Story
The Force Awakens is the latest movie in the Star Wars saga and is set approximately 30 years after the events of Return of the Jedi. After the new Jedi order is betrayed, Luke Skywalker (Mark Hamill), the last surviving Jedi, goes into hiding. This allows the remaining Empire forces to grow into a new Empire called the First Order. The First Order is led by the sinister Snoke (Andy Serkis) and his first lieutenant, Kylo Ren (Adam Driver). Ren is determined to find and kill Luke Skywalker.
The old Resistance is desperate to locate Skywalker. They have sent their best pilot, Poe Dameron (Oscar Issac), to the desert planet of Kakku to find a map that identifies the planet where Skywalker is hiding. But just as Poe finds the map, Kylo Ren and the First Order attack. Poe hides the map inside a BB-8 droid, which escapes into the desert and ends up under the protection of a daring and talented scavenger named Rey (Daisy Ridley). Through a comedy of errors, Rey and BB-8 team up with Finn (John Boyega), FN-2187, who is a First Order deserter. The three steal the infamous Millennium Falcon to escape First Order storm troopers.
While making their way to the Resistance, Rey, Finn and BB-8 encounter Han Solo (Harrison Ford) and Chewbacca (Peter Mayhew), who have been searching for the Millennium Falcon. With Solo and Chewbacca’s help Rey, Finn and BB-8 get to the Resistance where they meet General Leia Organa (Carrie Fisher), C-3PO (Anthony Daniels), and R2-D2 (Kenny Baker). Rey and Finn learn that the First Order has built a weapon of mass destruction so powerful that it can destroy an entire planet system. Rey, Finn, Poe and the rebels must now fight for their existence by attacking the First Order and destroying the weapon before it destroys them.
Themes
Violence
Star Wars Episode VII: The Force Awakens has frequent science fiction action violence and peril throughout, battle scenes, scenes showing mass murder, implied torture and multiple violent deaths (one of which is emotionally intense). For example:
Sexual references
Star Wars Episode VII: The Force Awakens has some sexual references. For example:
- Two of the movie’s main characters had a child together and later separated.
- A couple of scenes show two of the movie’s main characters flirting mildly.
Alcohol, drugs and other substances
Star Wars Episode VII: The Force Awakens shows some use of substances. For example, characters drink alcohol in a bar.
Nudity and sexual activity
None of concern
Product placement
There is no product placement of concern in Star Wars Episode VII: The Force Awakens, but plenty of associated merchandise is being marketed to children.
Coarse language
There is some mild coarse language and name-calling in Star Wars Episode VII: The Force Awakens.
Ideas to discuss with your children
Star Wars Episode VII: The Force Awakens is a science fiction action adventure targeting teenagers and adult fans of the Star Wars series.
This entertaining seventh instalment in the series features several new characters as well as reintroducing favourites like Han Solo, Skywalker, Princess Leia and Chewbacca. This movie has a very similar feel to Episodes IV, V and VI with action violence throughout, although it shows minimal blood and gore. The new characters are likely to appeal to adolescent children, and the movie also features a proactive young female lead character.
You should be aware that, although the movie’s merchandise and other marketing are likely to attract young children, the movie has an M rating. It’s likely to disturb young children because it has scary characters and scenes, many violent deaths, including the upsetting death of a main character, and implied torture. It isn’t suitable for children under 12 years, and we recommend parental guidance for children aged 12-14 years.
The main message from this movie is that good and evil are opposing forces, but we aren’t destined to follow either one or the other. It’s up to each of us to choose a path, and it’s possible to change paths.
You could talk with your children about the movie’s lack of realistic blood and gore and real-life consequences. Does this lessen the impact of the violence on younger viewers and give them a false view of the effects of violence?