a fantasy blockbuster lacking ... fantasy and imagination

Rating: 7/10 (17 December 2015)

Don't get me wrong, the movie is entertaining, maybe even good, but as a long time Star Wars fan you have to be a bit disappointed.
This movie is basically a remake of Episode IV, spiced with tiny bits and pieces from the other Star Wars movies. It is like visiting a hyped fashion show and all you see are last years clothes with other colors.
From here on there will be SPOILERS and the things that I wondered the most about:
1. Han Solo dies a very meaningless death that feels staged and scripted 2. Carrie Fisher has so much Botox in her face, that she cannot really act. Or she had a stroke and her face is frozen. I apologize if that was the case, I did not read it up. 3. After several years the only thing they come up with is another death star? That is destroyed basically the same way as any other death star? 4. There is a "map" that shows the way to Luke? Really? If he wants to be found I'd expect that he calls home, if not, why draw a map? This is a very, very cheap story vehicle. 5. Snoke? Couldn't you come up with a better name? :D On a more serious note, I felt caught in an introduction. I never had the feeling that "now the movie is really starting".
Now the good stuff:
1. Action scenes, especially fights with spaceships, are spot on. 2. Daisy Ridley and John Boyega are very good in their roles, their characters are interesting 3. Definitely feels like a Star Wars movie 4. Way, way better than anything Episode I-III came up with 5. Makes you look forward to the other movies
Well, I know what they were doing. They did not want to put in any risk at all, basically remade Episode IV (oh well, Ep VI is the better remake then)to catch the Star Wars fans. I am sure that we will see more imagination in the next movies. JJ A did what he can do best: Make a visually stunning movie with great action scenes. Nice introduction, but to be honest, I am very happy that he is not the director of the next movie.
Judgement: Solid, but uninteresting