Unimaginative rehash...

Rating: 4/10 (27 December 2015)

I think your reaction to TFA will depend on what aspect of Star Wars you liked going in...if core to your love oft he franchise was the rag tag rebels and the hunk of junk ship, then this movie will have plenty you like. If you're into the jedi mythology...this movie is garbage as it massacres what we already know. If you're into world building...that isn't here. And if you're into the storytelling structure and Lucas' implementation of the mono myth...run away from this movie.
Of course, much of what people call holes may be redeemed by significant storytelling heavy lifting and reveals in subsequent movies...and some not unexpected reveals. That might happen...and if it does I will reevaluate this movie at that time....
what this movie does right, it does right....it's beautiful to look at. The special effects are great. Han Solo and Chewie's chemistry is great. Some of the earnesty of the new characters (Finn and Rey also have great chemistry) is also memorable
what this movie gets wrong, it gets really, really wrong....Plot and pacing? The politics of the galaxy is totally obscure - and illogical. And what of the Starkiller base? really - a planet which is apparently immobile outside of its standard orbit eliminates it's star? Wouldn't it become uninhabitable as there would be no star to retain life? or how about Kylo Ren's vastly inconsistent abilities as a force user- is he trained or not? is he that incompetent? how could this fool be a threat? and the lightsaber duels are the worst of the seven films...
So the long and short? a mediocre movie really...while technically competent, it is the worst of the septology...despite Lucas' bad dialogue in earlier episodes