A wondrous return to that galaxy far, far away... "Star Wars: The Force Awakens" is a fantastic (though not perfect) and promising start to a new trilogy!

Rating: 9/10 (20 December 2015)

"Star Wars" is quite the enigmatic franchise when it comes to fandom. One one hand, we all love the original iconic trilogy. Those original films are classics of not only the Sci-Fi genre... but classics of film at large. Pop Culture and critical phenomena that to this day continue to be bathed in near-universal admiration.
Yet, on the other hand... "Star Wars" fans are a fickle bunch, and no matter what is done outside of the original trilogy- no matter how high the quality or pure the intent- they're going to be pretty violently split.
Case in point? The wonderful "Star Wars Episode VII: The Force Awakens"! Which despite almost constant critical praise and a generally overwhelmingly positive fan reception, has already grown a significant portion of dismissal or outright hatred from a very vocal section of the fanbase...
Oh, "Star Wars" fans... Will you ever be pleased as a whole? Because I know for sure that THIS "Star Wars" fan was pleased about as much as I could possibly be, and I can't wrap my head around the incessant nit-picking and exaggeration of the film's minor issues I've been seeing.
Set about thirty years after the fall of the Galactic Empire, we start Episode VII with a troubling bit of news... Luke Skywalker has vanished, and the villainous "First Order"- the vile remnants of the Empire being assisted by the enigmatic and dangerous figure Kylo Ren- is seeking to locate him in order to destroy him, as he is the last Jedi Knight. Now, a colorful new group of heroes (including scavenger Rey, former Stormtrooper Finn and X-Wing pilot Poe) must team up with classic characters like Han Solo and Princess Leia to stop the Order's devious plans to destroy the Republic and discover Skywalker's location. And along the way, revelations about the nature of the Force and the identity of their foes will threaten to tear the galaxy- and our heroes- apart...
This is a difficult review to write given the intense importance of the franchise to the public and the desire to not spoil anything. So be aware that this is going to be a basic review as I refuse to ruin the experience for anyone else.
Directorial duties are handled by the wonderful JJ Abrams ("Super 8", "Star Trek" reboot), who very much reminds me of a much younger George Lucas and even moreso Steven Spielberg with his visual and storytelling sensibilities. Abrams is one of the most exciting visual storytellers working today, and it's been all too clear for many years that he was the right director to bring "Star Wars" back to the big-screen after the misstep that was Lucas' own prequel- trilogy. And Abrams flourishes here- delivering a visually spellbinding film that's packed full of all of the heart and mystery we've come to expect from his best work.
But even despite Abrams amazing visual storytelling... and even more importantly than the fantastic script Abrams co-write with "Empire Strikes Back" scribe Lawrence Kasdan... is the cast.
Good, lord, the cast is absolutely awe-inspiring. Of the new cast, Daisey Ridley steals the show as scavenger-turned-hero Rey. She shines brilliantly and carries much of the emotional weight and depth of the film. John Boyega is also a delight as Finn, taking turns as both a conflicted turn-coat and also an excited and giddy newcomer who just wants to do the right thing. Oscar Isaac is a blast as dashing X- Wing pilot Poe. And Adam Driver makes for a remarkable and deeply complex villain in the dark figure that is Kylo Ren... from his opening scene, you can tell he is a troubled and dangerous figure, and he makes for a great new foil for our heroes.
But the best part of the film (well, outside of delightful new droid BB-8, whose role I do not want to discuss too much because it'd spoil many great heart-warming moments and hilarious jokes) is Harrison Ford finally returning to his beloved role of Han Solo. Ford is pitch-perfect and injects such life and incessant fun into the film whenever he's on-screen, and much like Ridley's Rey, Ford is the other key figure who propels the film along, both in terms of exposition and in terms of depth. Definitely Ford's best performance in many years.
Add to that an outstanding reconciliation and combination of old- school practical and new-school digital effects (putting the green- screened cartoonish effects of the prequels to shame)... another amazing score courtesy of John Williams... and an endlessly satisfying structure thanks to the script that perfectly NAILS the tone of "Star Wars", and you have a near-perfect continuation.
That being said, there are a few problems, but to me, they were so minor, I didn't mind. (And yes, the biggest issue is that it occasionally feels more like a "loose remake" of "A New Hope" than a full-fledged sequel, but it didn't bother me too much, because it obviously came from a place of admiration and love from JJ Abrams and the rest of the creative crew.)
I'm left in so much awe and anticipation after seeing "The Force Awakens." Is it a perfect film? No, no film is perfect. But is it darned-good and a great new chapter in what is perhaps cinema's most-beloved franchise? ABSOLUTELY!
I give "Star Wars Episode VII: The Force Awakens" a near-perfect 9 out of 10! For it's wonderful sense of adventure. For it's outstanding and remarkable cast. And for its loving tribute to the franchise as a whole. Some fans may nit-pick it to death, or unfairly exaggerate it's minor flaws... but take it from this long-time "Star Wars" fan (and my family, including members who saw the original film in theaters nearly 40 years ago and completely agree with my love for this new installment)... This is the "Star Wars" we all know and love, finally returned to us!