STAR WARS EPISODE IV: A NEW HOPE

The Force will be with you…Always

You know how in the late seventies a movie came out, and despite the fact no-one thought it would be good at the time, it became the most famous movie ever made, and started a saga that would entertain viewers for generations to come? Well, here it is. Star Wars Episode IV: A New Hope.

The trouble with writing this review is where to start. The plot? The characters? The insane fan base it began? How about how it changed film making forever? Ok, let’s start with the plot.

We begin with seven heroes. A Princess, a farm boy from a far away planet, his two newly brought Droids, an old Jedi, a smuggler and his Wookie friend. When the Princess is taken hostage by the tyrannical Empire, the two Droids set out in search of a Jedi. And they find him, with the help of a farm boy. With the gang assembled, all they need is a way of getting to the Princess. Enter Han Solo and Chewbacca. With pilots found, they head to save the Princess. Not everything goes to plan, and the old Jedi is killed in a duel with the Dark Jedi known as Darth Vader. The others save the Princess, and meet up with the plucky Rebel Alliance. The Rebels commence an assault on the Empire’s giant space station, and the farm boy blows it to pieces.

You have no idea the level of detail I wanted to go into when writing that paragraph. Consider yourselves lucky.

The message of Star Wars is simple: The fight between good and bad, and how it can make even the most unlikely of us heroes. It’s so simple, yet the backdrop to the message is so utterly incredible. With Star Wars, George Lucas takes ordinary places and WW2 dogfights and makes them magical. The Tatooine scenes alone deserve a shout out, merely for showing us so many different alien races. Out of context, Star Wars could easily be mistaken for a western. Or a WW2 film, just with Space Nazis. That’s what is so great about it. It’s so simple. No space politics, just good old fashioned good vs bad.

Something the film does well is characterisation. None of the characters ever seem lost in their own stories. Each one follows their own clear narrative whilst on the journey with the others. Except from Chewie, who just kind of moans and groans. Luke goes from being farm boy to Jedi-in-training. Leia isn’t just the damsel in distress. Han is…Well, Han Solo is cool enough any way. He’s the classic action hero. Full of great one-liners and a fandom that won’t accept his dislike of the franchise.

The way in which Lucas shows us a broken, dusted up old universe adds the finer points to the movie. Very little, if anything at all, is clean and shiny. Everything’s scratched and barely working. It makes the film look brilliant. Even Ralph McQuarrie’s early concept art looks spectacular. If you haven’t seen it, I highly recommend you go and check it out.

Star Wars also introduces us to the greatest villain in movie history, and one who will probably hold that title for a long time yet to come. Darth Vader. He’s not like new villains with their shiny GCI and over-complicated plans for world domination. He’s simple: He’s evil, and he doesn’t like the good guys. That’s what makes him so great. Plus the all black armour and that amazing breathing effect.

Something tells me this review might go on for a while.

Overall, the production on the movie is fantastic. The use of real models and effects is something Lucas should never have overlooked in the Prequel trilogy. They add an un-matchable atmosphere to the movie.

Yes, everything looks clunky and broken and not always perfect. But that only adds to the atmosphere the movie gives. It’s not about having amazing CGI, its bout showing the audience something spectacular. Something they’re never going to forget. And who can forget Star Wars? It’s been what, 38 years since it came out? It isn’t being forgotten any time soon.

Almost done, promise.

It kinda shocks me when people say they haven’t seen Star Wars. How?! How has no-one shown you?! But they’re only missing out. So it’s their problem, not mine. Still annoys me though.

Star Wars is perfect. You can argue against that with me all day long. I’ll never give in. You cannot deny the effect it has had on the world, how it’s changed films forever. And that, along with everything in the film, is what makes it perfect. I could write more, but I’ll be here forever.

10/10

HAN. SHOT. FIRST.

Daa Daa, Daa Daa Daaaaaaa Da, Daa Daa, Daa Daa Daa Da Da Da Daaaaaaaaaa.