While not perfect it delivers a fun filled Episode VII that lays a solid foundation for the future!

Rating: 7/10 (22 December 2015)

Force Awakens is a solid foundation, and a non-stop action packed nostalgically entertaining opening episode for this new trilogy. However it does have its flaws, which is why I can't say I loved it as much as I wanted to, and which is why I have given it 7/10. Being a massive fan of the OT and a satisfied junkie with the Prequels, I may have made the mistake of over hyping The Force Awakens to a point where nothing could actually meet expectations. I went to see it first in standard 3D and it just didn't feel right. I left the cinema with very mixed feelings; something didn't capture me as it should have done, or perhaps as much as I desperately wanted it to. I knew I had to see it again to decide. So last night I went to see it this time in 2D, in terms of cinematography it translates far better than the 3D version, and more importantly it feels like a Star Wars movie.
What I liked
1) It's beautiful. The landscapes, the battle scenes, everything. Abrams has done a great job in the way he has filmed this movie and his attention to detail in bringing the Star Wars universe to life deserves great credit in itself.
2) New characters. I thought that Rey and Finn were outstanding and despite all the nostalgia they really stood out on their own. I thought they may end up being auxiliary cast, but they are put at the center of the story and I am looking forward to seeing where their characters go in Episode 8.
3) Balanced CGI. This really helps when it comes to the all round feel of the movie, the choice not to go too heavy on CGI really paid off in a way that immerses you in the world.
4) Nostalgia. Maybe sometimes more than is necessary but I think we all smiled when we saw Han, Leia and Luke again, plus Harrison Ford delivers a great performance.
5) BB-8. I loved him, a great alternative to R2-D2!
6) The beginning. I loved and was totally captured by the first 45 minutes of the film which is mainly set on the desert planet Jakku. It was in many ways the only original part of the movie (despite the sand) and this is because it's the only part that relies on the new cast entirely.
7) The end. After the fairly boring middle section of the movie, things got going again after the Falcon leaves for Starkiller base. This part of the movie really felt like classic Star Wars and brought back the feel of the OT cast running around the Death Star in ANH. It also contains the most drama, not just because of *that death scene*, but also because Rey, Finn and Ren have better developed into their roles. It set the next movie up very well indeed.
What I didn't like
1) It wasn't original enough. I think most of the criticism of the movie is that it just recycled themes and even plot lines from A New Hope. I almost cringed at how many similarities there are including a) Another desert planet b) Rescue a droid that has some important information c) New bigger Death Star now known as Star Killer base d) Resistance base is just like the one in ANH e) Snoke/Ren is a repeat of Palpatine/Vader f) Have the Imperials still not learned the weaknesses with ventilation shafts?
2) The Plot. This follows on from my point above, the plot lacks depth and this is caused in part by the focus on regurgitating themes from previous films. Nothing really came as a massive surprise, it was unfortunately a case of feeling like I had been there, done that and got the t-shirt already.
3) The Middle. This is the main disappointment for me and where I think the movie deflates. We all know that a great film has to have that bit in the middle where the beginning develops into a meaningful ending. When they meet Maz Kanata the opportunity to develop plot and characters was lost. Instead, after taking a brief breather we are plunged into more action as Ren comes down to the planet to wreak yet more destruction. We could have done with a lot more depth here, back story ideally, which would have given us some of the originality the movie is lacking.
4) It was a too crammed. There wasn't chance to sit back and pause for reflection. It was intense while at the same time being somewhat empty, and maybe that is where the movie is flawed, filled with repetitive action scenes at the expense of advancing the story.
5) Kylo Ren unmasked. Our villain started out the first part of the movie as an intimidating and evil presence, but as soon as he throws his first tantrum and takes off his mask things start to fall apart, the teenager is revealed and you sort of lose any sense of fear that had built up.
In conclusion, The Force Awakens was a good foundation. It may not have lived up to my original expectations, but I do believe that in the test of time it will be viewed as a success and in many ways will get better with age and more importantly context. Where it lacked depth, originality and plot it delivers in terms of action, nostalgia and energy. It sets up the scene for the next two movies, pays homage to the past and delivers on the whole a very decent installment.
It leaves many unanswered questions, which combined with the open ending means I am left more excited for Episode 8 than I was for Episode 7. I just hope that the next movie can bring about the same vital effect for this new trilogy that ESB had on the Originals.