“Star Wars: The Force Awakens” has already set box office records as the fastest grossing film of all time. It has awoken a newfound love of “Star Wars” in many and for others it has only added to their lifelong “Star Wars” love. The undeniable pressure on director J.J. Abrams was palpable as the premier date of the highly anticipated film drew closer on Dec. 18. The infamous prequels released in 1999, 2002 and 2005 are disliked by many loyal fans of the series. Many blame the failures of these films on the poor casting choice of Hayden Christensen as Anakin Skywalker, the overuse and reliance on CGI imaging, the widely hated character Jar Jar Binks or just the overall poorly executed plot.    

Fearful of another let down and blow to the beloved series, “Star Wars” fans held their breath as they awaited the reviews of “The Force Awakens.” Much to everyone’s relief, the film has been received with great reviews from critics and fans alike. Rolling Stone called it “the movie event of the year” and hailed the film as a “marvelous adventure that leaves us surprised, scared and euphoric.”

Xavier junior and long time “Star Wars” fan Paige Price said, “I felt every emotion you could possibly feel while watching the movie. It is hands down my favorite ‘Star Wars’ film.”

“ The Force Awakens” was junior Elena Zurek’s first “Star Wars” film and she said, “Even without the background that the other movies would’ve provided, the common knowledge of pop culture made the plot entirely understandable.”

The film incorporates all of the classic characters from the original trilogy of 1977, 1980 and 1983 such as Chewbacca, droids C3PO and R2D2, Han Solo, Princess Leia, Luke Skywalker and even the beloved Millennium Falcon alongside the new faces of the series Rey, Finn, Poe, droid BB8 and Kylo Ren. The chemistry between the new and old cast members is undeniable as both plot lines come together throughout the movie. The film uses new and impressive CGI technology to animate the space battle scenes in a galaxy far, far away. However, the film does not use CGI imaging to animate the out-of-this-world creatures of “Star Wars” as was previously overdone in the prequels. Mirroring the original films, “The Force Awakens” used elaborate costumes for actors playing the strange creatures of the “Star Wars” universe. This made the film feel more life-like as actors were not forced to deliver their lines to a green screen.

Packed full of nostalgic moments and references to previous films, “The Force Awakens” will bring grown men to tears as they revisit their childhood heros and see a new generation introduced to the “Star Wars” fandom. “The Force Awakens” incorporates all of the elements that made the original movies great with all of the new possibilities of modern filmmaking technology. Mix that with a perfect blend of “Star Wars” veterans and the new faces of the series to create a perfect storm of intergalactic adventure.