“There’s been an awakening. Have you felt it?”

Since we first heard those words, it’s kind of become the rallying cry for Star Wars Episode VII: The Force Awakens; but once you see the film you truly begin to understand the gravity of that phrase. It’s not just story components – which I’ll discuss more in my Analysis article – but also the (re)awakening of a fan base. JJ Abrams’ The Force Awakens does more for Star Wars than the prequels ever could, and is truly all about introducing a new generation to the wonder of Star Wars while simultaneously making life long fans feel like they’re falling in love with the series all over again.

Considering almost everything in this film builds upon another, even the tiniest of details can become Spoiler if not careful. So I’ll keep this pretty vague; but also specific enough to show that THIS is the Star Wars film we’ve all waited for.

A Fresh Start For A Continuing Story:

There was just something – or maybe a lot of things – about the prequels that seemed off; and one of those was the pacing. We always knew what it was heading towards and there was this stressful duality of them not telling to story fast enough while also feeling a rushed aspect to the films. The Force Awakens finds the perfect balance of taking you on the journey with them. You know what’s come before and yet there is still this air of mystery of filling in the blanks from the past 30 or so years since Return of The Jedi. Additionally, this 30 year span also reflects the time since Return of the Jedi was released in theaters. In many ways, The Force Awakens is a homecoming celebration of the original majesty and thrill of the series.

The Nostalgia Is Strong With This One:

As you’ve already seen from the trailers and posters, there’s a lot of returning faces in this film; but it’s never for the sake of doing it. Each return has a natural entrance point and appears when the time is needed. Though beyond this, even the new characters have that original feel to them. BB-8 reminds us of why we fell in love with R2-D2 when all we hear is ‘beep beep boop’. Even the simplest of Abrams droid and alien creations seem to be actually alive. The focus of practical and model effects over CGI truly shines in this new installment. Though beyond the physical look of the characters and sets, it was the unseen that truly felt the most familiar.

I obviously can’t go into too much detail here – or any detail for that matter – without risking Spoilers, but the symbolism, parallels and imagery of this film is simply spectacular. Abrams and his team didn’t just repeat a Star Wars formula; but rather expanded upon and interwove it in new and exciting ways. Again, more on this in my upcoming Analysis article.

A Refreshing Addition – Humor:

One thing that hasn’t really been synonymous with Star Wars films is humor; and yet this film did a wonderful job of adding straight up funny moments. It’s of course not enough to give this film a “Comedy” classification; but there are plenty of moments that will make you bust out laughing. But DON’T underestimate these moments. This isn’t humor for humor purpose, as each subtly hints at a deeper story line, revelation or theme.

So go see Star Wars: The Force Awakens. It is truly everything we wanted it to be and more. And once you do, please check back here later this weekend for my Analysis article, which will cover a ton of Sequel possibilities, hidden storylines and some of the epic symbolism this film employed. So enjoy, and may the Force be with you!