The Force is strong with this one

Rating: 9/10 (25 December 2015)

Star Wars: The Force Awakens​ is the Christmas gift we all have been waiting for. JJ Abrams did with Star Wars​ what he did with Star Trek​ - staying within the canons of the franchise and playing safe, yet coming up with a fast paced entertainer that will wipe out all the bad memories of the last three installments of Star Wars.
The Force Awakens is basically the same film as the first Star Wars film- A New Hope. There is a deserted planet to start with, along with a mysterious character who does not know that the Force is with her, and of course accompanied with a droid who holds a key secret. The Empire is back in the form of the New Order, the Emperor is back as Lord Snoke, and there is a new Darth Vader in town in the form of Kylo Ren. A beloved character dies at the hands of Ren, just like Obi-Wan did, there is a jumbo sized Death Star, the star-fighters are always the harbinger of good news, and there is a manic pilot to steer things the right way.
What makes a stale tale fresh is the treatment. J. J. Abrams​ takes a cue from Marvel's Guardians of the Galaxy​ and infuses The Force Awakens with enough energy and humor to power a few star-killer bases, along with stellar casting, superb editing and excellent 3D effects. Old characters appear not only for nostalgic reasons, but also to take the story further, slowly handing over the baton to a new trio of hitherto unknown but talented actors. The Force Awakens is made keeping in mind modern sensibilities- a strong female character, a colored hero, and second chances.
Katniss Everdeen, Furiosa, and Beatrice Prior- bye bye. Rey, played in rocking style by Daisy Ridley​- the story rests of her frail shoulders, and this newbie delivers in fine style. Complementing her is John Boyega​'s Finn- a storm-trooper who is on the run, and Oscar Isaac​'s Poe Dameroon, the "best pilot in the Resistance". Opposing them is Adam Driver's Ren, who is a villain who needs to work upon being more evil. These four characters are Luke, Leia, Han and Vader for this generation. Will they become as iconic as the last generation? Time will tell, but it sure looks promising.
The Force is strong with this one.