Star Wars Episode VII: The Force Awakens (2015)

Rating: 7/10 (17 December 2019)

Directed by J. J. Abrams. Starring Daisy Ridley, John Boyega, Harrison Ford, Adam Driver, Oscar Isaac, Carrie Fisher, Domhnall Gleeson, Peter Mayhew, Lupita Nyong'o, Anthony Daniels, Andy Serkis, Max von Sydow, Gwendolyn Christie, Mark Hamill. (PG-13)
Continuation of the "Star Wars" saga (and start of a new trilogy) picks up a few decades after the end of "Return of the Jedi," bringing back old characters and introducing new ones, such as a young scav with raw but powerful force powers (Ridley), a stormtrooper who betrays the First Order (the "new" Empire) and joins the resistance (Boyega), and the greatest pilot the good guys have who isn't established any further than just being a great pilot (Isaac). Lively, well-mounted production looks good and has energy and humor to spare, but does little in the way of innovation, and instead offers two-plus hours of nostalgia, even blatantly echoing story elements from the original blockbuster. There's also too little information filling in the gaps between episodes, and the lack of development cheapens a major death late in the film that could have been a grand, operatic tragedy if given greater accumulation and context. Still, a heartily entertaining film for fans to relish after the disappointing prequel trilogy; episodic but cohesive comfort food. Keep an eye (or ear) out for Daniel Craig's recognizable voice coming from a stormtrooper.
72/100