A very well crafted action film, but horrible as Star Wars

Rating: 6/10 (23 December 2015)

JJ Abrams somehow managed to do exactly what he did with Star Trek-make a flashy, technically well made film that's fun on a certain level, but fails utterly as Star Trek, or in this case Star Wars. It's like he's watched some of the franchise, but doesn't really 'get' what it's about.
If someone hasn't, I HIGHLY recommend watching all 6 vastly superior SW films by George Lucas, as well as the 2008 The Force Unleashed game (which functions as an amazing film in between episodes 3 and 4), before bothering with this. From what I've seen of The Clone Wars show, that's much better too (though I've yet to watch more than part of the first season...I hope to get to it!). For that matter, the books are overall much better too...one particular series of books, and The Force Unleashed do an infinitely better job with a character who switches sides...antagonist in this doesn't actually seem to have any motivation at all for what he's doing. He also gets the most inept lightsaber fight in all of Star Wars...despite what must be years or decades of training, anyone with a stick can apparently run up and whack the guy. It's actually hilarious, even more so when compared with all 6 films and The Force Unleashed.
Like in Star Trek, things just randomly happen because the plot says they should, and like ST it's basically soulless. Like ST the actors do a great job. Daisy Ridley is top notch, and I'd be thrilled to see her in a real Star Wars film. It's great to see Carrie Fisher-I hope she's got a bigger part next time, but it's wonderful to see her and she's great. And Harrison Ford is just a god-he owns the place the second he steps on screen, even if Han Solo still doesn't make much sense as a focus.
I wish Lucas could do episode 8 *sigh*