Force is strong with new ‘Star Wars’ say critics

Abrams also praised the film’s new leads, Daisy Ridley and John Boyega, saying they had “an alchemy” with the actors from the earlier films.

Abrams said he was struck every day while filming by how lucky he was to be working on the movie. I don’t think they give films like this as much recognition as they should. And it’s that intensity that rescues this movie from being just a peppy update of a almost 40-year-old classic.

I especially love that the video includes Chewbacca and the droids beeping and roaring alongside their human counterparts.

“I remember when I first saw ‘Star Wars, ‘” Obama said during a White House ceremony. Sure, some of the effects – and the great little character Maz Kanata, who is “played” by Lupita Nyong’o – are computer-generated.

“It sort of mirrors what I felt on the set because the atmosphere was so exciting, so loving, so full of fun…it didn’t matter what job anyone was doing, everybody felt good to be there”, he said.

Kiwi actor Jay Laga’aia was one of the only people at the premiere who had actually been in a Star Wars movie, playing Captain Typho in episode II – Attack of the Clones and episode III – Revenge of the Sith.

“For “Star Wars”, a sequel is a must”, singer Tim Omaji said in Sydney.

American actress Carrie Fisher, who reprises her role as Princess Leia, brought along her French bulldog, Gary.

“Richard Lawson from Vanity Fair wrote, “‘The Force Awakens’ finds just the right path through reverence and respect to find invention, ushering a new generation into its galaxy of iconic visuals and reliable heroes by raising the epic stakes, while keeping the narrative, for the most part, focused and propulsive”.

“It never gets old, it’s hard to believe the excitement after all of these years”, he said.

The red carpet event included the stars, but the movie’s Stormtroopers and droids also made appearances. But for diehard fans who have seen the Original Trilogy hundreds of times, the story and plot points are all too familiar – so familiar, in fact, that it nearly feels like a reboot or doppelganger of sorts of the very first “Star Wars” film, “A New Hope”, rather than a real continuation of the series.

Davis then took a selfie (using a selfie stick) with BB-8, as fans looked on and cheered.

Few details on the J.J. Abrams-directed picture have been released, except some broad character outlines in the run-up to this week’s release.