the events of A New Hope. However, the first two acts can be quite boring on rewatch, there's a lack of real characterization and subsequent character depth, the CG-Tarkin and Leia aren't quite where they needed to be, and there's some really strange stuff involving Saw Gerrera.

6. Star Wars Episode III: Revenge Of The Sith

I think Revenge of the Sith gets a bad wrap because it's embroiled in the controversy of the Prequel Trilogy, but hear me out before you click away... Hayden Christensen's acting abilities are greatly improved in this installment and I think the fall of Anakin played out perfectly. The final lightsaber duel on Mustafar is epic and emotional, Order 66 is handled exceptionally well, General Grievous is still an awesome villain in my book, Ian McDiarmid and Ewan McGregor shine as Palpatine and Obi-Wan, and the film contains some truly terrific works from John Williams. That's not even mentioning the battles of Coruscant, Kashyyyk, and Utapau. Sure, some dialogue is horrendous and Lucas' direction isn't up to par with the Original Trilogy... but very few elements of the Prequel Trilogy lived up to those three films... Otherwise, Revenge of the Sith is a solid film and perhaps the most underrated in all of Star Wars.

5. Star Wars

Every moment of the original Star Wars is infinitely iconic. There's no disputing that. It started it all, and for that, I'm incredibly appreciative. Most of the effects hold up to this day, it has one of the greatest film scores of all time, and it tells the classic heroes journey exceptionally well. This is the place where there's a significant gap in my rankings and I love every film from this point-on almost equally. It's not that I dislike Star Wars enough to place it this low, it's more the fact that I appreciate the others marginally more that I ranked them higher.

4. Star Wars: Return Of The Jedi

Have I mentioned how much I LOVED Return of the Jedi growing up? It was probably my favorite one of the bunch as a child because it had all the shenanigans at Jabba's Palace, EWOKS, the ever-amazing Battle of Endor, and the fantastic final confrontation between Luke and Vader. That duel remains one of my favorites, not only because of awesome execution but the internal conflict for both parties. Plus, the redemption of Darth Vader and eventual unmasking remain among my favorite moments in the Saga. And did I mention how cool Jedi Luke is? 

3. Star Wars: The Force Awakens

Say what you will about The Force Awakens, but it's the film I had been waiting for since first finishing Return of the Jedi. I realize I wasn't around for the glory days of Star Wars, but the wait felt long nevertheless, and I doubt there will ever truly be a film I eagerly anticipate nearly on the same level of The Force Awakens. It was the righteous return of Star Wars that passed the torch down to a new generation, blending old and new elements to successfully revitalize the franchise. I love everything about it, and no one can convince me otherwise. 

2. Star Wars: The Empire Strikes Back

The Empire Strikes Back is THE quintessential sequel. It's the middle chapter where evil triumphs, and ends after one of the most memorable and unforeseen cinematic plot twists of all time. It's a sequel that's not just concerned about pitting audiences in the action, but one that spends some quality time with its characters while really putting them through the wringer. It has countless classic moments and heaps of quotable dialogue that I still hear recited today. 

1. Star Wars: The Last Jedi

I already know this will be the choice that I'll have to defend for quite some time, but I firmly stand behind it... I can't help but respect Rian Johnson for upheaving Star Wars' traditional story structure in order to allow the franchise to evolve. Johnson takes risks left and right in the vein of George Lucas, and I felt that it all paid off tremendously well. Everything that happens is unexpected because it's unlike anything I've ever seen from a Star Wars movie before, yet it feels like the only possible way for the story to continue. It not only has the most unique narrative in the saga, but contains some of the coolest action sequences and moments as well, and each of them has stuck with me to this very day. I know Star Wars fans are already bitterly divided on this one, but I still feel that that's because they're not willing to accept such bold changes in a franchise they revere so much. Just let go and learn to appreciate the awesomeness.

-So that's all I have for you today... As always, May the Force be with you!

'Star Wars: The Force Awakens' Spoiler Discussion Review

I've waited to write this post to give people time to go see Star Wars: The Force Awakens. I felt like in my non-spoiler review I was really restricted to what could discuss thus I decided to do a spoiler discussion review as a little bonus content to my non spoiler review. If you haven't seen the film head on over and read my non spoiler review Star Wars Episode VII: The Force Awakens. So be forewarned this post will be filled with spoilers. So from this point onward there will be huge spoilers ahead as I discuss the huge spoiler heavy moments in the film. 

*******There will be Spoilers from this point on*******

If you're still reading along, then you will have most likely seen Star Wars: The Force Awakens. My first point of discussion will be Kylo Ren. We learn he is the son of Han Solo and Leia Organa. I wasn't too blown away to learn he was their son because I really suspected that he would be a Skywalker, given his obsession with Vader and the fact he's a force user. I thought that his parentage really added to his character filling it with layers and made him a very compelling villain.

Now the second huge spoiler point, the death of Han Solo. Many will complain that Han Solo died but I accepted it because it services the story and the character of Kylo Ren. When this scene took place and Han decided to speak with his son and try to convince him  to go back to the light side I was at the edge of my seat but must admit the death was slightly predictable. When Han screamed "Ben!" at Kylo Ren it clicked in my head instantly that Kylo Ren was named after Obi Wan Kenobi and his real name is Ben Solo. I found this to be somewhat ironic that he was named after one of the most powerful and lightest of the Jedi and fell to darkness. I also liked that Han's death somewhat mirrored Obi Wan's in Star Wars and I loved how Chewbacca reacted shooting Kylo Ren immediately and then blowing the charges he and Han had laid. I thought for a few minutes that Chewbacca had just sacrificed himself and that both he and Han died in the film and was shocked. I was very relieved to see that Chewie survived though.

My third point will be the character of Rey and some of the misdirection in the film's marketing. Now it turns out Rey is the force sensitive character for this new trilogy and will be a Jedi and not Finn, as the marketing lead many to believe since he wielded Anakin/Luke's lightsaber. I thought this was a brilliant move and liked that the marketing allowed this  reveal to be saved for the film. I liked how she felt drawn to Anakin's saber, and when she touches its a series of flashbacks/flash forwards are shown filled with plenty to discuss.

Based on these it seems to show Kylo Ren and the Knights of Ren murdering the Jedi, Luke possibly putting R2D2 into low power mode, and Rey being dropped off on Jakku. There are also several voiceovers including one from Alec Guinness saying "Rey" and Ewan Mc Gregor saying "These are your first steps." so it included both actors who had portrayed Obi Wan in an interesting way. This was the beginning of her journey into the force and I liked seeing her explore that power.

I thought it was hilarious when she used a Jedi mind trick on a Stormtrooper the way it was handled for the film and thought she was an awesome character.

The moment during the lightsaber duel when she pulls the saber to herself with the force was incredible. I got chills when it flew past Kylo Ren when Kylo Ren is trying to bring the saber to himself with the force and Rey grips the saber ready to take him on. And then the saber fight ensues which was one of my favorite moments of the film and one of my favorite lightsaber duels of the entire saga. I will discuss her further in my next and final point.

Now, Luke. I couldn't really talk about Luke at all in my non-spoiler review. So the reason Luke was absent from the film's marketing is that he is almost completely absent from the film. The film's opening crawl reveals that Luke has vanished and we learn throughout the reasoning behind to an extent. Luke after Return Of The Jedi tried to train a new generation of Jedi but Ben Solo turned against him after he was seduced to the dark side and became Kylo Ren.

As far as we know, Kylo Ren killed all of these new Jedi and Luke felt responsible so he went into hiding supposedly in search of the first Jedi temple. Luke left a map to his location and a piece of the map functions as the Macguffin for the film.  This drove the whole plot throughout the film as everyone like the audience wants to find Luke. BB-8 is given a piece of the map by Poe Dameron in the beginning of the film and must get it to the Resistance where we learn it's only a piece and they need the remaining portion. R2D2 had gone into low power mode after Luke left, likely because he missed Luke, and he exits this mode towards the end and provides the remainder of the map. Rey, Chewie, and R2D2 then all head to the planet.

They arrive and Rey walks up several steps to find a hooded figure. The figure turns around and it is indeed Luke Skywalker, now bearded with a new robotic hand and wearing Jedi master garb. Rey holds out his lightsaber to him and the film ends. I thought this was a crazy cliffhanger ending for the film and can't wait to see Episode VIII.

Now I will be entering the speculation portion of my discussion as I share my theories for what could happen in this trilogy (not necessarily Episode VIII). So first off, I think Rey will be revealed to be Luke's daughter and the next film will show Luke training her similar to Yoda training Luke in The Empire Strikes Back. I think we will also see Kylo Ren being trained by Snoke and the two will likely have another confrontation with both more powerful. I can't wait to see it. I came out of the film and Kylo Ren and Rey are my two favorite of the new characters and I think it's interesting to think it's very likely they may be revealed to be cousins.

That will be the conclusion of my first spoiler discussion for a film and I may continue this for any other films that have huge spoilers that prevent me from discussing too much in my regular review. I made sure to touch on the biggest spoiler parts of the film and the ones I had something to share my thoughts on. Once again this is a great film and I loved it. I watched in IMAX on Monday for a second viewing and the IMAX is totally worth it. I can't wait to watch it again! 

'Star Wars: The Force Awakens' Review

It's finally here, the seventh installment in the Star Wars franchise. Ever since I was a child and finished watching Return Of The Jedi for the first time I distinctly remember asking my father if there would ever be a Star Wars Episode VII and I remember being disappointed to find out that it was very unlikely, but I always had a small glimmer of hope that it would happen. Now, this was just the beginning of my obsession with Star Wars (Yes, I am indeed admitting I'm a HUGE Star Wars fan) as I had just completed the Original Trilogy and soon would see each of the Prequels as they rolled into theaters. I remember how bittersweet it was watching Revenge Of The Sith in theaters for the first time worried that it would be the last Star Wars movie ever made.

Life moved on of course, and I distinctly remember two years ago coming out of a rehearsal and scrolling through Facebook to learn that Disney had acquired Lucasfilm for 4 billion dollars and had plans to continue the saga. Since that moment, I've remained vigilant, keeping my eyes peeled for any news regarding the film and counting down the days till release. I remember the announcement J.J. Abrams would be directing, any rumors spiraling around on the internet, and all casting announcements (and my immediate research of who these new actors were that would be joining the franchise). I was at home waiting for the moment all of the trailers were released at the edge of my seat ready to watch them and being fascinated by each one. I went out on the night of Force Friday and purchased a bit of the first wave of merchandise for the film and even watched a live stream of the Star Wars: The Force Awakens panel at both Star Wars Celebration and San Diego Comic-Con, and on Monday watched a live stream of the Star Wars: The Force Awakens red carpet. I bought tickets to see a marathon of all seven films the moment it was available after about an hour of refreshing due to ticket website's crashing.

Now if that doesn't tell you how big of a fan I am, and how much I've awaited this film, I don't know what will. I'm sharing my life experience with Star Wars in this review for a few reasons. One, it helps to convey just how much anticipation has built up within me for this film, and two, this is a film reviewer's blog, and I think sharing some of my past experience only adds to the review.

'Star Wars Episode VII: The Force Awakens' Review

Nominated For: Best Film Editing, Best Original Score, Best Sound Editing, Best Sound Mixing, and Best Visual Effects.

Star Wars is back! Star Wars: The Force Awakens captivated me from the opening crawl text to its cliffhanger ending. I had a reaction to every event that unfolded onscreen. Whether it be a grin from ear to ear, my jaw unhinged from my face, or tears (both tears of sadness and joy). Honestly, I was hit with a massive wave of emotions when the opening crawl text came onscreen and cried tears of joy. I wasn't quite expecting that to be my reaction to the text, but I think it was the principle that I saw the opening to Episode VII for real. 

J.J. Abrams did a phenomenal job not only revisiting the franchise after 30 years with the original cast and paying homage to the Original Trilogy but also injecting fresh elements into the film as well. J.J. brings the films back to the place it was 30 years ago with practical effects and location shooting that immerses you inside that galaxy far, far away. CGI is only used when absolutely necessary, and there are two characters that were brought to life through motion capture that I felt looked like they fit in this universe, and I understand why they couldn't be made through practical effects. Speaking of which, the film's visual effects were some of the best I've seen anywhere to date. 

John Williams gives an exhilarating new score that from time-to-time reutilized some of the classic themes without forcing nostalgia upon the viewer as the viewer would gladly take it and couldn't watch some of these scenes without it. The film's story at times feels like a rehash of A New Hope, but only borrows a few key moments as a homage to the classic that made us love these films the first time we saw them. The film moves at a very quick pace, but never feels rushed. This allows the film to go from one action sequence to another seamlessly. 

And there are tons of great action sequences in this film including very fun starfighter battles and an awesome lightsaber duel. There's some great comic relief in the banter between the cast that works perfectly in the film's favor, which makes it simultaneously the lightest and darkest film to date for the franchise.

The new cast and characters will captivate your hearts as soon as you meet them and that attachment only grows throughout the film. Daisy Ridley shines brilliantly in her first major motion picture role ever as Rey, bringing a very strong powerful female character to the franchise. John Boyega is a great hero in Finn, and he had some great line delivery balancing his emotional moments and comedy. Oscar Issac is just so cool and slick as the Resistance's best pilot Poe Dameron. 

The new droid BB-8 is the most adorable little droid, and it's impossible to even consider hating it.

For the film's new villains within the First Order, Kylo Ren specifically stood out to me, and everyone else is held back a little bit more to hopefully shine in the next film. Adam Driver brings a very complex layered malevolent presence to the screen in Kylo Ren. Now, be aware he is not another one-off villain like Darth Maul or another Darth Vader, but rather a very new type of villain for the franchise. 

Domhnall Glesson provides a very Nazi-esque villain as the First Order officer General Hux. 

Unfortunately, Gwendoline Christie as Captain Phasma has literally almost nothing to do, so you should temper your expectations for her character. 

Andy Serkis provides an interesting motion-capture performance as Supreme Leader Snoke, who is very much the Emperor of this new trilogy, and despite his important role, he doesn't get too much screen time (although he was on screen more than I thought he would be). 

Now for the returning cast and characters, I can say that everyone's back as our favorite Rebel heroes. Harrison Ford gives a great performance and steps right back into the role for the first time in 30 years, and this doesn't feel like an "old, tired geezer" Han Solo but that same lovable scoundrel who encapsulated audiences everywhere. 

As soon as Carrie Fisher arrives onscreen, you feel she's still Leia, although she may not have aged quite as well as Ford. Ford and Fisher's scenes together were pure magic, and you could just feel all that their characters had been through the last 30 years in their interaction. 

Chewbacca's back of course as everyone's favorite Wookie and his interactions with Solo were among the best interactions in the film. It really made me feel like I was back in that galaxy a long time ago so far, far away. They both had some great back and forth banter that was hilarious. 

C3PO's reappearance is hilarious, and I wasn't able to stop laughing. His counterpart, R2D2, is indeed in the film, but I don't feel I can discuss him without spoiling anything... So just know that R2D2 will be in the film. 

I don't think it's possible to discuss Luke Skywalker at all without spoiling anything, but be aware he's very important despite not having much actual time on screen and no dialogue. So temper your hopes for Luke, but be aware J.J. Abrams kept him out of the film's marketing for a reason. 

Really one of the best things was the interaction between the new and the old cast that brought laughter, tears, or just intensity to the film that just perfectly sums up what Star Wars has always been. 

I can't currently definitively rank it with the other films just yet, but as of right now I think it just might be my favorite Star Wars film. I'll have to see it a few more times to determine if that will be concrete or not though. 

I loved the melding of the old and the new to create one of the best films I've seen in recent memory. For the best possible viewing experience I highly recommend at least watching the film in 3D (I can't vouch for IMAX because I haven't seen it in IMAX yet), and to go into the film with no spoilers so watch out and stay away from the dark corners of the internet (specifically comment sections). I will also be making a spoiler review for the film, so once you've seen the film feel free to go check it out. Best way to sum up my reaction upon walking out is "Bring on Episode VIII!"

Film Assessment: A+