Better than we had any right to hope for.

Rating: 7/10 (10 February 2016)

I usually just ignore IMDb reviews because usually they're terrible, but I have to say the reviews for The Force Awakens in particular seem to have been written by a bunch of mindless idiots that couldn't even be bothered to offer an original thought about what they liked or didn't like about it and just came in here to post some hyperbole nonsense about why you shouldn't waste your time with this film because it didn't live up to their expectations after reading several hundred books.
The bottom line with The Force Awakens is anyone expecting a totally original and mind blowing experience was obviously doomed for disappointment and dare I say not the target audience for a Star Wars film. In the 80's these films were a visual experience that nothing else compared to, but the story and characters were nothing completely new, in fact that was entirely the point. The characters and story were taken directly from the archetypes described in Joseph Campbell's monomyth, broken down in Hero With a Thousand Faces with elements of Flash Gordon, Jack Kirby's Fourth World, World War 2 war footage and Akira Kurosawa samurai films.
The Force Awakens certainly does not break the mold, and no serious fan would want it to. Thankfully it's also head and shoulders above the Prequels and a worthy sequel to 1983's Return of the Jedi, really makes you wonder why the Prequel Trilogy got the experience so very wrong.
This film will not change your life, but it most certainly provides two hours and some change or solid entertainment.