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davidahallnum5
Aug 7, 20227 min read

Star Wars: The Force Awakens 3D Blu-ray Review

Updated: Apr 8, 2023

Star Wars: The Force Awakens is a movie that needs no introduction. We all were there in 2015 when this film came out. We all know how lines of people were piled up outside the theater to see this long awaited addition to the Star Wars franchise. And we all know how at the end of its theatrical run, it pulled in a staggering 2.068 billion dollars. So if you don't remember any of the things above prior to reading this article, chances are you have been living on a sand planet far far away. Anyway, seven years have passed and the question to ask is this: Compared to the current Star Wars environment, does this movie hold up and was this movie actually worth the hype?

First, let's give you a quick synopsis to refresh most of your memory. Years after the big wrap up in Star Wars: Return of the Jedi, the empire has gotten back together under the command of a new bad guy Kylo Ren. He is intent on finding the long lost Luke Skywalker by getting ahold of a map leading to his location in the galaxy. However, the map ends up finding its way in the hands of a scavenger named Rey. Once it does so, Rey ends up on an adventure that leads her to a former Storm Trooper named Finn, the Resistance to the empire, and her destiny in the force.

As far as needless continuations of wrapped up stories go, I personally found this movie to be on the slightly more mediocre side of things. Now don't get me wrong. This is still an overall enjoyable and competently made movie. However, when you look at the original Star Wars trilogy and how they still hold up today as not just good blockbuster movies, but also some of the greatest movies of all time, The Force Awakens doesn't fully do it justice. The reason I say this isn't because the story doesn't have new characters and enough time spent on the interesting continuation of the previous characters, because the story spends most of its time following the same beats as the first movie. We have the seemingly normal character on the desert planet who discovers she is strong with the force, joins the resistance against a tyrannical empire, and blows up a death star at the end. I wouldn't have a problem with it that much if the new elements were memorable. But the main hero, Rey, is less interesting than Luke Skywalker. Not entirely unlikable, but still pretty bland for the most part. And Kylo Ren is obviously nowhere as intimidating as the original classic Darth Vader. And even his greatest weapon, Starkiller base, is simply the original Death Star but bigger. There's nothing to greatly despise in terms of the new elements. But there's nothing to really love either. And that's what makes this movie, at least in my opinion, one of the more forgettable films on the Star Wars catalog.

That doesn't means there's nothing to appreciate though. The new character Finn, a former Storm Trooper turned good guy, was a pretty fascinating character who I liked, even if his motivations remained somewhat glossed over. He had good personality. The story about Han and Leia having a son that turned out to be the bad guy is a pretty interesting dynamic and it's handled well for the most part. And the search for Luke Skywalker left plenty of ambiguity that made it fun to watch, even if you've seen the later movies and know where it goes. And of course, the visuals are as good as ever.

Overall, Star Wars: The Force Awakens delivers enough fun for average Star Wars fans. But considering how the original Star Wars trilogy includes some of the greatest and most original films in existence, I felt like we deserved something that was striving to be more original, and dare I say, maybe groundbreaking from this movie. It's by no means bad, but it's a shame it tends to be mostly forgettable, especially considering the significance of the movies that came before it. Still, you could certainly do worse from the Star Wars catalog (Attack of the Clones, anyone?).


OVERALL FILM RATING: 3.5/5 STARS



As I mentioned earlier, Star Wars: The Force Awakens has some of the best visuals out of the Star Wars movies. So you might be wondering, is the movie any good in 3D? Of course, you might've already been asking yourself that question considering you're here on The 3D Dinosaur. But the short answer is this: absolutely.

You have obviously seen the same Star Wars schtick in normal 2D. But it's an entirely different experience seeing the same Star Wars schtick in 3D. You've seen the opening credits many times before. But in 3D, when the title of the film and the slanted epilogue crawl is moving in its own 3D space, you'll be so impressed with the way it moves you'll probably almost forget to actually read the words on display. And even beyond that opening logo, the 3D remains strong and mesmerizing throughout. You've seen views of spaceships flying around in the empty void of space in 2D. But with the extra dimension, you not only get stars that look as if they're light years away, but the motions of the spaceships themselves in space, or right over planets, are also a lot more fun to watch in 3D. And when they're involved in action sequences, you can't help getting glued to the screen. In fact, we get plenty of good pop outs with the surrounding spaceships, including one very incredible one where a Star Destroyer is coming a great ways out of the screen. And even if the film didn't have the space vehicles, the views of the planets themselves are a fantastic watch in 3D, looking not only far away, but also enormous and grand. That's part of the magic of 3D when it's done tastefully.

And even on the ground, the 3D still remains top notch, At the beginning of the film when Rey is approaching her hover vehicle, the space between her craft and the ground is made much more interesting in 3D. And the big and vast locations look properly big and vast. The desert looks like it stretches on for miles. And in 3D, you can tell the shapes of the landscape that I doubt you'd notice in 2D. There's also a beautiful shot of the setting sun in a Star Wars: A New Hope-esque type style. And in 3D, when everything is in its own 3D space, it much more interesting to watch. Jungles, cities, and the inside of Starkiller Base retain proper 3D space throughout. Nothing ever looks like a cardboard cut-out. And even the tunnels inside of the Millennium Falcon retain proper shape and depth. But when these sets are aided by camera shots that capture enormous and mesmerizing views such as the void below a catwalk in Starkiller Base to the distance trees go far off far into the background, it makes the 3D experience not just better to watch, but also to some degree, necessary.

But of course, as mesmerizing as the depth into the screen is, that doesn't mean we also don't get some fantastic pop outs. As I mentioned before spaceships in space provide amazing pop outs, maybe even most of the best in the movie. But even on the ground, there are plenty of other objects leaving the screen in a fun way. People point their guns of the screen a good ways. Surrounding objects such as people, vehicles, staffs, some snow, and droids leave the comfort of the screen a decent amount of the time. And of course, lightsabers occasionally make fun pop outs. And there are also times when Kylo Ren uses the force and sticks his hand out of the screen plenty to make it much more memorable. There is also a dazzling sequence involving the holographic map where the holographic images pop out and go back into the screen in a way that isn't nearly as impressive in 2D. Pop outs, for the most part, are strong with The Force Awakens.

As you can see, Star Wars: The Force Awakens is absolutely stellar in 3D. Whereas most good 3D films look good in 3D but can be enjoyed almost to the same extent in 2D, Star Wars: The Force Awakens is a film that demands to be seen in 3D. The action is much more immersive, the sets are much bigger, and everything in between is simply more interesting to watch in the third dimension. If like 3D Blu-ray, this one simply must go into your collection. There's no doubt about it. That's why I'm giving the 3D for Star Wars: The Force Awakens a rating of 3D Dinosaur Certified Excellent. Is it quite the next Hugo or Gravity, probably not. But with as good as the 3D is, it would be ungrateful to ask for anything more.


3D RATING: EXCELLENT


Other recommended sites that review this movie's 3D (the reviews here may not always match up with mine. But if you're looking for second opinions on the 3D in the movie reviewed here, here are some sources that I personally recommend checking out):








FINAL THOUGHTS:


At this point, virtually everyone has seen Star Wars: The Force Awakens. So there isn't much of a point in telling you whether or not I recommend it. Personally though, I will say that while it may not be my favorite of the Star Wars films, it still delivers mostly enjoyable, if not somewhat forgettable, fun. But of course, that's my take on it. If you really like it, don't let me talk you of enjoying it. I just personally wish it could've just a little bit more creative and ambitious (strange word to choose in this case considering I'm talking about a Star Wars movie) in the storytelling department. However, while Star Wars: The Force Awakens may not have delivered a particularly significant story, it did deliver a very memorable 3D experience. And that's understating it. The 3D here is not only the preferred way to see it, it also has some of the best usage of 3D I've seen on a 3D Blu-ray ever. Depth is constant and impressive, the action is immersive, and the pop outs are fun and surreal. Star Wars: The Force Awakens 3D-wise is the whole package. Even if you might not want to buy the film simply because the story isn't groundbreaking, I say this movie is worth buying just for the 3D. And with the current price for the collector's edition (which includes the 3D Blu-ray) at a reasonable $15, how can you not go for it? What more can I say? Do yourself a favor and watch this movie in 3D.




DID YOU LIKE "STAR WARS: THE FORCE AWAKENS" IN 3D

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