The reviews are in for Star Wars: The Force Awakens

Image is copyright of Disney and Lucasfilm Ltd.

Regardless of the reviews, I think we are all still going to watch Star Wars: The Force Awakens at least once this season. Most of us already have tickets and whether we love it or hate it, we are going to end up re-watching it and buying the Bluray version when it comes out. But, it does help to know what those who have already seen it are saying about it. These are spoiler free summaries of different reviews from some websites and media outlets. 

Rotten Tomates: 96%
 RT commented: "...The Force Awakens successfully recalls the series' former glory while injecting it with renewed energy."

Rotten Tomatoes gave Episode III: Revenge of the Sith a 79% which means Good! we personally liked Revenge of the Sith. If this review is righ on spot, then we will love The Force Awakens.

Entertainment Weekly B+
Chris Nashawaty commented on their website: "J.J. Abrams’The Force Awakens delivers exactly what you want it to: rollicking adventure wrapped in epic mythology, a perfect amount of fan service that fires your geekiest synapses, and a just-right cliffhanger ending that paves the way for future installments.”

We know the people at EW have always been a fan of the saga. B+ seems a bit lower than 96% given by RT, but nonetheless it is still a good score. Still keeps our hopes up.

The Washington Post (no rating)
Our local media outlet didn't give the movie a rating, but gives a very positive review on the actors that bring this episode to live "Abrams has done stellar work by casting actors who will be unknown to most filmgoers but who shoulder their responsibilities with skill and confidence." 

Let's hope the plot is as good as the actors' performances. after all, acting wasn't that bad in Episode I:The Phantom Menace, but the plot (and Jar Jar Binks) killed the movie.

The New York Times (no rating)
This media outlet has a more conservative (almist negative) opinion on the movie. Althoug it praises it for having certain elements that the prequels didn't but needed to made them great as the original trilogy was. 

It does have a very positive cmment on the cast and their interaction: "Much as in the real world, though, the war has dragged on, and now Luke, Leia and Han have been succeeded by a charismatic, talented trio — played by Oscar Isaac, John Boyega and Daisy Ridley — who look more like the multitudes humankind contains, a genuine diversity too infrequently represented in our movies. Yet while these three are variations on the original holy trinity, part of what makes them contemporary isn’t just their skin colors but also the slippery playfulness of their roles."

Manohla Dargis also wrote: “Despite the pre-release hype, it won’t save the world, not even Hollywood, but it seamlessly balances cozy favorites – Harrison Ford, ladies and gentlemen – and new kinetic wows along with some of the niceties that went missing as the series grew into a phenomenon, most crucially a scale and a sensibility that is rooted in the human.”

People Magazine (no rating)
This review seems to confirm what we all suspected from the teasers and TV spots: J. J. Abrams relies heavy on nostalgia, he is trying to make us forget the prequels ever happened and that our heroes from the original trilogy never left, they were just waiting for their stories to be told. here is their review.

People magazine seems to be the only one making a comment on John Boyega's performance "...there's Finn (John Boyega), a deserter from the First Order's army of stormtroopers. Boyega has a warm chemistry with Isaac and Ridley, while adding comic relief and new dimension, as someone walking the path from dark to light."
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Their comment on the overll movie is more focused on the actors from the original trilogy “If watching Hamill, Fisher and Ford onscreen again doesn’t bring back a flood of terrific memories, then you should check your pulse. You are likely dead. The three have the same heart and soul they ever did, with years adding lines and wisdom. The shorthand is easy, the gaps fill in—they’ve never left popular culture, and therefore never really left us. We just needed to see them again. Granted, director J.J. Abrams leans a little heavily on the nostalgia, but given all he had to accomplish in this massive franchise reboot, can you blame him?”

Associated Press (no rating)
This final review is a bit more positive and gives us fans some hope: "It's a movie made by someone who loves "Star Wars" deeply. Someone who can see more clearly than even its creator what made it so special to so many people. Abrams has taken everything that we adore about that first film, delicately mixed up a few elements, and churned out a reverent homage that's a heck of a lot of fun to watch. From the opening scroll to the sequel-setup ending, he manages to hit each beat of its 38-year-old predecessor."

Lindsey Bahr, the reviewer, also wrote: “The action is nearly non-stop, as is the humor, which kicks into gear when Han Solo (Harrison Ford) finally shows up. Ford is in his element – delightful, energetic, funny, brash and fully Han, bantering with Chewie and everyone with the same verve he showed nearly 40 years ago. If only the same showcase was given to Carrie Fisher, who is woefully, inexcusably underused as Leia. As for the new characters, Ridley’s Rey is a dream. She is feisty, endearingly awe-filled, capable and magnetic. She is the new anchor. She is our Luke, and she’s much cooler than he ever was.”

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​Our conclusions
Maybe Rotten Tomatoes is being a bit over optimistic, Or the person who wrote the review got carried away by the nostalgia. The actors (new and old) mentioned in the reviews, seem to be up for the challenge of becoming a Star Wars icon, But the comments, or lack of them, on the plot and some of the other actors raises a red flag (or at minimum an orange one). 

What you should be worried about: 

• Most agree that the movie is heavy on nostalgia. Is this good or bad?
• There aren't any comments on the overall plot. Is it that bad? or maybe they just don't want to spoil the surprise. 
• There aren't any comments on John Boyega's charater Finn.
• Can the franchise trully survive and be considered succesful without Harrison Ford? which at some point will stop being Han Solo (we still don't know if whe dies in this movie).
• No one seems to care on commenting on Adam Driver's performance (Kylo Ren). which is extremely important since he is the antagonist of this film. Last time something like this happened was with Darth Maul, which was completely underused as a villain, a fact that made the movie dull.

Keep your expectations in check. We are all exited about Star Wars: The Force Awakens but it is better to go to the movie theaters tomorrow with the peace of mind of a Jedi, rather than the boiling passion of a Sith.

May the force be with you all tomorrow!