Star Wars Ep. VII: The Force Awakens (official trailer)

This is where the fun begins…

Follow ILT on twitter @laidbaremedia
Like ILT on facebook

You couldn’t resist either, eh? Of course not. And you know what, there’s no shame in it. Indeed, if, like me, you’ve been wondering around the last couple of months telling people who undoubtedly don’t care that you’re “probably going to wait and let others watch the new Star Wars trailer first”, you know, so you’ll know whether or not there’s spoilers, or even taking it one step further and being all 8) while announcing that you’re not going to watch it all, instead intending to just “wait it out” until Christmas. Then this evening you were forced to look in the mirror, still half giddy, and witness little more than a big ol’ barefaced (or bearded) fibber. But now that the deed has been done (and redone in my case, this time in a state of relative calm following the thankless trailer aftermath of website crashing online ticket buying that nearly induced a teenage music festival purchasing-esque panic attack), does any of that matter? Nah…

I mean come on, STAR WARS is almost here! Well, I say almost. In reality a two-month hype-slog remains. During that time, the temptation Disney will no doubt feel to drop yet another trailer, this time with just a tad too much information, could well be a hauntingly permanent fixture at the back of our ever-narrowing nerdist minds. On that note, unlike my previous Ep. VII previews – based on the first and second teaser trailers – I’ve decided to avoid potential plot predictions and possible meanings associated with the numerous brand new character reveals embedded between the countless, highly excitable quick-fire cuts.

Instead, let’s just take in the look, sound, and overall feel of this; the impending Third Coming of the Star Wars universe. Whilst director J. J. Abrams insistence on real sets, props, and extras has been evident since day one, it’s spine-tingling to see all really start to come together in the sort of true high definition the previous two trilogies will never know. As hinted at during previous trailers, the whole thing looks real to the extent that the mind of the hardcore fan doesn’t quite register proceedings in the manner it usually would during a standard movie trailer. Rather, the steady revelation of apparent familiarity, intercut with an increasingly curious, altogether Lucas-free version of Star Wars comes across as a slightly peculiar experience due to the ingrained nature of episodes IV-VI and I-III (for better or worse respectively). Having said that, such a feeling certainly doesn’t detract from my childlike excitement one iota. In fact, it merely comes across as further evidence of the unique stamp Abrams and his team are putting on the franchise.

What’s as clear as a calm Tatooine day is the gorgeous connotative impression all this provides from a technical standpoint. It may take your eyes a moment to adjust to this slick, almost tangible form of Star Wars, but what brings the overwhelming sense of fanboy satisfaction positively flooding back is the resulting proceedings in front of the camera. This old dog has some new tricks, and so far their pretty darn cool to the point of nerdy cinematic beauty – even as mere throwaway shots during a 155 second trailer. X-Wing’s lock S-foils in attack position fluidly, even during attack speed (ironically probably the uncoolest thing I’ve ever said) beneath a bombastic take on the main theme, space fighters do battle on a planet’s surface for the first time, and cutest-droid-in-the-universe BB-8 literally bowls around a grimly breathtaking dune-laden landscape at the heels of its master, echoing the spirit of R2-D2 in (upgraded) body and (robotic) soul. Best of all, we’re granted an inspired inside-out perspective of the Millennium Falcon entering hyperspace; the sort of neat thinking and masterful execution that just keeps setting this film up to win big more so than we can possible imagine.

I won’t say anymore, except, here goes nothing…