The whole theatre burst into spontaneous cheers several times, and the whole theatre completely went silent - people literally stopped chewing their popcorn - on numerous occasions.
Like you've probably already heard, the movie REALLY is a phenomenal throwback to the original trilogy, with an extra oomph and insane amounts of creativity and new found inspiration that will take the franchise to a whole new level.
The characters are three-dimensional, it's nowhere near as strictly black and white, good vs. evil like in most of the previous movies, and Adam Driver as Kylo Ren is the best example of that. Hands down, the best villian to appear in the Star Wars franchise other than Darth Vader.
Daisy Ridley & John Boyega are thrilling to watch, the old cast members, popping in during the movie were just as fun to watch.
J.J. Abrams and the writers somehow managed to create a plot that was very confined in space and time, yet they effortlessly captured the grand universe that is Star Wars with some pretty great throwbacks to the old trilogy plot-wise. Some might argue that it's lack of creativity and unnecessary repetition, but I thought it was a wonderful homage. It flowed naturally and there really was no dull moment.
Absolutely phenomenal. :)

Let me start by saying that this contains spoilers, is emotionally biased and CONTAINS SPOILERS!

The first third(ish) of the movie, I thought to myself - yes, thank God, yes! They didn't screw it up. And then... things went downhill from there. And a lot of things in my opinion, went wrong. Let's take it from the top:

1. The amount of Disney is disheartening. The original feeling the old movies had; the desperation, the development of skills and character, the development of relationships, the emotional rollercoaster - it's either forced in TFA or it's not there at all. Rey might be a natural with a large count of midichlorians etc., but just like Anakin and Luke, the wielding of a lightsaber that Rey displayed at the end of the movie, is Disney talking. I know she's skilled with a staff, etc. etc., but a staff is still not a lightsaber. And not to mention the very Disney moment where she remembers the Force. Yeah, that definitely speaks for itself.

2. The characters. Like the most of you, I was exceptionally thrilled that old the oldies appeared! I loved seeing the Dynamic Duo (Chewie and Han) back on the screen! Amazing work by the two actors! The usual funny and very emotionally engaging robots were there! I loved BB-8 the same way you love a puppy. And of the new characters, my compliments to Driver's Kylo Ren - amazingly complex and well-interpreted character with an emotional depth that is fit for the franchise (but I still hate him and will NOT forgive him. Ever). And for the new characters, that's about it. Ridley's Rey was to me boring with no emotional depth and no development whatsoever. And Finn. I'm sure he'll be of some use later on, but I saw no use for him in TFA. At all. Maybe that's me reacting to the development of multiple main characters at once, but my own personal opinion on this is that instead of the focus on multiple characters and the establishment of several things at once (Kylo Ren, The First Order, Snoke, Finn, Rey, The Resistance, etc.), they should've established fewer things an more in depth. Even though I found it easy to follow the storyline, I was still occupied with too many questions at once. Who is Snoke? What is The First Order? What's Rey's parentage? What's the deal with the new stormtroopers? Too many important questions are raised so early in the movie that I didn't have the chance or time to enjoy the rest of it.

3. Another Death Star? Really? Another Empire (that looks like something taken out of Nazi Germany)? Really? Another X-wing miraculously destroying something in the last seconds? I ask only this - WHY?! The exaggeration of The First Order was... unnecessary. The many reuses of the plots from the older movies, also unnecessary. Disney had the opportunity to create their own stories in an already established universe. Why make Kylo Ren Han and Leia's son? Why in the world could they not just have let them live on to be the legends that they were and are - instead of dragging them into another story line. I've heard a lot of comments on that it was Han who bridged the old and the new, but he didn't have to be the bridge. They had so many possibilities and they chose the easiest one.

4. MAJOR SPOILER ALERT!

WARNING YOU!

LAST WARNING!

How in the world could they kill off Han Solo? Yes, I'm aware that it furthers the plot and was necessary, but killing the person who bridged the old and the new, is first of all gutsy, secondly insulting and thirdly odd. Yes, I'm very emotionally biased when it concerns this. Han died because the story had to move on. That's insulting. Kylo Ren killed him (reference to Luke and Vader anyone?) in a very not-Han-like-way-to-die. I wanted more for Han's big finale and for his character.

When all that's said though, there were some moments where I honestly enjoyed the movie. But in the end they were all overshadowed by the evil I feel has been done to the franchise.

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Star Wars: Episode VIII - The Last Jedi (2017) was just released, but my time didn't yet allow me to watch it. However, I do have time to review the film that started this new trilogy: The Force Awakens. At the time, it was my most anticipated movie of the year and I placed it second on the list of my favorite films of 2015 (just a bit below Mad Max: Fury Road).

So, yes, I do love this movie and it is definitely on the top3 of the saga! The cast choices are the undoubtful proof of the huge success that this film achieved. Daisy Ridley (Rey) is a massive discovery, her talent is limitless and she embraces her role like no other. She delivers a very emotional and powerful display, showing all of her acting skills. I can feel that she is 100% committed to her character and what a character to portray at your first big movie appearance.

Rey is excellently-developed throughout the film, she might mislead people into thinking she is just a mere scavenger, but once the movie gets going, she becomes an awesome character sharing some of the most epic moments in the whole runtime. She has an oddly mysterious backstory, which is going to produce theories and plot twists that I can't wait for, in the next films.

John Boyega (Finn) is a fantastic supporting actor and another great casting. He brings just the right amount of humor with some exceptionally delivered lines and his facial expressions and timing are perfect. Finn is going to be one of the audience's favorites for sure, his journey to encounter Rey is interesting and unique in the saga. In my opinion, it is his story that carries the beginning of the movie and that sets up a lot of characters and plot points.

Adam Driver as Kylo Ren ... Oh. My. God. What a performance! Driver is so subtle in the most meaningful moments but so compelling in the most menacing ones. He elevates Ren into a phenomenal antagonist with a splendidly written script. J.J. Abrams and co. do a wonderful job writing both the plot and the characters. Kylo Ren stands out, he is a multi-layered character with so much untold and hidden behind his personality and intriguing past. Once again, there are many theories and plot twists ahead that I'm drooling to know which one they are going to follow with.

Oscar Isaac is very exciting as Poe Dameron, another fabulous addition to the franchise. His character creates an honest bond with Finn and their interactions are pretty cool. They share some amazing scenes and Poe has all of the awesome X-Wing fights, which are outstanding. Supreme Leader Snoke (Andy Serkis) does not show up that much, but he definitely is a very threatening presence and a very well achieved motion capture work.

As for the original cast/characters, Harrison Ford has one of his best performances in the more recent years. Han Solo is one of his most popular characters and he portrays him flawlessly. Carrie Fisher returns as Leia and she offers a touch of reality to all of this. Every time she is on screen, everything becomes more realistic and tangible due to her graceful and humble display. Chewbacca has the usual funny "dialogues" with Solo and some glorious action set pieces.

BB-8 is what people feared the most since he could easily be annoying or irrelevant. Thankfully, he is another checkbox on the list of marvelous additions to the Star Wars universe. It is mind-blowing how a droid can provide so much laughter and terrific action scenes, he is unquestionably a toy worth spending your money on for Christmas. C-3PO also appears and elevates the level of nostalgia that everyone is already full of.

Moving to the technical aspects of the film, J.J. Abrams proves himself to every single person that doubted him since he is the main reason why this movie is one of the greats. From the seamless editing to the great camera work during the impressive action sequences, he enhances the story so much with his distinct use of visual storytelling. It feels like a real film and not just a Star Wars typical movie.

The visual effects are top notch and the cinematography could not be better due to the unbelievable practical backgrounds. Abrams uses a lot of long, wide shots with beautiful landscapes and mostly everything is real (besides the obvious, there is very few CGI, less than you probably think), which transforms every scene, every shot, into something more special. The tone is very well balanced between comedy and action, the storytelling process is astonishingly well handled and the pacing always maintains the tremendous excitement.

One of the common issues of all Star Wars films are the excessive exposition scenes. Well, J.J. massively improves on that aspect having just a couple of them and I am counting the traditional text that starts the movie. Like I said above, there is an extensive use of visual storytelling, in other words, everything that you see is giving you information while advancing the plot without actually literally telling you what is going on or what is going to happen.

John Williams' score continues to superbly accompany every scene, not only the action ones, but it also strengthens dialogues. I love the ending, but here is where both fans and critics are going to become very divisive. It ends with a huge cliffhanger and some people are going to be disappointed because they are left with this feeling of unfulfillment and if you don't know how to deal with it, you might think you didn't enjoy the film.

The truth is you can't have everything right now. This is a trilogy, so it is absurd to even expect that you are going to have everything that you wish for in the first movie of a new era. I wanted more from the second the film finished, I also felt a bit let down because the movie concludes with something I had been expecting forever. However, this is a great feeling to have because it means the film meant something, it means the movie was so amazing that I just can't wait anymore for the next one!

Nevertheless, The Force Awakens can't escape some minor flaws. While pretty much every single character is great, Maz Kanata (Lupita Nyong'o) is not. With so much practical effects surrounding every environment, a 100% CGI character is going to (negatively) standout. Besides, the whole subplot involving meeting with Maz feels a bit unnecessary and the story could have easily progressed without her.

However, my main issue with this film is its lack of originality when it comes to creating a new actual danger for the galaxy. I mean, the Starkiller Base is essentially another Death Star, just bigger ... Really? They couldn't figure out anything else besides another giant planet destroyer? It does not reflect J.J. Abrams' incredible direction and the production team's excellent work, at all.

Finally, there are some "problems" that I don't yet know if they are, in fact, problems. This is the first movie of the trilogy and some things happened that I don't know how or why they did, so I can't really fault the screenplay ... yet. We all know the huge plot device that Episode IV - A New Hope (1977) supposedly had for decades, but then Rogue One: A Star Wars Story (2016) was released and brilliantly solved what was already considered an internet meme.

This film does not have such a massive plot device, but there is one little moment that occurs in the first act that I still don't know if it is, in fact, a flaw or if there is an explanation waiting for us in the next movies.

All in all, The Force Awakens proves that the Star Wars franchise is still, very much, alive! This is easily one of the best films of 2015 and one of the best in the franchise. It features an outstanding cast with some excellent performances from the new actors joining the saga and powerfully nostalgic displays from the original members. Incredibly-developed characters carry this movie with the help of a mysterious and captivating screenplay, as well as a lot of visually exciting action sequences. J.J. Abrams has his stamp all over the film, with beautiful wide shots, massive practical effects, and exceptional use of visual storytelling. A cheap third Death Star and some very minor issues here and there don't allow the movie to shine flawlessly, but it is still freaking awesome! It undoubtedly belongs to my Top3, behind Empire Strikes Back and A New Hope.

Rating: A

An enjoyable beginning to the sequel trilogy!

'Star Wars: The Force Awakens' entertained me. It felt like a fresh direction for the overall franchise, which I guess is little surprise given George Lucas was not a major part of this. I actually didn't notice a great deal of difference, or at least as much as I thought there'd be given his exclusion.

I enjoyed seeing the new cast merge with the old trio, even if there are only small appearances from two of the latter. Daisy Ridley and John Boyega are excellent additions, both give top performances - I will say I didn't sense major chemistry between the two, but I assume that'll come soon enough. Adam Driver, meanwhile, suits his role nicely.

Original trio Harrison Ford, Carrie Fisher and Mark Hamill all feature, though - as alluded to - Ford is the only one that has a major part to play. Either way, it's cool seeing them back in the franchise.

Everything else about the film satisfied me, I'm not saying it's perfect - esp. the plot - but I found it perfectly fun to watch. For me, it's a strong start for this era of 'Star Wars'.

So where were you when the Science Fiction cinema sensation ‘Star Wars’ took shape and captured the imagination of the massive global moviegoers’ escapist expectations back in 1977? Regardless of whether you existed thirty-eight years ago or not, the legend of George Lucas’ highly-heralded SF blockbuster that shattered box office records worldwide was automatically engrained in your cinematic psyche. Now nearly four decades later, the motion picture phenomenon that took place in ‘a galaxy a long time ago…far, far away’ has come to expand its entertaining promise and prominence even after numerous servings of movie sequels, television specials and other fanfare attributes that promoted the ‘Star Wars’ agenda throughout the countless years.

The modern-day arrival of yet another ‘Star Wars’ edition in the millennium movie-making age of technical and tactical brilliance is quite fitting and filmmaker J.J. Abrams is the right choice to helm this sacred film franchise and present a whole new litany of continuing adventurous narratives for a new generation of ‘Star Wars’ personalities dipping their tenacious toes into ‘the force of goodness’ battling ‘the dark side’ of authoritative evil.

In Abrams’s reboot ‘Star Wars: The Force Awakens’, the anticipation of enhancing and enlightening the reputation and respect of the Lucas landscape of stormtroopers, light sabres and of course the iconic ‘Star Wars’ returnees from the treasured trio of Harrison Ford (Han Solo)/Carrie Fisher (Leia) and Mark Hamill (Luke Skywalker) registers with a nostalgic blast of appreciation and exhilaration. ‘The Force Awakens’ is a sheer big screen celebration of majestic impishness and intrigue that will fortify the hunger of both casual and rabid ‘Star Wars’ fanatics. Indeed, the hype is warranted and Abrams, the mastermind of the big-budget movie sequelitis, is in top form as he triumphantly presents ‘The Force Awakens’ on a prized silver platter designed for its surging golden moments of charged ebullience.

In looking at the numbers game that is connected to the overall ‘Star Wars’ universe, it is hard to believe that the last prequel was released just a decade ago. Furthermore, it is mind-boggling that the aforementioned ‘Star Wars’ ‘royalty’ in Ford, Fisher and Hamill have shared the same space on film for the first time in over three decades since they last were featured in a ‘Star Wars’ movie together. Nevertheless, no one can deny that ‘The Force Awakens’ does not take the challenge in combining the remembrance of the ‘Star Wars’ installments of yesteryear with the fresh brand of current upstarts willing to engage in another boisterous saga that begins a whole chapter of compelling wonderment. The mix of veterans and novices in ‘The Force Awakens’ is quite interesting but the familiarity of the storytelling heft of good vs. evil is always a solid sell in the realm of the ‘Star Wars’ utopia.

The good news is that ‘The Force Awakens’ not only serves as a bridge that crosses both boundaries past and present in ‘Star Wars’ folklore but it taps into the masterful mystique that Lucas and company worked so diligently to showcase so historically some thirty-eight years ago. Still, some may have lobbied for a stronger storyline in ‘The Force Awakens’ as they may gently dismiss it as being merely thin in its premise while viewing it primarily as a launching pad to develop yet another series of movies to create the ‘Star Wars’ juggernaut for this current-day climax of warped speed wizardry. For those that want a basic outline of ‘The Force Awakens’ pulse it is as such where the beloved yet aging tandem of standouts Han Solo and Chewbacca (yes, good old hulking and walking hairball Chewie is back) is helping out heroic new bloods’ Rey and Finn (played by Daisy Ridley and John Boyega)’ in an effort to groom them for combating the emergence of Kylo Ren (Adam Driver), a villainous representative from the Dark Side of the Force.

Basically, ‘The Force Awakens’ is a grand and stirring homage to the prolific Science Fiction/space fantasy that dared to soar its ambitious wings while taking the old-fashioned concept of the good guys sparring with the bad guys and spinning a whimsical web of dark imperialism while searching for the intrinsic value of brotherhood. One cannot imagine the vitality of ‘Star Wars’ without the inclusion of notable and favorite characterizations that were instrumental in inviting a ravenous response to this filming phenom that has existed in your pop cultural lives for too many years to recount. In addition to joining top dogs in Ford’s Han Solo, Hamill’s Luke Skywalker, Fisher’s General Leia Organa (the former Princess Leia to all you old school ‘Star Wars’ enthusiasts out there) and Peter Mayhew’s Chewbacca, there is the welcomed presence of C3-PO (Anthony Daniels) as well. As for C3-PO’s newest sidekick BB-8, a mechanical rolling ball robot, he is the R2-D2 replacement that should easily win the heart of the kiddies looking for a cute contraption of a companion to treasure on the spot. It should be pointed out that ‘The Force Awakens’ is set 30 years from the last installment and thankfully this update has not lost a magical step since that time.

Anyhow, the First Order’s solar system mechanism needs to be destroyed and must be eradicated by the young talents in spunky and pretty Rey (think the athletic female version of Luke Skywalker) as she teams up with former stormtrooper Finn, a warrior with an uncharacteristic compassion for not killing any designated weak soul as instructed. Naturally, this duo (while under the tutelage of the mature and ragged-looking Han Solo) has their hands full as they clash with the nefarious General Hux (Domhnall Gleeson from ‘Brooklyn’) and his Special Forces protégé Kylo Ren that strikes an immediate comparison to ‘Star Wars’ most notorious bad boy in the deliciously ruthless Darth Vader.

Daisy Ridley's Rey and John Boyega's Finn are having a blast as the touted twosome out to save the day in J.J. Abram's celebrated STAR WARS reboot THE FORCE AWAKENS
Daisy Ridley’s Rey and John Boyega’s Finn are having a blast as the touted twosome out to save the day in J.J. Abram’s celebrated STAR WARS reboot THE FORCE AWAKENS
Thankfully, the majority of the audience may recall similar elements in ‘The Force Awakens’ that was touched upon in ‘Star Wars’ editions such as ‘A New Hope’ and ‘Return Of The Jedi’ where the same structure and theme of the plot points are somewhat revisited. As charming and stimulating as ‘The Force Awakens’ appears in its glorious presentation of being a beautifully shot and visually vibrant popcorn piece, the real find in Abrams’ spectacular space-aged spectacle is Ridley’s heroine Rey, whose emotional and physical commitment to this futuristic fable feels grounded in genuine suspense and praise. Ridley has legitimate game and carries this hot and heavy galactic actioner on her sturdy shoulders with the overwhelming pressure of headlining a cinema giant looking the re-enter the consciousness of rabid ‘Star Wars’ aficionados everywhere. Clearly, we are invested in Ridley’s Rey whose feistiness never undercuts her feminine convictions or courageousness. She runs circles around her male co-stars in fellow ‘Star Wars’ newbies Boyega/Finn and Driver/Kylo Ren and her sense of empowerment is what drives the authentic Force behind Abrams’ inherited ‘Star Wars’ workload.

‘Star Wars: The Force Awakens’ gleefully ignites the flashy flames of giddiness that we all associate with George Lucas’ indomitable big screen creation. The signature flourishes from composure John Williams’ commanding musical score to the stunning and innovative technical tweaking to the mixture of the old and new guard in front of the camera all make for an eventful and exciting return to the universal staging for a movie-making moment that will stand the test of time, the immense pop cultural movement at the movies known as ‘Star Wars’.

Star Wars: The Force Awakens (2015)

Lucasfilms

2 hrs. 15 mins.

Starring: Harrison Ford, Daisy Ridley, Carrie Fisher, John Boyega, Oscar Isaac, Adam Driver, Peter Mayhew, Domhnall Gleeson, Lupita Nyong’o, Andy Serkis, Gwendoline Christie, Kenny Baker, Anthony Daniels and Max von Sydow

Directed and Co-Written by: J.J. Abrams

MPAA Rating: PG-13

Genre: Science Fiction/Action and Adventure/Space Fantasy

Critic’s rating: *** stars (out of 4 stars)

(c) Frank Ochieng 2015