Star Wars is a fantasy epic that lives through a fairy tale story and exhilarates our imagination. It’s the kind of film one can get truly lost in, the story and its lively characters taking control of us for two hours and leading us through this classic tale. George Lucas’ science-fiction masterpiece is a wonderfully unique piece, demonstrating the ingenuity and originality of film. The prequels, mass number of spin-offs, cartoons, and action figures all aside, the original Star Wars trilogy remains one of the greatest sagas to ever grace the silver screen.
The genius of Star Wars lies in its simplicity. The story relies on the age-old tale of a young boy going out on an adventure to rescue a princess, teaming up with a cynical yet loveable hard-ass, and finding a power within himself he didn’t know was there. Luke Skywalker (Mark Hamill) is that young hero. Naïve and desperate he watches the two suns of his planet Tatooine set each night, wishing he could be somewhere out there fighting the Empire instead of stuck on the small farm his uncle runs. Then, one day Luke is given that chance, when some robot droids his uncle purchased turn out to be escapees from the evil Empire searching for Obi Wan Kenobi (Alec Guinness). Old Ben Kenobi is a Jedi Knight, a historic warrior now forgotten, living alone in the sand hills of Tatooine. He provides Luke with the guidance he needs to understand the ways of the force, a mystical energy that surrounds us all, and which Jedis can harness to channel unworldly powers, like being able to lift objects without touching them. Luke is given the weapon of a Jedi Knight, the lightsaber; a laser sword that can slice through metal or deflect blaster bullets.
The genius of Star Wars lies in its simplicity. The story relies on the age-old tale of a young boy going out on an adventure to rescue a princess, teaming up with a cynical yet loveable hard-ass, and finding a power within himself he didn’t know was there. Luke Skywalker (Mark Hamill) is that young hero. Naïve and desperate he watches the two suns of his planet Tatooine set each night, wishing he could be somewhere out there fighting the Empire instead of stuck on the small farm his uncle runs. Then, one day Luke is given that chance, when some robot droids his uncle purchased turn out to be escapees from the evil Empire searching for Obi Wan Kenobi (Alec Guinness). Old Ben Kenobi is a Jedi Knight, a historic warrior now forgotten, living alone in the sand hills of Tatooine. He provides Luke with the guidance he needs to understand the ways of the force, a mystical energy that surrounds us all, and which Jedis can harness to channel unworldly powers, like being able to lift objects without touching them. Luke is given the weapon of a Jedi Knight, the lightsaber; a laser sword that can slice through metal or deflect blaster bullets.
Obi Wan accompanies Luke to Mos Eisley, a trashy spaceport where they seek a smuggler capable of taking them to Alderaan, the planet of Princess Leia (Carrie Fisher). Leia is the one who left a message hidden in the R2-D2 droid for Obi Wan, telling him she needs his help. The pair and their droids hire the smuggler Han Solo (Harrison Ford) and his partner Chewbacca to fly them to Alderaan. Chewbacca is a Wookie, a tall and furry being who speaks in a loud groan-sounding language. This mismatched gang then flies across the galaxy to rescue the Princess and to help her rebellion attack the Empire’s ‘Death Star’, a spacecraft so large and powerful it can destroy an entire planet with one concentrated burst. Climaxing in an intense space battle around the Death Star, Star Wars wraps up satisfyingly and with a bang.
The key reason for Star Wars’ near endless success is its portrayal of so simple and classic a story in a futuristic galaxy far, far away. George Lucas has taken the basic story of a hero setting off on a long journey filled with danger and colorful characters to rescue the Princess and achieve fame or fortune at the end, and he sets this story in outer space. Lucas’ Star Wars universe is an ornate and very well constructed set of worlds. His aliens are diverse and original, and the many planets and spaceships we see here are all creative, the special effects often being ahead of their time.
The key reason for Star Wars’ near endless success is its portrayal of so simple and classic a story in a futuristic galaxy far, far away. George Lucas has taken the basic story of a hero setting off on a long journey filled with danger and colorful characters to rescue the Princess and achieve fame or fortune at the end, and he sets this story in outer space. Lucas’ Star Wars universe is an ornate and very well constructed set of worlds. His aliens are diverse and original, and the many planets and spaceships we see here are all creative, the special effects often being ahead of their time.
Another great success of Star Wars is that it doesn’t get lost in its special effects. The human characters (and even the alien ones) all feel real and alive, mostly thanks to the actor’s great performances. Harrison Ford plays the cocky and experienced smuggler with charm and wit, and Mark Hamill’s young hero complements Solo with a more idealistic and gallant performance. Alec Guinness plays the mentor with a calm patience and words that glimpse at Obi Wan’s wisdom. Carrie Fisher is energetic and memorable as Princess Leia, and even the droids R2-D2 and C3PO are humorous. Perhaps the most notable character from this film however, is the villainous Darth Vader (voiced by James Earl Jones, played by David Prowse). Darth Vader, who at all times wears a daunting black uniform complemented by a large dark helmet, speaks in a muffled voice with heavy breathing, and is one of the most feared antagonists in cinema history.
George Lucas’ Star Wars remains one of the most memorable sagas of all time thanks to its memorable characters and originality in reimagining a classic storyline. Luke Skywalker’s quest across the galaxy with Han Solo, Obi Wan Kenobi, and Princess Leia against the evil Darth Vader and the Empire is reminiscent of fairy tale classics, yet the witty and humorous characters and breakthrough special effects make this a highly memorable and treasured sci-fi classic. Its old-school good versus evil plot allows for a relatively simple moral dilemma, and allows for the characters to shine on both sides of the divide. This classic space epic presented us with many memorable characters and effects, and changed the sci-fi / adventure genre for years.
George Lucas’ Star Wars remains one of the most memorable sagas of all time thanks to its memorable characters and originality in reimagining a classic storyline. Luke Skywalker’s quest across the galaxy with Han Solo, Obi Wan Kenobi, and Princess Leia against the evil Darth Vader and the Empire is reminiscent of fairy tale classics, yet the witty and humorous characters and breakthrough special effects make this a highly memorable and treasured sci-fi classic. Its old-school good versus evil plot allows for a relatively simple moral dilemma, and allows for the characters to shine on both sides of the divide. This classic space epic presented us with many memorable characters and effects, and changed the sci-fi / adventure genre for years.