Star Wars: The Force Awakens is a 2015 film directed by JJ Abrams. This was the seventh and most recent installment in the Star Wars series and it is the first in the new trilogy that is planned to be released up until 2019.

Many Star Wars fans were anxious as they anticipated the film’s release. People were hoping for a feel similar to the original trilogy rather than the prequels that were released in the early 2000’s that were considered to be subpar at best. Luckily, Abrams and company delivered, making this one of the best episodes to date.

The casting for each role hit the nail directly on the head. Adam Driver played the role of the trilogy’s antagonist, Kylo Ren, to perfection. The character already has so much depth with only one film, and that is partially thanks to Driver’s performance. Other antagonists in the film were General Hux, played by Domhnall Gleeson, and Captain Phasma, played by Gwendoline Christie. Although Phasma was a bit of a flop, the character still has time to grow in the next two films. Hux on the other hand was brilliant. Gleeson played the role to perfection and hopefully he will gain more of a spotlight as the series progresses.

The three main heroes were Rey, played by Daisy Ridley, Finn, played by John Boyega, and Poe Dameron, played by Oscar Isaac. Ridley and Boyega seemed to have fabulous on screen chemistry, as did Isaac and Boyega. Rey’s character is shrouded in mystery, so she may be the most interesting of the three. Don’t sleep on Finn and Poe, however. There appears to be more of a story to tell for both of these men. These three appear to be this generation’s Luke, Leia, and Han, and coming off of their tremendous performances in Episode VII, it should be very interesting to see where their character development will go.

Speaking of Luke, Leia, and Han, they all make an appearance in this film. Even though he has only about a minute of screen time, Luke is the entire driving point of the story. Han and Leia also have a huge impact on the film as they reunite once again. Mark Hamill, the late Carrie Fisher, and Harrison Ford were all able to reprise their roles for the film.

The film had the perfect mix of nostalgia and new in the fields of both characters and plot points. The return of Chewbacca, C-3PO, and R2-D2 was much needed as they have been Star Wars staples for years, but the addition of a new droid in the form of BB-8 was also very well received. The Force Awakens did have some similar plot points to the first movie in the original trilogy, A New Hope, but that isn’t necessarily a bad thing. Both movies were able to be great in their own right.

As for The Force Awakens, it was a fantastic film. It set up many different potential storylines for the rest of the trilogy by establishing the characters, both new and old, in great ways. Hopefully the next two films will be just as good, if not better than this installment. Star Wars fan or not, this one is worth checking out.