John Boyega

[SPOILER-FREE] Can be dimwittedly obvious and self-plagiarizing, with little of real-world consequence and less that’s new to say [but it's still] a fun-filled adventure at the movies...

[SPOILER-FREE REVIEW:] Johnson sticks with the Star Wars house style and seems pleased to have the opportunity to inspire children with this story of overcoming inner conflict to become one’s best self, the key ingredient being hope.

[SPOILER-FREE REVIEW:] If Abrams has topped himself, it's by making a Star Wars film that's even more of a multiplex-filling Hollywood widget than his first.

Serves as a low-key character study and an actor’s showcase for John Boyega.

The diffuse storytelling somewhat dilutes the film's themes but Viola Davis, a Terence Blanchard score and an inherently interesting milieu are all good reasons to see it.