Something, something, something, Dark Side. Something, something, something, complete

Rating: 9/10 (16 December 2015)

It's as if millions of Star Wars fans suddenly cried out in criticism and were suddenly silenced. That's the effect this movie *should* have on most (other than those who'd already decided they were going to be disappointed/hate it no matter what). For all the SANE Star Wars fans out there, I'm happy to report that the Force is strong with this series once again (after taking a walk on the Dark Side with the prequels). All other shoddy imitations take note: THIS is how you do a space opera. The Force Awakens possesses everything that was missing from the soulless prequels: we have a non-snooze-worthy storyline, likable new characters, great acting, non-cringe-worthy dialogue and not such a reliance on only CGI effects/green-screen. The pluses of this movie are in abundance, starting with what's new. All those with reservations about the fresh young actors cast to play new characters Rey and Finn should sit back, relax and watch the beautiful chemistry between the two as their characters form a believable friendship/dynamic on screen like that of the Original Trilogy's trio.
Daisy Ridley more than proves she's up to the challenge of having a large portion of the new trilogy rest on her shoulders. Rey is a scavenger with a good heart (as evidenced by her rescuing BB-8, a droid carrying something important). Whilst certain people (who for some unfathomable reason don't like seeing a woman who can handle herself) may take this new female lead (who is smart, brave, kind and just all around awesome) as a personal affront to them, for the rest of us who *don't* hate seeing a woman take centre stage, this is what we've been looking for in a female character for so long. She's everything you could hope for, but not without her faults, as she does make some mistakes (but not enough to hate her for it). She's flawed, but much more interesting because of this. Ridley imbues her character with so much heart/soul, she conveys a lot with just looks and even proves adept at humour as well. Most importantly, she's *likable*, forming instant friendships with other characters who we already like (so we know she's awesome). Any gripes about her would be nitpicky/for petty reasons.
Sharing Ridley's responsibility as one of the new faces of this trilogy is John Boyega as Finn, a former Stormtrooper who refuses to go along with the rest in doing something terrible. It's after this that he meets Oscar Isaac's Poe Dameron, who he forms an almost-immediate friendship with. Out of the three new leads, Isaac's Poe is probably given the least development, but he manages to make it believable that he and Finn become close friends in such a short time. The best dynamic, though, is without a doubt the one formed between Rey and Finn. The way they play off each other with such ease is, in large part, thanks to the actors, but also the dialogue being snappy/quick-witted. They share a fun friendship, becoming quite close, and the actors' enthusiasm/energy helps a lot, as they're truly inhabiting their roles/believing in who they're playing as well as the universe they're a part of (where characters talk/act in a unique way). One of many things the prequels sadly lacked was heart, but this movie/these characters have it in spades.
Adam Driver's Kylo Ren picks up where Darth Vader left off as our main villain and is clearly devoted to his memory (since he talks to his burned mask). Driver is quite good at playing the bad guy, though he is prone to the occasional 'hissy fit' with his crossguard lightsaber which verges into slightly over-the-top/petulant teenager behavior. Thankfully, when the big moments occur, Driver shows real emotion/conflict within his character. His lightsaber duel, first with Finn and then Rey, is everything the over-choreographed prequel duels were lacking. They may've had the needless fancy twirling and whatnot, but here we have rough and tumble, gritty fights between someone skilled and two people who are only just learning what they're capable of. Plus there's real emotional investment, which helps. It's an epic tension-filled battle, which is a BIG plus with this movie, as we don't know what's going to happen.
Naturally, it's good to see our old favourites back (Han, Chewie, Leia, R2-D2, C-3PO, even the Millennium Falcon, all of which received applause at my screening). Those claiming this film relies on nostalgia/good will towards the original films alone are mistaken. Whilst the prequels included familiar characters/moments just for the sake of callbacks, what they do here is much more satisfying. Han is his usual charming, funny, "scruffy-looking nerf-herder" self, but he forms attachments to our new characters, and his dynamics with them allows for some of the film's best moments. The movie certainly has humour, but thankfully it's not the "cutsie" nauseating variety found in the prequels. There are genuinely funny moments for young and old alike.
J.J. Abrams has been unfairly criticised, when he should be receiving thanks. He had the unenviable task of reinvigorating/re-energising the franchise after the prequels nearly killed it and has managed to do so successfully. So what if there's some familiarity? My only quibbles were Domhnall Gleeson's shouty performance and Andy Serkis' CGI Supreme Leader Snoke. In most other instances, Abrams ensured that, along with story/character development, locations/miniatures/practical effects/make-up took precedence over a reliance on CGI/things that simply 'looked cool'. Some familiar musical themes appear on the score, but there are also some new ones which I appreciated were more restrained and not so 'in-your-face' as certain popular themes introduced in the prequels. There is also an abundance of excellent shots throughout the movie; quite a few are instantly iconic. It would be quite the feat for the following films to match this thrilling/exciting and enjoyable/satisfying first chapter of a new era in the saga. If nothing else, at least The Force Awakens easily beats The Phantom Menace in being a great start to a new trilogy of films.