A New Hope Film Analysis

George Lucas is an American director and producer responsible for films such as American Graffiti, Indiana Jones, and most famously the Star Wars saga. The first installment alone grossed over 400 million dollars, and the entire series has grossed 20 billion since A New Hope was released in 1977. Star Wars has been hailed as a modern-day epic that still influences filmmakers today. Lucas set out to create a mythology that could provide moral guidance within the context of his story. Even though is set in space with characters that are not quite human, it still has many themes both children and adults can relate to, such as hope, friendship, good vs. evil, and power. Power is one of the biggest themes in the film, represented in many ways, both natural and manmade. Although this power is neutral by default, it has both a good side and a dark side depending on how it is used, closely mirroring the world outside of the screen.

The most prominent one is the Force. Obi-Wan describes the Force to Luke as “An energy field created by all living things. It surrounds us and penetrates us; it binds the galaxy together”. As an energy field, the Force is not aligned with good or evil. It is simply a part of nature. However, the Force can be tapped into by the Jedi, who use that power to better themselves and the world around them. Obi-Wan tells Luke, “A Jedi can feel the Force flowing through him.” “You mean it controls your actions?” Luke asks. Obi-Wan replies, “Partially, but it also obeys your commands”. Obi-Wan and Jedi like him draw from the “light side” of the Force. But every light casts a shadow. The Jedi have counterparts known as the Sith, who draw from negative emotions such as anger, hatred, and greed to manipulate the Force’s “dark side”. Throughout the film, the Dark Side is considered to be an easy way out. Because being evil is easy; remaining good is