Everything about Adam Driver's Kylo Ren in "Star Wars: The Force Awakens" screams BAD GUY. First, he's decked out in all black with a Darth Vader-esque mask. Second, we see him speaking directly to Vader's burnt helmet saying he will "finish what you started." Third, he's rocking a red lightsaber which, as we all know, is a dead giveaway. And finally, he works for Andy Serkis' Supreme Leader Snoke and The First Order, the evil organization that came to power following the demise of the Empire.
It doesn't take Sherlock Holmes to figure out that he's the antagonist.
However, Driver doesn't see it that way. In order to best play the part, Driver admitted that he did some serious mental gymnastics to put himself in Kylo Ren's shoes. In the end, it sounds as if he almost empathized with the character.
"When they think of their actions as morally justified, it makes them dangerous and unpredictable," Driver told Empire Online. "There's no level they won't go to accomplish what they're after. I never thought of the character as an evil person."
Well, that makes one of us.
But Driver's approach is very interesting and could lead to a nuanced performance as opposed to the type of cheesy and over-the-top portrayals that we see so often from movie villains. Anyone who has followed Driver's career knows that he takes acting very seriously and brings a unique approach to each role. It's encouraging to hear how much thought he put into the character of Kylo Ren.
And if the trailers are indication, he completely nailed it. The cross-guard lightsaber-wielding Vader fanatic looks dark, terrible and imposing, as any good "Star Wars" villain should. Hopefully, J.J. Abrams will explore his character further in the film.
"Star Wars: The Force Awakens" will hit theaters on Dec. 18.
