Kylo Ren comes into the film dressed all in black with a flowing robe, a dark mask-helmet thing, and a deep modified voice. In these early scenes you'd be forgiven for thinking he's just a Darth Vader knock-off. But don't be fooled.
Driver takes a very particular approach in the early scenes in that he does convey a significant presence but in a much different way than Darth Vader. Vader had the bearing of David Prowse and the voice of James Earl Jones, Kylo Ren has neither. The way Driver moves and talks is very interesting in that it seems like Kylo Ren is actively trying to behave like Darth Vader, rather than be his own type of villain. This is very intentional on Driver's part, and it will eventually become clear why.
One of the first indications of what type of character Kylo Ren is exactly is when he's informed of a failed plan and goes into a rage, destroying some computer equipment with his lightsaber. This scene shows that Kylo Ren is clearly emotionally unstable, at least to some degree.
As the film goes on, it's revealed that Kylo Ren is actually Ben Solo, the son of Han Solo (Harrison Ford) and Leia (Carrie Fisher), thus making him the grandson of Darth Vader. This is shown explicitly in a fantastic scene where Kylo Ren prays to the charred remains of Darth Vader to give him strength to fight off the light side of the force. Driver is excellent in this scene as he shows almost a desperation in Kylo Ren to erase every part of good in him.
A pivotal scene for Driver comes when Kylo Ren has Rey (Daisley Ridley) captured and is trying to get information out of her. This is the first time we see Kylo Ren unmasked, and it's a terrific moment. As soon as the helmet comes off, we Driver's face for the first time and it is the face not of a monstrous titan, but of a confused young man. Driver is terrific in this scene in that he seems to almost plead with Rey to give him her secrets, showing again almost a desperation.
Now, all of Driver's scenes up to this point are great, but there is one that stands out above the rest, and it is of course the scene between Kylo Ren and Han Solo. I already talked about Harrison Ford's great performance in this scene, and Driver matches him every step of the way.
Driver starts out showing Ben's supreme anger at Han Solo. As Han tries to reach his son, Driver is exceptional in that it seems like it may be working. Driver is actually pretty heartbreaking in showing just how conflicted Ben is with himself, although not in the way it seems at first. The truth is, Ben is being tormented by the goodness that remains in him, and he feels that Han Solo is the reason it's there. So to rid himself of whatever light may be left, Ben kills his father. This is a completely astounding moment for Driver, as he shows that by killing his father, Kylo Ren has finally freed himself from any light that may have been left within him. I should also quickly mention how amazing it is that in this one scene, Driver and Ford completely manage to show the entire history of their relationship.
This is a very interesting and extremely clever performance by Adam Driver, as he portrays Kylo Ren not as a ruthless monster, but rather a confused and angry young man.
Rating: 4.5/5
I have to admit I don't care too much for this performance. I think he does a strong job in portraying the character's vulnerabilities but I never felt he managed to be even slightly menacing. Still, great review!
ReplyDeleteThanks. I have to admit rewatching the film specifically for him, I was actually more impressed by Harrison Ford.
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