There has been an awakening...

Rating: 7/10 (16 December 2015)

Spoilers within.
The first words out of Han Solo's mouth are "Chewie, we're home". And I think that The Force Awakens has made me feel the same way, against all the odds. The world of Jakku is immediately familiar to all those who watched Luke gaze at the twin suns of Tattoine for the first time in 1977. There are some gorgeous shots of unspeakable scale of a decayed Death Star lying in the desert sands that immediately speak 'aged future' much like the original trilogy did. And the scavenger in Rey, played with moxie and endearing ferocity by Daisy Ridley, reminds me of a similar explorer, Nausicaa of the Valley of the Wind. She too explores the husk of a broken, long forgotten world.
The plot too is familiar, perhaps overly so, by Lawrence Kaskan. Once again the Jedi have faded into mystery, and the Empire has manifested into yet another legion ruling over the systems with its might. The opening scrawl is less impressive and otherworldly as it once was with this in mind. We have another Vader, another Han Solo, another secret Sith master who hides in the shadows and speaks of vague evils...and as we close, we search for another Jedi master much like Luke did for Yoda. And there is another gigantic Death Star needing to be exploded in spectacular fashion.
It is then with futility that Han Solo bids his goodbye to Star Wars. He falls in an identical manner to Obi Wan, with friends desperately onlooking, and cut down by someone close who has given way to the dark side. This is troubling because not only is Kylo Ren played unconvincingly, where his most vulnerable moments without his helmet give way to the plain face of Adam Driver, spouting a boy band haircut and shouting of the Dark Side without much actual justification for why he defected, but also because it veers dangerously close to the same redemption path of Vader himself. To redo that story with a fraction of the conflict and without a hint of backstory would be unsatisfying.
He does not have the backing power of the Imperial March theme as Vader once did, but demonstrates his terror in other ways. The sound design and visual and special effects are fantastic as expected. The first showing of the force suspends a blaster beam in mid-air, and the lightsabers make the entire frame tremble, and fills the theatre with that unmistakable hum, buzzing and crackling with deadly red force. Overhead, entire planets are destroyed without mercy. The markets of Jakku and the watering rebel hole are created with ease, although with nothing as iconic as the Cantina Band. Less impressive is the JJ Abrams method of obscuring his action scenes with his trademark smoke and sparks that seem pervasive throughout the galaxy. Like his Mission Impossible movies, sparks are literally everywhere a fight occurs, even as lightsabers cut up frozen trees and blasters are fired at rocks and dirt. As the Millennium Falcon takes flight, whip pans and shaky-cam are a tad overused. At times, the action is rendered unwatchable.
The best performance is Ridley's Rey, who is tough and vulnerable and capable. Joining her is Boyega's Finn, whose story arc is natural (maybe made a little ridiculous when blood is smeared on a stormtrooper's helmet, which are newer and sleeker but still not a substitute for an actual face) and whose comedic timing and chemistry with his co-star make them very easy to root for. Equally as good is BB-8, who brings the same charm and humour to the group much like R2D2 originally did. Isaac's Poe is charismatic enough, although no Han Solo. The worst belong to Christie's Phasma, whom is given as many lines as Boba Fett, and an imposing shiny suit, but never so much as fires a blaster and is irrelevant. Gleeson's Hux is also forgetful, save for a riveting speech to his battalions where his face quivers with maniacal anticipation and bloodlust. And it seems that Supreme Leader Snoke is overcompensating with big evil dialogue and a transmitter that portrays him as towering and monstrous. Ah yes, he is finally going to complete his training. Never heard that one before.
I got chills as the iconic score and scrawl opened the movie, and I very much want to see it again. I think that is the most important thing with Star Wars.