[Warning Possible Spoilers] Force Awakens discussion (Post viewing) (Warning Spoilers)

The score and visuals are beautiful. Everything looks real, everything feels like part of a galaxy far, far away. The music is just as powerful as that of the original trilogy, though it relies on cues from the scores of the previous films. I really did enjoy watching this one. With that being said, I have many complaints. The score is not the only derivative aspect of TFA; in terms of storyline, locations, and characters, I feel like I've been on this ride before. Starting on a desert planet like A New Hope and then moving to a snowy planet like in Empire, the scene between Han and Kylo Ren echoing Luke's encounter with Vader, Snoke being the "new sith emperor", a third death star (which actually killed stars; not the smartest plan), Kylo Ren having the same moody personality as Annie in the prequels, a charming pilot, a guy who "didn't sign up for this!" (Poe + Finn = Han), and a strong female lead (Rey = Luke + Leia), and so on. Luke's scene didn't feel quite satisfying as a way to end the film. The pacing was strange, like it couldn't decide between being A New Hope and the opening scene of Revenge of the Sith.
With that being said, as it stands on its own, TFA is an amazing film. Without comparison to the previous films, it is solid, with very few flaws or horrible ideas. When compared to the prequel films, this one blows them out of the water. On its own, 9/10. As part of the series, 7/10. And, of course, for EU fans, even less as I've heard many of the other parts of the film were borrowing a lot of ideas from the old EU/legends canon.

I love Rey is a 'scavenger', and its clear she had lots of experience in wielding a staff... so her skills with a saber are understandable IMO, plus of course Ren wanted her alive. Plus also of course, being stronger in the Force then him might bring its own advantages to her.

Finn was maintenance before getting put into a stormtrooper division for that his first mission - which was not really expecting much in the way of organized resistance, as they landed right at the objective. They didn't seemingly have sentry patrols around the ship either - else they would have intercepted the escaping Tie fighter, or at least followed it down to its crash site. So it makes sense Finn had some marksmenship skills, but I don't think they would have neglected training sufficient to water down any remaining elements of humanity so his reaction to murder seems out of place for a storm trooper - unless that was not normal for the 1st Order and an example of Kylo's over reach. Perhap's Finn had been in maintenance too long and forget that type of training and instead idolized the stormtroper role in a way which was heroic instead of evil - hence his confrontation with his morals when confronted with the truth of the 1st Order.

Importantly, that moral decision seemed to be identified by Kylo as 'light', seemingly referencing the Force. Makes me think the 1st Order deliberately tries to be dark, or at least not light... in those terms.

Poe was clearly introduced in the opening scrawl. Though it is a bit unrealistic to engage multiple air targets and conduct precision ground attack at the same time over and over - it could point to some sort of eye tracking targeting system.... which makes sense, as the brain is fast enough, but not the hands and manual machine interface beyond a trigger pull and a button press on the HOTAS controls.

Luke looked legit, sitting on a windswept rocky outcrop, clinging to the edge of ending it all and deep in regret as the best cover from being felt/found in the Force by the Sith. He seemed to come alive in spirit when he saw his lightsaber and realized the moment had come to stop hiding, and sadness at Rey's difficult journey ahead.

So KyloRen; clearly a child of opportunity, still viewing the world in the context of his upbringing seeing things as given not earned. He seems to want power but on the condition it is more then anyone else. He knows what is capable with the Force and wants it delivered to him. His weakness is his own creation. A lot of potential in this one to transform into an adult.

I loved the struggle Han had to face, being asked to turn Kylo... and his courage in facing Kylo. Leia looked seated in the Force, though why she was not seemingly trained is beyond me at the moment.

I liked how this movie focused on 'running away' from problems, not so much it being a bad thing, but that its not the only option. People need to be true to themselves before they can be truely themselves, and running away from something is often the same thing as running back to the past (or a variation of it). You've been down that road before Neo...

So was this movie running back to its past!? Clearly its heavily modeled around A New Hope, but I think there is more to it, and it cannot be a repeat because A New Hope didn't exist when A New Hope came out. But yea, again, if you can capture and store the power of a Sun inside a planet, why have critical system on the surface where its vulnerable - huh?