10 Years Later: Was The Force Awakens Really That Bad?

by

Since 1977, Star Wars has become a hugely popular and iconic part of pop culture. The original film revolutionized cinema, and amazingly, Star Wars is even more beloved today after almost 50 years. It’s expanded into everything from toys and collectibles to a complete theme park – a level of success that its creator, George Lucas, likely never envisioned when he first began developing the story of Luke Skywalker.

The Star Wars prequels, released in the early 2000s, weren’t universally loved, but I was young when The Phantom Menace came out, and it sparked my lifelong love for the series. I can see why people criticize them, but they hold a special place for me. Growing up, Star Wars was a huge part of my life, introducing me to the wonder of movies and feeding my passion for video games. I spent countless hours playing The Force Unleashed on my PSP and watching The Clone Wars on TV. So, when The Force Awakens was announced right before my 18th birthday, I was thrilled. I didn’t realize then that this film would start another set of movies that people would strongly disagree about.

Star Wars: The Force Awakens premiered in theaters on December 18, 2015.

After 10 Years, The Force Awakens is a Story Filled With High and Low Points

I still enjoy Star Wars, but rewatching The Force Awakens after a long time feels different. While there are parts I really like, there are also things I don’t. It’s not surprising, though, since that movie often divides Star Wars fans. Sometimes it brings back childhood excitement, but other times it’s just frustrating.

The movie is a good starting point for new fans who haven’t seen the older Star Wars films. However, longtime fans might find it frustrating. While The Force Awakens attempts to recreate the feeling of the original movie, it relies too heavily on familiar elements and doesn’t take enough risks with its new or returning characters. Ultimately, a bolder approach might have been more successful.

The Force Awakens Sets Up a Long List of Compelling Scenarios That Never End Up Going Anywhere

With the sequel trilogy complete, it’s hard to watch the first film without thinking about how the story continued with The Last Jedi and The Rise of Skywalker. Many longtime fans have noticed The Force Awakens closely resembles A New Hope, and while some see this as unoriginal, I view it differently. Yes, it borrows heavily from the original, but I think it intentionally highlights the cyclical nature of history. Empires come and go, and there’s always a hero – or a figure who seems destined for greatness – to either challenge or reinforce those patterns. That’s where characters like Rey and Kylo Ren come in.

The new Star Wars trilogy clearly mirrors the original: Rey embodies Luke Skywalker, Kylo Ren takes on the Darth Vader role, and Luke has become a wise, mentor figure like Obi-Wan. While these parallels help introduce a new generation to the classic Star Wars formula and highlight the theme of history repeating itself, the similarities often feel uninspired. The Starkiller Base feels like a simple rehash of the Death Star, and bringing back Han Solo feels more like a nod to fans than a meaningful plot point. There’s been a lot of discussion about whether Han Solo’s return was justified. While some argue it showed the emotional impact of Kylo Ren’s choices, it ultimately felt like a step backward. Han’s main purpose seemed to be simply revealing his relationship to Kylo, and the story didn’t adequately build up the emotional connection this reveal should have carried.

One of the most compelling aspects of The Force Awakens is how it introduces intriguing possibilities that unfortunately don’t pan out in the subsequent films. The new characters, like Rey, could have been more developed and shown more flaws, making them more relatable. Finn had the potential to be a significant hero, but his storyline ultimately feels underdeveloped. The film hints at him being sensitive to the Force, but that idea is never explored. Captain Phasma also seemed poised for a bigger role, but her story ends abruptly. While revisiting The Force Awakens is enjoyable because of these initial setups, it’s also a reminder of how underwhelming the rest of the trilogy becomes.

Of all the new characters introduced in the trilogy, Poe Dameron experiences the most satisfying development.

Starting from simple products and expanding to a complete theme park, Star Wars has become far more successful than George Lucas likely envisioned when he began creating the story of Luke Skywalker.

Even With its Flaws, The Force Awakens Remains an Optimistic Reminder of What Could Have Been

You know, I really enjoy The Force Awakens when I try to just experience it on its own, without thinking about the rest of the sequel trilogy. Knowing how The Last Jedi and The Rise of Skywalker turn out definitely colors my view a little, but it’s still a really optimistic and fun way to reintroduce the Star Wars magic to a new generation. I’m not saying it’s a perfect movie – it’s not – but it’s definitely not bad. Actually, watching it reminds me a lot of how I felt when I first saw The Phantom Menace – a lot of hope and excitement for what was to come.

While The Force Awakens doesn’t take many risks, it does attempt to introduce new concepts that ultimately didn’t quite develop as hoped. It’s a bit of a mixed experience overall, but its biggest strength is successfully bringing Star Wars to a new audience.

Read More

2025-11-23 00:06