Impossible to review

Rating: 7/10 (21 December 2015)

In my opinion, this film is impossible to review objectively... Star Wars is so beloved and entrenched in our collective consciousness that there is simply no way this film could live up to our hopes/expectations. That being said... it is not bad.
1. The acting is decent. Some is better than others, but none of it is terrible.
2. The writing/character development is the weakest aspect of the film. The 2 new protagonists are pretty good. Finn is more interesting/likable than Rey, but I can see Rey developing into a cool Jedi. Kylo Ren feels very polarizing, I'm still not sure how I feel about him.
3. The plot is not as original or engaging as I would have liked. They make some narrative choices that are confusing and not perfectly fluid.
4. The score and cinematography are top notch.
5. It feels authentic, like one of the original trilogy.
6. It is fun, and fast-paced. Honestly I thought it flew by for a 2+ hour film.
The fact of the matter is, if it weren't for the deep emotional investment we all have, this film would be considered an above average Sci-Fi flick. But it simply can't be appreciated that way.
7/10