Haters gonna hate but great entertainment

Rating: 9/10 (19 December 2015)

Haters are gonna hate this big time. Sure, on one or two occasions I was reminded of the old Mad Magazine spoof, I think of Return of the Jedi, which depicts a cinema audience wearily reciting the Star Wars formula of how the resistance fighters will attack the Death Star (or its latest equivalent). But ultimately, George Lucas and JJ Abrams have created a stirring, absorbing film, which is snappily edited, has great scenery, and, of course John Williamson's still superlative soundtrack. And it's a kick-ass film for women, with Daisy Ridley (looking spookily like Keira Knightley) doing brilliantly as the central character, the scavenger turned warrior Rey. For an inexperienced film actor, she does extraordinarily well. And with Carrie Fisher reprising Princess Leia, that makes two female leads who more than hold their own. Hooray! Harrison Ford still takes your breath away as the charismatic Han Solo. And it's great to see Chewbacca get a meatier hero role here!! The other male leads, Poe and Finn, are also well cast and the guys playing them can actually act. The enemy characters were a bit tiresome and predictable. And I felt it was unbelievable that Rey and her friends could get behind enemy lines so easily without detection. I admit I had low expectations of this film, but ultimately really enjoyed it!