Epic Fail!!

Rating: 2/10 (2 March 2016)

I can only echo the negative reviews that have come before this one. I really looked forward to this film as all the right ingredients were there. A new director, the original cast, a huge budget, how did this go so wrong?
When anyone sets out to make a sequel to such a massive and well known franchise the foundations and framework of the story must be respected. Having a character that can instantly and with no explanation perform mind tricks, use telekinesis, expertly wield a light sabre and do anything else that a Jedi Knight trains from an infant (adolescent in Luke's case, child in Anakin's) to achieve dismisses that framework.
I'm no fanboy, I've read nothing of the expanded universe and I congratulate Disney on not following those story arcs as it means something new for both hardcore and regular Star Wars fans. But this episode 4 rip-off was a joke. Another Death Star!?! C'mon!!!
JJ Abrams said "I can understand that someone might say, 'Oh, it's a complete rip-off!.' What was important for me was introducing brand new characters using relationships that were embracing the history that we know to tell a story that is new -- to go backwards to go forwards." Sorry JJ, but if you can't do that AND respect the story that you're continuing then you shouldn't be doing it!
It may be possible that there's two hours of deleted footage to go with the DVD release that makes all these plot holes and inconsistencies (I've just named the ones that annoy me most. There are plenty of others) more credible and in-line with the OT, maybe even episode 8 can salvage something, but as for the film I saw I can only say.......
EPIC FAIL!!