Déjà vu

Rating: 5/10 (24 September 2017)

After watching the film and discussing it with my brother, he pointed out that the plot was similar to A New Hope. Upon further inspection, it is essentially just the same as A New Hope, aside from the cast and characters. I admit, some things did seem different and/or new, but it generally did not meet expectations, and felt familiar. Taking influence is one thing, but this is essentially the film version of plagiarism, but in a lesser form.
Nevertheless, the film had good points. It had a few minor characters and extras which make the Star Wars universe feel larger, like the original trilogy did with Mos Eisley and Jabba's Palace. Some memorable characters, like FN-2199.
Despite the universe expansion, it just seems like an example of a franchise which is too good, it should left alone. J.J. Abrams might not have been the best choice for the film.