The best, at the right time

Rating: 9/10 (18 February 2016)

Star Wars: The Force Awakens was the first ever movie to get me 'hyped', so you kind of get the picture what it really meant to me. I walked into the theater with huge excitement, awaiting for the that legendary intro to pop up on the big screen. It was my second time ever to have a chance to watch a Star Wars movie in a theater. The first one was the infamous Episode III. 'STAR WARS: EPISODE VII - THE FORCE AWAKENS' starts rolling along with the well-known Star Wars soundtrack. The goosebumps on my skin were real. I couldn't believe I was watching something that should be considered a phenomenon! After a bit more than 10 years, I could gorge upon a sequel to one of the most recognizable motion pictures in human history.
This review might contain spoilers, so be cautious.
As a result of all the hype this movie caused, I think a lot of people expected this movie to be near-perfect to perfect. Yet again, there's no perfect movie. No man can simply tell such a good story and yet focus on action, CGI and originality. Many have stated that this movie does not have any Star Wars "soul" left in it. The thing is, I think this movie makes it just about right when it comes to making it look and feel like the previous ones (when I say previous ones, I mean the first trilogy, the films that started it all). Here's an example where this comes to a show: lasers fired from a laser blaster, when they hit the ground they leave a bunch of sparks flying around followed by a mushroom-shaped dash of white smoke. It is painfully obvious that the authenticity is there.
The main characters are very likable. Their past is yet unknown and that's what makes them even more likable, because the magic is in the mystery. The only thing that I might hold against JJ Abrams's main characters are their names, they seem too inappropriate for a saga like SW, but I didn't care about that as much, since both Finn and Rey will probably be in the next few films as well, so why bother, right? The villains? Perfect! I love them! Especially Kylo Ren! He may give off a 'wimpy' impression at first, but researching his actions once again, I have come to a far differentiated opinion than my first initial one. He is a strong character who has true reasons behind his actions, and that is what I truly like about him.
What many dislike about this movie are the main characters (Finn, Rey and Kylo) and their 'teen age'. First of all, they are not teens, they are of similar age as Luke Skywalker in 'A New Hope'. That is a good thing, because now it will take longer for these great characters to age, and they will be with the Force for a long time to come. As I've mentioned above, all of the main good guys and villains have a not-so- explained past. They come from mysterious places of origin and there's plenty of possibilities to guess about. As I've said, their mysterious biographies are what make them so great. Luke and Leia also started off like this and the fans loved them from the very start. I don't see why the 'new kids' wouldn't get as much appreciation.
The plot of the movie? Yes, it is similar to the one in Episode IV (my apologies for not mentioning the names of the episodes as I mostly remember them by numbers), but I think that shouldn't matter. Many have used that fact just so they could 'bash' on the film. Aside the 'repeated' plot, it's something that should have been done. In the trailer a sentence says 'A film for the new generation', which implies that the newer generations will now get their own Star Wars movie and the same feeling their parents had during the time of Episode IV. Abrams did this on purpose, he wanted to bring the joy from 1977 all the way, 38 years later, to 2015. He did not create a reboot. Instead, he created something that resembles a reboot, but brings in new lovable characters and an excellent written story. It's a start like never before, and it really is for a new generation! It's like he created a time machine that goes back to exactly 1977 and takes the joy of that Star Wars film back to here.
Some other user here has mentioned that this movie was aimed towards 12 year old kids that only want action, shooting and blasters. First of all, that reviewer is wrong. Every Star Wars movie ever was made for ALL audiences, from the age of 7 to the age of the oldest human on planet Earth. Every Star Wars film ever was made so well that everyone of every age would love it! The same goes for this! This, apart from all of the original things in this movie is what makes it shine so bright! It manages to entertain people of ALL ages. It has no violence, not much blood. It's up to the point! My dad went to watch the movie (he is 52 by the way) and he was blown away by how good it was.
Star Wars Episode VII: The Force Awakens is for sure the third best film in the franchise. It blows away the prequels a mile away (and it's a bit better than 'The Empire Strikes Back', I just liked it the least out of all the first three films) and it keeps the heart and soul of Star Wars. It is one of the best (if not the best) science-fiction films made in this century, and it will surely take a lot to take that away from it. It is one of the very best science-fiction films ever made.