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A Tip of the Cap to Mr. Abrams

For good or bad, for better or for worse, director J.J. Abrams loves taking Sgt. Dignam's theory on federal agents and applying it to...well, everyone else in the film world: casual moviegoers, fans, critics, movie news sites; hell, probably even with family and friends who aren't involved in Abrams' group-knit circle for whatever movie he's making. In the case of Star Wars: The Force Awakens, I didn't think for a moment the filmmaker would have been able to keep such a tight lid on the project; I thought after the flack he took for his handling of the John Harrison character (spoiler alert: it's really Khan) in Star Trek Into Darkness, the man would not play that game with the Star Wars sequel trilogy, and let leak some hints about what's in store for audiences.

Up until the world premier in Los Angles tonight? Nothing. Nada. The big goose egg. Zilch.

We haven't seen one review of The Force Awakens, despite the norm that a film like this would have already been screened for critics. The lucky few who are able to watch the world premier tonight will be checked and OK'd by Disney, then asked to turn in their phones. Oh, and there's an embargo on publishing reviews about Episode VII until 12:01 Wednesday.  It truly is an incredible feat by Disney, Lucasfilm and Abrams himself: Here we are, the world is buzzing with anticipating over release of a new Star Wars movie, that's now become this momentous event thanks to a non-stop ad blitz...and we are still completely in the dark about the nature of the film. We know small details: that there's a Stormtrooper named Finn who's mysteriously abandoned his post and ended up on a remote planet that reminds me of Tattooine. There's a scavenger named Rey who winds up finding  Finn. There's Poe Dameron, who's supposed to be "the best freakin' pilot in the galaxy". There's Kylo Ren, who has a really kick-ass lightsaber and acts an agent for the newly revamped "First Order". There's Leia, Han R2-D2, a new droid called BB-8 and Luke, but after that? It's a mystery.

And it's pretty exciting, being kept in the dark until Thursday night. Where's the fun in knowing everything before the movie arrives for the world to see? Well played, J.J.

Comments

  1. It seems to me like he went back to his days of LOST for his plan to have nothing leak out. Zip. Zilch. Nada.

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