The franchise is back with everything resting on JJ Abrams to make something that will make fans, old and new, fall in love with the space drama all over again, and forget the mistakes of the past (I’m looking at you Jar Jar you muppet).

“This will begin to make things right.” – this first line pretty much sums up what Disney and JJ Abrams have set out to do, and to be fair, it’s a pretty ballsy but they knew they had to go big or go home. At the end of it all though, this is the Star Wars movie you have been looking for.

It has been 30 years since Return of the Jedi and much has changed. Luke Skywalker has done a runner, and in the absence of the Jedi, the First Order have risen to replace the Galactic Empire, while the rebels have become the Resistance.

New characters have also been brought in to continue the story. Rey, a scavenger living on Jakku, digs through relics of a bygone era. Seeing her drive past a downed Star Destroyer was epic, showing how something that ruled the space system now sits rusting on a desert planet. She dreams of taking part in the battles of old, using these remnants to live the fantasy.

Then we have Finn, a Storm Trooper who was trained to do one thing – serve the Dark Side, but after seeing the atrocities they commit he decides to go on the run. He is the opposite of Rey, he doesn’t want to be a part of the battles and does everything he can to get away, which includes breaking out Poe Dameron, the Resistance best fighter pilot.

Kylo Ren is essentially the new Darth Vader. He’s still learning how to use the Force but seeing him stop a laser mid-air was something even Neo from the Matrix would be proud of. Kylo Ren is still young, and doesn’t yet have the full training to hone his skills, he throws temper tantrums all over like a typical teenager.

The older characters like Han Solo, Leia and Chewbacca fall into their roles perfectly, it’s like they are old friends reuniting rather than actors on a screen. The comical banter between Chewy and Han is like they haven’t been apart for 30 years, and the same when Han and Leia see each other again.

Star Wars: The Force Awakens had a lot to live up to, as fans weren’t exactly feeling optimistic after the prequels, and the fact it had been sold to Disney. Thankfully, JJ Abrams has done something amazing here, and I can’t wait for the next 2 episodes, as well as the spin-off franchises, as it seems the galaxy is in more than capable hands.