STAR WARS: EPISODE VII - THE FORCE AWAKENS (2015)

Summary:

Set approximately 30 years after the events of *Star Wars: Episode VI - Return of the Jedi*, the galaxy is once again plunged into conflict. From the ashes of the Galactic Empire, a new tyrannical regime known as the First Order has risen, determined to crush the fledgling New Republic and extinguish the last sparks of freedom. Central to their agenda is the eradication of the Jedi and the search for the legendary Jedi Master Luke Skywalker, who has vanished into self-imposed exile following a tragic event that saw his attempts to rebuild the Jedi Order fail, and his nephew, Ben Solo, fall to the dark side to become the fearsome Kylo Ren.

The story follows a new generation of heroes and villains whose destinies become intertwined with the fate of the galaxy. Rey, a resourceful scavenger eking out a lonely existence on the desert planet Jakku, stumbles upon BB-8, a spherical Resistance astromech droid carrying a crucial fragment of a map to Luke Skywalker. Her path soon crosses with Finn, a stormtrooper who has defected from the First Order, and Poe Dameron, a charismatic Resistance pilot. Together with iconic figures like Han Solo, Chewbacca, and General Leia Organa, they embark on a perilous journey to deliver the map to the Resistance, confront the menacing Kylo Ren, and prevent the First Order from unleashing its ultimate superweapon, Starkiller Base, upon the galaxy. The film delves deep into themes of legacy, family, the enduring struggle between light and darkness, and the awakening of a new Force-sensitive hero.

Keywords: Star Wars, 2015, Daisy Ridley, John Boyega, Harrison Ford, Adam Driver, Carrie Fisher, Mark Hamill, Science Fiction, Action, Adventure, Fantasy.

Plot:

The film opens with an iconic opening crawl, setting the stage for a galaxy in turmoil. Thirty years have passed since the defeat of the Empire, but peace remains elusive. Luke Skywalker has vanished, and in his absence, the sinister First Order has emerged, led by Supreme Leader Snoke and enforced by his apprentice, Kylo Ren, and the zealous General Hux. The Resistance, spearheaded by General Leia Organa, desperately seeks Luke, believing he is the galaxy's last hope.

On the desert planet Jakku, Resistance pilot Poe Dameron is on a mission to retrieve a vital map fragment leading to Luke's whereabouts from the venerable explorer Lor San Tekka. Their exchange is brutally interrupted by the arrival of the First Order, led by Kylo Ren, who personally oversees a massacre of the villagers. Before his capture, Poe manages to hide the map data within his loyal astromech droid, BB-8, ordering it to escape and find General Organa. Kylo Ren interrogates Poe using the Force, extracting information about BB-8 and the map, but the droid is already gone. Meanwhile, among the stormtroopers, FN-2187, later named Finn, experiences a profound crisis of conscience during the raid, unable to participate in the slaughter. This moral awakening marks him as a defector.

BB-8, alone and vulnerable, soon encounters Rey, a self-sufficient scavenger living a solitary existence among the derelict starships of Jakku. Rey, skilled in mechanics and survival, initially plans to sell BB-8 for parts but quickly forms a bond with the plucky droid. Back on a First Order Star Destroyer, Finn, traumatized by the violence and his own awakening empathy, makes a daring escape, freeing the captured Poe Dameron in the process. They steal a TIE fighter, but their escape is short-lived as they are shot down over Jakku. Finn survives the crash, believing Poe to be dead, and begins his desperate search for BB-8, hoping to retrieve the map and flee the First Order's reach.

Finn soon finds Rey and BB-8 in a Jakku settlement. Their uneasy alliance is immediately tested as First Order forces, alerted to BB-8's presence, launch an aerial attack. The trio makes a frantic escape aboard a seemingly derelict freighter: the Millennium Falcon. Rey, demonstrating incredible latent piloting skills, expertly maneuvers the aging but powerful ship through the wreckage-strewn landscape, outmaneuvering pursuing TIE fighters. Their escape from Jakku leads them into deep space, where the Falcon is unexpectedly caught in a tractor beam and boarded by two formidable figures: Han Solo and Chewbacca. Han, having returned to his smuggling roots after the collapse of his marriage to Leia and the loss of his son, initially intends to reclaim his ship but quickly becomes entangled in the new heroes' mission upon learning of BB-8's precious cargo.

Han reveals the tragic story of Luke's attempts to rebuild the Jedi Order, only for it to be shattered when one of his students, Ben Solo – Han and Leia's own son – fell to the dark side under the influence of Supreme Leader Snoke and became Kylo Ren. Devastated, Luke vanished. Han reluctantly agrees to help them get BB-8 to the Resistance, leading them to the vibrant, ancient castle of Maz Kanata on Takodana, a known haven for smugglers and Resistance sympathizers. While there, Rey is drawn to a hidden chamber where she discovers Anakin Skywalker's lightsaber, the very weapon that Luke lost on Bespin. Upon touching it, she experiences a terrifying and vivid Force vision, showing her glimpses of the past, present, and future, including Kylo Ren and her own abandonment on Jakku. Overwhelmed by fear and the raw power of the Force calling to her, Rey flees into the surrounding forest, rejecting her destiny.

The First Order, having tracked the Falcon, launches a devastating assault on Takodana, led by General Hux, who first unleashes the planet-killing power of Starkiller Base, destroying the New Republic capital system. Kylo Ren personally leads ground forces, seeking BB-8 and the map. He confronts Rey in the forest, sensing her Force-sensitivity and realizing she has seen the map. He captures her, taking her to Starkiller Base. During the ensuing battle, Finn bravely attempts to use Luke's lightsaber against Kylo Ren, but is easily disarmed. The Resistance arrives just in time, led by a miraculously alive Poe Dameron, whose X-wing squadron turns the tide of the battle, forcing the First Order to retreat.

On Starkiller Base, Kylo Ren attempts to interrogate Rey, probing her mind for the map's location. However, Rey resists his mental intrusion, and in a shocking display of raw, untapped power, she turns his own mind trick against him, accessing the Force within herself. She escapes her cell using a Jedi mind trick on a stormtrooper. Meanwhile, the Resistance, having learned of Starkiller Base's immense destructive capability, devises a desperate plan to destroy it before it can fire again. Han, Chewbacca, and Finn volunteer to infiltrate the base to disable its shields. Rey, having escaped, soon reunites with them inside the snow-covered planet-weapon.

They successfully plant explosives at a critical thermal oscillator, but before they can escape, Han confronts his son, Kylo Ren, on a precarious bridge high above a chasm. Han, heartbroken, pleads with Ben to abandon the dark side and return home. For a moment, Kylo appears conflicted, removing his helmet and reaching out to his father. But the pull of the dark side proves too strong; with a chilling activation of his lightsaber, Kylo Ren impales his father, killing Han Solo. Chewbacca, witnessing the horrific act, unleashes a mournful roar of rage, firing his bowcaster at Kylo Ren and detonating the planted explosives, causing massive damage to the base. The Resistance X-wings then launch a full assault, exploiting the shield vulnerability.

As Starkiller Base begins to collapse, Rey and Finn encounter Kylo Ren in a snowy forest. Finn, wielding Luke's lightsaber, bravely engages Kylo but is quickly outmatched and severely wounded. As Kylo prepares to deliver a killing blow to Finn, Rey calls the lightsaber to her hand, fully embracing the Force. She engages Kylo Ren in a fierce duel, her raw, untrained power clashing with his dark side prowess. Though Kylo is wounded from Chewbacca's shot and emotionally fractured by his patricide, Rey, guided by the Force, manages to defeat him, leaving him with a distinctive scar across his face. Supreme Leader Snoke, sensing Kylo's defeat, orders General Hux to retrieve his apprentice and retreat as Starkiller Base finally implodes.

Rey and Chewbacca escape with the unconscious Finn aboard the Millennium Falcon, returning to the Resistance base. Leia, sensing Han's death through the Force, shares a poignant, wordless moment of grief with Rey. With the First Order temporarily repelled, the Resistance still needs to find Luke. The final piece of the map, previously held by the inactive R2-D2, suddenly awakens and combines with BB-8's fragment, revealing the complete path to Luke Skywalker. Rey, accompanied by Chewbacca and R2-D2, takes the Millennium Falcon to the remote, oceanic planet of Ahch-To. Scaling a rugged island, she finally finds Luke Skywalker, standing silently on a cliff overlooking the sea. Without a word, Rey extends his long-lost lightsaber to him. The film ends on Luke's deeply conflicted, silent gaze, leaving the galaxy's fate hanging in the balance.

Cast (Lead Roles):

• Daisy Ridley as Rey
• John Boyega as Finn
• Oscar Isaac as Poe Dameron
• Harrison Ford as Han Solo
• Carrie Fisher as General Leia Organa
• Adam Driver as Kylo Ren / Ben Solo
• Mark Hamill as Luke Skywalker
• Peter Mayhew as Chewbacca
• Lupita Nyong'o as Maz Kanata
• Andy Serkis as Supreme Leader Snoke
• Domhnall Gleeson as General Hux
• Max von Sydow as Lor San Tekka

Crew:

• Director: J.J. Abrams
• Producers: Kathleen Kennedy, J.J. Abrams, Bryan Burk
• Screenplay: Lawrence Kasdan, J.J. Abrams, Michael Arndt
• Story: Lawrence Kasdan, J.J. Abrams, Michael Arndt
• Music: John Williams
• Cinematography: Dan Mindel
• Editors: Mary Jo Markey, Maryann Brandon
• Production Design: Rick Carter, Darren Gilford
• Costume Design: Michael Kaplan

Release Info:

• Original Release Date: December 18, 2015 (USA)
• Language: English
• Genre: Science Fiction, Action, Adventure, Fantasy
• Running Time: 138 minutes
• Accolades: Nominated for 5 Academy Awards (Best Original Score, Best Sound Editing, Best Sound Mixing, Best Visual Effects, Best Film Editing); Winner of BAFTA Award for Best Special Visual Effects; Winner of Saturn Award for Best Science Fiction Film; Winner of Empire Award for Best Film.