Star Wars is indeed back!

Rating: 7/10 (20 December 2015)

After watching it twice, I've decided that SW:TFA is, in fact, a very good addition to the series.
For those used to the prequel trilogy, in which things were pretty much spoon-fed to the audience, much to the chagrin of those fans who wanted something a little more sophisticated in terms of story- line and dialogue, "The Force Awakens" delivered that in spades.
After viewing it the first time I found myself overwhelmed with the spectacle and story-line (as well as the event that took everyone by surprise -- no spoilers here!). I was left guessing at many things that were not necessarily left unresolved, but are definitely hinting at further story development for the subsequent movies.
When I saw it a second time I noticed many of the subtleties that I had overlooked (but nonetheless remembered from) the first viewing and realized that TFA delivered on what fans had wanted in the prequel trilogy but did not get: an exciting film with an underlying story- line that the director was not going to spell out to the audience, but still left enough in the action and dialogue (including when the scenes shifted) to draw the audience into themselves being engaged with the story.
As for the score, John Williams did not disappoint. While "The Empire Strikes Back" is still, in my humble opinion, the high watermark of Star Wars scores, TFA delivered a new set of themes for both characters and action that heralded a new era in the Star Wars saga, while revisiting old themes, thus providing a continuity.
All in all, I liked it (putting it mildly). I think it was worth the hype. I just think that the low watermark of the prequel trilogy (which I still enjoyed) is leaving many fans with mixed feelings because the spectacle and sophistication of the movies has shifted so noticeably from one trilogy to the next.
Since "The Force Awakens" has given me "A New Hope" for the Star Wars series, I am looking forward to the next installments.