Very good SW film, better than all of the prequels and ROTJ.

Rating: 9/10 (27 December 2015)

First of all, I'm not getting these 1 star, terrible reviews. I believe you need to judge the movie primarily by how it develops from the original tone of this film, not by how you feel it's supposed to be. I mean really, some of you people are total cranks and snobs.
The Force Awakens is a very good attempt at reviving old themes, old characters, and tying them into a cohesive story. It also has a style uniquely it's own. The characters are consistent, strong, and believable. Something the prequels failed at miserably. The story is pretty simple, and kind of uses the same template as 'A New Hope', but with some pretty cool twists. There are flaws. Characters running into each other with very little back story, but this is obviously done on purpose to keep the story moving. The story begins to get much more interesting and complex towards the end. This is a setup movie for 8 and 9. Kylo Ren is a great villain. I've heard some reviewers refer to him as a laughable emo boy and I don't get this criticism. He is troubled and conflicted, just like Anakin was after turning to the dark side. There is a flawed and human quality to him which is necessary and helps connect the audience to the character. So, all in all, where this movie succeeds is the empathy and connection the audience will feel for the characters. This movie is very story focused and driven.