Imitation. No substance. Like a cheap knockoff

Rating: 4/10 (31 December 2015)

I was aware of the hype and potential surprises that surrounded this movie, so I kept away from this site and others until I could see it for myself. I was longing for a raw glimpse of humanity and salvation through the guidance of the human spirit and the force. I was hoping to be taken on a journey with the protagonist, to see how she got to the present, and see surprising turns in the plot to gradually reflect the unfolding of the force at the right time.
Instead, we are dealt extremely familiar and formulaic scenes which are dripping with excessive memorabilia from the first 2 films. No character development, no explanation of anything that would help build empathy, no complex villain, only shallow and hollow characters.
Sorry, but the creative team behind this just don't seem to "get it". It reminded me of seeing one of those "exclusive video only" sci-fi releases.