by Madison Lawson

What makes a film great? Is it the talented actors or the compelling plot? How about the overall vision of the director, and the impressive graphics? All of these qualities unified together make one mega-awesome movie right? And once in a lifetime, if we’re lucky, we come across these movies and appreciate their timelessness. Star Wars: The Force Awakens, the seventh installment of the Star Wars series, has taken the nation by storm, leaving even the newest fans yearning for more.   

Released into theaters December 18th in 2D, 3D and IMAX 3D, the movie takes place thirty years after Star Wars: Return of the Jedi and follows new protagonists Rey, Finn, and Poe Dameron. Their alliance with the resistance  (the good guys) against the new enemy, The First Order, takes them on a thrilling adventure around the galaxy and to new, intriguing planets. The Sith, then the Empire, now The First Order; the dark side returns with Kylo Ren as the new powerful enemy with an objective to continue Darth Vader’s massacre of the Jedi.

And if that didn’t peak your interest, original heroes and beloved characters, Han Solo, Chewbacca, R2D2, C3PO, and Princess Leia (now General Leia, leader of the resistance army) make an appearance to help avert The First Order from their master plan and find the missing Jedi legend, Luke Skywalker. Does he make an appearance? Where is he? Will they find him?

Satisfying both the older generations who fell in love with the original series within the past thirty years as well as the younger newer fans, this episode is brilliant enough to stand alone, but harkens to the original six episodes very well. Some of the plot points are the same, as social studies teacher Ms. Jennifer Byrne agrees, “The one negative is that it was the exact same plot as all of the other movies.” However, not having seen (or memorized) the original trilogy, it appeals to everybody by restoring the old movies and adding to it. This is a film everyone can watch and enjoy.

“It was brilliant,” claimed Oakdale Senior Claire Snyder. “I wasn’t a big fan of the movies before, but The Force Awakens restored my love of the series; I cried, I laughed, and overall recommend the movie to everybody.”

Making over $247.9 million in North America alone and about $528.9 million (and rising) globally, the film has broken records, claiming to be the biggest worldwide opening in theaters ever. Director J.J Abrams has confirmed two more movies to be released roughly in 2017 and 2019. Until then, Star Wars fans must patiently wait for the remaining episodes; we’ve waited 30 years, what harm could four more years do?

Leaving the theater quite satisfied, I can attest to all the skeptics that the force has awakened indeed.

Photo courtesy of  www.starwars.com

Sneak Peek: The Millennium Falcon makes an appearance in the new movie!