After months of growing anticipation, The Force Awakens finally hit theatres across the globe as (basically) everyone sighed a collective sound of relief. I hate to be that guy, but -- I told you so. J. J. Abrams has done to Star Wars the same thing he did to Star Trek: carefully constructed an incredibly enjoyable, tightly edited and strongly written film to satisfy the fanboys and set a base for the new trilogy and spinoffs to succeed, financially and creatively.

As a fan of Abrams' 2009 Star Trek, I had little doubt that he was not the perfect fit for bringing Star Wars back on the scene. However, he was not alone in the endeavour - it's time the unsung heroes get their due. Daniel Mindel (cinematographer), Mary Jo Markey and Maryann Brandon (editors) are remarkable. Thankfully, Abrams brought these frequent collaborators aboard when constructing this film. The chemistry between these four is clear, and each lends their mastery of their craft to make a visually stunning, crisp and clear gestalt. The story, written by Lawrence Kasdan, follows similar beats to A New Hope, which some people complain about, but in the end, big Hollywood money productions are all about not taking risks, so this was to be expected.

That being said, casting the wonderful John Boyega as a black stormtrooper and Daisy Ridley as the lead are "risks" that paid off. (Sadly, in this day and age, having someone who is female and someone who synthesises more melanin than his co-stars is a risk, but alas - progress is slow.) Newcomer Daisy Ridley who plays Rey is stunning, with people consistently wondering, "How can this be her first feature film role?!" John Boyega, who plays Finn, of Attack The Block pseudo-fame has now blasted through the threshold into super-fame with his charm and charisma as a leading man. His character introduces an interesting moral question into the story as a deserter of the First Order. Oscar Isaac, possibly the most reliable actor working in English-language films now, plays Poe Dameron perfectly, breathing life into a charming character. It's refreshing to see a character who is just one-hundred percent through-and-through Good.

Alternately, it's also great to see a villain who is not purely Bad, but a complex and emotional character whom I cannot wait to see be developed in the next films. Kylo Ren is played by the phenomenal and stand-out actor of the new generation, Adam Driver. He plays the character of Kylo Ren with wonderful emotional ambiguity, which is juxtaposed with sudden and violent tantrums. When he first removed his helmet, the uncertainty about this casting choice was palpable in the theatre - as the camera remained on him, the doubts evaporated in the wake of his smouldering performance. Keep an eye out for Driver -- he's the real deal. The cast of old are great to see, and even Admiral Ackbar appears briefly. It's incredible how Harrison Ford lives and breathes Han Solo. In interviews, he is gruff and grumpy and fairly emotionless - in the film, he is Han Solo. Carrie Fisher plays General Leia with gravitas, contrasted with C-3PO's welcome comedy. Andy Serkis' Supreme Leader Snoke is the one almost disappointing part of the film - I would almost rather have Serkis not in a motion-capture suit playing the villain. Despite that, Serkis' vocal work is certainly up to scratch. The single most disappointing element of the film was the fact that Iko Uwais and Yayan Ruhian were criminally underused.

The film's tone is exactly that of the wonderfully made trailers: holding up the legacy of the original trilogy, whilst bringing in a modern and fresh approach. However, the welcome humour of the film is undersold in the trailers. Oscar Isaac and John Boyega are particularly funny when given the chance, and even Harrsion Ford brings some levity to the film. Though many remember Empire Strikes Back as the most dark of the original trilogy, it's easy to forget how much comedy was involved. Abrams and Kasdan clearly didn't forget as they made sure to contrast the dark with the light.

The Force Awakens is an apt title for a box-office record-breaking behemoth of a film, that brings Star Wars back to the forefront of the pop consciousness, fans old and new eagerly awaiting the next instalments. For now, all one can do is rewatch this joy of a film and wait for the DVD/BluRay.

A final note: thank goodness for directors like J. J. Abrams, Quentin Tarantino, Sam Mendes and Christopher Nolan. Despite my varying opinions about each of them, their refusal to go digital keeps celluloid alive. "The Force Awakens" is beautiful to behold, and much of that is due to the 35mm film.