Movies reflect the changing roles of men in the 21st century. Here is what our community says about the latest “Star Wars” movie.
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This post is part of our “Movies and Manhood” series that gives some of our regular writers an opportunity to share their views on how movies have impacted their thinking about men’s roles today. Our objective is to find the intersection between these films and the themes and topics we address here at The Good Men Project. Be sure to check out our other posts here.
Star Wars: The Force Awakens is now officially the high-grossing domestic movie of all time, and its numbers continue to climb. The force is definitely strong with this one.
It’s also strong with men of all ages who have been impacted by the film. A few of our GMP writers share their thoughts on the movie below.
WARNING: MOVIE SPOILERS AHEAD
The GMP Perspectives
We hear a lot lately from people complaining about it’s similarities to A New Hope, but what they don’t realize is that’s exactly what was needed. It was never going to be 100% original and the older characters were never going to be 100% modernized. If they’d done that, it would be dreadful for all the fans and moviegoers who love the Star Wars universe as a whole. The Force Awakens is a transition between the old and the new. It has a wonderful balance of classic Star Wars and modern filmmaking/storytelling, which is necessary for the successful continuation of the story. We NEEDED classic SW to connect with it again. It was the base layer to a delicious cake. Then they put on another layer with the new villians, a third layer with the new heros, and then a satisfying icing of action and adventure.
That being said …
If the next two films have the same level of old school, it will be a disaster. The Force Awakens brought us back into the fold George Lucas created, but the job of the next two is to go full blown modern SW and continue the story.
We shall see.
B.K. Mullen, The Good Men Project Author
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The Force Awakens continues the main themes of the other Star Wars movies, and in a sense, increases them. There are two over-riding plots that run through the series: the spiritual war of good and evil as characterized by “The Force” and “The Dark Side,” and the plot of parenthood, with more emphasis on fatherhood than motherhood.
It is ironic that Disney bought the Star Wars franchise. Parents in Star Wars fare about as well as they do in classic Disney animated tales. Which is to say, not well. As Bambi’s mother found out, being a parent in this fictional world is a deadly affair. The Star Wars tales are no different. Parents here are routinely killed, usually at the hands of their own offspring.
In a sense, Star Wars also plays off the media’s concept of deep bonds through biology. Characters who are biologically related immediately display deep family love when learning they are biologically related.
The biology in the tales starts out with a “fatherless” concept. Anakin, in the “first” episode, is said to have been born miraculously without father—presumably through “The Force,” which then ties the Force/Darkside and Parent/Child themes together at the outset. Anakin is essentially raised by Obi Wan, who he will eventually kill as Darth Vader. Anakin also is the killer of all the adoptive parents his two children have throughout the series. Padime, his spouse, is killed her two children Luke and Leia in the process of their births. Anakin/Darth Vader is killed in a battle with his son, Luke.
The Force Awakens puts all the evil in the other Star Wars on steroids. It provides us with a bigger weapon and a more heartless son. The Starkiller Base dwarfs the old Death Star and Kylo Ren is the son of Han Solo who kills his father while looking him cooly in the eyes. The question around the parenthood of Rey is the bridge to future plot developments. You can be certain that she will be found to be the offspring of one of the existing characters and her ability in the force tied to her biological bonds.
The fate of Han Solo speaks to the heart of the modern dad. As our children face their eventual personal demons, our dad spirits face them with a hope and optimism that we can reach the innocence we once nurtured in them. We let down our defenses and are vulnerable. The look on Han Solo’s face as he dies says it all—when we, the parent, are fully usurped by the child’s rejection and independence, we fearlessly die with a profound overwhelming sadness and failure.
The Force Awakens ties itself to the strongest spiritualities that we experience in life: those with our concepts of a higher power and channeled talents; and those that are weaved in the complexities of the parent/child bonds. Its prognosis is mixed, no one seems to ever get out of the fray alive, however the ongoing love that emerges in each is full of perennial hope.
Rob Watson, Lead Editor Dads and Families, The Good Men Project
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The opening scroll came across the screen, “Luke Skywalker has vanished,” and my goosebumps went from head to toe. I left my company’s Christmas party an hour after it began to see this. I had no shame in telling everyone from the CEO to my peers that I was going to see the opening night of Star Wars: The Force Awakens.
As I entered the full theater, I was pleased to see fans, young and old gathered around a landmark franchise, eagerly discussing what they thought would happen. As quickly as the conversation took place it ended when the Lucasfilm logo came on screen. The audience gasped (really, I’m sure it just wasn’t me) when the Resurgent-class Star Destroyer crossed the screen and we realized that this was indeed a galaxy far, far away, yet just as comfortable as a walk in your hometown after years away. The memories hadn’t faded. In fact, I could see very easily how J.J. Abrams loved this film series and was pouring his heart and soul into this.
Characters new and old crossed our eyes for the next two-and-a-half hours, and just like the everyone else (because I think only three people haven’t seen it yet) we marveled out how a film experience can be so timeless. I was six again seeing Luke for the first time. Rey, Finn, Poe, and BB-8 are the new Han, Luke, Leia, and Chewie. Seeing Rey maneuver the Millenium Falcon like a teenage boy handles his BMX bike made me forget the convoluted and overly political, yet necessary prequels.
Oh, and bad guys! I can’t wait to see how Captain Phasma grows in the series, why General Hux will be a great successor to Peter Cushing’s Grand Moff Tarkin, and just how much of a sniveling emo villain that Kylo Ben … oops, Ren … will become. Oh, and hopefully Daniel Craig will return to utter the words, “These are not the droids you’re looking for.”
While not a perfect film, there are some conveniences that Hollywood allows for plot progression, and with only two weeks left of December, it easily became my favorite film of 2015 (amongst tough competition such as Mad Max, The Martian, Hateful Eight, etc).
I know there is a six-year-old out there that saw The Force Awakens who will be getting all the toys, rewatching the movies, and hastily expecting the next films, just like the younger me. Thank you, J.J,. for having lightning strike again.
Sean Ackerman, The Good Men Project Author
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JJ Abrams’ problem with rebooting Star Trek was that he didn’t understand the universe or the voice of Star Trek. JJ Abrams’ problem with Star Wars is that he knew it a little too well and didn’t go anywhere with it except to the bank. Enjoyable, sure, when you’ve had your expectations lowered by JJ Binks, nearly anything is enjoyable.
Feelings Detective, The Good Men Project Author
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There I was, with my brother-in-law and twelve-year-old nephew, waiting to get into The Force Awakens. Thoughts in my head gravitated toward my nephew and how stoked he was to see the latest Star Wars offering. I tried to ignore the nagging feeling that it was going to be a long and not very good film.
That thought did not last very long once the trailers finished and the immersion into Star Wars fantasy land began. We three were all whisked away again on the X-wings to explore and discover the heroes in the film, and the heroes in ourselves. I am talking total immersion here, like the theater wasn’t even there anymore.
Then it was over, and I hadn’t noticed the time go by, felt like the film had only just started by the time it was done.
We three guys walked out of the theater, happily stoked that the tale of Star Wars we had all grown up with was continuing the saga. (Well one of us is still growing up with … oh wait, maybe all three of us are still growing up …)
Watch this film with your favorite young Star Wars fan, and you WILL enjoy it!
Wilhelm Cortez, Executive Editor at The Good Men Project
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This is one of the best films of the year. It is the best movie in this saga that I have ever had the pleasure of seeing. It decides to go back to the very roots that made Episodes 4, 5 and 6 the classics that they are. The cast is perfect, the special effects are amazing and the plot is very clever. They take the time to develop these characters knowing that they will not reveal everything about them yet but also make sure to lay a firm groundwork for whatever they may become next. This is an out of this world thrill ride that fans of all ages must see.
This is also a film that you take the whole family to see and have a blast watching it. It is a film that you will want to see more than once because they are things you will miss out on at the first viewing. It brings the old stories together and if you keep your eyes peeled older fans will see a few familiar faces. There is not one thing that I can say bad about this movie. Check it out, you will be in for a great journey.
Jay Snook, The Good Men Project Author
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Star Wars is a very personal experience for me. It was the Spring of Summer 1977 when a black family living in north St. Louis attended the first chapter of a space opera that would change the face of moviemaking forever. In the theater, a mother and two daughters (before the third was born) were ensured the father’s attendance because the event promised an action-packed family film—action being the main draw for him. Even better, the story’s themes reinforced lessons at home: Use “the force” for good.
Thirty-eight years later, the father gets to see the latest installment, Star Wars: The Force Awakens, with now three daughters and two new sons-in-law in tow to accompany his wife to the film franchise that has successfully spanned generations. Many have spoken of the J. J. Abrams-helmed installment hearkening the original blockbuster a wee bit too much. True, we once again experience the father-son battle to the end and the Millennium Falcon in fighting shape, but even more impressive are the women who are exalted into true leadership, especially in the essence of hope in the form of young Rey. What a father may now be able to verbalize to his grown daughters through this Star Wars chapter is how important it is that we became strong (insert: headstrong) women, self-reliant, standing shoulder-to-shoulder with The Resistance and ready to pilot our own ship. Fathers with daughters, enjoy this time and do not keep this film to yourself and the boys. To quote Han Solo, “Women always figure out the truth. Always.”
Nicole Franklin, The Good Men Project Author
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Photo: Lucasfilm
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