Star Wars: Episode VII - The Force Awakens

Star Wars: The Force Awakens is probably my most anticipated film ever! Since I was a kid, I was a huge Star Wars fan! Like most, I really disliked the prequels and hoped to GOD that Episode VII would actually be good. The trailers and advertisement for this film were fabulous and the hype surrounding this film created almost impossibly high expectations. And, somehow, The Force Awakens MET those expectations!

The acting all around is astoundingly good. Newcomer Daisy Ridley was utterly incredible! She makes for one of the most loveable characters in recent memory. She's also a total badass. John Boyega is hilarious and delivers a very genuine performance. Adam Driver as Kylo Ren is incredible and makes for one of the best villains of the year! I also adored the return of the original cast. Harrison Ford is hilarious and brings Han Solo back to the big screen! Carrie Fisher is excellent as General Leia and all of the other members of the original cast are awesome. My personal favourite new character, however, is Poe Dameron. He is the single most likeable and badass character in the past few years!

The story behind The Force Awakens is perfect. Though it is very reminiscent of A New Hope, J. J. Abrams has crafted a non-stop thrill ride of a story! So many interesting and well-crafted characters are introduced. As stated previously, Kylo Ren is a badass villain. Rey and Finn are both excellent and have beautiful chemistry. I was completely invested in this story from beginning to end! The pace was also supersonic and the whole film went by very quickly.

The special effects are fabulous, and the use of practical effects is perfect. Unlike many people, I thought the use of CGI was effective for characters such as Maz Kenata and Snoke. John Williams also returns for a freaking incredible musical score, reprising original tracks as well as adding some new ones!

J. J. Abrams directs this film beautifully, using only one or two lens-flairs. The action is brilliantly choreographed and the cinematography is superb. The writing is also fantastic, blending humour with drama with suspense.

My only issue with The Force Awakens is that I found the plot to be way too predictable. I won't spoil anything, but there were very few actual surprises.

Overall, Star Wars is back! Fleshed-out characters, a thrill-ride of a story, fantastic acting and awe-inspiring action makes for a more than worthy addition to the Star Wars franchise. Please see it!

RATING: 9.5/10.