Star Wars: The Force Awakens – Reviews Round-Up

You could call Mr Abrams a love child of Mr Lucas and Mr Spielberg, born in the blockbuster world they helps make.

Mr Abrams is still trying to transcend the worst of the blockbuster imperative, but with “The Force Awakens”, he shows that he hasn’t stopped learning and that the lessons have begun to pay off.

He hasn’t made a film only for true believes; he has made a film for everyone (well, almost).

Though a definite improvement on the last three abortive Star Wars prequels directed by series creator George Lucas, The Force Awakens is only at its best in fits and starts, its success dependent on who of its mix of franchise veterans and first-timers is on the screen.

That hit-and-miss quality was likely unavoidable given that Abrams and company needed to please different masters and satisfy diverse audiences in this story (set 30 years after Star Wars: Return of the Jedi).

The Force Awakens re-awoke my love of the first movie and turned my inner fanboy into my outer fanboy. There are very few films which leave me facially exhausted after grinning for 135 minutes, but this is one.

The Force Awakens does not, in the way of other franchises, feel the need to be “dark” – having of course repudiated the dark side. It basically powers along on a great surging riptide of idealism and optimism, that family-movie ethic which some have derided for killing off the dystopian tradition of sci-fi.

JJ Abrams’ The Force Awakens delivers exactly what you want it to: rollicking adventure wrapped in epic mythology, a perfect amount of fan service that fires your geekiest synapses, and a just-right cliffhanger ending that paves the way for future installments.

When The Force Awakens ends, it feels bittersweet simply because you so badly want to get to the next chapter. So, yes, the wait is over. But now a new waiting game begins…

Using comedy in a perfect amount, as in this movie, is a reminder to the audience that this is a film designed to be fun.

The tiniest flaw in the film is that Kasdan and Abrams relied too much on Star Wars: A New Hope creating a lot of parallels.

[Abrams has] built a movie that will satisfy die-hard fans and convert those new to this world. The “Force” is incredibly strong with this one.