A spectacular return to the Star Wars cinematic universe.

Rating: 9/10 (28 December 2015)

Though I will freely admit that I saw this movie through rose-tinted glasses, I can safely say that The Force Awakens, after two viewings, met all of my expectations. This is a pure action-adventure science fiction film, and its 135 minutes run at an absolute tear from beginning to end, with little quarter given. In short: it is, technically speaking, exactly what the anti-prequel crowd was looking for.
I, for one, do not count myself among that crowd. I grew up with Episodes I-III, so they will always have a place in my heart, even if their flaws have become more and more apparent to me over the years. These flaws (poor dialogue, questionable direction, uneven pacing, awkward romances) have been duly noted by J.J. Abrams. The dialogue in Episode VII isn't award-worthy, but it's efficient and well-spoken. The movie moves between characters and locations seamlessly, maintaining a focused, exciting, yet simple story throughout. In my opinion, all of the actors have really solid chemistry, and I especially look forward to seeing more of the newest characters.
John Boyega fits the young, flawed hero role like a glove. Finn is a very easy guy to like very quickly. I forgot that this was Daisy Ridley's first major motion picture almost immediately; I enjoyed watching Rey learn what she's capable of. I've saved my highest praise for Adam Driver as Kylo Ren, however. He almost never falls short of intimidating, but his very emotional approach to the Dark Side gives him more depth than the screenwriters were obligated to give him. I appreciated this.
I think my complaints primarily centre around certain elements of the film that felt too familiar. There has been widespread talk that the film emulates far too much of previous Star Wars films. I'd say this is perhaps objectively true, but how much it affects your experience really depends on what attitude you go into the movie with. There were a small number of moments where I felt like the production team should have gone for something more original, but it's hard to be too upset when you have a goofy grin on your face for more than two hours.
In the great words of our lord: "I laughed, I cried, I lost ten pounds". I'd tell you to go see this movie, but you already have. I'm excited for what the future will bring for this franchise.