Star Wars: The Force Awakens SPOILER-FREE Thoughts

To my utmost joy. I finally got to see Star Wars: The Force Awakens last night! Was it good? No. 

It was FANTASTIC. 

It's not perfect, and those going in expecting it to be will walk out disappointed. But The Force Awakens brings Star Wars back to its former glory (it's better than all three prequels combined, that's for sure) and sets the new trilogy's story on an interesting course.

That being said, I plan to see it again, now that my hype mode is off, and I hear the film becomes even better with a second viewing.

It's still way too early for me to write an article going deep into spoiler territory (that will come, though), so today I decided I'll talk about the pros and cons of the movie without spoiling anything.

The Pros

• The much-hyped, and much-needed, return to practical effects and real locations is a huge plus, but there is also a lot of CGI. Luckily, it doesn't stick out like a sore thumb, and blends in nicely with the practical stuff. There is one scene where this isn't the case, though.
• Daisy Ridley is the standout newcomer in The Force Awakens. Rey is relatable, sympathetic, and a badass, and Ridley does a tremendous job at bringing her to life. John Boyega is also great as Finn, the brave, but kind of plucky, ex-Stormtrooper. The other new characters, BB-8, Poe Dameron, and Maz Kanata, don't disappoint either.
• Kylo Ren, played by Adam Driver, is a refreshing villain. He's got a fleshed-out, intriguing backstory and is truly menacing. A lot of the villains in blockbusters lately have been short-changed. Kylo Ren is not one of them.
• The dialogue and humour are better than any attempts at either in the prequels. 
• Han, Leia, and Luke (yes, he's in it) don't feel shoe-horned in for nostalgia's sake. Their entrances into the story's events feels natural, and the revelations as to what they've been up to for the past 30 years aren't out-of-character and are also really interesting.
• JJ Abrams' fingerprints are all over The Force Awakens, but in a good way. The cinematography is different than the previous six films, but it adds to the excitement.
• John Williams' score is superb, but you knew that already. The legendary theme music lacks grandeur, but, other than that, the music is classic John Williams and classic Star Wars,
• The Force Awakens is fun, exciting, emotional, and heartfelt. I'm not a prequel-hater, but The Force Awakens has everything they lacked and lacks everything which hurt them the most.

The Cons

• There are a lot of recycled plot elements from A New Hope. The biggest one I can give as an example without spoiling anything is that the Starkiller Base is seriously evoking the Death Star. These elements are distracting at times, but don't detract from the fun of the movie. 
• Poe Dameron and Captain Phasma don't get the screentime we were promised, but are still very memorable in the scenes they are in. Especially Poe, played by Oscar Isaac. There are others, but I shant reveal em'.
• Some moments and developments feel a bit too convenient for the progression of the story.

As I said, a more in-depth look at the movie is on its way, and I really want to get into the nitty-gritty. 

If you're any sort of Star Wars fan, casual or hardcore, and the prequels kind of left you feeling down, The Force Awakens is what you need. Just don't have your expectations impossibly high.

Noah