The saga ‘Awakens’: Star Wars Episode VII meets all expectations

Same pale blue text: “A long time ago, in a galaxy far, far away.…”

Cue the John Williams music and the yellow opening crawl, beginning with the text “Episode VII: The Force Awakens … .”

But I’m not buying yet.

This is how episodes I, II and III all started, and look how those worked out.

Fifteen minutes later, I realize they’ve nailed it.

Half an hour later, I’m a 5- to 11-year-old kid again. It’s nearly impossible to keep a reviewer’s calm while watching this. With every reintroduction of a familiar face and a new plot development, my journalist’s stoicism basically gets tossed into the guts of a Sarlacc.

As the amazing final shot fades, I realize that J.J. Abrams and crew have actually met the Death Star sized expectations that have been yoked around their necks for the past year. Granted, the hatred for the prequels gave them a massive advantage a Sith Lord would love, but to achieve the same cognitive and emotional resonance of the originals is truly astonishing.

The movie is set about 30 years after certain Ewok-filled events on Endor. The evil Empire has been replaced by a Nazi-like baddie called the First Order. The heroic Rebels are still around, albeit scattered throughout the galaxy.

There’s a life-or-death quest. There are familiar characters. There are new characters. They all meet sweet, which in the context of an ’80s era action movie, means in often-dangerous yet humorous circumstances leading to a lifetime bond (if they survive, of course).

My guess is to give credit to Lawrence Kasdan, who co-wrote the originals and may have been the missing ingredient in the vilified prequels. But director Abrams also displays an immense reverence for the source material by not attempting a clever “reboot.” Plus, no lens flares.

They crib all the best elements of the original work. Similar story lines. Familiar camera angles. Identical scene transitions. Plus the customary witty-banter-in-the-midst-of-harrowing-danger so adroitly done during the 1980s George Lucas and Steven Spielberg glory days.

They even go so far as to have their three main action sequences set on a desert world, an ice world and a lush green forest, echoing the first trilogy’s Tatooine, Hoth and Endor. It’s the attack of the clone movie!

Normally, this repetitiveness or self-appropriation would invite criticism but, for this particular movie, they get a pass. It’s a wise strategic decision to construct it this way, as it sets the tone right and resets the bar back to its original beloved levels.

Younger audiences won’t be able to tell this movie emulates the old ones. Plus, they’re so used to one blockbuster after another, it won’t even feel that special. The older audiences, however, will love the nostalgia even as it sneakily turns elegiac.

As a member of the latter group, watching Han Solo, Leia and others will give you the lumpy throat feeling you get sometimes when you look at your parents — each time, they’re a little grayer, slower paced and sporting a few more wrinkles. Even Chewbacca seems to have lost a step, although Wookies can purportedly live up to 400 years.

The producers have put together a virtual AT-AT full of up-and-coming Hollywood talent: Oscar Isaac, Andy Serkis, Adam Driver, Domhnall Gleeson, Lupita Nyong’o, plus newcomers Daisy Ridley and John Boyega. These folks will now say farewell to a normal life of anonymity.

Once the buzz wears off, I wonder about the fate of Star Wars’ future installments (coming in 2017 and 2019) as well as the handful of origin stories, spin-offs (and I hope a Netflix or Amazon series) planned for the brand. They can’t keep going back to the same well (or moisture harvester) moving forward.

Maybe they can bring in George Lucas for help. And I say that without a trace of irony. “The Force Awakens” reminded me of what a cinematic and cultural accomplishment he achieved, despite what the geek-o-sphere (me included) concluded about the failings of his last three movies. With Episode VII, maybe Abrams and crew have accomplished something even greater and more implausible than an amazing tribute to Lucas.

Redemption.