Honestly, what can I say about Star Wars A New Hope that everybody else has said about it already. Well not to be a downer, but I don’t think it’s a 100% perfect movie. At the same time though, it’s still one of the most amazingly crafted movies made in film history and it stands the test of time as the story and even some of the original effects still hold up to this very day. Nowadays almost every Sci-Fi blockbuster has tried to replicate what made this film a success but let’s face it, no matter how many movies try, nobody can top the legacy that Stars Wars has created.
In a universe where spaceships and mysterious planets are the norm. A war is being held in space between the rebel alliance and imperial forces lead by the evil Darth Vader. Rebel Spies have sent a transmission that reviles plans for how to Destroy the Death Star which is a moon-like space station that can destroy an entire planet. Princess Leia sends a droid named R2-D2 to get help from Obi-Wan Kenobi before getting captured by Vader and sent to a jail cell in the Death Star. R2-D2 along with a protocol droid named C-3P0 escape through a pod land on the planet of Tatooine. They are capture by Jawa’s and sold to a farm boy named Luke Skywalker. While cleaning R2-D2, Luke finds a hidden video message from Leia about Obi-Wan and a little while later Luke manages to come in contact with Obi-Wan after being attacked by Sand People.
Obi-Wan Proceeds to tell Luke about how his father and he fought in the clone wars and talks about a time about the Jedi nights who were the original peacekeepers of the galactic empire. Later, Luke returns home only to find that his aunt and uncle have been killed by stormtroopers looking for R2-D2 as he had the plan for the Death Star stored away in his data. Luke and Obi-Wan head to Mos Eisley to find some help to get to the Death Star and rescue Princess Leia. They manage to find a self-centered but brave pilot Han Solo and his Wookie companion Chewbacca. Obi-Wan and Han strike a deal that he can take the group in his ship called the millennium falcon to the death Star and in return, he can get a nice chunk of change from Princess Leia.
It may have been made in the ’70s, but this is the kind of story that still holds up to this very day as it is ambitious in its storytelling, its visuals, and even its music. The futuristic space setting looks massive and full of interesting sites and characters. the worldbuilding is unlike anything any movie has attempted at the time which makes it stand out from many of the others. Most of all, the story is interesting, engaging, and full of Sci-Fi adventurous spirit. It’s simple enough in its storytelling and in the basics of how the world works but there is also a subtle complexity that makes the Star Wars universe super engaging without the film pointlessly talking boring exposition like in the prequels. The characters are fun and recognizable and I’m not just talking about the subtle hilarity of the driods. Each of the human characters is instantly memorable not only thanks to their well-rounded personalities but also to the costuming which helps distinguish one character from another so they all don’t look the same. If I did have to nitpick I would say that Luke Skywalker can be a little bit of a whiney person at times but thankfully the story is interesting enough that I can let it slide and his character would change in the movies after this one so, in the end, it all works out.
The visuals are a feat of their own even if despite the fact that current versions of the movie have added CGI effects to make it look “better” but we will touch on that later. Most of the visual effects still hold up for a modern moviegoer. The settings and character costuming have become pop culture icons in their own right. The amount of detail is beyond compare and you feel all the amount of hard work and passion behind the scenes which makes the movie even more special. I know many people talk about the added digital effects and how they ruin the vision of the original movie. While I don’t disagree as I find the CGI in Mos Eisley pretty obvious and fake, I did like some updates to the effects even with how minor they are because, in the long run, it doesn’t change the story that much so it doesn’t bother me like it does everyone else. I don’t think the music needs any introduction because just like everything else, it too has also become a pop culture phenomenon. The score was conducted by the great John Williams who has scored many popular movies including Jurrasic Park, Indiana Jones, and the Harry Potter movies. Almost every tune in A New Hope is recognizable and only adds to the epicness of the adventure our heroes go on.
Movies have most likely never been the same since as nowadays every film franchise wants to have the success that Star Wars has gotten. Many decades later, it’s amazing how well this movie holds up in its storytelling, characters, most of its visual effects, and even its music. This movie is sure to delight the young and the old and just knowing the fact that Star Wars is still a continuing franchise with many more films and spin-offs both currently and in development. Star Wars will likely live on forever in the hearts and minds of moviegoers everywhere and we have A New Hope to thank for that.
(Final Grade: A)