An enjoyable remake of Episode IV (Spoiler alert)

Rating: 7/10 (17 December 2015)

I would like to start by saying I loved Star Wars as a child, I enjoyed the films and even thought the prequels were entertaining. However, I can't understand why everyone thinks The Force Awakens is so much better than Episode 1-3 (other than the one inexplicable twist Episode 7 is better), except maybe for the fact that JJ Abrams has effectively remade Episode 4 without calling it a remake or a reboot!
From a pure film making standpoint, The Force Awakens is a very well made film with a solid script and excellent action sequences and CGI. However, when you think back the film is essentially a remake of the much loved Episode 4. The film starts on a desert planet not named Tatoine with a Darth Vader type dude leading his storm troopers to capture this time a young pilot (not a female princess) who hides a map (instead of a message) in his droid. Clearly the droid escapes capture and finds Ray, a young female talented scavenger, definitely not Luke who is a natural behind the controls of all forms of transport. Then there is Finn, a rebellious storm trooper who becomes the first ever to have the common sense to take off his helmet when he needs to...definitely not a Han Solo. You then have the new sith lord, his apprentice and a new general building a bigger death star that can now destroy multiple planets at a time, mind blowing stuff! In comes Han Solo and Chewey who hasn't aged at all...I'm not sure how long wookies live for but he is doing well! Clearly these people did not have to escape the evil empire's battleship and subsequently get recaptured and then meet up with the resistance and has to destroy the new death star before it destroys them. Then comes a moment of madness and a father and son moment where the director/writers and a meeting on a drawbridge (sounds familiar)...this time given they already knew that they are related the twist is about more shocking. The new death star looks awesome but is clearly bigger now and still has a point of weakness which causes it all to fail. After just over 2 hours of excitement, deja vu and bewilderment you arrive at a point where Ray meets Luke, who is in hiding on a mountain top (not a swamp) and we only hope Luke doesn't talk like Yoda in Episode 8 and 9.
I can understand why the producers after all the fan boy backlash wanted to go for a remake of the loved Episode 4 rather than trying something new. For me Star Wars was more than just a movie, it was innovative story telling, science fiction, nature all packaged in a melodrama...perhaps after the expected and inevitable success of The Force Awakens, Episode 8 and 9 will break new ground once more!