The document provides an analytical review of the film The Force Awakens. It discusses the directors, production companies, filming locations, and budget. It also analyzes themes of hierarchy and inequality portrayed through the stormtroopers. The review notes the film appeals to a wide audience through elements like romance, comedy, and classic sci-fi scenes. It describes the common sci-fi genres and conventions used, such as aliens, weapons, and exotic locations. Details are given on the filming techniques and IMAX scenes. The review explains the director's choice of nostalgic 80s style to relate to original fans while keeping the technology rustic.

1. Analytical filmreviewofThe Force Awakens
The Force AwakenswasdirectedbyJ.J.Abramsandthe productioncompanieswere:LucasfilmLtd,
Bad RobotProductionsandThe Imaginarium.Principle filmingforThe Force Awakenstookplace at
PinewoodStudios,locatednearLondon,andwasreleasedin2015. The budgetforthe filmwas$306
million(gross)andendedupcosting$423 million.
The filmwasmade for mainlyentertainmentpurposesbutalsotogetacross themesof hierarchy
and inequality.Alsothe ideathatthe stormtrooperswere Dotrinatedbythe FirstOrderand
brainwashedthemtohelpwitheverythingtheywantthemtodo. One of the mostimportant scenes
that representsthisideaiswhenthe stormtroopersare inlineswhenGeneral Hux isgivingordersto
them. Thisscene resemblesthe wayHitlertreatedthe Jewsandwaytheywouldhave beentreated,
portrayinghierarchyandpower. Ithinkthe filmas a whole appealstomanydifferentaudiencesas
there are differentpartstargetedat differentpeople. Thereare the classicspace scenes,stereotypes
of Star Wars that appeal to the Star Wars/Sci – Fi fans.There are also romance scenesandcomedy
sceneswhichalsoappeal topeople wholikethat.
The genre Codesand Conventionsof The Force Awakensare the typical thingspeople wouldexpect
to see whenwatchingthe StarWars film.Forexample one of the mainconventionsSci-Fi filmsare
space and aliens/creatureswhichare verypredominantthemeswithinThe Force Awakens. The
Supreme Leader,whorules overthe firstorderisanotherworldlycreature,aswell as the creatures
like Maz that theyall go tovisit.AnotherconventionthatSci-Fi fanslookoutforandthat appearsin
the force awakensare weaponsandnot necessarilyonesthatwe’re usedtoseeing.Thisappeals
more the audience asit’snot justtypical gunsthat are used, butotherweaponsthatmakesthe film
newand interesting. The settingsandlocationsalsoplayabigfactor of the conventionsof The Force
Awakensasnone of the locationsare what the audience wouldbe usedto.Forexample ‘Jakku’isa
desertsettingsoisn’tusedtowhatmost of us see everydayso adds elementsof escapismintothe
film.Alsothe mainsetting/locationof space,whichintriguesalotof people soismore appealingas
a whole tothe audience asit’ssomethingthey’re notusedtoseeing,andisescapismagain.
WhenshootingThe Force Awakens Abrams useda35mm camerato capture the majorityof The
Force Awakens. However, inaddition to35mm, Abramsalsoused65mm IMAX cameras for one
specificsequence, the MillenniumFalconchase throughJakku. The movie will be shown inbothin
2D and 3D. The Force Awakens isalsobeingshowcased inIMAX 3D.They optedto filmwiththisso
the audience wouldgetthe full experience whenwatchingthe new StarWars filminIMAX 3D.
Abramshas gone for a nostalgic80’s style inthe new Star Wars film.Thisisto relate backto the
original StarWars fans andto keeptheminterestedinthe new filmsbynotchangingthe style
massivelytokeepthe lookof the filmsimilartowhatthe original filmslookedlike. Thingsthatrelate
to the original style of the filmcouldbe the costumesandprops,andalsothe type of technologyand
weaponsused,ratherthanmovingwiththe timesandchangingall the technologyaswe advance
our knowledge.Everythingstill looksrusticandauthenticwithnoobviouschanges.Obviouslyasfilm
and editingtechnologyadvances,the qualityof the filmswillimprove howeverAbramswantedto
keepthe actual footage withinthe filmauthentictorelate backtothe original films.
Trailer Analysis:
The trailerstarts witha close upof someone orsomethingthatwe don’tknow the genderof or
whethertheyare evenhumanornot. Theypull backwhateverwascoveringthemonthe firstbeat
of soundtrackshowing thatitissignificant. Itthenjumpcutsto clipsof the thingwe saw inthe
previousshotslidingdownarope inwhat we wouldassume tobe some sort of spaceship,which

2. immediatelyconnotesthe Sci-Fi genre.The musicinthe backgroundof these clipshasreallysoft
dynamicsandhas an ominoustone toit,thiscouldbe usedtoforeshadow the eventstocome later
on inthe film.Overtopof thisa woman’svoice says“whoare you”,thiscouldbe usedto bringout
the audiencesthoughtsasthisisprobably similartowhattheywouldbe thinkingatthistime to,to
whichshe reply’s“I’mnoone”whichcouldshow that she istryingto keepa low profile orhasn’t
beenimportantupuntil now.Itthencuts to a sandy,desertlike locationandwe see agirl,who we
assume to be the thingfromthe previousclip.She iswearingraggedneutral colouredclotheswhich
couldlinkbackto the fact thatshe doesn’twanttobe notices,the state of her clothesalsoshow her
lack of money.She iswitha robot who we haven’t metbefore whichagainshowsSci-Ficonventions.
We thensee a clipof the storm trooperslinedupinridgedrowsbeingspokentobysomeone in
charge.To old fansthiswouldhave made themexcitedastheysee thatstormtroopershave an
appearance inthe newfilm.Thiscouldalsolinktothe ideaof Marxismand the fact that there is
massive hierarchywithinthe film,anddefinite rulerswhohave ultimatepowerandcontrol.Thisclip
alsohas connotationsandthemesthatlinktothe ideaof Hitlerand the Jews.We thengetthe reveal
of JohnBoyegaas the firstblackstorm trooper,whichwouldhave beenabigdeal tothe original Star
Wars fans,and mightexcite them.We thensee aspaceshipcrashingandthena clipof the same
storm trooper,inthe same desertlocationasbefore,withouthistypical whiteoutfiton,thiscould
demonstrate thathe islostor that he isn’twhere he’smeanttobe.We thengeta back shotthat
cuts to a close up of someone whowe assume tobe the bad guy as he’swearingasimilarmaskto
the one that Darth Vaderusedto wear,alsothe coloursin thisclipare black andred whichconnote
dangerand hintto the fact that he’snotgoingto be nice.Itthencuts to a clipof the original Darth
Vadermaskwhichwouldexcite oldfans.The musicalsochangesslightlyandbecome more intense
showingthatthe tensionsare rising. We thengeta voice oversaying“I will finishwhathe started”
whichagain,influencesustobelieve thathe isa bad guyand will follow inDarthVader’sfootsteps.
There isthena surge of fire through treesconnotingdangerthatfadesintothe millenniumfalcon
flyingpastfollowedbyotherspaceships,thisshowsusthatthere issome sortof chase or struggle.
The music hasnow changedtoa muchfasterpassedtempothathas beenbuildingupuntil now. We
thensee Han Soloforthe firsttime,sothe original fanswouldbe excitedandintriguedastowhy
he’sback.There is thenmultipleflashingshots of the badguywho we saw previouslyholdingalight
sabersimilartoDarth Vader’sstoodinthe rain lookingreadytofight.Thisthenclarifiestousas the
audience thathe doesn’thave goodintensions. There isthenaclipof an area that lookslike a
buildinghasbeenblownup,withfireandstormtroopersstoodwithguns.We thensee the burned
downbuildingshowingthatthe place hasbeenattacked,andwe assume bythe firstorder due to all
the storm troopersstoodaround.Thisisthenfollowedbymore fightingalotsof explosionsound
effectsandvisualstoshowthe amountof violence inthe film. We thensee clipsof HanSoloworking
withthe storm trooperandgirl that we saw at the start of the trailer,whichleadsustobelieve that
theyare part of the reasonforfighting.There isthenashot of R2-D2 whichwouldexcite alotof the
original fansthathe is back,and alsoChewbaccafor the same reason.We thensee alot of fast pace
editingjumpcutsbetweendifferentfightingscenes.Showingthatviolence andfightingisabigpart
of the film,hintingata dispute betweenthe firstorderand the rebels. We thensee the storm
trooperlookingterrified,fightingsomeone dressedinblackwhichhasconnotationsof darknessand
danger.It thenfadestoblack andwe hear a voice oversaying“justletitin”, whichwe assume she
means‘the force’.It thenfadesto the Star Wars The Force Awakenslogo,andwe hearthe Star Wars
theme tune forthe firsttime excitingpeople andfinishingthe trailerwithwhatoriginallystartedthe
films.