‘The Force Awakens’ a fun but flawed reintroduction to Star Wars

A long time ago, in a galaxy far, far away …

The moment those words appear in blue lettering over black, it’s like receiving a visit from a long-cherished friend you haven’t seen in a long time. Only, your friend has obviously had a ton of cosmetic surgery and has developed a few personality flaws that can’t be ignored. That doesn’t mean seeing this friend is a bad experience — just that things are not the same.

That was my “Star Wars: The Force Awakens” experience in a nutshell.

I absolutely enjoyed this movie, and I think everyone should go see it. It’s a fun, thrilling movie that drags the “Star Wars” franchise into the present style-wise (something the prequel trilogy failed to do in spite of its over-reliance on computerized visual effects), while paying homage to its past. It’s well-written, well-acted and packed with exhilarating action. It’s easily the best “Star Wars” film since “Return of the Jedi.”

As “Force” opens, Luke Skywalker (Mark Hamill) is nowhere to be found. In his absence, The First Order has arisen from the leftovers of the Galactic Empire, and they are questing to find Luke so they can wipe out the biggest obstacle to their takeover. The Resistance, led by General Leia Organa (Carrie Fisher) is also looking for Luke, and they dispatched ace pilot Poe Dameron (Oscar Isaac) to find him.

Meanwhile, Rey (Daisy Ridley) passes her time on the planet Jakku scavenging for scraps and dreaming of leaving. She runs across ex-stormtrooper Finn (John Boyega) and together they embark on a journey that leads them to cross paths with Han Solo (Harrison Ford), Chewbacca (Peter Mayhew) and the ultimate Darth Vader fanboy, Kylo Ren (Adam Driver).

”Force” is quite the ride. Spaceships zip through wracks of bigger spaceships. Thousands of bolts of deadly laser fire are exchanged. The First Order has an “ultimate weapon” so big, it makes the Death Star look like a cap gun. The film is action-packed, and that action is rendered in a way the keeps you on the edge of your seat.

The acting is pretty great, too. Ridley is outstanding as the emotional heart of the film. Boyega’s twitchy with a nervous energy that leads to some of the film’s best moments. The best thing I can say about Isaac’s Poe Dameron is that I hope he gets his own movie.

Then, there’s Ford. Oh my goodness, he was so awesome as Han Solo. He played Solo as the guy from the original movies, but he let that guy show the effects of 30 years of life experience. This Han Solo has depth and wisdom. And his interplay with Chewbacca is priceless.

So, the acting’s great, it’s well-written and the action’s close to magical. But …

First off, there’s Kylo Ren. He has a tragic backstory that should have created depth and drama, but it’s not given time to develop enough for you to care. In one scene, he throws the kind of hissy fit you expect out of a spoiled kindergartener, which makes him seem a bit less threatening. He takes part in a dirty, brutal lightsaber fight that is one of the saga’s better duels, but he’s not the bad guy a “Star Wars” movie deserves.

Secondly, the pacing is a little too brisk. One of the great things about the original “Star Wars” movies is that it gave you time to look at the world onscreen and drink it in. “The Force Awakens” has too many plates spinning to give you any time to be impressed at the scope of the film. That makes the world feel small. And there are a couple of emotional beats in the film that would be more impactful if we were given a moment or two to let them sink in.

Finally, “Force” leans way too hard on previous “Star Wars” movies. If you boil the plot down to its bare essential elements, it’s basically the same save-the-girl-and-take-the-droid-with-the-secret-to-the-freedom-fighters plot from George Lucas’s 1977 film. Iconic moments are cherry-picked and reprocessed. “Star Wars” has always had elements that recall and mirror each other, but it gets a little out of hand here. And frankly, “Force” is at its best when it’s not wallowing in nostalgia.

In spite of its flaws, “Star Wars: The Force Awakens” is a film that needs to be seen. It’s fun, funny and sets the table for what will hopefully be a compelling new series. I can’t wait to see where filmmakers like Rian Johnson and Colin Trevorrow take the series. Yes, “The Force Awakens” has serious flaws, but it’s a solid rebirth of an iconic film saga. The Force is finally strong with “Star Wars” again.

3 ½ Indy Fedoras out of 5

MPAA Rating: PG-13