Trailer Trashin’: The Galactic Saga Continues in Star Wars Episode VII: The Force Awakens
Yes, dear readers, I must again apologize for making you go so long between installments of this column. But I’m finally back, because last week brought us a trailer far too big to ignore. Without further ado, join me as I examine the first look at what’s sure to be one of next year’s biggest films, Star Wars Episode VII: The Force Awakens.
Premise: Set approximately thirty years after the events of Return of the Jedi (1983), the film will star a trio of new leads along with returning actors from the previous installments.
My take: Like most children of the 1990s, I grew up loving the Star Wars trilogy. A New Hope (1977), The Empire Strikes Back (1980), and Return of the Jedi were some of my favorite films when I was a kid, and played a huge role in the development of my current love of cinema.
And like most of my fellow 1990s kids, I was quite disappointed by the prequel trilogy, although I definitely don’t have the scorched-earth hatred of those films that some people do. And like pretty much everyone in the world, I was amazed to hear the news in fall 2012 that Disney had acquired Lucasfilm and were going to produce new Star Wars films. Now, we finally have the first teaser trailer for the first of those films, Star Wars Episode VII: The Force Awakens.
Much of the big news about Episode VII since the project was announced has centered on which actors from the original trilogy are returning. But none of them are seen in this teaser, which instead introduces us to some of the new denizens of that galaxy far, far away. The first face we see is British actor John Boyega, best known for starring in the British sci-fi film Attack the Block (2011), wearing Stormtrooper armor. While it’s possible he’s wearing a disguise, most of the rumors suggest he’s a Stormtrooper who has a change of heart and goes AWOL. Also seen is British actress Daisy Ridley, riding an awesome speeder bike. The most common theory about Ridley’s character is that she’s the daughter of Han Solo and Princess Leia, and might be named “Kira.” The X-Wing pilot is Oscar Isaac, best known as the title character in Inside Llewyn Davis (2013), and who will also be playing the titular villain in 2016’s X-Men: Apocalypse. While we don’t see the face of the black-clad figure with the red lightsaber, the smart money is on it being the character played by Adam Driver, best known as Adam Sackler on the HBO series Girls. When the trailer first dropped, a lot of people wondered about who it was providing that ominous voice-over. But it has since been confirmed that the voice was that of Andy Serkis, best known as Gollum in The Lord of the Rings trilogy and Caesar in the two most recent Planet of the Apes films. Serkis is believed to be one of the film’s villains, and given his lines about the two sides of the Force, I assume he’s playing some kind of Sith Lord or Dark Jedi. As to the rest of the cast, both new and returning, we’ll have to wait for the next trailer to see them.
“Star Wars: Episode VII – The Force Awakens.” © 2014 – Lucasfilm Ltd.
The visuals on display here are great. That opening fade-in on the desert planet – presumably Luke Skywalker’s home-world of Tatooine – immediately evokes the old films. I think the rolling ball-droid is absolutely adorable. While it’s not clear why the Stormtroopers are still around, their updated armor and blasters look great. That shot of the three X-Wings skimming over the surface of the water is amazing. The Sith warrior stalking through the snowy forest and activating his crossguard lightsaber is very moody and atmospheric. And then there’s the real money shot of the teaser – the Millennium Falcon swooping through the sky, accompanied by John Williams’ iconic theme music. A really nice detail is that the Falcon has a new sensor dish, one that’s rectangular and curved. Nerdy fans – like me – will remember that the ship’s original round sensor dish was knocked off during the final assault on the second Death Star during the climax of Return of the Jedi. The final image of the teaser is like a giant shot of nostalgia to the heart for Star Wars fans, with the Millennium Falcon facing down two TIE fighters above the surface of Tatooine.
When I first heard about Disney making new Star Wars films, I was cautiously optimistic. The House of Mouse has a solid track record in recent years of doing good things with properties they’ve acquired, but there was still nervousness that something might go wrong. But this trailer has done a lot to assure me that this franchise is in good hands. With this teaser, Star Wars Episode VII: The Force Awakens has gone from something I’m definitely interested in to a serious contender for my most anticipated film of 2015. Between this, Avengers: Age of Ultron, Jurassic World, Mad Max: Fury Road, and more, there are so many movies coming next year I’m just chomping at the bit to see. When next December rolls around, there’s absolutely no doubt that I’ll be checking out Star Wars Episode VII: The Force Awakens, preferably opening night on the biggest IMAX screen I can find.
ANTICIPATION: I felt a great disturbance in the Force. As if millions of voices suddenly cried out in joy and would not be silenced. I believe something wonderful has happened.
Starring: John Boyega, Daisy Ridley, Adam Driver, Oscar Isaac, Andy Serkis, Domhnall Gleeson, Max von Sydow, Harrison Ford, Carrie Fisher, Mark Hamill, Anthony Daniels, Peter Mayhew, and Kenny Baker
Director: J. J. Abrams
Writers: Lawrence Kasdan and J. J. Abrams, based on characters created by George Lucas
Timothy Monforton
