I will start off by saying this was one of the most enjoyable movies I have ever seen. The acting in this movie was superb, the cinematography was executed to perfection, and director J.J. Abrams carried the best of the original Star Wars into this film.

The actors in this movie were fantastic. They carried the plot very well and were very convincing. John Boyega and Daisy Ridley took the reigns as the leads of the new trilogy and did a great job. They have bright futures ahead of them. For mostly unknown actors, they did a phenomenal job at keeping nostalgic elements of the original trilogy and involved new aspects that make this movie so great.

Visual aspects also set this movie apart for me. The cinematography in this film was outright amazing. There were beautiful landscape and establishing shots. Also there were amazing tracking shots that followed the action without losing the subject and becoming shaky and hard to follow. This film also included some CGI that looked convincing. It doesn’t fall into the category of bad CGI with the prequels, which really pleased me because those films went overboard with the CGI.

This film also nailed the nostalgia factor. I got chills watching this movie because it had some of the beloved characters from the original trilogy. There are some parts in this movie where I felt that I had seen before. I still think that over all the film made me feel nostalgic while also providing new elements for future films.

The Force Awakens also establishes new conflicts within the galaxy. This film established the new First Order as the villainous faction. Characters such as Captain Phasma, General Hux, and Kylo Ren embody the iron grip that the First Order has on the galaxy. They bring back feelings of the Empire from the original triliogy. Supreme Leader Snoke brings elements of a Darth Sidious to the film. Kylo Ren has a Darth Vader side with a little more of a human and relatable aspect. Overall I think this movie did an excellent job mixing old elements with new character.

On the other side the resistance introduces new characters such as Finn, Rey, and Poe Dameron, while bringing in old faces such as Han Solo and Leia Organa. Finn brings a new element to the table. Once a Stormtrooper for the First Order, Finn has a change of heart and decides to help the resistance. Poe Dameron is one of the most likeable characters in the entire franchise. Rey brings a Luke Skywalker element to this movie. She is nothing significant to the galaxy when suddenly she finds herself wrapped up in the battle between the battle between light and dark.

This film was my favorite of the Star Wars saga. It blended nostalgic elements with brand new ideas perfectly. The mostly new and unknown cast did a phenomenal job of carrying the legacy of the original Star Wars films while bringing new talent and story to the table. I left this film with several questions, which I really like. It sets up the next episode in dramatic fashion. The visual aspects combined with the plot and pre-existing elements of the past films produced the best film of 2015. I recommend this film to any Star Wars fan and anyone who wants to see an action packed film with some humor and great visuals. Star Wars: The Force Awakens is in theatres now and is rated PG-13.