Do, or do not. There is no try when making a Star Wars film.

Rating: 6/10 (15 March 2016)

As someone who grew up with copies of the original trilogy on VHS, almost worn out from so many plays and rewinds - it was difficult to go into the screening without exceptionally high expectations and a child-like level of excitement. The marketing pushed the idea of redemption, for a franchise that had lost its way. Not that I didn't love the sight of Jar Jar Binks in the senate. But swamp-dwelling comic relief characters out of sight and out of mind, I took my seat, light-up-light-saber in hand.
The single low point across this new take, was the character profiles. Everyone, across both the light and dark sides had the audience empathising with them. Therefore the villain, left quite a lot to be desired, and although played very well, the story may have stood in the way for him on this occasion - especially when compared with someone like Darth Vader. When you feel like offering both the bold lead actress and the destroyer of the light side a blanket and cocoa. Something must have gone amiss.
I'm glad I got that point out of the way - after all, it is such a minor detail compared to the tone J. J. Abrams captured. I was washed up on the shores of nostalgia time and time again, with new twists on original details for the die-hard fans, and stunning visuals for newcomers to the series. It is hard to describe the noise, when some lines were brought back from the 80's and blasted into 2015, the crowd hooting and hollering as old faces return and the "pew-pew" action rolls on.
The attention to detail has the fingerprints of a true fan all over it, with practical effects used much more than I have seen in any big-budget film over recent years. A clear message about the true essence of the originals, and hopefully a hint that Disney may undo the 90's "specialised" versions, and bring us back true theatrical copies of that journey that started long ago.
Frankly, the team behind this project nailed it, and a pleasant twist at the end had me wanting to jump out of my seat cheering. Unfortunately for me - the rest of the audience beat me to it.