Another Episode I, II and VI, No Luke?! This movie deserved better...

Rating: 5/10 (25 December 2015)

Is it me, or did anyone else sense that J.J. Abram's hands were tied in this movie, as compared to how good his reboot for Star Trek was? Everyone for the most part, complained that George Lucas was not able to create the Star Wars magic after episode IV and V (Episode VI is NOT included, as it was the beginning of the end for Lucas, which started when the first Ewok came on the scene...You could argue that Lucas brought back some of his charm into episode I (conspiracy element, and Jedi Lore, but it also came with impossible loose ends, and Jar Jar Binks, and even Ewan Mcgregor and Liam Nesson who did great, couldn't save this movie. It was like Titanic, all you want to do is watch some pod racing and go to the final battle. With Episode II, you have Queen Amidala getting mauled, I mean scratched by a giant cat, need I say more? Episode III, was Lucas final shot at getting it right, and he did many things really well, right up until how he showed how Anakin became Darth Vader, and it was a disaster of sorts from that point on. Trying to find the 'high ground' in this movie, that was remotely salvageable was possibly Yoda's light saber battle versus the Emperor, and Mcgregor's acting ability. These first three movies in my opinion were just a little too big for Lucas to handle, maybe it should have been broken up into other movies, as he had too many elements that needed to drive these movies several different directions that would eventually have led up to Episode IV, A New Hope. Episode III was by far a better plotted out movie then episode VI. However by the end of this Episode VII, the Force Awakens, I was trying to find a way to execute order 66, so that I could be able to make some sense of several things that took place in this movie. All the anticipation of looking forward to this move and it came off as a rip off of a former world with new players. It was still yet along the lines of episode I, and II and VI. With no Luke Skywalker in the movie, it became a drag to watch. They took everyone for a ride on this one, in essence lying to everyone, as there were high expectations on what should have happened in this movie to a point. I believe most thought that you were going to see the Luke in Jedi glory, with light saber scenes that should have rivaled Darth Maul. Instead you got less then expected, typical...The light saber battles are awkward because of the lack of experience on all sides, might as well have used a blaster, it would have made more sense then her suddenly becoming attuned to the force. I hate those type of loopholes, as it's like her whole life is a mystery, and then suddenly she has this keen sense to fly the Falcon and then knows how to understand the force, without any training whatsoever, it's like CMON MAN. The story of Han Solo going back to smuggler is about as stupefying as him becoming a General. Why would he go back to doing that garbage when he would have become rich, which was what he always wanted anyway! I didn't mind Solo's death, I actually was thinking this would happen, as Ford wanted out of this misery of Star Wars as it showed when he was out in public. Leia was very old and needed to be taken out of the movie entirely, I was hoping the planet might destroy her as her role was really weak, and she didn't even look her age, more like she was a wanta be young woman with lots of botox and dyed hair. There was moments where lack of emotion was present throughout the movie, and cgi graphic mumbo jumbo didn't help, sometimes you wish they would go back to episode IV and see how much more real it is just to put on makeup on a person, they still don't know how to get this right, Transformers did a good job, so perhaps they should go talk to those guys on how to do it properly. Kylo Ren didn't even look like Solo or Leia, and cracked me up as I thought he might be out of a rock band or something. The Evil commander on the planet, which was played by a dude out of harry potter? Seemed out of sorts for the role. He was much too young to be such a person, and a wanta be Grand Moff Tarkin. List goes on and on...In the end, 30 years has past, and the movie needs another 30 years to get it right! I'm wondering how much the Disney Board had influence on this movie, as I think that Abram had a chance to make a special movie here and failed. If this is your fault J.J. Abrams, then please stick with Star Trek instead, as you blew your chance on this one.