Absolutely Perfect

Rating: 10/10 (19 December 2015)

Here is my spoiler-free review of Star Wars: The Force Awakens...
Last night, I had the privilege to attend the premiere of Star Wars: The Force Awakens at Cineplex Cinemas Winston Churchill in IMAX 3D. Let me just say the film was sensational.
To begin, the storyline (which I won't spoil, I promise) is original and captivating (yes some plot points are borrowed from previous entries, but the way they are presented is very unique). The acting from the newbies (Daisy Ridley, John Boyega, Oscar Isaac) is excellent. The acting from the old heroes was also incredible - Harrison Ford is back as Han Solo and Carrie Fisher is back as General Leia Organa, and they are better than ever! The villains are great too (Adam Driver as Kylo Ren) is great! The visuals - especially in IMAX 3D -- quite frankly blew my mind. Nothing looked overly fake like in the prequel trilogy - you really felt like you were part of the movie. The combination of practical and visual effects was brilliant! Another thing about this film, which you typically don't have in Star Wars films (especially the prequels) is humour - and The Force Awakens has plenty and it hits HARD!! And of course, the movie has many emotional moments, yes - I cried at some parts, and the pure nostalgia of it worked beautifully made it so much better! The final shot of the film (which I won't spoil) was not just the best final shot of a Star Wars film - but one of (if not THE) best final shots of any film in cinematic history.
Overall, Star Wars: The Force Awakens is more than I expected: it has the perfect blend of action, adventure, humour, some hints of romance, and emotion. By far the best film of 2015, the best Star Wars film, and one of the best movies of all time. Thank you JJ, we trusted you, and you delivered! Cannot wait for VIII!