Star Wars: The Force Awakens

30 years after the fall of the Emperor, peace has still not come to the galaxy. Where the Empire once shook terror, it is now the First Order terrorist organization that calls the shots. But there is hope: a secret map inside the droid BB-8 reveals where the legendary hero Luke Skywalker ( Mark Hamill ) has disappeared to. And take that card to his sister, General Leia Organa ( Carrie Fisher ), who is at the forefront of the resistance. The task is not easy, because the pilot Poe Dameron ( Oscar Isaac ), later also the former stormtrooper Finn ( John Boyega ) and the garbage collector Rey ( Daisy Ridley) are targeted by General Hux ( Domhnall Gleeson ) and the sinister, Force-wielding Kylo Ren ( Adam Driver ), who has his own reasons for wanting to wipe out the Resistance. But the unlikely heroes are not alone, because on the run they meet two adventurers who have already fought against the Empire: Han Solo ( Harrison Ford ) and Chewbacca ( Peter Mayhew ).

Where is Luke Skywalker? This is a question that not only concerns the First Order and the Resistance, but the fan base has also been talking about nothing else for weeks. While Han, Chewie, and Leia were allowed to show their current form, again and again, nothing was to be seen of the last of all Jedi Knights – no trailer, no poster. Of course, this was not negligence, but part of an almost frightening, perfectly oiled marketing machine, which, thanks to its absurd secrecy, caused the hype about the long-awaited sequel to rise to unknown heights. But there was also a lot at stake: After George Lucas Annoyed many old fans with his prequels, it was now necessary to bring them back. And in order to achieve this, every unnecessary experiment was avoided. “Don’t be controversy” is the motto of the seventh adventure in the Star Wars series.

Star Wars: The Force Awakens is a happy reunion, but also a little disappointing: The Force Awakens is so closely based on the first Star Wars trilogy that the film feels like a remake. By not taking any risks, Episode VII is not quite as exciting in terms of content, but it is still very entertaining, offers a lot of action, interesting, beloved characters, and also a surprising amount of humor.

• Star Wars: The Force Awakens