"Chewie, We're Home"

Rating: 10/10 (18 December 2015)

After first leaving Star Wars: The Force Awakens, I remarked that it was the most fun I had watching a movie since first seeing a VHS copy of Raiders of the Lost Ark at age eight. (Though in truth I couldn't decide between Raiders, or The Empire Strikes Back which I saw the same year - unaltered.) The next morning, I stand by this statement.
I had to pee for the entire last hour of the movie, and didn't even entertain the idea that I would get up and go to the bathroom. Star Wars: The Force Awakens is a gripping, action adventure packed spectacle.
The Force Awakens hits the big screen ten years after 2005's Revenge of the Sith. Yet, it shares it's true cinematic lineage with the earlier films ending in 1983. Because while the prequels felt like drawn out space soap operas, The Force Awakens actually feels like Star Wars.
This overall "feeling" is caused by a number of reasons. The settings and locations are littered with creatures that look and feel like Star Wars baddies. The action, large space battles and tight shoot-outs alike, share the same fantastical charm of the originals. The more personal battles especially feel right here, with the perfect blend of practical effects and added visual flare. Gone are the prequel days of meaningless rubber-band cgi Jedi, the lightsaber battles feel real again!
It's not just the way the movie looks either, the script is top notch, well specifically the dialogue and themes. The moments that unravel in the film are superb. Each perilous snapshot is so fun that you think it can't get any better, and it always does. The dialogue matches these moments perfectly. Frequent and hilarious one liners make a comeback, but never veer toward being overboard. When the movie takes more serious paths, the dialogue is there to match it. The dramatic dialogue is never overdone like in Attack of the Clones' "I hate sand" speech.
The plot, is the weak point here. The truth, please don't kill me fan boys, is that Star Wars never had the best plots. Even the original movie expects us to believe that two droids crash land on a planet that just happens to have not only one of the last Jedis, but also the son of Darth Vader? It works, because it's awesome, but it doesn't mean it's very logical. So in The Force Awakens, no the plot isn't it's strong suit. There are minor plot inconsistencies and leaps of faith, but really who cares?
The cast, which is thoroughly excellent, is genius and is the corner stone to how the movie comes together so well.
As was heavily publicized, much of the original cast shows up this time around. Carrie Fisher reprises her role as Leia, in a depiction that feels right for the character and received loud applause from the audience. Both droids, C-3P0 and R2-D2 return again as well, albeit for much less screen time than they had in the original trilogy. (BTW, With the shoehorning they received in the prequel trilogy, especially in the case of an Anakin-as-a-child-built- Threepio, this makes them the last remaining characters to appear in every single Star Wars movie to date.) Luke Skywalker is mentioned throughout, including the opening scroll, however it's best to keep his role, if any, a secret. Rounding out the list of returning characters is Chewbacca and a certain calamari admiral, who are both great. Oh and then there's...
Han Solo. Played by Harrison Ford, Solo is back and he steals the show. Ford returned to the iconic role of Indiana Jones in 2007's, meh-"Kingdom of the Crystal Skull," but in this movie, eight years after that one, Ford feels twenty years younger and brings the role of Han Solo to life perfectly. The swagger, the dialogue, the look; are all portrayed expertly here by Ford and truly gives the character the right feel. Love it.
Of the newcomers on the light side we have Rey, who is my favorite. Played by Daisy Ridley, her character is the most intriguing and gives interesting possibilities moving forward. John Boyega's Finn is also great. Here we see a good example of a protagonist the audience can connect with, feeling lost in a strange world. (Something the prequels were sorely lacking) Last of the three is Poe Dameron, played by Oscar Isaac. Dameron seems to be the most underutilized, hopefully meaning a much bigger role in the upcoming movies. We also have some others, such as Lupita Nyong'o as Maz, which was not all that memorable.
On the villains side we have an equally amazing cast. Chief bad guy with a black cape this time around, Kylo Ren is played expertly by Adam Driver. I was a bit worried initially with his very Vader-esque appearance and reliance on old tropes, however he put my worries at ease with an excellent portrayal of a dark-sider struggling to find his place in the ways of the force. Supreme Leader Snoke, portrayed by the always ingenious Andy Serkis, was (to me) a mixed bag but presents good possibilities leading forward. The biggest surprise came from the excellent Domhnall Gleeson, who portrays the evil General Hux. Here we see the calm evil nature of the original Generall Tarkin repeating itself.
Anyway I could go on and on, but it's simple. If you love Star Wars then go see it immediately. If you don't love Star Wars, then you are a sick person who needs helps so really I'm not qualified to give you advice.