Cons: stormtroopers need target practice, dead man talking
The Bottom Line: Only the most condescending critic could dislike Star Wars, a gloriously entertaining visual spectacular that also has memorable characters.
The original Star Wars movie finished its lengthy theatrical run in 1977 as the highest grossing film of all time. One generation later, it reclaimed that title with another massively successful re-release in 1997.
The two films that replaced Star Wars atop the all-time Box Office charts, E.T. the Extra Terrestrial and Titanic, also relied heavily on special effects. This was the true impact of Star Wars and its many sequels. It raised the bar for audience expectations of blockbusters. No longer was a great story sufficient, as had been the case for The Godfather in 1972.
Star Wars is refreshingly innocent, lacking the cynicism that is generally common to 1970s films. Due to the emphasized theme of good versus evil, it is easy to criticize the story as simplistic. But the plot is actually elaborate, and the depth of the main characters has been underrated.
Luke Skywalker (Mark Hamill) may be a goody-goody, but his boundless faith in Kenobi and his unjaded enthusiasm for adventure is winning. Han Solo (Harrison Ford) is a braggart and mercenary, but he is also surprisingly loyal and sensitive. Solo is a Bogart-like hero, dedicated to a tough-guy front that is all too transparent. Princess Leia (Carrie Fisher) is beautiful, but unlike Natalie Portman's Amidala, her courage is more sarcastic than poised. Her putdowns have even more sting than her blaster.
Alec Guinness reportedly hated his 'wise elder' role, and believed that his seemingly sagacious lines were merely droll platitudes. Of course, this attitude did not prevent him from picking up paychecks for cameos in the next two sequels. It doesn't impair his kindly and charming performance, either.
Kenobi always has the answers, which is sometimes too convenient for the story. It is also true that the Imperial Stormtroopers couldn't hit the side of a barn, and are merely props. Despite the great variety of the intelligent beings in the Star Wars universe, it is the humans that dominate.
Nonetheless, the characters have considerable warmth and humor. This is especially the case for the lovable droids, C-3PO and R2D2, which dominate the early part of the film. Wonderfully voiced by Anthony Daniels, C-3PO is endlessly entertaining comic relief. Return of the Jedi later demonstrated that you can have too much of a good thing, but Daniels is highly effective in small doses.
Darth Vader (voiced by James Earl Jones) is a classic villain, whose supreme confidence provides the key to his downfall. It is a well thought out character, all the more sinister due to his heavy breathing and faceless black mask. One of the problems with the recent sequels is that the villains aren't nearly as memorable as Vader, although Christopher Lee is at least more imposing than whoever it was that played Darth Maul in The Phantom Menace.
The Star Wars series seems derived principally from "Flash Gordon" 1930s serials, albeit with far better production values. The thrills of the old serials are lost on adults, who can see through the hokey script and sets. But only the most stubbornly snobbish viewer can disregard the magic of Star Wars. Except for a gratuitous awards ceremony at films end, this is one blockbuster that really delivers.
Star Wars received 11 Academy Awards. It won all the technical categories: sets, score, sound, editing, and costumes. However, it lost in the major categories: Best Picture, Best Original Screenplay, Best Director, and Best Supporting Actor (Alec Guiness). (89/100)
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