Perfectly enjoyable, like the others you're not supposed to over think these films!

Rating: 9/10 (18 December 2015)

Being a big Star Wars fan, and even as someone who actually doesn't hate the prequels, I really enjoyed The Force Awakens.
For me all of them are films aimed at young teens, many 'hardcore' fans and cinema going snobs will disagree, but at their heart they are not aimed at 'serious' movie buff audiences, so I always find it highly amusing when some people dissect them looking for some deeper level meaning that simply isn't ever aimed for with them.
The Force Awakens is a return to form, and a perfectly great continuation of the original series.
YES it does sometimes feel like a rehash of original series ideas (but hey they rehashed loads of ideas within the first 3 anyway and no one complained about that, just that the prequels were too different) , but hey maybe the bad guys (now called the First Order) felt that the third time would be the charm? Of course, and as with all films of good guys vs bad guys, the bad guys miss simple security measures that make them vulnerable.
You're not supposed to delve deep into the whys and what nots, it's there to enjoy and be enjoyed, to make you go oooo and ahhhh and laugh and nearly cry.
The new characters fit nicely in, and whilst their back stories may be lacking, who cares? It just works, if you let it! The old guard are pretty superb and those around me were genuinely and audibly excited to see them, as I was.
Yes it does seem a stretch that someone can learn Force control in hours, but who is to say that that is not just the Force seeking its own balance since the Jedi Order is pretty much gone in this film?? Ditto R2 D2 coming back alive, who can say that Luke doesn't trigger his awakening when the horror of loss is felt via the Force?
I actually really enjoyed the petulant, mood swinging new Darth Vader. Hey he just wants to be like his grand father. The more humanised Storm Troopers also worked well for me, ahhh the boss is throwing a hissy fit let's not go in there...That said my biggest dislike was that the new Trooper armour makes them look like their mascara has ran and they all look short and dumpy now!
Watch it with a younger, less analytical perspective and you might just find that the tingle of excitement and pure unadulterated enjoyment that you had back in 1977 (if you're that old) is actually still there, and for me this film awakened that emotion and I feel really good about it.