Star Wars: The Force Awakens Review

“Chewie, we’re home.”

Han Solo’s proclamation of a return to the more welcoming side of Star Wars goes without saying as we’re introduced to a whole new chapter in the renowned space opera that has helped to shape cinema through the years.

With J.J. Abrams steering this Star Destroyer of a franchise, Star Wars possesses a kindred spirit; a man who has continuously explained his love for a movie series that captured his imagination decades ago and has held on ever since. Having helped to reinvigorate and open up Star Trek to a whole new audience, as well as maintain the support of current fans, it wouldn’t go without saying that the director is more than qualified for this job, and boy does he deliver.

Set some 30 years after the events of Return of the Jedi, The Force Awakens sees a secret mission culminate in the crossing of paths between heroes old and new, while a whole new force of evil rears its head in the form of the First Order. While Rey (Daisy Ridley) looks to find a sense of belonging on the planet Jakku, Finn (John Boyega) is seeking an escape from the dark forces he has found himself entangled with.

Naturally, the pair eventually encounter one another, along with charismatic expert pilot Poe Dameron (Oscar Isaac) and the likes of Rebel veterans Han Solo (Harrison Ford), Chewbacca (Peter Mayhew) and Leia (Carrie Fisher). With their combination of expertise, the task of taking down the First Order is at hand, with both Kylo Ren (Adam Driver) and General Hux (Domhnall Gleeson) leading their troops into a whole new waging war under the guidance of the mysterious Supreme Leader Snoke (Andy Serkis).

Those of us who felt all was lost following George Lucas’ failed attempt at bringing us three worthy and plausible prequels to the Star Wars universe would consider The Force Awakens a long time coming and it certainly sees to it that an awakening is in full force.

Steered expertly by director J.J. Abrams, produced by Kathleen Kennedy, and scribed partly by Star Wars veteran Lawrence Kasdan, The Force Awakens held the heavy weight of expectation upon its huge shoulders and certainly nails it for the vast majority.

To give plot details would be an injustice for any fan of this franchise, but instead its many positive features should be lauded. While many will have feared over-promotion for such an entity - especially with Disney now flying the flag - it must be said that the surprise factor of the film's unfolding narrative remains a wonderful surprise.

From the very moments of the classic opening monologue, to the closing scenes, no moment of The Force Awakens appears predictable, ruined by a trailer or pre-empted - leaving that satisfyingly sweeter taste come its close.

Where the film revels is its blissful awareness of a fan-base that is both nostalgic but also expects a certain level of progression. Thankfully, J.J. and his team know this all too well and we have a film that responds with the greatest of respect. There are scenes in which we hark back to the classic days of the original trilogy, but otherwise this is very much all about the future of the franchise.

At the centre of this future is a three-pronged attack from three new protagonists in Finn (John Boyega), Rey (Daisy Ridley) and Kylo Ren (Adam Driver). Each bring their own special brand of character to the fray and help to forge a whole new generation of heroes and villains. While Boyega's Finn seeks a path of good, the brilliant Ridley enters her first acting gig as a strong, independent soul looking for belonging. What's most surprising in the best way is the newest Star Wars villain brought to life by Adam Driver; Kylo Ren has a wonderful depth to him, proving that there can be so much more than Darth Vader in this galaxy.

Joining these three are the likes of another great newcomer, Oscar Isaac, as Poe Dameron, the loveable and brilliantly emotive BB-8, as well as fantastic series returning faces in Harrison Ford, Carrie Fisher, Mark Hamill, Peter Mayhew and so many more.

This is the Star Wars movie we've all been building ourselves up to and it certainly does not fail to deliver in every aspect. If you're after stunning visuals, classic practical effects, and a reminder of the good old days then The Force Awakens ticks all those boxes.

That all-time box-office record of Avatar's will be broken, mark my words...

Review - The Adventures of Tintin 3D

Before he passed away, Hergé announced that there was only one person who could bring his famous character Tintin to the big screen and low and behold, after years of development finally Steven Spielberg grants the creator's wishes.

Pairing up with Peter Jackson, Spielberg brings to the screen Belgium's most loved reporter in what promises to be a rollercoaster ride. The Secret Of The Unicorn sees our reporting hero and his faithful sidekick dog Snowy enter a dangerous adventure involving secret scrolls hidden inside model ships that lead to a hidden treasure. In pursuit of clues and the treasure, Tintin (Jamie Bell) comes across Captain Haddock (Andy Serkis), the last of the Haddocks left alive and it is his ancestor Sir Francis Haddoque who hid the treasure many years ago.


With the evil Red Rackham (Daniel Craig) and his henchmen in pursuit, we find ourselves racing across numerous beautiful locales collecting up clues as we progress, leading to a superb finale to satisfy all your viewing needs. 


In terms of presentation there is no doubt that Tintin is one of, if not the best looking motion capture films of recent time. With Peter Jackson's WETA Digital working on the project there is no doubt that visually Tintin is fantastic, with such precision on the look of the characters and the all round flow of movement on screen, luckily this is not hindered either by the 3D version (which can tend to make films look darker).


With regards to the film's content, Tintin achieves a status of a fun adventure film with plenty of action and mystery to satisfy the majority of film lovers. With its fast pacing and easy-to-follow plot it entertains at a lively pace and brings together some breathtaking set pieces along with beautifully shot action scenes. 


At times it must be said that the film begins to trip up on itself but these are helped along nicely with the ever-exceptional John Williams composing a truly remarkable soundtrack which would be an easy listen even without the film playing. 


In fairness Tintin was always set to impress with its sleek look and its already well known name in the world of books and cartoons, but take nothing away from Speilberg and Jackson, this was always a tough task to bring the Belgian to screen. Jamie Bell eases his way through and with a great Andy Serkis, combines for one of recent cinema's most loveable double acts (with Snowy in tow of course!). Equally as impressive are comedic duo Simon Pegg and Nick Frost as Thomson and Thompson, Interpol's finest, practically running the show in the few scenes they are included.


As a whole Tintin succeeds in being a thoroughly entertaining thrill ride with plenty of story to keep the older viewers content. With a sequel hinted at it is clear that Spielberg and Jackson are the right guys for this project and don't be surprised that a new franchise with the longevity factor has been born. A real treat. 


Film rating: 4 out of 5 F's 

Cinema Review - Rise of The Planet of The Apes

Of all the characters to grace the silver screen this summer it's hard to believe that one of the most interesting and emotionally involved is actually an ape. That's right, a motion captured Andy Serkis' Caesar is the star of the show in what looks to be the rebirth of the Planet of the Apes saga.


Swiftly distancing itself from Tim Burton's failed attempt at a reboot of the Apes story, Rise takes us to the beginning with scientists looking to find a cure for Alzheimer's, consequently leading us to a lab full of primates picked for testing. In pursuit of this ground-breaking scientific achievement is Will Rodman (James Franco), a man who has a special interest in his project as his father (John Lithgow) has the disease and is deteriorating fast. The main subject of the tests, an ape named 'Bright Eyes'. soon enough though, in trying to protect her baby Bright Eyes turns aggressive and is killed, only for the project to be closed down. 


Will then finds out that one ape is remaining, the baby that Bright Eyes was trying to protect. Reluctantly he takes the ape home and it soon becomes apparent that this is no ordinary primate. Will and his father eventually come to terms with the fact that they have a hugely intelligent mammal living with them and Caesar grows in intelligence with each day (shown superbly in 'through the ages' sequence). 


As Caesar reaches an older age he continues to showcase amazing abilities for an ape but after an altercation between Will's father and a neighbour in which Caesar intervenes, our furry friend finds himself sent to a primate facility to live amongst his own kind. Unfortunately for Caesar he is treated poorly but with time he gains the following of the other apes and manages to forge an escape, along with unleashing the brain enhancing drug developed by Will on his fellow apes. 


On their escape the apes cause havoc on the streets of San Francisco and their presence is felt severely with attacks on the police forces and ultimate chaos. With a finale to behold between the humans and apes on the Golden Gate Bridge the adrenaline cranks to a new level and we are witness to the rise of a new enemy to humanity.


With an interesting new take on the Planet of the Apes story, we have a feasible origin story in the form of Rise and characters that you can really relate to. Franco's Will is a likeable individual and instantly audiences will have a connection with him, feeling compassion and sorrow for someone who has the difficult task of coping with a father with Alzheimers. John Lithgow is also impressive as the suffering father but Freida Pinto's love interest for Will is totally unnecessary and could have easily been written out.


Lest we forget the main reason this film works so well, Andy Serkis' Caesar. Finally we have a character with massive emotional value and remarkably he's not even human. The work that Weta Digital have done to create such an astoundingly realistic ape on the screen is beyond belief but this is second to the emotion and feeling that Serkis brings to the main protagonist, seeing is believing for what is one of the best character performances of the year.


Film rating (out of 5 stars): 4


The lowdown: Rise manages to reboot a classic franchise in one great big swoop and kicks Tim Burton's effort firmly into touch. Great emotion, action and plot and the year's best character make this a must see.