Star wars is back!

Rating: 8/10 (4 January 2016)

I'm a huge fan of the original trilogy and was dismayed by all but the last half of Return of the Sith when it came to the prequels. Making a film that was better than the prequels was easy, the question would be how close to the originals could a new Star Wars film get? Could it even be better than them?
Well, it gets close and I would argue it is even better than Jedi, perhaps as good as A New Hope. Empire Strikes Back is still my favourite. There is just so much to like with this newest instalment. The acting is great. All the main characters do a really great job. The effects are wonderful. Gone are the computer game like images of the prequels and now we get a nice mix of models and CGI. The sounds are fantastic - from John Williams' new score (peppered with some of the classic old stuff) to the sounds of the lightsabers and blasters. Bliss. It's funny. Actually, I could go on and on about what I liked for a long time. That's not what you want to know though. You'd like to know what I don't like, right? Here are my issues with the movie (WARNING - SPOILERS galore here)
1) It is too much like A New Hope and Return of the Jedi!!! There is another death star. They have to take out the shield, again. Etc. etc.
2) As soon as Kylo Ren stepped out onto the bridge near the end of the movie I knew Han would follow him and I knew he would be killed. I just knew it. I had avoided all such speculation before seeing the movie so I wasn't expecting Han to be killed off. But I just knew it.
3) Why did Chewie walk right past Leia after he lands the Falcon and Han has died. It is clear that Leia knows Han is dead and the camera cuts to her "feeling it" as he dies. So why would the two most important people/creatures in Han's life NOT console each other?? WTF? Leia goes straight to Rey, who she has never met and consoles her? Was this just a massive mistake?
4) Why are lightsabers suddenly like the ring from Lord of the Rings. Calling to people etc.?
5) The pacing was just too fast. I would have liked to draw breadth a little.
My biggest gripe is the first one. This was just a stupid idea. I mean come on. Off the top of my head here is a better way they could have done it and not re-made an old star wars movie. Just have a rescue mission to save Rey on some planet (keep all the tension and lightsaber battles etc.) and create a distraction by having a space battle with Poe. Done. Wasn't hard.
Even given these gripes I give it 8/10. It was still a fantastic movie.
BTW I saw it twice. Once in normal 3D and once in iMax 3D. Wow, the difference is spectacular. If you can see it on an iMax screen then make sure you do so.
Go see it, if you haven't already, and enjoy!