Some Old Friends And Some Old Stories

Rating: 7/10 (24 June 2016)

Like a visit to an old friend, watching "Star Wars: The Force Awakens" fills one with nostalgia and provides a feeling of comfort. We have been here before, with the familiar plot lines and the usual environments. There's even a cantina scene.
But they say familiarity breeds contempt, and it does seem that some viewers are finding this new Star Wars episode contemptible, due to its lack of originality. Still, the box office has been record-setting.
Still, there's BB-8. A variation on R2D2, he rolls along with a comic robotic facility and an expressiveness in the movement of his two sections.
More importantly, there is Rey--a lead character that is not significant for her gender, but for her likability and her strength. She is an outsider to the general conflict and the history of the saga. A non-warrior who finds her calling when BB-8 happens to cross her path.
I can't imagine an Star Wars fan not wanting to see this chapter in the series, but I can understand why some might expect more. Even battle scenes seem like reboots from much earlier episodes. But if the cliffhanger finish leads to the story lines it suggests, I am happy to consider this film one half of a longer episode yet to finish.