Every one knows how they begin. That black screen with the blue lettering saying “A long time ago in a galaxy far, far away” and then cue the music, logo and the infamous title crawl. Yes, I’m talking about the one and only Star Wars movie saga. For generations, Star Wars (created and directed by George Lucas) has taken millions of viewers (both young and old) on an epic space opera adventure, filled with aliens, space pirates, jedi, lightsabers, stormtroopers, droids, and, of course, the mystical omnipresent lifestream known as “The Force”. Uniquely enough, the Star Wars films (six in total) has been spilt by a generation gap. Star Wars Episode IV, V, and VI (1977’s A New Hope, 1980’s The Empire Strikes Back, and 1983’s Return of the Jedi) debuted first (dubbed as the “original” saga, while Star Wars Episode I, II, and III (1999’s The Phantom Menace, 2002’s Attack of the Clones, and 2005’s Revenge of the Sith) debuted later (dubbed as the “prequel” saga). Whether you prefer the “original” or “prequel” Star Wars saga (and it has been debated over the years), the success of the six movies has been astronomical, grossing over 4.38 billion as a film franchise, making Star Wars the fifth highest grossing franchise ever. Even the Star Wars brand has greatly expanded beyond the realm of the six episode movies. This includes toys, action figures, clothing apparel, home decorum, video games, novelty items, cartoon spinoffs, and even a 1978 TV Christmas special. Now, with the recent acquisition of the legendary franchise, Disney and director JJ Abrams proudly announce the seventh episode installment in the illustrious movie saga with the highly anticipated film Star Wars: The Force Awakens. Does the movie truly awaken (with a new and engaging continuing saga to tell) or is it just a flashy sci-fi reboot that’s desperately trying to “cash in” on the brand’s prolithic film legacy?
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