Star Wars: Parallel Forces

I have finally watched the new Star Wars film The Force Awakens, went shopping in Tesco Express for lunch and it was sitting there saying buy me only a tenner.  I figured how bad can it be it be, the people I that I know to have watched it have simply stated one word answers like: Awesome!  I already have the others so why not.

First off lets get the obvious stuff out of the way, the acting was good and the effects were the typical Hollywood blockbuster quality.

This next bit I warn you is a SPOILER ALERT although as it turns out not much one if you have seen the first film.  When I say first I mean Episode IV: A New Hope not the one where Darth Vader is just out of his nappies.

Opening scene oh look its a Star Destroyer exactly like all the other films, I am however willing to forgive this since it is a nod to the first three films.  However it does not stop there with its similarity to Episode IV: A New Hope.  Droid (BB-8) given secret plans crash lands on a desert planet does this sound familiar to you at all?

Basically you can marry most of the well known scenes from the first film to the Force Awakens although the order is different, let me give you a few more examples:

• Weapon that can destroy planets
• Millennium Falcon lifts off desert planet chased by bad guys
• Droid meets young person with potential Jedi powers
• Old warrior lets himself get killed by younger bad dude

You get the idea, there is some attempt at humour mostly by Hans Solo played wonderfully by Harrison Ford (still the star of the film) but does not quite make it.  Princess Leia is still wearing her hair with those braided circles on the sides of her head just in case I assume that the fans did not recognise her.  She does not look that old yet.

If you take the film on its own it is pretty good unfortunately I have seen the first film and its annoys me that the writers completely failed to come up with something original.  There is twist about who is Darth Vader's replacement which sadly is revealed a little too early for my likening.  I was not even vaguely surprised by the revelation.

Irony sucker punched me.