Star Wars Is Pretty Cool

So this past week I decided to fix a terrible mistake I hadn't got around to fixing; I watched the original Star Wars trilogy. I know: how can I possibly claim to be a fan of films without seeing what is quite possibly the most revered, critically acclaimed sci-fi series of all time? Well, the simple fact is that I hadn't ever decided to sit down and actually watch all three films in their entirely, similar to how I finally checked out Lord of the Rings in 2013 prior to the release of the second Hobbit movie. How did I find Star Wars? It's pretty great, actually. 

Now, you might be surprised to read that. No, I didn't think that they were some of the greatest movies ever put to screen, nor would I watch them all again obsessively. To be honest, I don't even think they're some of the very best sci-fi movies of all time (though The Empire Strikes Back would be the closest to this title). Maybe it's because they've been phenomenally over-hyped by literally centuries of fans, or maybe it's because I've just seen so many other sci-fi movies that I can't help but compare Star Wars to them, but I enjoyed this cult trilogy while it lasted...and I think that's okay. 

Before I get ahead of myself, I should probably clarify why I decided to finally check these films out. As you probably know, the latest teaser to J.J. Abrams' Star Wars Episode VII: The Force Awakens was released just under two weeks ago, and needless to say, I found it pretty spectacular. I'd previously been subjected to the Star Wars universe through the brilliant games that had taken place there, like 2005's Lego Star Wars: The Video Game. Most people, however, praise the Star Wars: Battlefront series as being the pinnacle of Lucasarts' foray into the gaming world, and I'd be inclined to agree. Regardless, I'd say it's more than acceptable for somebody to get sucked into this world without ever watching the movies (like I was). After watching the films, though, I've now got a pretty detailed understanding of the context behind these games - a context which 99% of the population probably had many years before today. 

But back to the title of this article, and how Star Wars is 'pretty cool'. After finishing Episode IV: A New Hope (which was initially just referred to as 'Star Wars'), I found it to be a little slow, in all honesty. I could appreciate the charm of classic sci-fi presentation, and the now iconic transition shots of the screen just sliding from one scene to another, but I definitely wasn't shocked in awe at what I'd just seen. Even fan-favourite Han Solo (Harrison Ford) hadn't fully swayed me into fandom; primarily because of Ford's later role in the incredible Blade Runner, in which he plays a similar character with a disregard for authority. Maybe I left it too late to fully appreciate these beloved classics? 

Maybe. Or maybe it's okay to just enjoy something that everybody else loves. I've no doubt that this year's The Force Awakens will be something special, and with a new Battlefront game coming, we've certainly got a lot to look forwards to. Does me not loving Star Wars mean that I don't like the franchise as a whole? Of course not. It just means that while some people might choose to don their Stormtrooper armour and attend conventions, I'll instead enjoy the movies for what they are: entertaining, two-hour epics that tell an interesting - though slightly drawn-out - story. 

Also, if you haven't yet seen the trailer for Episode VII, you really ought to fix that: