Starring Daisy Ridley, JJ Abrams' Star Wars reboot is a triumph...
Starring Daisy Ridley, JJ Abrams' Star Wars reboot is a triumph. When the most wildly anticipated and furiously hyped movie of the millennium finally arrived, the collective exhalation of relief could be heard around the globe if not in a galaxy far, far away.
Having already revived another beloved sci-fi saga with Star Trek, Abrams does the same here, banishing all memories of George Lucas' woeful prequels by honouring the legacy of the original trilogy of films.
He barely puts a foot wrong, successfully introducing new characters - including the striking Daisy Ridley as resilient, resourceful and agile warrior Rey, John Boyega's earnest, conscience-stricken Stormtrooper Finn and Adam Driver as their menacing adversary Kylo Ren - and allowing such familiar faces as Harrison Ford's Han Solo, as adept with quips as ever, and Carrie Fisher's Leia to make fan-pleasing returns.
And with the tools of 21st-century Hollywood on hand, the dogfights between X-wings and Tie Fighters have a new zip, while the lightsabers' spark, swoosh and fuzzy hum are better than ever.
