P2-B-Learners choose one media product is produced by the insitution they have investigated and analyse it

P2-B Genre: Star Wars is science fiction and space opera. Star Wars offers the best combination of high adventure, expansive setting and a genre that include action-adventure with elements of space opera and of course science fiction.

Star Wars has definitely got aspects of science fiction as it has alien life, robots, artifical intelligance, holograms, and advanced technology. Star Wars; The Force Awakens definitely has advanced technology within the film, including the use of lightsabers, the fact it is set in an alternative universe and the different species of creatures and characters, including Stormtroopers, Darth Vader, Chewbacca (a fictional animal that is  Wookie) and Admiral Ackbar. These characters, which are obviously either fictional creatures or characters wearing advanced technology (Darth Vader and Stormtroopers)  strongly show how the film is science fiction as it deals with imaginative concepts and futuristic ideas. Also, the advanced technology also shows how it is a science  fiction film.

However there is a debate that Star Wars is in fact a fantasy genre. This is because of its imaginative language, the settings that are in unusual places with very creative characters. An example of a scene that shows Star Wars: Force Awakens is the opening scene. This scene starts with a lightsaber falling to the ground and into a desert like environment which starts a blazing fire. Also, another way in which Star Wars the Force Awakens is a fantasy genre is the overall setting in the film. Like the similar trilogy the film is set in a futuristic world with imaginative settings. This supports the idea the film has an element of fantasy within it.

The genre of Star Wars has a slight magical element in it. The Force is described as a ‘energy field created by all living things’ and this is what ‘gives a Jedi his power’. The powers of a Jedi are never explained as anything but supernatural and they act like magic.

Overall, the film is science fiction. The film is populated with extraterrestirials, space ships and science-like settings. It has elements of fantasy in however, due to the creative settings and advanced technology.

The alien society would suggest the film is set in the future but like the opening title says, it happened a long, long time ago.