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Rating: 5/10 (18 January 2016)

Firstly let me just take the opportunity to say that I have been a lifelong fan of Star Wars. Episodes IV-VI epitomised everything I wanted from a sci-fi film. I loved the feeling that when the X-wings pulled into the trench of the first Death Star a lot of the audience felt compelled to tilts their heads as well. I engaged with the characters. And then Mr Lucas started playing about with the films because the technology was better. Maybe it was but CGI dates pretty quickly and this was never more obvious than when episodes I-III came out, especially when CGI scenes are followed by live-action ones. I've played more realistic video games.
And so we move on a decade. The rumour mills start; they're getting the band back together. Okay this could be good. Then we hear that there will be less dependence on CGI and going back to good old models. Okay, my interest is definitely piqued. I watch the trailers and I have to admit it all looks pretty good.
And then I go to the cinema...
** SPOILERS **
You know how we had the Death Star, about the size of a small moon. Then we get the new Death Star, bigger than a moon but still smaller than a planet. Do you get where I'm going with this because as the bad old Death Stars are destroyed (enough power to destroy a planet) we are given a new weapon. It's built into a planet and has the power to destroy a planet but in case anyone was stupid enough to try and destroy it, it will be protected by a shield. I appear to have travelled through a time warp and gone back 30 years or so.
The battles between X-wings and TIE fighters are excellent and really date the earlier films in terms of FX. The light sabres appear to have come on somewhat since Luke's day and have the power to slice through trees and metal like they are some sort of spreadable butter (even out of the fridge). And yet Finn is struck by one and gets a nasty, but apparently survivable, injury to his back.
It's not like I didn't like the film, I just didn't love it. The similarities to previous films just left me feeling a little underwhelmed. JJ Abrams is a good director, but did they have to draw so many similarities to the previous films? I've heard several people argue "but they've got to introduce a new audience to the franchise" but when all's said and done it is my opinion after all. Star Wars told you everything you needed to know in the opening credits, stop re-hashing old ideas.