Force Forsaken or are we about to be enlightened?

Rating: 7/10 (18 December 2015)

I have given this film a tentative 7/10. It is watchable and does have the feel and look of a true Star Wars movie. Having just re-watched the first 6 episodes before seeing this film. (Like all good fans would have done) I went through again, the despair of wishing Jar-Jar Binks was digitally removed and replaced with a real character, to just feeling a little disappointed, but glad of the improvement in episode III. Watching Episode IV it is always time to relive your childhood moments and the wonder that was embedded on a young mind. But actually, if that movie was released today, it would have nowhere near the love and following it holds in our rose tinted minds, it is clear that Lucas' direction is lacking, but the idea and special effects of the time, meant that was never a problem. Episode V stands alone in the whole collection and is as good today as it was then. Kershner is the reason why. Episode VI just brought a conclusion to the story that was needed.
When remakes and re-inventions of old films occur, there will always be the hard-core fans that will never be able to remove those rose tinted glasses and nothing will be able to appease their memory of past greatness. For example James Bond. So I was nervous, excited and hopeful that they would be able to pull off a good movie, or at least not rubbish would do. As I watched Episode VII, it was clear that it was not going to be trash, or hated with the same vehemence as the prequels. But there seemed something oddly familiar. I think Abrams played it safe and has basically made a re-make of episodes IV – VI all rolled into one. There seems a lack of plot (which is also true of IV), but there are glimpses of character and plot development in the next episodes. If they are not able to achieve this, VII will seem a damp squib.
The special effects are great and it seems to hold together more than I- III or worse still, the extra bits added to IV -VI, which were a little embarrassing at times. The comedy seemed very false and badly timed and the back-story seems non-existent. But it manages to do enough to make it enjoyable. However, (and here is my only spoiler) the use of the giant Death Star and its method of destruction, seems very lazy. It tries to address this slightly in the Solo acknowledgement of what the plan should be to destroy it, but is that enough? It all seems too easy and leaves us wishing there was some new direction for this story to go. I do however, have a glimmer of hope for where this may actually work out for the good of the story and address concerns of this by many a fan.
What if the intention is to treat this much like Stephen King's Dark Tower series? Could the repetition of empire, father and son, weapon destruction, discovery of the force, the balancing of the Ying Yang nature and thinking that life keeps moving round like a wheel. Be at the heart of this whole Epic adventure. Is the story going to comment on the reincarnation philosophy and there will be the coming together and understanding between the dark and the light side of the force. Will our and Star Wars as a whole become enlightened? I am clutching at straws, but I really hope it is even more complex and intriguing than I can quickly ponder as I write this. I can but have Hope.