Star Wars for a younger generation

Rating: 9/10 (19 December 2015)

This movie was not all that I expected it to be.
That -frankly- was not possible and I knew it.
I have been a Star Wars fan since I saw 'A New Hope' from the backseat of my father's car at a drive-in theater in 1977. I own a Jedi costume even though I doubt I can fit in it anymore.
In 1977, I was five years old. I didn't understand things like flow, plot, continuity, any of that. But when John Williams' iconic fanfare came and the opening crawl spread across the screen, when the huge Star Destroyer chased the tiny blockade runner, I was hooked for life.
This move is NOT 'A New Hope'. It was never going to be.
It was also never going to be 100% original. Lucas himself stole things from all over to make the first Star Wars movie and the plot of 'A New Hope' was bare to say the least. IT DIDN'T MATTER! Today, we are jaded. We are bitter. We expect far more from our movies. If we saw a bare bones half baked thing with 1977 era effects today, many would call it trash no matter how well acted. Lucas took bits and pieces of many different stories and made it his own. JJ Abrams plays in that sandbox and has made something new.
'The Force Awakens' is not for everyone. Some will love it. Some will hate it. There are some interesting parallels with the 1977 reviews actually.
But for me? I was entertained. I went to see a Star Wars movie and I was not disappointed. No overuse of CGI and no Jar Jar. THANK GOD! This is a return to the basics. A dirty view of the Star Wars universe as opposed to the clean and beautiful lines of the prequels.
What made Star Wars great for me was that I DIDN'T understand all of what was going on. The mystery was what drew many of us. The prequels DEMANDED that I be told EVERYTHING and It didn't work so well for me. In 1977, I didn't know WHY the Empire existed. Why it was so evil. It didn't matter. The heroes were heroes and the villains were villains. I hid behind the seat of my dad's car every time Vader appeared and I wept like a baby when Vader struck down Obi-Wan. I was entertained.
This movie also entertained me. From the opening crawl to the end credits, I didn't move from my seat. Could have been better, no question. But this was a Star Wars experience. I enjoyed it all. I laughed, I cried, I cringed, I tried not to scream 'NO!' when a certain character met his fate.
In the end, it is a movie. It is intended to entertain. For me, it did. It was well worth the price of admission and I look forward to the next installments.
Now if only they would come sooner.
May the Force be with you all.