A journey for Star Wars fans both old and new

Rating: 8/10 (25 December 2015)

Yes, yes, yes it is in fact a distinct parallel to A New Hope in many ways. I have heard this as a reason for why some people have given this film a low rating. However, I think the parallels are far from lazy but rather beautiful and have more meaning than one might initially recognize.
The similarities to A New Hope cause life long fans such as myself to feel its influence on this new story line. As The Force Awakens progresses, it is clear that there is a coming together of the old and new which is exactly what the characters themselves are experiencing within the story. In this way, both the viewers and the characters are caught in this tension of old and new. We relate to the characters in a way that flirts with the breaking of the fourth wall.
There is much left intentionally unexplained which means that before anyone can truly judge the film they would need to see the next installments which will then retroactively make scenes and dialogue from The Force Awakens more significant than we might currently realize them to be.
Cinematically speaking, the score and the landscapes are both stunning and captivating in their own respects.
I enjoyed being brought back to the Star Wars universe and look forward to what they do next.