The Force is calling to you...let it in.

Rating: 9/10 (18 December 2015)

I have to start this review by saying that in my opinion nothing will ever top the original Star Wars trilogy. Ever. I loved those movies as a kid, I love them even more today, and I will insist on being buried with at least one item of Star Wars memorabilia. I will be referencing those movies throughout the review so I shall shorten it to the O3 for the remainder of the review.
Having said all of that, I really, really enjoyed this movie! It hit all of the right notes for me. While yes, there certainly are flaws as this is not a perfect movie, I find those to be nitpicky and insignificant because this movie is such an entertaining experience. I opened with the comparison to the O3 because if you walk into this one expecting the impact of the 1977 classic you'll be disappointed. There are maybe 15 movies EVER that have accomplished that. But this movie is great on its own nevertheless.
JJ Abrams and Co. put something really special on the screen for us and it starts right from the opening scroll. The Force Awakens nails what the prequels fumbled: getting you the vital information in the scroll. It gives us some details as to what's happened in the last 30 years but also lets us know what's happening now and the importance of the beginning events. The scroll starts with a sigh of relief for us impatient fans that read every rumor and potential spoiler for this movie: Luke Skywalker has vanished. Whoo! He is NOT Kylo Ren. He is NOT a Sith. He is missing and both The First Order and the Resistance are looking for him. This movie did a great job of throwing in enough references to the O3 without overwhelming us with sentiment and nostalgia. A great blend of old and new.
Along with this exciting new story comes intriguing new characters. The film focuses on Rey, played exceptionally well by Daisy Ridley, as its central character but the supporting cast is great too. John Boyega is excellent as Finn, a former stormtrooper turned good Samaritan, and Oscar Isaac has a fantastic turn as fighter pilot Poe Dameron. Like the O3's cast these characters are great on their own and they interact well with each other. And as for the First Order we get real treats from both Domhnall Gleeson as General Hux and Adam Driver as Kylo Ren.
The best part about this movie for me was not from one of these new characters but from the returning cast. And that was Han Solo. Not Harrison Ford portraying Han Solo but Harrison Ford BEING Han Solo again. Whereas with Indiana Jones 4 I felt like Ford was only trying half of the time to be Indy again I thought he was Han Solo in every single shot of this movie. Everything you loved about the character came back in spades. The humor, the hero, the schmoozer, the great banter between him and Leia, and of course, him and Chewbacca. Which is why his death was the most heartbreaking moment of this movie. Like I said, I read the rumors. I heard about Han dying as often as I heard about Darth Luke but I was hoping that would be BS as well. Alas, it wasn't.
What separates this movie from the prequel trilogy as in Star Wars movies made in the digital era is the special effects. Abrams had a heavy emphasis on practical effects and keeping as much as possible in camera and it shows. Things are actually being blown up, when the location of the scene is outdoors they are actually outdoors. Now of course a movie of this scale will have some CGI in it but it's done so well that it blends in with the practical as opposed to distracting from it. Puppets, animatronics, real sets. That's what immerses us in the Star Wars universe again.
So when you take these great characters, set them in a real universe, and put them through this fun story you end up with an adventure to remember. The movie doesn't have a dull moment and never really slows down. Some dialogue scenes catch us up and story but then boom it's back to the action. If I had any complaints about this movie I can only tell myself that we still have two more coming in the next 3+ years. I did want to see waaaayy more Luke than what we got but holding him back until the last scene makes me that much more excited for Episode VIII. I do have questions about some of the characters and their backstories but there's more to come. And this is what a movie franchise should do. Make you want to come back for more.
This is the movie to see this holiday season. I know I spoiled a few things but there is still much more to experience for yourself. Take a friend, a date, and most importantly, your children to this movie. If this is their first Star Wars movie they will be hooked and dying for you to show them just who this Skywalker dude is. I highly recommend this movie to any movie fan and every single Star Wars fan. If you think the prequels ruined Star Wars for you forever all I can say is, "The Force is calling to you...let it in."
10 out of 10 stars