Ignore the IMDb Spammers - Star Wars is back... BIG TIME!

Rating: 9/10 (27 December 2015)

Most longtime Star Wars fans were dismayed beyond words with the prequels, especially at "The Phantom Menace"; the lackluster acting, contrived script, overuse of CGI and cheap comic relief might have been amusing to 10 year olds, but for the older Star Wars fans who were there since day one of the saga, we left the theater feeling disappointed to say the least. On the other hand, there are legions of kids who grew up with those prequels and expect new Star Wars movies to continue in that direction, and it's understandable to a certain extent. A new Star Wars film would have to be, for business' sake, a careful combination of both, the original and prequel trilogies.
So, is "The Force Awakens" the Star Wars movie we've been waiting for? I'd like to think it is. I'll summarize the key things I liked and the ones I didn't: Things I Liked:
1. The acting – The best acting in a Star Wars film since "The Empire Strikes Back", hands down!
2. The new cast – Daisy Ridley, John Boyega, Oscar Isaac and Adam Driver were great in their roles.
3. The use of practical effects – JJ Abrams used CGI wisely (it's all over the movie, but it mixes well with the practical effects to give an atmosphere closer to the original Star Wars.
4. The script – Despite a few details, it was a solid story.
5. John Williams – hearing the maestro once more was priceless!
6. BB-8 – The little droid is meant to substitute the adorable R2-D2. It brought fun into the movie without relying on Jar Jar Binks tactics of cheap comic relief.
7. Stormtroopers - In ALL previous Star Wars movies, these soldiers were just faceless minions that when they were shot, you couldn't care less. They were also as menacing as Jar Jar Binks and were terrible Tie Fighter pilots. This time around, the Stormtroopers we see are decidedly more accurate, more merciless and actually give out a fight.
8. Harrison Ford - despite his public disdain of anything Star Wars, he gave out a stellar performance as Han Solo. Maybe the $20 million dollar paycheck helped to hone in his acting.
Things I didn't like:
1. The Orchesra/The Music – I know John Williams is old, but not recording the soundtrack with the London Symphony Orchestra is as close to blasphemy as you can get. The opening theme (yes, that same opening theme) lacks the intensity of previous intros. Also lacking are the musical motifs, the ones that made Star Wars so famous. No substitute for "The Imperial March", no theme for the first order, no themes at all. This is the only aspect that got royal treatment in the prequels, the score.
2. Déjà vu – The most ardent Star Wars detractors have this as their strongest argument: they feel like they're watching a reboot of "A New Hope". While not quite like that, there are some scenes that play virtually the same as in "A New Hope", and I do mean virtually the same. With "The Force Awakens", it will be the 3rd time we'll see rebels/the resistance go against a giant base capable of destroying planets, virtually emulating the ending fights of "A New Hope" and "The Return Of The Jedi". There's the demise of a central character while others stand and watch from afar, bringing in to mind the death of Obi Wan Kenobi in "A New Hope". Having Larry Kasdan (The Empire Strikes Back, Raiders Of The Lost Ark) co writing this movie I would've expected a bit more thought thrown in to differentiate the endings of the other movies to this one.
3. The First Order - The first order is the new Empire. Wasn't the Empire destroyed in the battle of Endor? Who would want to form a new Empire? What is its purpose? What would they gain by reforming? Through some terrible exposition, we learned how the Empire came to be in the prequels. It'd be interesting to know the same about the first order and what's the point of destroying the ones you intend to rule over? Although this might be answered in the next two sequels, I felt like a bit more information should've been given about the first order.
4. Supreme Leader Snoke – Wasn't Palpatine, along with Darth Vader, the last of the Sith? If so, where did this Snoke guy come from? It's obvious the Star Wars universe needs an antagonist, but one that comes from a logical source. Now, there are theories roaming on the internet about where this Snoke guy comes from. Seeing him sitting in a room, projected like a hologram, ringed to close to other scenes in the original trilogy. Again, this could've been done a bit differently just to avoid self plagiarism.
Fortunately, the good things I like outweigh by far the stuff I didn't like (more than "didn't like", is the stuff I found incoherent or out of place). All in all, J.J. Abrams did a great job in Star Wars a much needed boost, and I think it's showing at the box office (as of today, it already passed the $1 billion mark at the worldwide box office, and it's only been out in theaters for a mere 12 days!). I am confident future sequels will uphold the level of quality and love J.J. Abrams and crew put into "The Force Awakens".