Star Wars: The Force Awakens - Final Trailer Revew

So it’s the final trailer for that little movie called ‘The Force Awakens’. Of course I have to do a quick summary of some thoughts and to be honest even though I’m skimming through a majority of the footage there’s still so much to talk about so I’m not going to bother with an introduction and let’s get straight into this (I realise that by typing that exposition I have basically created an introduction).
I have to say what everyone else has immediately said about the trailer, it did not spoil any aspects of the movie as far as I know. Three trailers in and I still have no idea what the main plot details are, I could use theories and speculation to knit together some loose outline and use the hots to back as evidence but aside from that there is virtually nothing to talk about in terms of plot. And that is fantastic, I am ready to be surprised by this film, to feel the twists and turns with only a few familiar characters and environments to visit, the way people would have felt when watching the original ‘Star Wars’ sequels so long ago.
     The trailer builds in a gradual manner that takes a short amount of time to establish each characters story (or rather a very small introduction to it). We can now suspect that Daisy Ridley contrary to her self-description as a ‘nobody’ is in fact somebody. Who exactly we do not know, but maybe there is a sense of yearning for adventure similarly to Luke Skywalker in ‘A New Hope’ or is she hiding from something in her past?
Then you have John Boyega’s short segment. It would suggest that he is a Stormtrooper with a lost cause, so one can assume that he joins the Rebellion after this realisation. What fascinates me is what will happen after he joins, will his new found friends be judgemental of him and see him as untrustworthy, does he try to hide his past from them? It all stems from that shot of him bumping into Oscar Isaac. I can’t decide if that is acknowledging friendship or rivalry, does Isaac’s character not trust the former Stormtrooper perhaps?
Then of course, Kylo Ren himself. We can establish by this point that he is almost idolising Darth Vader and other former Sith lords, vowing to continue their work. The voice has an amazing sound to it, unique yet also slightly reminiscent of what we have already seen from the villains of ‘Star Wars’. One can hope that Ren will be the truly intimidating and longstanding nemesis that the prequels lacked.
     Now we arrive at one thing that was not present in the trailer. Luke himself. It would appear that for this film Skywalker could be mostly absent, with Han Solo acting as the guide for our new heroes into the mythology. That would leave Luke to take on a role similar to Yoda in ‘Empire Strikes Back’. Appearing to train them after their initiation by Han. The idea of the events of the original trilogy now passing into legend is a brilliant touch as it gives JJ Abrams an opportunity to reintroduce us to this universe along with the new characters, and what better guide could we have than the scruffy looking nerf hurter himself?
There is also quite a mature feel to the trailer. It is filled with death and destruction just as much as it is with awe and wonder, soldiers are gunned down, landscapes obliterated and Kylo Ren appears to be torturing Oscar Isaac at some point. Then there is the craftsmanship of the film, it looks so beautiful and blended practical effects with CGI so well. It is CGI being used at its best, to enhance what is not possible without it, achieving impossible camera angles and unbuildable objects. Then there’s the music…. Wow, John Williams’ revision of that iconic score is so perfect.
There are a number of spectacular shots as well involving the tiny BB-8 perched on a Starfighter and given attention amid the massive battle around it, Han and Chewbacca surrounded by Stormtroopers with a complete look of ‘here we go again’ about them or Han and Leia back together. Then that final shot of Boyega igniting his lightsabre with such a look panic as he faces off against Kylo Ren, I suspect that at this point he is drastically outmatched. But maybe that confrontation is the start of his route to becoming a Jedi, and finding the other Skywalker.
So those are some potentially insane ramblings on ‘The Force Awakens’ but I would love to hear some of yours, so please leave a comment below. Thanks and bye.