Wow, that's one helluva movie! After seeing the new Star Wars movie three times, I feel ready to see it three more. I'm pretty sure this post took me so long that just about everyone has finally gotten tired of complaining about the new Star Wars. The underlying plot structure is derivative and unoriginal; the new characters are too adept at whatever skill gets them out of trouble; the turning points are all conveniently timed. There. It's been said. Moving on. With the complaints out of the way (and having already been given way too much time in the limelight as it is) I thought I'd take some time to remind everyone just how much of the film was brilliant and why in spite of the valid concerns above, the experience was incredible. On a movie rating scale of 1 thru 10, The Force Awakens ranks as Star Wars. That says it all. Years from now I am confident pop culture will look back on this film with fond memories and fans will overlook quibbles like those mentioned above the same way they overlook the Ewoks, or Luke's whiny power converters at Tashi Station. The following is my list of reason why I think The Force Awakens will stand the test of time: Memorable lines:
At first glance the film seems to have more fun reminding us of memorable lines from before than creating them. When Finn explains "This is a rescue!" it evokes memories of "I'm Luke Skywalker, I'm here to rescue you!" And when Kylo Ren offers to train Rey at the end, "You need a teacher," it evokes Darth Vader's plea to Luke on Cloud City right before cutting off his hand and revealing their paternal relationship, "Join me, and together we can rule the galaxy." There are others too and they're not hard to catch, but I think they've inadvertently overshadowed what are in fact some wonderfully fresh and memorable lines. Once time as passed, I have no doubt these quotes will become just as fixed in the cultural collective consciousness. "Who talks first? Do I talk first? Do you talk first?" The moment Poe Dameron's charisma makes us fall in love with him and makes us feel like this is a world we could live in too. Remember? Because before the prequels, that was a thing people used to feel when they watched these movies, in spite of the distant galaxy thing. Han Solo used to say "Listen, sister," to Leia and he called Luke "kid" the way people talked in the seventies. It was just the same casual kind of affectation that people used in real life. "One quarter portion." The moment Simon Peg disguised as a fat alien rewards Rey's hard day's work with... well, I don't know what it is exactly, but she probably worked really hard and whatever it is he gives her, it's not even a whole one! It's only a quarter of it! That's just harsh. I didn't expect this line to be very significant, but I already see people quoting it with that thick Scottish brogue. "That's one helluva Pilot!" The moment Finn realizes his pal Poe Dameron is alive based solely on the way he sees an X-Wing flown. It's a stunning scene made all the more powerful by JJ Abram's cinematic and uncut pan across the battlefield before culminating in Finn's triumphant cheer. It honestly took me three times seeing the movie to understand why this was given so much artistic emphasis and then I remembered how Finn went his whole life without a friend, made his first one in minutes with Poe who even goes so far as to name him (their chemistry as buddies was instantly palpable) only to lose him in a crash. The possibility that his friend not only survived but has now come to his rescue is every bit as climactic and exhilarating as the thirty-second uncut special-effect-laden incredibly-choreographed scene would suggest. "Do you have a boyfriend? A cute boyfriend?" The moment when Finn gets distracted in a vain attempt to gauge his romantic potential with Rey. The line beautifully saves a bunch of dry exposition by redirecting the dialogue toward something sublime with character implication. Rey is trying to explain why she has to go back to Jakku (to wait for her parents in case they come back), thus revealing her naive desperation, while at the same time Finn exposes his puppy-dog neediness to become best friends with everyone he's with. Thumbs Up Lighter. The moment (technically not a memorable line but a memorable hand gesture) when BB-8 agrees to cover for Finn and reveal the location of the Resistance Base to Rey. Finn gives him a giddy thumbs up behind Rey's back and BB-8 returns the gesture with an unexpected lighter sparking a little flame. It's cute and funny, and unforgettable, but has an edge of irony and subtext to it. Is this his way of warning Finn that he's gonna burn if this trust backfires? "Don't make me regret this, pal."Or is it his way of affirming his buddy-buddy relationship with Finn? "I got your back, bro!" Either way, it's only a matter of time before fans fins a way to homage the endearing gesture. "That's not how the Force works!" The moment when Han Solo has to remind Finn not everyone can just start using the Force simply because they've heard of it. It's a silly punch-line kind of moment but Harrison Ford channels the Han Solo of his youth so effortlessly here in his frustrated disdain that we can't help but relish his performance. And in Finn's defense, the rules of the Force are pretty vague, all things considered. It's not like they told him he couldn't just use it. "I'm in charge now!" The moment when Finn gets a little carried away at his former slave master, Captain Phasma. This is actually a bit of let down, because Captain Phasma is maybe the most awesome looking character since Boba Fett and she gets very little to do. It defies logic that she wouldn't go down without a heck of a fight. Here's hoping they make up for it in the next one. "..." The moment Luke doesn't say anything to Rey when she holds out his father's lightsaber after unexpectedly finding him in seclusion. Even after seeing the film three times, in my mind I swear I remember him saying something and the sudden roll of credits always catches me off guard. Missed Opportunity: When all the Resistance leaders are sitting around a table explaining the big Macguffin that is Starkiller Base and how they might be able to defeat it and Admiral Ackbar wisely speaks up and says just as a point of observation something to the effect of: "This could be a trap." Just because, you know, last time he was in command, it really was a trap, remember, "It's a trap!" I find it incredibly hilarious to imagine that he has spent the last 30 years of his career very suspicious of traps. What a wasted moment. People would've been rolling out of their seats. Well, that's all for now. Come back next time for Part II: Memorable Moments
2 Comments
C
2/28/2016 10:05:39 pm
Mrs. Ackbar: "Honey, do these pants make my butt look big?"
Reply
Leave a Reply. |
Captain's Blog
|