They did it

Rating: 9/10 (19 December 2015)

Star Wars is the best fictional universe ever created, and even when you're watching the prequels that galaxy far, far away is a place you never want to leave. JJ Abrams directs Episode VII The Force Awakens, which is set 30 years after Return of the Jedi and involves the characters of the original trilogy combined with some new, equally compelling leads. It's doubtful any film has ever had so much hype attached to it and TFA being a dud would have been... I don't even want to think about it. So, was it alright? The answer to that is it was far, far better than alright. TFA is fantastic. It's a wonderful escapist space opera rooted in nostalgia and crafted with emotion, care and art. This leaves the prequels in the dust (That's just putting it nicely) and, filled with epic space action, humour, compelling characters, science fiction wizardry and most importantly of all, heart, the force is stronger with this one than it was with Master Yoda. TFC is a thrilling tale of good vs. evil, a powerful drama, a love letter to Star Wars fans, but above all it's a thrilling, emotional, unbelievably satisfying journey like no other.
It's inevitably not a perfect movie. The villains' motives aren't explained properly, how the galaxy has changed between Return of the Jedi and TFA isn't developed enough and there is at times a feeling of just whizzing through too many different scenes. It also feels like a remake of A New Hope at times, but ultimately it's an intensely enjoyable experience. It's a very well acted movie with both the old and new leads giving strong performances. Backing them up is a new adorable droid and a very strong new villain. The action sequences are stunning, the lightsabre duel is not only thrilling but full of character drama while the special effects look great. This is in stark contrast to the prequels, where actors were cardboard cut-outs moving across green-screens. It's not only a thrilling and funny movie, it's an emotional one as well with perhaps the best script the franchise has ever seen. To sum up, JJ Abrams and co did it. They created a satisfying, nostalgic and euphoric return to everyone's favourite galaxy which is simply pure joy, and to be honest the film, thanks to its nostalgia, soul, skill and the way in which it lives up to the biggest hype machine of all time is pure blockbuster heaven.
9/10