Star Wars

A Bright Force In The World

Main Cast: Mark Hamill, Carrie Fisher, Harrison Ford, David Prowse

Director: George Lucas

No review database would be complete without this classic sci-fi story. Not only did it excite the imaginations of countless kids growing up (Me!), it boosted the concept of sci-fi into the general public and broke down some of the negative connotations associated with this rich genre.

To summarize, this is the story of an evil galactic Empire and those brave enough to fight against it… and win. The rebels are led by Luke Skywalker, at the beginning an average kid on a distant desert planet, but one who grows into a master Jedi, a warrior of awesome strength of will and of mastery of the Force. The Force allows the jedi to manipulate both physical objects and other brains with their mind alone, and it is a potent power. Of course, the Force can be used by good and evil alike, and a great hero would be lost without an equally great villain: Darth Vader fills this role in the first two movies, then the Emperor himself takes center stage in the last episode.

The original Star Wars (or now Episode 4) tells a grand tale. The battle between the Rebels and the Empire is already in progress. Princess Leia, a rebel, is caught delivering plans of a new battle station to her rebel friends. She does manage to send a few droids (robots) off with the plans, and that introduces Luke Skywalker and Obi-Wan Kenobi, an old Jedi knight. Kenobi convinces Luke to come with him to rescue the princess, and they collect a wise-cracking smuggler space pilot, Han Solo, and his co-pilot Chewbacca, to help them. They manage to find the new battle station, the well-named Death Star, and get aboard. They find and rescue the princess, fly off to a rebel base, and then make an attack on the Death Star in a climatic space battle.

This is a grand movie, filled with broad strokes and a lot of action. The characters are merely sketched out but the plot drives everything forward at a brisk pace. But the story, the effects, and the people all add up to a wonderful view.

This series is better than the sum of its parts. It’s a classic sci-fi story, and something everyone should see at least once in their lives. May the Force be with you!