Back to the future

Rating: 7/10 (21 December 2015)

Star Wars represented the return to simple values in the era of the Parallax View, Capricorn One, The Conversation, Three Days of the Condor, Klute, Solyent Green, and of course The Boys From Brazil.
It is not surprising that Disney chooses to go back to a Galaxy Far Far Away, because they want to own your childhood dreams - not your adult fears. You can resell dreams forever.
JJ Abrams foray into the Star Trek universe hasn't worked because it never gave him the simple narrative a story teller craves for. But he is totally at home with the elite family tree of the Skywalker clan.
By trading away originality, Abrams sticks to telling a familiar story which keeps the film cohesive throughout, and joyfully uses CGI as little as possible. The mysteries of the Force remain, and the children with daddy issues reign supreme. The film drags occasionally - oh look, yet more scenes of people running into Freudian forests. But the knowing humour, the superb cinematography throughout and the obvious fact that the cast were having a blast will win you over.