My first major gripe is the story. From the start, there is a droid containing vital information for the Rebellion, and it's separated from it's master on a desert planet. The droid is attack by local scavengers, and then rescued eventually saved by a young individual living in relative isolation, who is later found to be strong in the Force. Meanwhile, the droid's master is being interrogated for information. They are eventually rescued by someone dressed in a stormtrooper outfit. The Empire in search of the droid land on the desert planet and destroy the home of our hero. The droid and main hero manage to escape on the Millenium Falcon, and gain the help of Han Solo and Chewbacca. The main villain is a mask wearing and powerful warrior using a voice filter. This villain eventually kills the main hero's mentor and father figure. The Empire has a massive super weapon and demonstrate it's power by killing planets. To destroy this weapon, the Rebellion sends in a small team of X-Wings. The super weapon is then destroyed by a great pilot by flying down through a trench and hitting the super weapon's weak point.

Which Star Wars film did I just describe? Episode VII is a "bigger than life" version of Episode IV. Nothing original here folks.

It's everything we've seen, but "bigger".

Simply taking things from the Original Trilogy and making them bigger and more "badass" looking doesn't make them good. They should be going for emotional impact instead of just increasing the scale of everything.

- Rey is like Luke, but 100 times more powerful and awesome
- Han Solo is flying and shooting better than he ever did before
- Starkiller base is the Death Star on steroids

There's a snow planet, but it's not Hoth. There's a desert planet, but it's not Tatooine. There's a ruin planet with trees, but it's not Yavin IV. There's a Death Star, it's not really the Death Star.

A major issue with the plot, is even though it is a familiar formula taken from A New Hope, it doesn't work nearly as well due to the terrible world building and questions left hanging over the film. Nothing is explained in this film, no context is given to the Republic, Resistance, or the First Order. It's like a TV show pilot, to get you to watch the rest of the season, which is not what a film should be.

- Did Starkiller just blow up Coruscant?
- How did Anakin's lightsaber get into Maz's castle?
- Why did Lor San Tekka have a map to Luke?
- How do Rey and Finn know how to fight with a lightsaber?
- What happens in Rey's vision?
- Why is Finn different to the other Stormtroopers?
- Who are the Knights of Ren?
- Who is Snoke?
- Why does R2-D2 just suddenly wake up?
- How did Kylo get Vader's mask?
- Did Maz live?
- Did Hux live?
- Did Kylo live?
- Did Phasma live?

The backdrop to the plot in A New Hope is the simple tale of the underdog, we don't need much context. There was nothing before it to leave us with many questions, and those that we did have were answered in the film. However, The Force Awakens continues after Episode VI, which tied up the story and left no real loose ends.

It is confusing and unclear as to what the current political situation is. In a Star Wars film, this is an issue. The film sorely needs some exposition. Not a 20 minute political talk like in Attack of the Clones and The Phantom Menace, but just something with a little substance. Where were the round table meetings to discuss the political situation? Where's the calmer moments to help learn about these new characters? Why should we care about those planets being destroyed or the Republic when we don't even know what they are?

The film suffers from some kind of allergy to politics. Like it was decided in some board room, "People hate the Prequels, right? And the Prequels of politics, right? Well let's not mention any of that. and also, let's destroy the Republic and Senate with Starkiller Base, so there's no chance of any Senate or politics in the future movies."

The Force Awakens is so reliant on coincidences and convenience that it borders on comical.

- Rey finding BB-8.
- Finn and Poe crash land near town to find BB-8.
- Finding the Falcon working.
- Han and Chewie being near Jakku at the right moment.
- Rey's miraculous use of the Force and having the knowledge to overcome ALL problems at just the right moments.
- Maz just so happens to have Anakin's lightsaber.
- Poe returning out of nowhere, with no plausible explanation as to why he would just abandon his mission on Jakku.
- Having the plans to Starkiller base, even though they had no idea of its existence moments ago.
- Finn surviving a lightsaber strike that would kill anyone else
- Ground breaking the fight between Rey and Kylo.

Yes, the Force can guide people, but this just screams lazy and convenient writing.

This film feels like a slightly surreal and expensive fan film, more than a numbered entry into the Star Wars saga. This film should be forging it's own story, and not keep winking at the audience about the old ones, while simultaneously ripping off their story lines. Episode VII totally fails as a Star Wars story. The Prequels, while not great films, do feel part of the Star Wars saga. Their stories are creative and original. The Prequels fail to some not due to the story, but do to the filmmaking. Each Prequel tried something new, and expand the universe beyond the limitations of the originals.

The transition from III to IV makes sense. It adds to the saga. You don't go from III to IV (or any of the other films for that matter) thinking "Huh?! What just happened? Why are we here now?". The transition from VI to VII however is jarring, and doesn't make anysense when put into the context of the rest of the films.

Episode VII should be the start of a new trilogy that stands on it's own feet. Instead we have been given some kind of strange homage filled remake of Episode IV. Imagine if someone 30 years from now watches the films without any knowledge of the long rate (30 years or so) between VI and VII.

The Force Awakens betrays the legacy of the Original Trilogy. Luke, Leia, Han, and Chewie are best friends who could take on the whole world together. There was genuine love and friendship for each other.  The Force Awakens not only ruins the ending established fro them in Episode VI, but also changes their characters for the worst.

After Han dies, Chewies screams and shoots Kylo, and Leia looks sad... and that's it. It's a major moment glossed over. Then when the go back to the Resistance base, Chewie just strolls past Leia as she goes to hug Rey (A character she hasn't even met yet!). The Chewie and Leia in the OT would not act like that. Leia wouldn't have even let Han go alone in the first place.

Did you think Han and Leia would have lived happily together? No, their son is a murderer and they left each other. Did you think Luke would never give up on his friends or the galaxy? Well he ran away and became a hermit, leading to billions of deaths.  The old Luke would have never left his friends and leave them to their fate. It just screams inconsistent and convenient.

I'm not saying these character can't have bad things happen to them, but make it believable.