This post first appeared on aud.life
Kin and I saw the new Star Wars movie last night. With the exception of the first movie back in 1977, I’ve seen all of the films on opening day. (I saw Episode IV at the Cooper Theatre in Denver, but not on opening day. It was a magnificent Cinerama theater that, unfortunately, no longer exists.) I was six. That movie and its sequels provided the storylines for much of my imagination, for much of my childhood play.
It's something I wanted to share with my son. When The Phantom Menace came out, Isaiah was five. Our tickets were for a morning show, and I had to pull him out of school. His kindergarten teacher was so rude, challenging my priorities and decision-making. I remember sitting through Episode 1, so disappointed in the movie but so doubtful too of my own parenting decisions.
I didn’t want to be excited about The Force Awakens. But there’s something about that John Williams soundtrack. There’s something about those characters. I was swept away, and I admit, I was a little emotional as the opening credits came on screen.
The movie is good. It’s not great. But it’s good. I remember my first reaction to news that George Lucas had sold the Star Wars franchise to Disney was disgust. But Lucas had been such a terrible steward of the story. How could Disney be any worse, I eventually came to believe. And that’s what I felt last night: JJ Abrams was a better steward and storyteller. He certainly gave us better dialogue, and the characters – new and familiar – were pretty well-developed. I cared about them in ways I never cared about anyone in Episodes 1 through 3. Hell, those movies made me dislike Obi Wan.
I don’t want to write any spoilers, but there’s a scene near the end of Episode VII that made the heart of childhood me explode with joy. It’s something I wish I’d had as a girl growing up with IV, V, and VI. It’s something I wish were in the movies that Isaiah saw as a kid too. As someone who loves science fiction but has come in the last few decades to really resent Star Wars, I am very thankful that what I watched last night gave me back something to love.