J.J. Abrams is really the new hope!

Rating: 10/10 (1 September 2013)

Let me get things settled first. I'm a Star Wars fan. Hell, I'm a HUGE Star Wars fan. And like most of the other Star Wars fans, I used to hate Star Trek, and I never gave the series, or any of the movies a chance. When this film came out in 2009, I, of course, shunned it. I didn't even know that J.J. Abrams was directing this, although I had seen a couple instances of his work, notably the TV show LOST, and Mission Impossible III. Of course, I didn't know because I never even wanted to know anything about the horrible franchise that I THOUGHT Star Trek was.
The year, 2012. Walt Disney Pictures buys Lucasfilm and the rights to Star Wars, and announces Star Wars Episode VII, the seventh Star Wars film. I was starting to think of directors that could handle Star Wars perfectly. I never considered Abrams. Then, Disney announces J.J. Abrams as the official director for the film, releasing in summer 2015. Almost immediately, I googled Abrams and his work in film. I found that HE was the director of Star Trek, and began to wonder why a Trekkie director would choose to helm a Star Wars film.
So, recently, to check the directorial ability of J.J. Abrams, I did what no other Star Wars fan would do: I watched the 2009 reboot of Star Trek. And I loved it. I loved it a LOT. It had the SAME kind of energy in it as the energy in the Star Wars original trilogy. And that is QUITE a feat for any filmmaker. The lines are snappy and the plot is surprisingly VERY well-written. The characters are actually memorable, and the acting is top-notch. In my opinion, Chris Pine as James T. Kirk is the best thing about the movie. He's like a mix of Han Solo and Luke Skywalker. But, obviously, the writers didn't just copy the traits of those characters. There is a certain originality, which makes the character so epic.
The other cast is great as well, and the special effects are amazing. And for those complaining about the lens flares, they actually FIT here. J.J. just wanted the future look bright and shiny. Of course, I wouldn't advise him to overuse it in Star Wars. Ah well, to each his own.
This film remains as one of my favorite sci-fi films of all time. Also, this film is actually a prequel to the later events of the Star Trek movies. So, this is undoubtedly, for me, the best prequel ever. Now THIS is what you call a spectacle!
I'm eagerly waiting for Star Wars Episode VII. J.J. Abrams is the ultimate choice for a Star Wars film, and the series is in the perfect hands. He may really be 'a new hope' for Star Wars...