"We're Home"

Rating: 9/10 (18 December 2015)

SPOILER-FREE
After all the waiting, the day has finally come, and Star Wars: The Force Awakens has been seen by millions around the world. As a massive Star Wars fan, I was obviously excited, but also very nervous as the date approached because if it ended up being disappointing it would be so crushing, and I would have to wait 2 more years for another shot. But thank goodness that wasn't the case, because The Force Awakens is AWESOME.
We are back in a galaxy far far away, and JJ Abrams and Lawrence Kasdan have created something truly special that speaks to both old and new Star Wars fans, and gives the franchise new life that looks to last for several years to come. Without further ado, let's get into it.
First off, the new characters are all fantastic. Finn is a ball of charisma that can make you laugh, cry, and cheer, while Poe is a cool, collected pilot who very well might be the best in the whole galaxy. Then there's Rey, who really comes away as the winner of the film, because we're going to be seeing a lot of Daisy Ridley in the years to come. She is by far the most interesting new hero, and her personality can be best descried as a combination of Luke and Han. She appears to be our central hero going forward, and I'm totally fine with that because this chick kicks ass.
But then... There's Kylo Ren. While Rey might be the best new hero, Ren is the best new character. He is so interesting and mysterious that I just want to know more about him now, but I'm glad that they only gave us a few pieces of information about him, as well as some vague moments from his past that will likely be explored in future films. But what I love about him is how unstable he is. The best way I can describe him is psychotic, and that's something we've never seen from a Star Wars villain before. Usually they're pure evil, but also very calm and collected. Ren is a loose cannon with a real human side to him that makes us relate to him in a way that no other sith has before.
Enough of the new, how about the old guys? Harrison Ford roars back to action as Han Solo, and steals pretty much every scene he's in. He really plays the role of the guide for our new heroes, and he shepherds them into this new world so that they may take the reigns in full in future installments. Then there's Carrie Fisher, who's fine. I wouldn't say she stood out very much, but she did have some amazing scenes with Han that make her involvement totally worth it. And Mark Hamill? Mr. Luke Skywalker himself? I'll keep quiet on everything about him.
So the biggest task for the filmmakers here was to blend the old with the new in a way that feels familiar and fresh, and I feel as though they hit it out of the park in most occasions. There are some section where there is too much of a reliance on the old stuff, and I felt as though they could have pumped the breaks on that and given more lead to the new stuff, but these moments weren't so out of control that it ruined any scenes. There's plenty of nostalgia sprinkled in, but again, for the most part it isn't over the top. There aren't references are nods that feel overly unnecessary, and although there are some pieces of this film that feel familiar, it isn't an issue overall. Why is that? Because even though there is a portion that is very familiar, this section is presented from a totally new angle, and a totally new aspect takes the front seat in this part of the film.
So in conclusion, The Force Awakens is a blast for any film goer, Star Wars fan or not. JJ and company were able to blend the old and the new in a way that made it feel familiar and fresh, while offering plenty of mystery going forward, because you can tell that the world that they're building is something they really want us to care about. There is a little too much reliance on nostalgia at times, but it doesn't matter because the action, the pacing, and the storytelling are just so superb that you just smile as the adventure progresses. Go see Star Wars: The Force Awakens, one of the best films of the year!