Star Wars fans can breathe a sigh of relief. Despite some attention seeking, click baiting naysayers, the almost universal opinion from both critics and fans that have seen Star Wars: The Force Awakens is that the seventh episode in the long running space opera saga is a resounding hit.
Critics have already tweeted their early opinions of the eagerly awaited movie, with many claiming the epic movie is, at the very least, the third best in the series behind Empire Strikes Back and the original Star Wars: A New Hope.
Now that Disney's impromptu embargo against early reviews has expired some news outlets have posted generalized, non-spoiler reviews. The common consensus between each of these reviews seems to be that while the movie does re-use and pay homage to themes and elements from the original trilogy, it is the new ideas and the promise behind those new ideas where the movie comes into its own.
A common sentiment shared by reviewers so far is that The Force Awakens leans upon the tried and tested formula seen in the original trilogy while tentatively taking steps away from the security afforded from that formula. It is these independent steps that hold the promise, in many reviewers eyes, of a sequel trilogy that will step proudly and justly out of the shadows of the original trilogy.
While there may be parallels between many of the characters and narrative beats in The Force Awakens to earlier episodes, many reviewers praise the performances of the cast, especially of the three newcomers John Boyega, Daisy Ridley and Oscar Isaac. Ridley has been heralded as a new breed of heroine, Boyegas performance is said to be unique and complex, and Isaac's roguish X-Wing pilot has proven popular.
Little has been said yet regards Mark Hamill and the performances of the villains, which may be due to the risk of leaking spoilers, which will no doubt become clear when the spoilerific reviews and detailed plot synopsis' start appearing this weekend.
