Star Wars Episode 4: A New Hope
George Lucas
Quick View: A young farmer and his wizard like mentor find themselves caught up in a galaxy wide rebellion. Will this mysterious magic called the force be enough for the young Luke Skywalker to defeat the threat of the empire and the evil Darth Vader?
Full Review: Star Wars Episode IV: A New Hope is the first installment of George Lucas’ revolutionary SciFi-fantasy-action adventure saga. This movie contained many groundbreaking techniques in filmmaking as well as stunning performances, and the brilliant cast worked together to produce a movie that would continue to be held as one of the greatest, if not THE greatest sci film to this day. The movie holds up to time very well, and the somewhat cheesy practical effects only add to the timelessness of the production. The plot, although far
from unique, is fun and easy to understand, and helps guide the movie on an entertaining journey.
The movie follows the story of Luke Skywalker, a young moisture farmer on the planet of Tatooine. Luke has always dreamed of leaving the small backwater planet behind for something greater, and he gets his wish when two droids wanted by the authoritarian Empire come into his possession. With the help of old Ben Kenobi, a former Jedi Knight, and a pair of smugglers, Han and Chewie, Luke must find his way to Alderaan to help deliver the secret plans of the massive super weapon called the Death Star, which were hidden inside one of the droids, to the rebellion. To their surprise, all they found was rubble and waste as well as the enormous battle station looming over the remains. After being sucked in, The crew work together to free their ship and rescue the princess locked away in the station. After a daring escape, and the loss of one of their own, they make their way to the Rebel alliance, and Luke joins the rag tag rogue squadron on a mission to destroy the death star.
The character’s drive and development are well written and progress nicely throughout the film. Each character has their own goals, ambitions, and view on the various events, playing off of their experiences to help develop the plot and move the story along. A good movie usually has a cast of characters who, by the end of the movie, have gone through some form of transformation. In A New Hope, Luke develops a trust in the force, Han learns to put the right thing in front of monetary gain, and Vader learns not to underestimate the rebellion. Overall, the movie benefits from great characters played by great actors, and we are all better off for it.
The scenery fits each scene. From large, vast sets, to tiny cramped ships, and endless desserts, A New Hope is made better by the use of location to develop the plot and production quality of the film. The movie made you feel like you really were in a galaxy far far away.
Overall, the movie, although not the most original with its plot, was a groundbreaking film by an amazing director, cast, and crew, and helped inspire many of the scifi hits since. Unlike most pilot movies, A New Hope made itself a great stand alone film, as well as offering a nice starting point for the following two. Combined with a very quotable script and the fun, addicting nature of the action and characters, A New Hope becomes one of the best SciFi films ever made.
Final Score: 9/10