Star Wars Galaxy's Edge: Adventure Awaits
By Emily Ashby,
Common Sense Media Reviewer
Common Sense Media Reviewers
Celeb-led tour of Disney park is fun, heavy on advertising.
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Star Wars Galaxy's Edge: Adventure Awaits
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What's the Story?
STAR WARS GALAXY'S EDGE: ADVENTURE AWAITS gives viewers an exhaustive look at the Walt Disney destination that lets visitors immerse themselves in the intergalactic struggle between the First Order and the Resistance. Host Neil Patrick Harris guides viewers through the attractions at Galaxy's Edge, a theme park set in Black Spire Outpost on the remote planet of Batuu in the Star Wars universe. Harris and other celebrities like Jay Leno, Kaley Cuoco, and Keegan-Michael Key check out the hot spots, interact with Stormtroopers and Kylo Ren on the grounds, and give viewers a glimpse of what the park offers to visitors. The film also includes interviews with Disney Imagineers who helped create Galaxy's Edge as well as Star Wars movie cast members who collaborated on the project.
Is It Any Good?
Add to the lengthy list of things that Disney does well: the framing of an elaborate advertising campaign as entertainment. Star Wars Galaxy's Edge: Adventure Awaits is 101 minutes of the most captivating self-promotion you'll ever see. It uses a star-studded crew of celebrity tour guides to help viewers fully appreciate the magnificence of this impressive destination that lets Star Wars fans interact with characters, join the Resistance effort, make their own lightsabers, and even fly the Millennium Falcon. The celebs seem genuinely awed by what Galaxy's Edge offers to fans and thoroughly enjoy the experience.
If visiting Galaxy's Edge in person isn't on your agenda for the near future, then Adventure Awaits really is the next best thing to being there in person. You'll get to glimpse the local hangouts in Black Spire Outpost, meet some of the colorful residents, and see how the immersive experience pulls fans into the Star Wars story from the moment they enter the park. It's a very thorough virtual visit (if that happens to be what you're looking for), but it's an even more powerful promotional tool for making you want to get there in person, which is important to keep in mind if you're thinking of watching with young Star Wars fans.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about the purpose of this documentary. Is it strictly a means of advertising Galaxy's Edge, or does it aim to teach viewers something as well? How effective is it at one or the other goal?
What accounts for the sustained enthusiasm for the Star Wars story and characters? How is the struggle between good and evil that's central to the Star Wars saga relevant to fans today?
What instances of teamwork and professional collaboration do you see illustrated in how the Galaxy's Edge project was designed and engineered? How does the film emphasize expertise you otherwise might not know about, such as music composition and wardrobe? Does it give you a better appreciation for the finer details of the park's attractions?
TV Details
- Premiere date: August 7, 2020
- Cast: Neil Patrick Harris , Sarah Hyland , Keegan-Michael Key
- Network: Disney+
- Genre: Reality TV
- Topics: Adventures , Space and Aliens
- TV rating: TV-PG
- Last updated: January 31, 2022
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