‘Star Wars’: Return of the Transcendent

By Charles Camosy
Moviegoers wait before the first showing of the movie “Star Wars: The Force Awakens” at the entrance of a movie theater in Tokyo, on Dec. 18, 2015. Photo by Issei Kato, courtesy of Reuters
 
Dec 18, 2015
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“Daddy, he’s real.”

She had seen computer-generated Yoda from the prequels, but upon seeing the actual puppet in Empire Strikes Back, Simon Pegg’s daughter couldn’t contain her wonder. When Pegg (who has a cameo in the new film) related this story to J.J. Abrams, the director of The Force Awakens used it to convince Disney of his plan to build a huge number of real sets, puppets and costumes.

Indeed, Abrams now introduces Pegg as “the guy whose daughter saved Star Wars.”

And saved it is. In addition to record-breaking ticket sales, the film has received overwhelmingly positive reviews. Abrams has put us back in the reality of Star Wars, a familiar world in which people actually live.

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An image of the November 2026 issue of Sojourners, titled "Face to Face." It features George Lakey on the cover
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Moviegoers wait before the first showing of the movie “Star Wars: The Force Awakens” at the entrance of a movie theater in Tokyo, on Dec. 18, 2015. Photo by Issei Kato, courtesy of Reuters