The Independent's journalism is supported by our readers. When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn commission.
Star Wars: The Force Awakens review round-up: Spoiler free look at what the critics are saying
The general consensus is overwhelmingly positive
Your support helps us to tell the story
From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.
At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.
The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.
Your support makes all the difference.Star Wars: The Force Awakens made its worldwide debut in LA, with Star lining the red carpet and Tweeters revealing their thoughts on the film.
Since then the review embargo has dropped, leading to a flood of critics opinions hitting the internet.
The consensus is, overall, very good, with The Telegraph, The Times, Time Out and The Guardian all awarding the sequel five stars, while The Independent, Daily Mail and Empire all gave it four.
Most of the spoiler-free comments focussed on Harrison Ford’s terrific performance as Han Solo, with Daisy Riley also offering up a fantastic debut in the series.
The worst reviews came from the likes of Variety and Collider, who awarded the film 7/10 and B respectively. Of course, that’s still not a bad score by any stretch of the imagination, but both commented on how similar the latest instalment is to the previous trilogy.
Before we continue, the following reviews are spoiler free as possible. If you’ve seen the trailers already, there’s not any more info than in them.
The Independent - Chris Hooton - 4 Star
Star Wars: The Force Awakens is actually probably objectively the best Star Wars yet, and would be held up as untouchable had it come first. So let's not let ourselves get too bloody internet-y about it and start it tearing to pieces, and enjoy what is a fun, well-executed and thoroughly corrective sequel.
The Telegraph - Robbie Collin - 5 Star
I’ll confess to crying three times during the film: once during [a scene with] Rey and Finn, when I realised that Star Wars was in safe hands, again during one particular Kylo Ren scene, and also during [a] lightsaber duel, framed by frozen trees and illuminated by flares of red and blue electricity – which I suspect, on an initial watch, might be the most thrilling battle of its kind to date.
The Times - Kate Muir - 5 Star
This seventh movie is a humongous piece of cinema — all that a sequel should be and more: a nostalgic homage to the 1977 original, coupled with intergalactic, warp-speed, panoramic blockbuster action, and a new heroine in the form of Daisy Ridley’s Rey.
Watch Apple TV+ free for 7 days
New subscribers only. £8.99/mo. after free trial. Plan auto-renews until cancelled
Watch Apple TV+ free for 7 days
New subscribers only. £8.99/mo. after free trial. Plan auto-renews until cancelled
The Guardian - Peter Bradshaw - 5 Star
Star Wars has now gone beyond the sci-fi genre to its own kind of intergalactic quasi-Arthurian romance: that and a return to the world of Saturday morning pictures. The Force Awakens is ridiculous and melodramatic and sentimental of course, but exciting and brimming with energy and its own kind of generosity. What a Christmas present.
Empire - Helen O’Hara - 4 Star
By the end, this finds fresh ingredients to add to the Star Wars formula, strengthening and deepening it. The prequels this ain’t. We can all breathe again.
Variety - Justin Chang - 70/100
Star Wars, at once a cultural juggernaut and a sacrosanct institution, resists any attempt to reimagine its landscape too aggressively or imaginatively; that may be to the detriment of this diverting first effort, but Abrams has more than stoked our anticipation for what his successors may have up their sleeves.
The Force Awakens is more of a bridge than a completely new era, but it successfully lets audience live again in a galaxy far, far away. If the next two instalments can build on this movie’s foundation, we’ll never want to leave again.
Time Out - Joshua Rothkopf - 5 Star
Elsewhere—and hilariously—the film is crammed with those effete British-accented middle managers, gulping down fear in his presence. Quibblers who can’t recognize a labor of love will point to the same old fascism: a bigger Death Star etc. But it’s wonderful to be back at the bar.
The Daily Mirror - John Hiscock
All I can say is The Force Awakens evokes magical memories of 1977's Star Wars Episode IV: A New Hope, with plenty of humour, action, drama and heart.
Join our commenting forum
Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies
Comments