Please, someone have the nerve to hold out and just watch it when it comes to TV

Rating: 3/10 (30 December 2015)

I won't have anything more intelligent to add that other reviews haven't already covered, however I felt strongly enough to add a review to voice my disappointment at this film. This is mainly due to the unbelievably positive critic reviews. It irritates me considerably to know that millions of people will herd like sheep into cinemas, paying top £/$ to see this Star Wars by numbers effort. For a film that we know will be analysed to the nth degree, it's unbelievable how wafer thin the plot is. I now see that George Lucas was right, the madness is in the detail. 3 films dedicated (plus the animated series) to showing us Anakin's decent into the dark side now looks time well spent when compared to this slingshot around the sun. Kylo Ren is a shockingly underdeveloped character - btw, how does he get all that hair back inside his mask? The story I wanted them to tell was his betrayal of Luke, his decent into the dark side. Instead this is washed over in 30 seconds of exposition. If only they had based this film around the excellent new characters & actors instead of trying to join them to the hip of the old crew. Every scene & action sequence after the opening 3rd of the film is held back by a sentimental connection to the old films that frankly adds nothing to the SW universe. The real pig in the inkwell is the end sequence, which comes across as a Children in Need, hammed up Bollywoodesque scene involving the best character actor currently is circulation - Mark Hamill, staring open mouthed & silent for 30 seconds whilst we come to the realisation that 'this is it'. Howl in pain!!! I honestly don't get it. J J Abrams, apparently you are just a mortal.