The Force Has Indeed Awakened

Rating: 10/10 (27 December 2015)

Reviewed by: Dare Devil Kid (DDK)
Rating: 5/5 stars
J.J. Abrams and his crew have restored the shine to our beloved story, and then some. Packed with action and populated by both familiar faces and fresh blood, "Star Wars: The Force Awakens" successfully recalls the series' former glory while injecting it with renewed energy.
The film begins three decades after the defeat of Darth Vader and the Galactic Empire, when a new threat known as the First Order has arisen and attempts to rule the galaxy once again with tyranny and ruthlessness, just as the Empire had done many decades ago. Enter Rey, a scavenger from the planet Jakku, who finds a BB-8 droid that knows the whereabouts of the long-vanished Luke Skywalker. Along with a rogue stormtrooper and two well-known smugglers, the rag-tag group of heroes team up with the Resistance to stop the daunting legions of the First Order.
What works the most in favor of this latest entrant to the space saga is the dexterity, fluency, and zip with which each scene flows, and seamlessly blends with all the exhilarating action, smart humor, and indelible dialogues; nothing ever feels out of place - Abrams delivers a tour-de-force in the act of pure storytelling. Another highlight is the crop of new characters - well-written and fleshed out with intrigue and promising back stories without revealing too much in one go. They play well with and against each other as also with some of the grizzled veterans now ready to make way for younger blood to take over the mantle.
And it all climaxes with the right elements (though many die-hard fans will be left fuming or at least inconsolable at one shocking development that transpires toward the denouement), tantalizing us and setting things up brilliantly for the next installment. Secret threads on social media are already picking their nits and debating theories; it's going to be a tough wait to see what happens next.