4.5/5 Stars

Ever since George Lucas sold Lucasfilm to Disney in 2012 and announced a new “Star Wars” trilogy, the hype surrounding this next installment in the franchise has surpassed practically any other in movie history. From casting announcements, to trailers, to endless amounts of merchandise, fans everywhere have waited eagerly for the J.J. Abrams-helmed “Episode VII” to arrive, hoping that it would erase memories of the infamous prequels. 

Now that “Star Wars Episode VII: The Force Awakens” is finally here, it is indeed a blockbuster extravaganza that both older and newer fans will find enjoyable. Though not without its flaws, this part- reboot, part-sequel is a thrilling spectacle from start to finish that harkens back to the tone of the original trilogy, while providing an ensemble of new characters for this generation.

Without venturing into spoiler territory, the movie’s plot is as simplistic as the originals and in many ways mirrors that of “A New Hope.” From the opening scroll, we learn that after the events of “Return of the Jedi,” the Galactic Empire has resurfaced in the form of the First Order, a fascist regime whose sole purpose is to eradicate the last of the Jedi and destroy the New Republic.

With Luke Skywalker (Mark Hamill) having gone into hiding, the Order’s Vader-like figure Kylo Ren (Adam Driver) travels to the desert planet of Jakku in order to obtain a map to Skywalker from the Resistance, which is the new name for the Rebel Alliance.

As Ren’s forces storm a village on Jakku and slaughter anyone in their way, Resistance pilot Poe Dameron (Oscar Isaac) stores the map’s coordinates into, you guessed it, a BB-8 droid, and orders it to return to Resistance headquarters. Soon after, the droid winds up with a Jakku scavenger named Rey (Daisy Ridley), whose longing for adventure and mysterious family history resembles that of Luke. From there, Rey crosses paths with an AWOL stormtrooper named Finn (John Boyega) and through a series of events that follow, these unlikely misfits become the only hope for the Galaxy.

From a desert planet to an ice-world to a giant space station with the ability to wipe out entire star systems, the bulk of the film is undoubtedly spent paying homage to the originals, rather than delving into entirely new territory. As with the second trailer, the “Chewie, we’re home” line spoken by Han Solo (Harrison Ford) is obviously meant to infuse viewers with an overwhelming sense of nostalgia.

Yet after the excessive CGI, mundane characterization and abysmal level of political nonsense in the prequel trilogy, a more traditional and nostalgic take on the franchise is exactly what fans wanted from this film. Between Abrams’ use of practical special effects and constructed sets over green screens, the return of everyone from Han and Leia (Carrie Fisher) to C-3PO (Anthony Daniels) and the script being co-written by “The Empire Strikes Back” and “Return of the Jedi”screenwriter Lawrence Kasdan, older viewers in particular will feel like they’ve been swept back in time to the late 70s and early 80s.

Nevertheless, though the movie does rely heavily on familiar story tropes, its ensemble of new characters is just what it needed to carry the series from here. On the hero end of the spectrum, Ridley’s Rey makes for a scene-stealing and captivating female lead. Though we only meet her briefly before she and Finn jump aboard the Millennium Falcon as they flee from a squad of stormtroopers, we find ourselves enamored with her warm-heartedness while also sensing her feelings of isolation and abandonment. This side of her is explored later in the film during a scene between her and the mythic extraterrestrial Maz Kanata (Lupita Nyong’o). 

Unsurprisingly, Rey’s outsider traits make for a flawless chemistry between her and Finn. If Rey is the Luke of this trilogy, Finn is without a doubt the new Han. Though marketed as a more serious protagonist in the trailers, Boyega’s renegade stormtrooper is actually the funniest character that appears, and there is no shortage of humor here. With him clumsily trying to gun down TIE-Fighters, awkwardly trying to hold hands with Rey as they evade a pack of stormtroopers and narrowly escaping Starkiller Base with Poe — who is also a welcome addition to the cast — Finn makes quite a stellar debut.

On the villain side, Ren is really the only one worth discussing. Though it’s exciting to see Andy Serkis provide another motion-sensor performance as the Order’s Supreme Leader Snoke, it’s likely that this Voldemort-esque overseer will have more to do in the sequels. Likewise, the talented Domnhall Gleason from this year’s “Ex Machina” is not given adequate screen time to present his character General Hux as a successor to Peter Cushing’s Grand Moff Tarkin.  And as for Gwendolyn Christie’s Captain Phasma, she does as little as Boba Fett but will likely become a fan-favorite nonetheless. 

Ren, however, is a chilling and ruthless antagonist, worthy of comparison to Vader. From the moment he arrives on Jakku to his epic lightsaber duel in the climax, he is exactly what you want in a “Star Wars” villain and is made all the better by Driver’s dynamic performance. 

As the next installment in one of cinema’s most iconic franchises, “The Force Awakens”is a refreshing, albeit familiar journey to a galaxy far, far away. With its perfect culmination of classic and new characters, it’s the film fans have been waiting years for to replace the void left by those pesky prequels.

And to the directors of “Episode VIII” and “Episode IX,” may the Force be with you.