The Force has Awoken!

Rating: 9/10 (20 December 2015)

Star Wars is back and the Force has never been stronger! Since age 4, I have loved Star Wars. I was a child during the prequel trilogy and never got to experience the excitement of a premiere, but now at age 20, I have, and it was absolutely amazing. For generations, Star Wars has inspired millions to do good, to be creative, to think across the stars, and this film has done an incredible legacy set forth by George Lucas, true justice plus some.
The acting was phenomenal. Daisy Ridley may just be the Most Beautiful Woman of 2015, with an attitude and flare that drove every single man in the theater mad. She portrays arguably the most adored character of the entire Star Wars Universe and it doesn't hurt that she's absolutely gorgeous. John Boyega, Adam Driver, and Oscar Isaac also bring fun, talented acting to the series, with characters that will have you loving each and every one of them from the get-go. In terms of cinematography and art direction, there is a clear difference from the past 6 movies; in some ways better, in some ways worse. Abrams make a large usage of close up shots and the superior effects at his disposal, along with incredible choices for scenery, make for an impressive and wonderful picture for the audience to look at. When it comes to the original cast, there's nothing but praise. Even for someone who's been watching the films since 1999 and not 1977, it still was an incredible feeling of nostalgia seeing all the old characters come back - overall just really fun acting.
As far as the plot goes, there's a lot of parallels with the original trilogy, which is good to an extent, but can be a little tiresome/predictable; but overall, the ending feeling is one of complete satisfaction that will leave you craving for more. It was truly one of the best endings I've ever witnessed in any movie. The only full point of criticism I would have, is the music. I was surprised at the lack of new themes introduced by John Williams, and the lack of old themes being used in variation throughout the story - no Imperial March, no Duel of Fates, just the opening theme. Overall, the music just seemed to be very passive, which is unusual and disappointing for a Star Wars film. That being said though, I simply cannot wait until Summer 2017 to see the second addition of this trilogy. This is definitely a film that fans and fanatics of Star Wars will fall in love with, it's a film that will inspire a new generation of fans, and it's a film that from a cinematically critical standpoint, hits all the checkpoints and manages to be a fun, exciting journey for the common movie-goer.