Consider me thoroughly entertained - The Force Awakens is hugely enjoyable. Thirty-two years is a long time to wait for a sequel, and here JJ Abrams deftly mixes the classic trilogy with modern blockbuster expectations in order to create a movie with energy, scale and - most importantly - narrative drive and real heart. For those of us who have lived with this movie saga for nearly four decades, there are many small moments that pique the emotions, from the Lucasfilm logo shimmering onto the screen at the start to the simple turning on of a lightsabre, not least a massive shock moment that is pulled off terrifically at one point, and the blending of characters, craft and visual motifs old and new is masterfully done. Strong performances abound, notably the Daisy Ridley/John Bodega pairing, Domnhall Gleeson and Adam Driver as effective villains, and Harrison Ford returns demonstrating considerable skill. In IMAX 3D the film is ravishing to look at,and the dog-fights and action set-pieces work very well, fitting effortlessly within the filmic world Lucas created. The film also delivers a very enjoyable thread of wry humour. The Force Awakens is a very successful bridging of the old and new Star Wars tales, and clearly looking forward is a much better prospect than what was dished up with the retrospective prequels.
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