Quartile rating: 7/10 · 1 rating
Thirty years after defeating the Galactic Empire, Han Solo and his allies face a new threat from the evil Kylo Ren and his army of Stormtroopers.
The Force Awakens delivers solid blockbuster entertainment with strong performances from Daisy Ridley and John Boyega, and competent widescreen cinematography from Dan Mindel. However, its plot is widely criticized for heavily recycling the structure of A New Hope — desert orphan, hidden map, planet-destroying superweapon — making it feel derivative rather than fresh. Novelty suffers accordingly, as the film is largely a nostalgic retread rather than a bold new vision. The ending, featuring Han Solo's death and a promising final confrontation with Rey and Luke, is emotionally effective and sets up intrigue, landing above average.