Is this a galaxy far, far away, or somewhere we've already been?

Rating: 8/10 (20 December 2015)

You don't need to trawl too far into the internet to realise this film has polarised fans. People are either defending its magnificence to their last breath, or calling it a 'remake in all but name.' A 'bland rehash of already overused ideas.' It doesn't take a genius to realise that Star Wars: The Force Awakens does indeed borrow heavily from A New Hope, and some elements from The Empire Strikes Back. Entire story beats, set-pieces and locations are lifted from the original and moulded into this new story, or even given new names as if we wouldn't notice (Tatooine/Jakku).
If you were looking for a bold new direction for the Star Wars story, there will no doubt be a tinge of disappointment. It seems J. J. Abrams and team tackled this from the angle of 'history is repeating itself in the Star Wars universe,' and no doubt wanting to ignite nostalgia in fans by replicating so much from Episode IV. To put this into perspective, if you haven't seen any of the original trilogy in years, that sense of nostalgia might well work for you. But if you're one of those who likes to binge watch the Star Wars saga in chronological order, Force Awakens may feel like too much of the same too soon.
So you may now be wondering, with all of that said, why have I scored it an 8/10? Because, despite its flaws, Star Wars: The Force Awakens was the most satisfying experience I've had at the cinema for a very long time. I laughed, I was excited and I was moved. At no point did I feel disappointed. And more than that, for everything that this film lifts from ANH, it has something fresh and original to counter it with. I was peripherally aware of the similarities to A New Hope as the film played, but I was also aware of some fantastic new characters, emerging mysteries and an interesting plot line for the franchise to continue which was (in true ESB fashion) left on a cliffhanger for us to ponder until the sequel arrives.
What's most important to me though, is that J.J Abrams clearly understood the core and soul of what makes Star Wars what it is. It isn't the titular 'wars' themselves, or space politics or CGI saber-fests. It's the characters themselves and their relationships. Abrams has preserved this for another generation. If you consider that George Lucas himself failed to deliver that core and soul in his own Star Wars prequels, it becomes clear what an accomplishment this is.