Star Wars: Episode VII - The Force Awakens

"To exit the cinema with not just a sense of relief but joyous excitement says it all. The Force Awakens immediately transports its audience into a Star Wars universe both familiar and mysterious, and from there director J.J. Abrams delights in introducing new characters and working through a roll call of familiar faces. Sure, at times the fan service gets a little heavy, and you can almost picture Abrams working through a checklist of things to include, but these are minor quibbles for a franchise which has already seen George Lucas cannibalise his own ideas several times over - not to mention ramming characters into shot in order to sell toys."

"Brings welcome jolts of energy, warmth and excitement back to the biggest franchise in movie history... For impressive stretches [Abrams] achieves the action-packed buoyancy of the old Saturday morning serials that partly inspired Star Wars in the first place."

"The movie that fans wanted, the movie that fans deserve. And it’s only fitting that it is, beneath the scintillating action and striking world-building, a film about parents and children, about the effects of one generation on the next, about legacy."

"The rollicking, space-opera spirit of George Lucas's original trilogy (you can safely forget the second trio of cynical, tricked-up prequels) emanates from every frame of J.J. Abrams euphoric sequel."

"It has the usual toy-store-ready gizmos and critters, but it also has appealingly imperfect men and women whose blunders and victories, decency and goofiness remind you that a pop mythology like Star Wars needs more than old gods to sustain it."

"Outrageously exciting and romantic return to a world you hadn’t realised you’d missed so much."

"The Star Wars movie for people who don't like Star Wars. Pure, old-school pleasure."

"Pumps new energy and life into a hallowed franchise in a way that both resurrects old pleasures and points in promising new directions."

"Filmmaking on an enormous scale and it packs a planet-sized punch, launching a new generation of characters who – by the end – take a place next to Han, Leia and the rest."