Star Wars: The Force Awakens is easily the most anticipated film of the year, the long-awaited sequel to the original trilogy that will restore balance to The Force and right all the wrongs of the prequel trilogy in one fell swoop. Or will it? While the film’s heavy marketing campaign undoubtedly paints a picture that everyone wants to see, it’s still a very real possibility that underneath all the trailers, merchandise, and adorable BB-8 toys beats the heart of a merely okay or even a —dare I say it — bad movie. Make no mistake about it; I’m going to be sitting in theaters opening night like everyone else who was lucky enough to snag an advanced ticket and will probably see it multiple times after. That being said, cautious optimism is arguably the best way to approach Star Wars: The Force Awakens because even though the trailers give the impression that it’s going to live up to all of our ridiculously high expectations, the reality could very well be much different.
7. Most Of The New Leads Are Unproven
One of the most intriguing aspects of The Force Awakens is the film’s figurative passing of the torch from the first generation of Star Wars to the new, with returning cast members Mark Hamill, Harrison Ford, and Carrie Fisher (among others) appearing alongside new characters played by young actors such as Daisy Ridley (Rey) Adam Driver (Kylo Ren) and John Boyega (Finn). While there’s no reason to think that any of these actors are not equipped to shoulder a large chunk of the film’s focus and dramatic weight, they are all still relative unknowns and could possibly come up short in the film’s more dramatic moments.
Boyega is mostly known for the 2011 indie sci-fi flick Attack the Block and other than some TV work, The Force Awakens is Ridley’s first major acting role. Driver has proven himself to be a highly charismatic comedic actor thanks to his role on HBO’s Girls, but it remains to be seen whether he has the dramatic chops to play a major villain. Of course, the main cast of the original Star Wars were all relative newcomers and did a fine job, so it’s likely that the same will hold true for Boyega, Driver, and Ridley. Still, the pressure of starring in one of the most hotly-anticipated films ever made could be more than these young actors can handle, so there’s still the remote possibility that they won’t quite deliver.
