The kids that grew up watching Star Wars and Rocky are finally running the show and they are ready to reclaim their childhood from the greedy maw of Hollywood. Last month, Ryan Coogler injected life into the moribund Sylvester Stallone franchise with Creed. A continuation and a rebirth of the Rocky Balboa saga, Creed did something that numerous sequels and craven reboots of other franchises couldn’t do: maintain the spirit that brought us to love the original 1976 film while finding a way to break new ground. Stallone appears and does his best work in years, but also passes the torch to Michael B. Jordan, ensuring that the backers in Los Angeles can still make a buck on future films.
J.J. Abrams was the perfect choice to carry on the Star Wars franchise. Raised on Spielberg, everything that Abrams has done screams “throw back.” If anyone was going to stay true to George Lucas’ original vision, it would be the guy who brought us Super 8. Now that the veil has lifted on Star Wars: Episode VII- The Force Awakens, Abrams has done the same thing as Coogler, created a film that stands as a turning point between the old and the new, pairing the grizzled stars of the original trilogy with a new clutch of heroes designed to carry us farther into a galaxy far, far away.
I am happy to report that The Force Awakens hits all the right notes and rebalances a franchise knocked off center by a series of ill-advised prequels. In fact, it hits too many right notes. Abrams, along with writers Lawrence Kasdan and Michael Arndt, go back to basics. They more or less rewrite A New Hope as a way to set the stage for a new series of films. This isn’t a re-imagining. That would be sacrilege. Disney hired Abrams for a reason, and not Christopher Nolan. Would Star Wars fans tolerate a dark, gritty new take on their beloved universe? Doubtful. This is a case of getting what you want. A classicist approach is the only way. It’s all there, right down to the legend-making, conflicted villain, good vs. evil struggle and expositional dialogue that is just a little too on-the-nose.
Star Wars has become such a sacred cow, it is nearly impossible to do it right. Things that thrilled us as children often no longer hold us in thrall. Tastes and cultural touchstones change. Abrams clings to a dream from the late ‘70s and by holding true, he also hinders the franchise in a way. There isn’t much wriggle room. There are too many expectations to honor, too many fears to quell. The Force Awakens plays it safe, but that’s exactly what we expect it to do, mandate it does.
It is mind-blowing that Disney now owns both the Marvel and Star Wars franchises. It makes sense. Disney has always been a trash can on fire, fueled by money and the dreams of children. But Disney plays it safe and the people behind the money know that Star Wars means merchandising. Can you enjoy The Force Awakens with blinders on? Ignore the fact that your $12 is powering a force much like the insidious Empire that Luke, Han and Leia battled against in the original trilogy? Star Wars has always been about archetypes. The Force Awakens checks all the correct boxes, sets the stage for a new series of films. You walk out feeling good, but we all know who truly wins at the end of the day.